Pregnant mom was asked to sacrifice her daughter to save her sons — her response was 'easiest and yet the hardest'
Many complications can arise during pregnancy, especially with triplets. Parents want nothing more than the safe and healthy delivery of all three babies. Mothers cannot bear the idea of having to choose between kids. Each child holds a different space in a mom’s heart and womb and Chloe Dunstan knew this more than others, per The Daily Mail. The mom was pregnant with triplets, but a few weeks into her journey, she faced the heart-wrenching decision to choose between risking the lives of all three or losing her baby girl. The mom made a powerful choice and was rewarded for her strength.
Chloe and Rohan Dunstan were expecting triplets. Unfortunately, they learned that the baby girl was not receiving enough nutrition and oxygen and was in danger. The doctor offered two possibilities — the mom could choose to deliver the triplets at 28 weeks and risk all three lives or she could wait the entire pregnancy but lose her baby girl. The pressure and pain on the mother’s aching heart were unfathomable. However, Chloe remained resilient. “Henry and Rufus were thriving in the womb, and they would have benefited greatly by staying in a few months... just not at the cost of their sister's life,” she noted.
As a mother of three already, with 3 more on the way, she made the powerful decision to deliver all three babies prematurely. “I will live with guilt for the rest of my life for being responsible for giving them a disadvantaged start in life. But, I feel the guilt and sadness of letting her go would have been much greater,” she remarked. Chloe poignantly noted that her daughter “deserved a chance” to fight for life. Chloe delivered the trio at 28 weeks. Henry weighed 1370 grams, Rufus 1200 grams and Pearl was only 690 grams. When she delivered, the parents were unsure how to react as the risk had just begun.
"This was the easiest and yet the hardest decision I've ever made," Chloe remarked. “I really can't even describe how I felt that day. Shocked, scared, overwhelmed,” she recalled. “We knew there were so many risks associated with triplet pregnancies, we never felt like we could get completely excited about all three babies until they were born. Now they're born and we still don't feel like they're all ours until we take them home,” she added. The two newborn boys were fine, but Pearl faced a testing time. Suffering from pulmonary hemorrhage, problems with her liver, retention of fluid, trouble with digestion and the possibility of infections and blood transfusion, it would take everything for the parents and the little girl to fight for life.
The boys were home safe after spending 9 weeks at the hospital, per another interview from the outlet. Two weeks later, the Dunstans’ long fight led to victory, with little Pearl finally going home to her 5 brothers. Looking back, the mom confidently mentioned that she “will never regret” her risky choice. Her belief and resilience for each of her kids brought them all to health. “I do remember briefly considering the alternative of letting her go so her brothers could grow strong and healthy, but now that she's here, my heart hurts at the thought of not having her in our lives,” Chloe said.
She even has a Facebook page, "Chloe and Beans," where she shares heartwarming glimpses of all her kids. She added that though the future seems uncertain with medication and other precautions, seeing the triplets cuddle each other makes things hopeful. “I can’t wait to see how their bond grows over time,” the mom remarked. Now, with 10 kids, the mom is delighted with each one and could never imagine having let go and given up.