Life changed beyond belief the day Sze Kane gave birth. After ten years trying for a baby - and on her tenth IVF attempt - she found out she was having triplets.She discovered the startling news during a six week scan.
"They saw three heartbeats - that was quite a shock," said the former buyer for the Co-op.Sze, 48, and husband Jim, 57, set about buying three of everything - cots, car seats, high chairs and so on.The non-identical triplets were born at Nottingham City Hospital by Caesarean section at 32 weeks.Jak was first, weighing 3lb 12oz, Megan next, at 4lb 1oz and Joshua last, at 3lb 4oz.The operating theatre was packed as each baby had to have its own midwife, paediatrician and neo-natal nurse, in addition to the surgeon, anaesthetist and all the other health professionals.The triplets spent two weeks in the neo-natal unit before being allowed home to Colwick - and that's when the enormity of having triplets really struck the couple.Help from the authorities is only available for quads, so the couple got through the endless feeding and changing routine with help from Sze's mum, Jean Lam.Sze (pronounced Sue) said: "They needed feeding every three hours and it took around two-and-a-half hours to feed and change them, giving us 30 minutes between feeds."You had to try and get them in as tight a routine as possible or the small gap you've had disappeared and you'd get no sleep."The triplets got through 150 nappies a week and 18 bottles of milk a day, requiring two sterilisers and two kettles to keep up with demand."It was exhausting but exhilarating," said Sze."We spent ten years trying for a family so we really did hit the jackpot getting the triplets and no matter how hard it gets we would not change it for anything."The sudden expansion of the family meant that the Kanes had to have an extension built and buy a bigger vehicle to accommodate three car seats.And the 4ft-wide pram made getting out and about a real challenge."The first time I ventured out to Broadmarsh I couldn't get in the lift. Even at hospital appointments at the QMC I couldn't get it in the lift," said Sze.Food shopping was another problem. Asda was the only supermarket at the time which had a trolley suitable for three babies. Morrison's only had room for two, so the third baby's car seat had to go inside the trolley, leaving no space for food.A holiday in Majorca when the triplets were 18-months-old presented another problem."My mum had to come too because there had to be one adult per child on the plane," said Sze.They family usually opt for self-catering accommodation because few hotels have a family room big enough for two adults and three children.Jim, who used to work for a funeral company, quit work to become a house husband so Sze could return to work but when she was made redundant she looked after the children while Jim found work in a shop.The triplets are now five and last September started at St John the Baptist Primary in Colwick.They are all in the same class and because it is a small school are likely to remain together until they move to secondary school.Sze said: "They are quite insular in a way because they have got each other."When Megan broke her arm and didn't go to school for a few days the boys were upset."They always have someone to play with - but they still get bored."All three have friends for tea quite often."I do feel conscious when they go somewhere else as people who have one child are not geared up to their noise level," said Sze.But while it is treble the work, it's also three times the pleasure.Each child has their own distinct personality.Jak is the bossy one, Megan is typically girly and Joshua is the most sociable.The family are involved with Nottingham Trent Twins and Multiple Births Club and have made many friends, through the mother and baby groups and outings.Sze said: "Given the time we spent trying, having one baby would have been beautiful but finding we were having three was worth all that heartache."It's a very special thing for us."
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