A young couple who abandoned their dreams of a big family after tragically losing two babies were delighted to discover they were expecting TRIPLETS.
Trenia Hill, 30, and Hasani Phillip, 30, decided to stop trying for a baby after two ectopic pregnancies in 2011 and 2015.
The condition occurs when the embryo implants itself outside the uterus where it cannot grow and can pose a threat to a mother’s life.
Trenia lost a fallopian tube after her second ectopic pregnancy and worried that another could put her life at risk.
The customer services rep and Hasani, a groundskeeper, decided to stop trying for another child and instead focused on their sons Marquis, 13, and Messiah, five.
Despite their efforts, the couple discovered that Trenia was pregnant again in July 2017 and worried the pregnancy would be another ectopic, requiring more surgery.
Trenia and Hasani, of Brooklyn, New York, USA, were relieved to discover the pregnancy was healthy at eight weeks but were shocked to discover they were expecting triplets.
Trenia said: “After my second ectopic pregnancy we had to have a conversation about children.
“We both love kids and we wanted a big family.
“But because of the risk another ectopic would have on my life we decided to just enjoy our family as it was.
“At the time we had two beautiful boys and I was content with that.
“But it was hard for me at the same time, because I always wanted a daughter.
“Even though we stopped trying, I found out I was pregnant in July.
“It was too soon to tell if it was an ectopic so I was really scared.
“It was hard because I was excited but I tried to stay calm in case it was another ectopic pregnancy.
“I began to experience pain that was similar to my ectopic pregnancies and my heart sank.
“I went to the doctor who sent me home but the same pain came up a few days later and I went to the ER because it was unbearable.
“They told me it was my uterus stretching.
“We went for my sonogram at eight weeks where the ultrasound tech told us it was triplets.
“It was a natural pregnancy and there wasn’t any multiple births in our families that we knew of.”
Hasani added: “When we found out she was pregnant I was worried.
“I was secretly sweating and calling my mom.
“I didn’t want Trenia to see how scared I was.
“When they told us it was triplets, I asked them to check again and then triple check.
“I couldn’t believe it.”
Trenia said her pregnancy was extremely difficult as she experienced severe morning sickness and she worried about her triplets arriving too early.
The mom-of-five gave birth to the triplets on January 21 by emergency c-section at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
Born at 27 weeks, baby girls Sanaii and Saniyah, both 1lbs 5oz and baby boy, Mason, 2lbs, faced critical health risks and were rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Trenia said: “I started having contractions two days earlier and they couldn’t stop them.
“It was frightening because it was so early. I worried they would be too small and I worried they wouldn’t make it.
“I was sad and I blamed myself.
“They were so, so tiny. The girls needed emergency surgery to fix their intestines which were perforated.
“Mason was having issues with his lungs and he had surgery on his heart.
Hasani said: “When Trenia had to have a C section at 27 weeks I was scared of losing all four of them.
“They were so small, looking at them in the NICU was hard.
“The staff are so amazing and they are incredible at what they do. Thank God it all worked out.”
Sanaii and Saniyah returned home in April 2018, while baby Mason moved from the NICU into his family’s three-bed apartment in May.
Trenia and Hasani say they spend between $300 and $400 on groceries every week and speed through a whopping 103 diapers between shops.
The couple say their apartment is jam packed with a triple stroller, three high-chairs and a bedroom with three cribs.
The parents average four hours a sleep per night but say their children are a blessing, especially after their experiences with loss.
Trenia said: “My husband has been very supportive but having three babies at once is very hard.
“When they’re crying at the same time it’s chaos.
“Sometimes you feel defeated.
“Because they were in the NICU I found my bond with them was a little bit disrupted at the beginning.
“But ultimately it’s been great. I have two daughters now which is so amazing. Dress up is exciting.
“The triplets are trying to walk now.
“People say you wouldn’t even know they were premmies now.”
Hasani said: “We still live in the same apartment but it’s a lot crazier.
“We have no closet space left, that’s for sure.
“Financially it’s tough.
“My wife cooks a lot and we don’t get out for dinner now. We stick to a tight budget.
“We get about four hours sleep a night but we keep going.
“Mason is always up, that guy would stay up 24/7 if he could. Our other sons are loving the triplets.
“It’s hard but it’s a blessing from God. I truly believe that. He won’t ever give you something you can’t handle.”