MULTIPLE BIRTH AWARENESS WEEK
A week marked on the calendar each year to raise awareness around, and draw attention to, the unique realities for multiple birth families. We are celebrating The Rope Triplets, Ruby Airlie and Paloma who were born at The Royal in December 2019.
Tell us about when you found out about the Triplets:
It was a shock, an utter shock. If they had said twins I would have been prepared as we have twins in the family but triplets, who has triplets!? The first part was a blur and very emotionally charged I'm not going to lie - it was really hard. Every week, every new scan was a new hurdle. You would walk in thinking oh we have reached a milestone and then we would hear that "the next two weeks are critical because we want to get to the next milestone." There was never a point of relief, always a new milestone to hit. Thankfully, however, I had such a healthy pregnancy and besides being uncomfortable, I really didn't experience any health issues so that was a blessing.
Tell us what it is like to have triplets?
We were very well prepared for having to keep to a strict routine through The Royal Hospital for Women (we even did a tour of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit prior to their birth knowing they would be spending time there). Having them then spend nearly a month in the NICU helped us have them in a routine when they were ready to come home - we just had to stick to it. We would wake them every 3 hours on the dot (if they weren't already awake) especially through the night, but it meant starting our day on the right foot every day and giving ourselves the best shot at a successful day by keeping them completely in-sync. I can't tell you how many times I fell asleep breast feeding babies and would wake up to find them having been put back into their beds by some kind soul.
What do you find challenging about having triplets?
The most challenging part now is not being able to 'live a normal life'. With one baby, or even a baby and an older child, I could easily pop to a friends house or out to a cafe, a mums and bubs class. But that is not possible for us - not even the park - it's literally not safe. They are so active now it's impossible to watch them all, things go in mouths, they climb, not to mention the arduous task of getting them all in the car - its physically hard.
What is the best part?
Their bond with each other and now Xavier (big Brother aged 3)! They are so close, they cuddle each other, they terrorise each other! I wake up now and find Xavier in their room with them and they are all having a laugh, those are the best mornings - their laughter is music to my ears!
How have they changed your family?
They have changed our whole family - like extended family. I highly doubt my parents had plans in their 70's of driving to Sydney from the central coast every week but here they are - sleeping on lounges and all!
We've had extended family do night shifts with us when the girls' were young just to get a more solid sleep, especially when say Brad had to work the next day.
They have definitely changed how our future looks. I never ever thought I'd have a big family, I was always so career driven - big holidays etc. Those things probably won't happen now, but then again Covid has happened and grounded the world so maybe the world looks different anyway compared to all my 'carefully laid plans'.
Tell us about your experience at The Royal
Amazing. Utterly amazing. I have kept in touch with some of the staff such was the bond that grew. I think the extra blessing we experienced was our girls being born so close to Christmas which meant night times in the NICU when everyone else had left, we would watch Christmas movies whilst we tended to our babies in the care of the NICU Nurses. Love Actually will forever be super sentimental having watched it with the nursing staff late at night surrounded by precious babies who maybe had a rough start to life. I hope everyone in there got their Christmas miracles.
Instagram: @lisakellyrope
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