Everyone wants babies. And no matter how many you have, each pregnancy is unique. And no matter how much you prepare for your baby, the unexpected will happen. When Chloe and Rohan Dunstan from Australia went for their first ultrasound, they expected to see their baby baby for the first time. They were astounded to see not one, not two, but three.
The physicians then gave the Dunstan with an impossible choice that no parents should ever have to make, a choice that will forever alter their lives. What happened to the doctors? Keep watching to find out. Chloe and Rohan or Ro Dunston were a young Perth couple. They’d been together for eight years and married for three.
By the time Chloe was 22 and Roe was 26, the young couple had three sons under the age of three. Evan was three, Otto was two and Felix was one. The Dunstans always wanted a big family and felt it was time to expand their five person clan. While the family’s decision seemed simple, they had no idea they would get more than one blessing. It was time for Chloe, a stay at home mom, and Roe a Baker.
After all, they could support their family and have more love to give. They adored their three sons, but felt their magic number was always going to be four. With three sons, they hoped for a daughter, but fate had other ideas for the Dunstans. Chloe and Rode Dunstan learned they were expecting their second child before the expected parents could recover their breath. The ultrasound tech was going to offer some even larger news.
And there’s another one, the tech remarked, recalling the first ultrasound, Chloe wrote on Instagram. That’s right, they were having triplets. Imagine expecting one healthy baby and finding out you’d have three. That’s it, right? No more.
The news stunned Chloe and she burst into tears. Not happy ones. The expecting parents were ecstatic. They were both terrified and ecstatic. Chloe shook and Roe was dumbfounded when told the news.
While the family was thrilled to have three babies, they were aware of such risks and difficulties that come with multiple pregnancies such as premature birth. Their babies were due on September 22, 2015, but could arrive sooner. Evan, Otto and Felix helped their parents tell friends and family about the pregnancy. The couples expecting not one, not two, but three babies soon to be born. During another ultrasound, the family learned that the triplets were two boys and a girl.
While the Dunstans were overjoyed to learn they were carrying three babies. They were also anxious. The expecting parents spent the following few months preparing to expand their family of five to eight with three extra babies. Chloe started buying the baby onesies bottles, jeans, shirts and hats. She was relieved to find all three heartbeats together.
The scan revealed that one of the boys was the heaviest, while his brother was slightly above the 15th percentile. Sadly, the girl was small, measuring in the 10th percentile a few weeks behind. Then Chloe’s doctor forced a choice on her that no parent should ever have to make. What did Chloe’s Doc say? Because Chloe’s daughter was a few weeks late in development, her doctor warned her that she might not live.
She was denied of oxygen and nutrition required for fetal survival. The doctor gave the young couple two options continue the pregnancy and risk losing their baby girl or deliver all the babies prematurely and risk all their lives. What did the Dunstans do? Imagine having to choose between your children. How can you even begin to come up with a workable solution?
While the Dunstan had two healthy newborn boys who may have benefited from a few more months in pregnancy, their sister was ill and couldn’t. But Chloe couldn’t stand the prospect of losing her daughter Pearl. The baby girl was not doing well and her growth was still hindered. Her umbilical cord wasn’t working properly and she had a narrow chance of survival. And at 28 weeks, the doctor wanted to wait a few more days.
Despite the doctor’s advice, Chloe refused to endanger her daughter’s life and demanded that the babies be delivered immediately. Despite her disapproval of Chloe’s decision, the doctor agreed to deliver the infants that day. Pearl had already fought for 28 weeks and Chloe was determined to do anything to rescue her daughter. Contrary to her doctor’s advice, Chloe delivered the triplets early. On July 3, 2015.
At 28 weeks, the Dunstan had three miraculous babies. Henry Magnus weighed £3, Rufus Murphy £2. 6oz and Pearl £1. 5oz. Even though all three babies were delivered, the family still had health worries, Pearls being the most critical.
They weren’t out of the woods yet because the triplets were born so early. All three needed blood transfusions, but Pearl had the most trouble beautiful newborn girl with a PDA, long hemorrhage, slight cerebral hemorrhage, metabolic bone disease and an infection. As a result, she had to be weaned several times. Her liver was the main problem and she was jaundiced. During the first few weeks, she was on a ventilator.
Pearl had been born, but now she was struggling for her life. The family was still worried about their daughter. Pearl didn’t need surgery because her PDA healed on its own since she was medicated. Antibiotics also helped clear up her infection. The latest scan of her liver even revealed improvement.
Pearl’s organs were undeveloped due to her lower birth weight, posing many potential issues. But the small infant girl wasn’t going to give up so easy. Things were finally looking up for Pearl. Their birth at 28 weeks meant that they had to stay in the NICU until they got stronger. The Dunstans, like any new parents, couldn’t wait to see their triplets, but they had to wait a few weeks.
Imagine carrying three infants for 28 weeks and then being told you couldn’t take them home for weeks. It must have been unusual for the Dunstans to come home without their babies, especially because Pearl’s health was in doubt. Leaving the hospital without their newborn triplets must have been heartbreaking for Chloe and Row. During the next few months, they had to spend their time between the hospital and their three young children. They were weary.
They usually visited the baby separately so one could stay with their other three kids. Being in two places at once was stressful for the new parents. I think being emotionally torn between home and hospital is the worst. I don’t think we spend enough time with the newborns, but I do with our boys, Chloe told Daily Mail Australia. I can’t wait until they’re all here at home.
After nine arduous weeks in the hospital, the Dunstan finally got to take their adorable infant sons Henry and Rufus home. But they had to leave their baby girl Pearl in the NICU for their daughter Pearl to grow bigger and stronger. Before coming home. Her parents had to leave her at the hospital and they didn’t have to wait long for their family reunion. Pearl was now strong enough to return home and rejoin her boys.
The family was overjoyed to welcome the beautiful baby daughter home and healthy Pearl was a miracle who defied the odds. The best day ever. Our family is complete now. Today is the first day of our existence as an eight person family. We are blessed and happy, Chloe posted on Instagram.
The triplets were born on July 3, 2015 and reunited September 18, 2015 and that wasn’t the only miracle regarding the birth. Even more amazing, all three infants arrived before their due date of September 22, 2015. That’s great. Chloe and Roe had triplets who were healthy enough to leave the hospital and live independently. They hoped Henry and Rufus would be home before their due date, but Pearl would be in the hospital for a little longer and Pearl, who was considerably smaller than her siblings, was now resting next to them, allowing the triplets to bond.
Pearl was still on many prescriptions, chiefly extra vitamins to keep her healthy. Chloe and Roe had their hands full feeding, changing and sleeping the babies, not to mention their three other little boys. They had to accommodate their elder boys who enjoy feeding and holding their siblings. Less than a week later, the three boys looked to be helping their parents care. How cute is that?
Throughout, Chloe shared the family’s story on social media, bringing the world in from the first ultrasound when she discovered she was pregnant with triplets to the second trimester scan when she discovered Pearl was underdeveloped to delivery and ultimately taking them home.
As of now, Chloe’s Instagram account, Chloe and Beans has over 415,000 followers and her Facebook page, Chloe and Beans has over 50,000 likes. That’s really impressive for non-celebrities. The family runs a nearly 2500 subscriber YouTube channel called Life With Beans. The Dunstans were not only brave in showing the public the challenges of numerous pregnancies, but also in asking for help.
Can you imagine expecting one baby and finding out you’re carrying three? Well, Chloe and Roe planned for four children. They weren’t prepared for six, so they sought aid when creating a fundraising website on Indiegogo called Chloe and Rose’s journey to a whole lot of love with friends to help them deal with the financial burden of adding three more members to their family of five. They also told their experience to potential benefactors. They raised $6,030.