Couple's delight as their 'one in a million' triplets create ready made “big family”

Alexia and Jordan Lyons’ ready made “big family” came into the world all at once a couple of months ago – born prematurely on June 27 in Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

The Lyons triplets spent the next 29 days in hospital, getting stronger all the time, and arrived home in New Carron Village a couple of weeks before their actual due date in August.

Alexia, 28, said: “They are doing really well. These girls are absolute miracles. They were fighters from the get go – we are so fortunate.”

The couple were married last October and Alexia, a modern languages teacher at St Modan’s High School, and Jordan, 31, a senior strategic planning analyst with Aegon UK in Edinburgh, both admitted they never saw this one coming.

Alexia said: “It was my 12-week scan on February 9. I was showing at eight weeks and I thought that was a bit funny. I’ve never been pregnant before and my mum said she thought I was maybe a wee bit further along than I thought I was.

"When they showed me the scan I saw two wee shapes and I thought those can’t be babies. The nurse said ‘here’s baby one’ and then she said ‘and here’s baby two’.

"I thought, okay twins, that’s okay, right that’s fine. And then the nurse said ‘and here’s baby three’.”

Staff seemed to be on top of the situation, as if it was an everyday occurrence.

“She was quite measured with it,” said Alexia. “But I think she was quite shocked and surprised by the fact we were taking it so well. I kept holding my three fingers up throughout the scan, saying ‘are you sure there are three?’.

"There are no twins at all on my side of the family or Jordan’s – never mind triplets. The night before I joked with Jordan imagine if we were having twins.”

Months later there were almost 30 members of staff in the operating room when Alexia was giving birth, all working to ensure each baby emerged into the world safely and had the best start to their lives as possible.

"We were well taken care of all the way through,” said Alexia.

Francesca was first to emerge at 4lb 1oz, followed by Vanessa, weighing 2lb 7oz and then Alyssa at 3lb 4oz.

"We were told it’s a one in a million chance,” said Alexia. “Having these types of triplets. It’s got nothing to do with our genes or anything like that – it’s really just the luck of the draw.

"We said it’s like the universe telling us we have won the lottery.”

As if the identical triplets – who came from the same egg – were not rare enough, Alyssa experienced a so called “mermaid birth” where the amniotic sac remains unbroken, encapsulating her as she emerged.

Alexia and Jordan are lucky enough to have their delighted parents – and grandparents – on hand to lend support.

"The family is all so proud of having these little miracles,” said Alexia. “There’s a lot of love to go round for these three girls.”