Premature triplets come home after 2 months in hospital in time for Christmas

A couple whose identical triplets spent over two months in hospital said having them home is the “best Christmas present”.

Shannon Page, 29, and husband, Ace, 28, turned to IVF treatment last year and had their first embryo implanted at the end of March 2024. Returning to the hospital after seven weeks, the couple, from Wincanton, Somerset, were told they were going to have twins.
But during a nine-week scan the couple were left “shocked” when doctors told them it was actually triplets.

At 19-weeks along, doctors told Shannon her cervix had tunneled and shortened - which meant she could give birth within two weeks.They were given a heartbreaking option to “terminate one or two babies” to help one survive if born early, but Shannon and Ace refused.

The couple moved to Bristol, to be closer to St Michael’s Hospital, because they have specialists in multiple pregnancies. Shannon went into early labour naturally at 29 weeks and welcomed her premature triplets Cruz weighing 2Ib7oz (1.1kg), Enzo 2Ib11oz (1.2kg), and Aljo 2Ib13oz (1.2kg).

They were then moved to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital where they remained for 10 weeks. Last Thursday (19/12) Shannon and Ace were finally able to bring their boys home just in time for Christmas. Shannon, who works in finance, said: “It’s an absolute whirlwind and very up and down. We’ve been living out of hospital and trying to navigate each day as it comes.

“But last week I learnt that it will end, even if it feels like it doesn’t at the time. The boys are doing really well - their feeding tubes came out and they are now feeding from bottles. Having them home for Christmas is the best present we could have possibly hoped for and we feel so incredibly fortunate to have all three boys doing so well. Our home will certainly never be the same again!”

The couple - who have been together for nine years - started NHS vitro fertilization (IVF) last year and had their first embryo implanted in March this year. Seven weeks later they found out that they were expecting twins but on their nine-week scan, they were told that there was a third baby. At 17 weeks, Shannon started frequently fainting a result of the strain on her small frame.

And they were told that one of the babies was taking more of the placenta, which they all shared, than the other two. The couple then faced a difficult choice in the pregnancy - as there was a chance they might lose one of the boys. Ace, a plasterer, said: “We were advised by several people to maybe terminate one or two to help one survive. We decided to not go ahead with it and it is the best thing we have done. We let nature take its course and we are super grateful.”

The family have managed to get their Christmas tree up, but haven’t had chance to get presents for the babies - so have vowed to “go big” for Christmas 2025 instead. Shannon added: “We can’t wait to spend Christmas Day together as our little family.”