““I Cried When I Heard There Were Three”: One Mother’s Life With Identical Triplets
When Megan Smyth decided it was time to start a family, she never imagined just how dramatically her life would change. Triplet births account for only a tiny fraction of deliveries in the UK each year, and identical triplets are so rare they are thought to occur in just one in 200 million pregnancies. For Megan, a 33-year-old first-time mum from Derbyshire, the news was nothing short of overwhelming.
At her early scan, Megan wasn’t alarmed when the sonographer mentioned seeing two babies. Twins had always been part of her family history, and she had even joked with her partner, Clayton Whittaker, 43, about the possibility of multiples after falling pregnant just six weeks after stopping the contraceptive pill.
But the mood shifted instantly when the sonographer paused and added that there was a third heartbeat.
“I just broke down,” Megan recalls. “I’d always dreamed of more than one baby, but three at once felt terrifying. I had no idea how I was going to cope.”
Doctors later explained that the babies were identical triplet boys, sharing a single placenta but each developing in their own sac—a combination that makes the pregnancy particularly high-risk. Megan was told that reducing the number of babies could improve outcomes, but for her and Clayton, that discussion ended quickly.
“Their heartbeats were strong,” she says. “For us, it was all or nothing.”
As the pregnancy progressed, Megan’s body changed rapidly. By 24 weeks, eating had become difficult as the babies took up most of the space inside her abdomen. She relied on calorie-dense foods like milkshakes and pastries just to keep her energy up. Fortnightly scans became routine, offering reassurance but also constant reminders of the risks.
In March 2021, during what was meant to be a routine scan at 33 weeks, Megan felt an unusual pain in her back. By the time she reached hospital, she was already five centimetres dilated and was rushed into theatre for an emergency caesarean section.
Within hours, Megan had gone from expectant mother to parent of three.
The boys—Rico, Odyn and Colby—were born at healthy weights for triplets, ranging between 3lb 7oz and just over 4lb. Despite this, all three needed care in the neonatal unit due to their early arrival. Megan herself went into shock after the birth, struggling to process how quickly her life had changed.
Although she had tried to prepare by joining online support groups, nothing could fully ready her for the reality. Bonding took time—not because she lacked love, she says, but because everything happened so fast. Bringing the babies home after just 17 days in hospital was both joyful and frightening.
Support from Clayton, who is self-employed and able to take time off, was crucial, as was help from both grandmothers. The neonatal nurses had helped establish a strict routine, with feeds and nappy changes every four hours. Megan initially expressed breast milk but soon switched to formula to meet the demands of three hungry babies.

The cost quickly mounted. By keeping the measuring spoons from each formula tub, the couple calculated they had spent more than £1,200 on milk alone in the first six months.
Feeding times were a logistical challenge. Megan learned to prioritise the hungriest babies, though on occasion she found herself feeding all three at once—sometimes even using her foot to prop up a bottle. Every detail was recorded in a notebook to maintain some sense of control amid the exhaustion.
Because the boys are identical, telling them apart was initially difficult. Megan solved the problem by painting their toenails in different colours—a trick she still relies on today, often matching their outfits to those colours. While she enjoys dressing them alike, she admits it makes outings more complicated.
Leaving the house alone with three toddlers isn’t easy. Megan worries about them scattering in different directions, and manoeuvring a triple buggy through shops can be a challenge. Still, she says strangers are often quick to offer help.
The financial impact of triplets has been significant. The family moved to a larger home, upgraded to a car that could fit three car seats, and invested in a specialist triple pram imported from the US. When Megan returned to work part-time as a project co-ordinator after 10 months, most of her income went straight toward childcare costs.
Despite the chaos, Megan says the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. The boys are now toddlers, starting to talk, laugh, and reveal their individual personalities. Odyn is thoughtful and quietly mischievous, Colby is adventurous and cheeky, and Rico is affectionate and endlessly giggly.

One of Megan’s favourite moments is watching the bond between the brothers. If one cries, the others often try to comfort him. They laugh together, explore together—and occasionally cause trouble together, such as covering themselves in Sudocrem.
The family has become something of a local curiosity, with Megan frequently stopped by strangers. She even owns a T-shirt that reads: “Yes, they’re triplets. Yes, they’re identical. And yes, I can tell them apart.”
While some people comment that they “couldn’t cope” with triplets, Megan takes it in stride.
“This is my normal,” she says. “It’s harder than having one child—but it’s also more joyful. It’s three times the work, and three times the love.””