Fraser Coast couple welcomes triplets at Sunshine Coast hospital

A regional Queensland mum has opened up about the recent birth of her triplets at a Sunshine Coast hospital, which has doubled the family’s size in just one pregnancy.

Kelly Fitzpatrick and Andrew Maher with their 19 day old triplets Clyde Jagger, June Rosalie, and Freddie Fitz and big brother 5 year old George at Sunshine Coast University Hospital before heading home to Tuan on the Fraser Coast. Picture Lachie Millard

After stopping IVF for their own mental health and following three miscarriages, a Fraser Coast couple is taking home triplets from a Sunshine Coast hospital.

Fraser Coast couple Kelly Fitzpatrick and Andrew Maher already had a son, George, now aged five.

When their first son was two, the couple decided to start trying for another child.

“We struggled with fertility and tried and failed IVF, and had three losses along the way,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

The mother-of-four said the couple decided to stop IVF and the doctor helped Ms Fitzpatrick ovulate instead.

Tuan woman Kelly Fitzpatrick gave birth to triplets at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital on November 2.

“We had the conversation of stopping trying (IVF), it was a decision we made against what we truly wanted, it was for our mental health and not what our hearts wanted,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

She said following the ovulation intervention, she had a “very dark positive” pregnancy test.

Tuan woman Kelly Fitzpatrick continued to work throughout her pregnancy and hospital stay.

“I felt so incredibly pregnant very quickly,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

Then something happened to the 38-year-old that she had never experienced.

She had a prophetic dream about having triplets.

Weeks later, in a room much like the one Ms Fitzpatrick dreamt about, her partner Andrew, 38, turned white as he was told firstly he would have twins and then the doctor turned white when he discovered a third heartbeat.

Clyde Jagger, June Rosalie, and Freddie Fitz at Sunshine Coast University Hospital before heading home to Tuan on the Fraser Coast. Picture Lachie Millard

The triplet mum said her pregnancy was “actually quite easy” and in her final weeks she stayed at the Wishlist facility in Kawana on the Sunshine Coast, which she said was an incredible place.

Ms Fitzpatrick said doubling the size of her family in one birth was “exciting” and the couple had experienced a learning curve since her C-section on November 2 at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Sunshine Coast Health nurse unit manager Alison Holman said triplet births were extremely rare at a rate of just 1 in 1000 births or 0.1 per cent.

The Mahers are the fourth set of triplets born at Sunshine Coast University Hospital since 2017.

“It’s a privilege to be involved in a delivery like this,” Ms Holman said.

“It is a process to organise and ensure all members of the team are available for a delivery of this nature.

“We wish the family all the very best ... they have done so well and we are looking forward to seeing them get home and enjoy the new additions to their family.”

The triplets, born at 34 weeks and four days, spent 18 days in the hospital as Ms Fitzpatrick learnt how to “twin” breastfeed and came to terms with using about 200 nappies and 800 wipes a week.

First-born triplet Freddie Fitz Maher weighed in at 2100g when born, second-born June Rosalie Maher was 1800g and third-born Clyde Jagger Maher was 2200g.

“I honestly believed the universe delivered our babies back to us,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

The family travelled back to home to Tuan on the Fraser Coast on Monday, November 20.

She acknowledged the nursing staff in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and her obstetrician Emma Hogan and said the Sunshine Coast team and the Tuan community had helped her immensely.

“A big part of it is believing in your own capabilities, but also being empowered by the team around you,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

Originally published as Fraser Coast couple welcomes triplets at Sunshine Coast hospital