Steve and Lucy Nicoll with Harry, 3, and the triplets who have just turned one. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Steve and Lucy Nicoll with Harry, 3, and the triplets who have just turned one. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Born at 25 weeks’ gestation and surviving all sorts of complications, the Nicoll triplets turn one year old.
They were born on the cusp of viability, at 25 weeks gestation and spent their first three months in hospital.
But triplets Molly, Joshua and Cameron have fought off a host of complications to celebrate their biggest milestone yet - turning one.
The tiny babies arrived on April 13 last year at Starship hospital, weighing the equivalent of a block and a half of butter each and measuring slightly longer than a ballpoint pen.
In incubators and on ventilation the triplets began the long road to discharge from the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, which finally came a day before their due date on July 26.
However, parents Steven and Lucy Nicoll said there were many frightening moments and several times when they thought the youngest and littlest baby, Cameron, would not survive.
At just 10 days old Cameron was suspected of having bacterial meningitis and underwent a lumbar puncture.
He received antibiotics and remained in his incubator for longer than his siblings.
Just as the fragile baby was recovering he suffered an infection in the central catheter used to administer drugs intravenously and began more antibiotics.
The worst was yet to come, when at just six weeks old Cameron came down with the potentially fatal aggressive condition where portions of the bowel tissue die.
"That was the closest I got to thinking he might not make it," Mrs Nicoll, 35, said.
Fortunately Cameron did not require surgery and managed a full recovery and brain scans on all three babies ruled out cerebral palsy.
Along with brother Josh, Cameron required drugs to close open heart valves as well as prevent sleep apnoea, where babies stop breathing.
All three triplets had immature retinas but eye tests show no issues, and they all suffered chronic lung disease, though Mrs Nicoll said thankfully it was not severe. Josh and Cameron have since developed bronchiolitis, leaving Cameron with the occasional need for an inhaler.
Two days before the trio were discharged Cameron needed surgery to remove hernias premature babies are prone to, but since then all three babies had been thriving, Mrs Nicoll said. "Molly is a total live wire. She was the biggest born but is now the smallest because she is always on the move."
Molly is already pulling herself up to standing and Josh began crawling a few weeks ago, followed by Cameron.
The siblings are now meeting and surpassing their "adjusted" milestones, meaning allowances are made for their corrected age.
Mrs Nicoll, who managed despite the odds to establish breastfeeding for the most part, said raising triplets as well as older brother Harry, 3, was a challenge, particularly given the couple were from Britain, where their family still remained.
"It's chaos already but it's so much fun. It's just so full on and it's quite relentless. During the day there isn't really time for a cup of tea but despite that there's some amazing moments."
Daily life revolves around routines, feeding, nappy changing and sleeping, as well as tending to Harry's needs.
The couple receive help every weekday afternoon from the Multiple Birth Association which has allowed Mr Nicoll to continue in full-time work as a police officer.
Mrs Nicoll will take another year off work as an accountant thanks to an understanding employer to give the premature children the best possible start.
The Muriwai couple plan to hold a party tomorrow to celebrate the triplets' first birthday and to thank the community, neighbours, friends and even doctors for their kindness and generosity which came in the form of home cooked meals, attentive phone calls and even a Christmas breakfast.
Steve and Lucy Nicoll with Joshua, Cameron and Molly aged 3 months. Photo / Doug Sherring
Triple threat
3 cots, high chairs, bouncers, bumbos, carseats and more
