Dundrum welcomes triplets

Dundrum welcomes triplets

10 August 2022

FINDING out you’re expecting a baby is a wonderful life milestone but when you’re told that not one but three babies are on the way, you might be forgiven for feeling a bit overwhelmed.

But life for Dundrum couple Aileen Gallagher and Stephen Rafferty hasn’t been quite so difficult as they first expected since their three boys arrived all at once.

Because for little Cian, Fionn and Ronan, who are only four weeks old, sleeping and feeding are still pretty much the order of the day. 

Born prematurely on July 7, Ronan, the largest of his brothers, weighed in at 5lb 6oz, Fionn was 4lb 15oz, while Cian, the smallest bundle of joy, weighed in at just four-and-a-half pounds. 

“We were first told that we were having twins but then we found out it was triplets, about halfway through the pregnancy and it was definitely quite a big shock,” said delighted mum, Aileen, who is 25. 

Proud dad Stephen (26), a local musician, elaborated: “We found out on January 16, early on in the pregnancy, that there were two heartbeats.

“We went back a week later and they said they had missed one. I nearly ped to my knees. So it was a bit of a whirlwind at the start and we knew they were all boys about halfway through.”

Fortunately, the trio arrived safely. However, two of them – Fionn and Ronan – had to stay in hospital a couple of weeks longer than their fraternal triplet, Cian.

“It was a bit busy and crazy at the start travelling up and down to the hospital to see the two of them but once they got home things have got into a good routine,” Aileen said. “It’s been busy but not too bad and I’m not as tired as I expected to be.”

Learning they were expecting a multiple birth was not something the couple could have anticipated.

“It was just a random thing because there are no twins or triplets in either of our families. We weren’t expecting it at all,” Aileen said. 

The new trio couldn’t be more welcome to their big sister Nina. 

At just three and a half years old, Nina just loves her new role as the senior sibling – and she is unlikely to have a sister in the future.

“We were just hoping for one more but we got three more, so it’s safe to say four is enough,” Aileen laughed.

But that’s not something that will bother doting Nina very much, according to her mum.

“She’s obsessed with them,” she said. “She is really good with them; she’s very helpful.”

Telling them apart is still something the little girl has to work on.

“She hasn’t a clue who is who and she calls them anything, but she’s really good with them,” Aileen continued.

It’s a skill the triplets’ parents have yet to perfect themselves.

“Cian is a good bit smaller but the other two are identical and it can be hard to tell the differences between them. We still get a bit mixed up as there’s not much to tell them apart yet.

Stephen pointed out a few tell-tale things “that help us tell between them so we’re getting there”.

So far the trio are still too tiny to discern many other differences in character. 

“Cian is a bit more sleepy, but that’s really it so far. I can’t see any differences in their personalities just yet.

“They’ve still to come out and it’s still a case of trying to tell the differences between them in looks.” 

Welcoming three boys into the family goes against a “running joke” that family and friends made at Stephen’s expense, during the pregnancy. 

“There was a running joke before we found out that all three would be girls, but of course I was over the moon to find out they were all boys,” he said.

The newly expanded family is a great novelty to the wider family circle and both new parents are lucky to have two sets of grandparents close by for help and support. 

With an unexpected larger brood than they had anticipated, it might mean a move to a larger house some day.

“We will definitely have to think of that at some point in the future,” Aileen said. 

Both Stephen and Aileen paid tribute to all the staff at the Ulster Hospital who helped bring their trio into the world, and for all their care and support since the birth. 

“They were absolutely amazing,” said Stephen.

“We really want to thank them for all they did to support us,” Aileen added.