When people learn that I am a mother of triplets, they often have two burning questions: how I manage day-to-day life and what the experience is truly like. My typical response is, “It’s exactly what you’d expect… chaotic” or “Imagine having three of your child.” However, for those without firsthand experience, it can be difficult to comprehend the reality of raising triplets. I remember feeling similarly before my own triplets arrived. I once watched a relative with her twins while my first child was just a toddler and thought managing twins would be impossible for me. Thankfully, I never had to face that challenge—only triplets.
So, what does it actually mean to have triplets? Here’s my perspective based on my journey with them as toddlers:
Having triplets means waking up to pee-soaked sheets almost daily due to bedwetting. It involves using an astounding 212 newborn diapers in just over a week. You find yourself addressing intrusive questions from strangers, such as whether the triplets are conceived naturally or if it took multiple attempts to achieve this outcome. You’ll go through a pitcher of formula every day, and you will always hear a chorus of “me too’s.”
You might become the subject of envy or ridicule among other parents as your children tend to stick together and sometimes overwhelm other kids, but you secretly appreciate their loyalty to one another. You’ll enjoy having built-in playmates for each child, which offers you more free time, while also dealing with the chaos of one child stuffing a shirt in the toilet, another coloring on the walls, and yet another leaping from furniture—all at once.
Countless moments will involve performing head counts at playgrounds since they rarely stay together outside the home. You may feel like a failure when you can only comfort two of your babies while the third must cry it out. You might find yourself praying for just a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is often all you need to function properly. You’ll become accustomed to the smell of baby vomit as it clings to you, considering that all three infants are likely to experience reflux.
You’ll find yourself permanently in a minivan, and there’s an overwhelming joy that comes from receiving three simultaneous “I love you, mommy” hugs. You’ll encounter judgmental glances and eye rolls from passersby. You may master the art of rocking, burping, and feeding all at once, while frequently tripping over a child who is always underfoot. Desperate searches for three lovies will be a regular occurrence to soothe tired toddlers into naptime.
Understanding three different conversations simultaneously becomes a skill, and you will strive to foster individuality in each child while celebrating their shared bond as triplets. You will face the challenge of setting firm boundaries with three little ones who constantly test limits. Trimming thirty fingernails and toenails will become a routine task, along with continuously pulling out three sippy cups from the cupboard.
Raising triplets means experiencing every developmental stage simultaneously, creating a profound sense of pride in managing to dress and even leave the house each day. In truth, raising triplets can be challenging, but it’s also a uniquely rewarding experience full of love and joy.
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Summary:
Raising triplets is a unique blend of chaos and joy, involving constant vigilance, a juggling act of parenting duties, and an unbreakable bond among the siblings. The experience is overwhelming yet immensely gratifying, filled with love and challenges that shape both the children and the parent.