Trending News: The Hopkins triplets from the United Kingdom have recently achieved two Guinness World Records for being born at the most premature stage and for having the lightest birth weight. The triplets, Rubi-Rose, Payton Jane, and Porscha-Mae, were born on February 14, 2021, at 22 weeks and five days gestation, weighing a total of 2lb 13oz. Rubi-Rose was born first, weighing 1lb, followed by Payton-Jane, who weighed 14oz, and Porscha-Mae, who was delivered by emergency caesarean section and weighed only 15oz. They have just celebrated their second birthday.
Their mother, Michaela White, discovered that she was pregnant with triplets at 19 weeks, which came as a surprise to her. Three weeks later, she gave birth with the support of her partner, Jason Hopkins, and the medical team, consisting of 21 doctors and nurses. Although it was a traumatic experience, all three babies were required to breathe independently for ten seconds before the medical staff intervened to provide oxygen. The triplets stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for several months. Rubi-Rose and Payton-Jane were cleared to leave in July, while Porscha-Mae stayed until October.
Now two years old, the triplets are living with varying degrees of cerebral palsy, with Rubi-Rose being able to eat, crawl, and walk independently, while Porscha-Mae and Payton-Jane have mobility difficulties and require feeding tubes. The family has a TikTok channel, @hopkinstribe, with more than 10,000 followers that charts the triplets' journey, highlights their challenges and raises awareness of cerebral palsy, male post-natal depression, and PTSD.
The family has faced numerous challenges over the past two years, including losing their jobs due to Covid-19 and being evicted from their home. They believe that the stress of those months contributed to Michaela's early labour, leading to the premature birth of the triplets. Despite these difficulties, the triplets celebrated their second birthday with their mother, father, and two older siblings. Both parents have faced challenges, but they have worked together to support each other and their children.
