{"id":632343,"date":"2026-09-22T10:24:28","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T10:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/632343\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T10:24:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T10:24:28","slug":"parenting-triplets-we-were-in-shock-we-didnt-know-what-to-do-smiling-crying-laughing-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/632343\/","title":{"rendered":"Parenting triplets: \u2018We were in shock. We didn\u2019t know what to do \u2013 smiling, crying, laughing\u2019 \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Clare Perez-Wildes (36) and Claudio Perez (37) first discussed having children, they had a different idea of what their perfect number might be. <\/p>\n

Claudio thought two might be it. While Clare, who comes from a family of four children herself, had dreams of replicating her own childhood experience.<\/p>\n

The couple, who live in Co Wicklow<\/a>, had their first baby Enzo two years ago. And the realities of parenthood<\/a>, and all that entails, convinced Clare that Claudio\u2019s idea of having two children might be the way to go. \u201cLife is what happens when you\u2019re busy making other plans\u201d, John Lennon sang. And life indeed is what happened when the couple planned a second baby.<\/p>\n

They got baby number two, three and four all at the same time. <\/p>\n

And this is where our story begins.<\/p>\n

In a remarkably calm sittingroom in Newtownmountkennedy, where three tiny babies \u2013 Theo, Bella, and Kai \u2013 who are just one week home from the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, share a bassinet, while soothing womb sounds play on a nearby monitor. Their proud parents gaze adoringly over them, and look very fresh in spite of the triplet-level sleep deprivation they\u2019re dealing with.<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s not forget there\u2019s a toddler too.<\/p>\n

There was no fertility treatment involved in their conception. The triplets were \u201cspontaneous\u201d. Each had their own amniotic sac and placenta. The siblings look very alike nonetheless, and there have been \u201csmall little moments of mixing them up\u201d, Clare admits. \u201cAnd I think the boys are getting more similar as well as the days go on\u201d, she adds.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0A one in a million chance: Identical triplets born in DublinOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

When Clare originally found out that she was pregnant, she wondered if the severe morning sickness she was experiencing might mean she was pregnant with a daughter this time. \u201cWith Enzo there was no sickness. There was nothing \u2013 it was just get up and go about your day\u201d, whereas this time \u201cfor the first 12 weeks, I was so ill\u201d. <\/p>\n

\"Kai,Kai, Theo and Bella at home in Co Wicklow. Photograph: Bryan O\u2019Brien\/The Irish Times <\/p>\n

\u201cSo much so, that in school, I was looking out the corridors, looking for a bin where I could go and vomit\u201d, explains the teacher. \u201cThen, one night, I said … this is strange, I should not have a bump this early.\u201d <\/p>\n

At their 12-week scan, the couple found out they were expecting triplets. \u201cI have never seen him sweat so much\u201d, Clare laughs describing Claudio\u2019s reaction to the news. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a great surprise,\u201d Claudio says. \u201cWe were in shock. We didn\u2019t know what to do \u2013 smiling, crying, laughing.\u201d<\/p>\n

On learning that the triplets were a result of Clare releasing three separate eggs, Claudio announced he\u2019d \u201cscored a hat trick\u201d, Clare says laughing.<\/p>\n

But after the initial shock and excitement of their news, the worry set in, Clare says, as the couple became aware they were now a \u201chigh-risk pregnancy\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"ToddlerToddler Enzo with triplets Kai, Theo and Bella at home in Co Wicklow. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien \/ The Irish Times <\/p>\n

Yet, in spite of all their worry, the pregnancy progressed well, without complication. \u201cI could still go to the gym and train,\u201d Clare says. \u201cI could still do stuff. The worst moments were lying in bed at night when you have to constantly go to the toilet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clare worked until the end of the secondary school year in May. And she shared news of her triplet pregnancy with her students. \u201cOne of them said, \u2018oh Miss, you won\u2019t be able to sleep for three weeks\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The babies were delivered by planned Caesarean section at 34 weeks, and the hospital warned her that, because she was having triplets, there would be \u201ca crowd\u201d of medics in the room. \u201cIf I wasn\u2019t a teacher and hadn\u2019t stood in front of a class of maybe between 24 and 30 kids talking, I don\u2019t know what I would have done. When I walked into that room, they said to me, \u2018just be prepared there could be around 27 people there\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waiting outside the theatre as Clare was set up to have a C-section was \u201cstressful\u201d, Claudio says. \u201cI was super worried.\u201d<\/p>\n

But once inside, he wasn\u2019t waiting long to meet his triplets. \u201cIt was very fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple knew in advance they were having two boys and one girl, and each baby weighed in around the 2kg (4lb 4oz) mark.<\/p>\n

Clare is combination feeding the triplets \u2013 both breastfeeding and formula. And for the moment anyway, the triplets don\u2019t seem to be hugely fazed or disturbed by noise. Clare attributes this to their time in the NICU with its beeping machine, and constant activity and chatter. And two-year-old Enzo is loving the role of big brother.<\/p>\n

\"ClaudioClaudio Perez and Clare Perez-Wildes with their triplets. Photograph: Bryan O\u2019Brien \/ The Irish Times <\/p>\n

Feeding triplets requires more planning and observation than feeding a singleton, Clare notes. \u201cWe had a book and we were literally noting it all in the book. Because it\u2019s three to four hours, we know it\u2019s coming and then it will just be a case of whoever\u2019s screaming the loudest they\u2019ll get the first bottle, or the first boob. It\u2019s a routine of feed, change, burp and put down again and then make sure the other two are getting done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018We were in shock. We didn\u2019t know what to do \u2013 smiling, crying, laughing\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00a0Claudio Perez<\/p>\n

She\u2019s found a way to speed things up with the help of a double nursing pillow which allows Clare to breastfeed two babies at the same time. \u201cYou\u2019re a bit more hungry, or a bit more thirsty afterwards\u201d, she says of breastfeeding multiples, but the comfort of the pillow has helped hugely.<\/p>\n

So are the couple getting any sleep?<\/p>\n

Sleep it would seem is in the eye of the beholder, as Clare says \u201cwe are\u201d, while Claudio\u2019s expression suggests the very opposite. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018yeah I got an hour\u2019 and he\u2019s like \u2018I want my eight hours\u2019,\u201d Clare says laughing.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though they\u2019re feeding every three or four hours, you\u2019re feeding the first one, and maybe spend half an hour. And then the second one half an hour. So when you finish the last one, an hour and a half is already gone,\u201d Claudio explains. \u201cThen you go asleep and you have an hour, maybe an hour and a half to two hours, and then you have to start again.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a conveyor belt,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n

\"'Have‘Have you ever Googled triplet buggies?’ Clare asks. Photograph: Bryan O\u2019Brien\/The Irish Times <\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just constant feeding and lack of sleep that the couple have to consider. There is also the matter of the significant cost in raising multiples. \u201cWe had to change the car,\u201d Claudio explains. They\u2019ve bought a seven-seater to allow for isofix car seats and all the paraphernalia that accompanies travelling with four children. \u201cWe bought that maybe two weeks before the babies came,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u2018One night, I said … this is strange, I should not have a bump this early\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00a0Clare Perez-Wildes<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there\u2019s still that fear. You don\u2019t want to over-prepare. You\u2019re terrified. I was so scared. It\u2019s high risk. You don\u2019t want to have everything prim and proper and then …\u201d she says, tailing off.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s that fear that we weren\u2019t really talking about. And then, have you ever Googled triplet buggies?\u201d Clare asks. It\u2019s been enough to so far discourage Clare from buying a triplet buggy, instead choosing to put the Theo and Kai in the one bassinet of a double buggy, while Bella, who is a little bigger goes in the other. \u201cI\u2019d say, eventually, we will get a triplet one, when they\u2019re maybe toddlers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Space in the house is also a consideration. The couple live in a three-bedroom house, and while the three babies currently all sleep in the one cot, in time three cots will be needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven the fridge\u201d is a consideration. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at it now going, \u2018this is too small\u2019, because one, we\u2019ve to eat more food, but also at the moment it\u2019s only milk we\u2019ve to look after for them, and storing the expressed milk, but eventually it\u2019s going to be that we need one of these big ass fridges where we can store everything … We got our under the stairs storage done a week before the babies arrived. The preparation for multiples is totally different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so expensive, normal stuff like nappies. Formula as well \u2013 there\u2019s three of them,\u201d Claudio says.<\/p>\n

\"Kai,Kai, Theo and Bella at home in Co Wicklow. Photograph: Bryan O\u2019Brien\/The Irish Times <\/p>\n

\u201cWipes as well. It\u2019s all those little things\u201d, Claire adds. \u201cSo, by six months, they\u2019ll be nappy trained,\u201d she says jokingly.<\/p>\n

Although Claudio, who works in the tech industry has a new job now, he was made redundant from his previous job in April, adding to an already worrying time for the couple. \u201cI had this stress. What am I going to do financially now. The babies are coming and I was just getting laid off.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Life as a twin: \u2018My mother had myself and my twin sister when she was 37. I had my twins at 37\u2019Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

He has taken two weeks paternity leave, saving this leave until the babies were home from hospital, and continued to work while the triplets were in the NICU. His work offices are in Ballsbridge in Dublin, and he did the morning runs to the hospital with expressed breast-milk.<\/p>\n

His manager has facilitated working from home two days a week, due to the circumstances, which is very helpful for the young family. And not having to drive every weekday even helps with the sleep deprived exhaustion that comes with have three newborn babies at once. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy fear is him driving on those roads again, just because it\u2019s so busy. And then he\u2019s coming home to go straight back into it. It\u2019s not like it\u2019s going to get easier anytime soon,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n

For Clare, the return to work is some time away, but having three infants and a toddler means childcare costs have to be factored into the timing of her return. \u201cEnzo will hit ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education Programme) next year. My plan is to stay off, use my parental leave and get as much time out as I can. And as that happens because there\u2019s three babies, you can get three parental leaves. That gets them up to the ECCE stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Family support has been very important, and Clare\u2019s family have played a huge role in helping them to manage. Her dad drove her in to visit the babies in hospital while her mum cared for Enzo. Claudio, who is originally from Venezuela, says he\u2019s hoping his mother will be able to visit and meet her new grandchildren soon. Neighbours and friends have also offered huge support. \u201cPeople arriving to the door with food to feed us. It\u2019s just fantastic. Nappies. It\u2019s just absolutely fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

So many nappies. So many feeds. So many beautiful babies. So are the couple done?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a pause before Clare says \u201cyes\u201d. Claudio on the other hand lets a \u201cyou never know\u201d escape.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll watch this space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Clare Perez-Wildes (36) and Claudio Perez (37) first discussed having children, they had a different idea of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632344,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[631,42,43,1786,11760,40,38,41,39,7469],"class_list":["post-632343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-for-you","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-parenting","tag-parents","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories","tag-wicklow"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632343"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632343\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}