A COUPLE from Cirencester have expressed their joy after they were able to bring their triplets home safe and well after they were born prematurely.

Shelley Davis and her partner Sarah were delighted to welcome their new born babies into the world ten weeks ago. 

Shelley gave birth to a girl Emmy, and two boys Willoughby and Rafferty. 

The triplets were born at just 29 weeks old after Shelley's waters broke, weighing 3.5, 2.14 and 2.10lbs, but the babies arrived home in Cirencester with Shelley and her partner Sarah after eight weeks in intensive care at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Shelley said: “We were going to bring them home on oxygen as our two boys were on ventilators in intensive care, but on the last day they passed the oxygen tests so they were able to come home without it.

“They are absolutely fine now, and we were able to bring them home ten days ago, so they are nice and healthy now and are all putting on weight.”

This is the first time any family members have been allowed to meet them.

Shelley said: “Because of covid, no one was able to visit us in the hospital, so we used FaceTime a lot to show our family.”

Shelley also provided some insight into what it was like being pregnant during the lockdown and pandemic.

“It’s hard to describe,” she said.

“We started to shield at the start of March which meant our friends and family didn’t get to see the bump grow and we cancelled our baby shower. 

“Because we were having triplets, we saw a consultant every fortnight and I would go to these alone as restrictions meant it was hard for Sarah to attend.”

Shelley said her and Sarah spent two weeks apart after her waters broke when she was taken to St Michaels hospital in Bristol. 

“This was particularly hard as we didn’t know what was going on and when they would arrive,” said Shelley.

“Once I was transferred back to Gloucester, we saw each other briefly but Sarah was still not allowed in.

“Our consultant booked us in for a c-section on Thursday May 28, but late on Wednesday 27, they decided we would be having an emergency c-section.”

Sarah arrived at the hospital at 3pm and the babies were born two hours later. 

Once they had arrived, Shelley said they were taken straight to the NICU unit.

“We were lucky enough to see Emmy briefly in theater but the boys needed some extra work,” said Shelley.

“I was allowed home three days later and we then spent the next eight weeks visiting the unit every day.”

Shelley, who works as a teacher in Cheltenham and Sarah, who works as an office manager in Gloucester, praised the hard-working staff at the hospitals.

“The staff on the unit were all incredible, we can’t explain how special they all are and what a beautiful job they do looking after the babies. 

“They love them whilst we can’t be there and offer the most incredible care to us as well.

“The journey has been up and down, both our boys were ventilated from birth and all needed special care and we couldn’t have got through it without their support.”