Three Little Miracles – Brothers born at 25 weeks are England’s earliest triplets to survive.
After being born 15 weeks early, three small brothers are thought to be the most preterm triplets to have survived in Britain. Max, Harvey, and Lucas Udell weighed less than 2 pounds when they were delivered at 24 weeks and five days. They were delivered through emergency C-section and sent to intensive care, where they underwent a total of 12 blood transfusions. Three months after their birth, they have finally come home from the hospital with their mother Rachael, 31, and father Ashley, 29.
Rachael, a former medical secretary, and her gardener husband Ashley, 30, couldn’t wait to have a family and began trying right after their wedding in May 2010. “I have polycystic ovaries, so we were concerned about my prospects of conceiving,” Rachael explained. It took me a year and a half to become pregnant. We received a lot more than we bargained for.” Rachael was signed off work at 20 weeks due to pelvic discomfort. She was in St Michael’s hospital in Bristol for an emergency aesarean less than five weeks later.
“When the boys came out, they looked like little dolls,” she added. The frightening health problems came thick and fast. Between them, the infants had 12 bld transfusions. Max’s stomach burst at one point, necessitating a surgery. Rachael and Ashley had to wait 10 days to see if he would live. Harvey was suffering from septicemia. They exited the entilators one by one. Max had worked on it for two months. They were transferred to the Royal United Hospital in Bath and remained there until February 18, when they were permitted to return home.
“It was a really unusual period for us while the boys were in hospital, especially at initially,” Rachael recalled. It felt nearly like being out of body. Within the hospitals, we were in our own bubble. Every day seemed to bring a new emergency, and we were afraid and fatigued. Last Christmas was the most horrible.
Harvey and Lucas had been relocated to Bath, while Max remained in Bristol. We spent a half-day with each other and ended up having pizza for dinner. We didn’t get the guys any gifts. We didn’t want to risk it in case they didn’t make it. This year will be quite different. Before going to meet relatives, we’ll have presents and a nice meal at home. It’s remarkable how much of a difference a year can make.” The kids are well for now, but they will need to see a doctor until they are two.
