With one delivery, Salmon Arm gained three additions to its population.
Identical triplets Hannah Marie, Rileigh Faith and Isabelle Grace Meeuwsen were delivered by cesarean section at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Salmon Arm’s Mahalia and Mike Meeuwsen are the proud parents of the identical triplets. Doctors say this type of birth only happens once in every 50 million pregnancies.
While doctors were hoping to do a C-section Nov. 16, complications with the pregnancy resulted in the decision to proceed with the delivery. Mom and all three babies, who were born at approximately eight weeks premature, are said to be doing well.
At birth, Hannah, the first baby delivered, was three pounds two ounces, middle sister Rileigh was three pounds nine ounces and Isabelle was three pounds two ounces.
The three infants are being cared for in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Royal Inland Hospital and will likely remain there for some time.
After years of dealing with infertility and the Meeuwsens eventually giving up on their dream of ever becoming parents, the triplets were conceived naturally without the use of fertility drugs.
