New mother Sarah gave birth to four babies in the space of nine months – despite fearing that she would never conceive.
Her son Freddie was nine months old when she had triplets, now aged 19 weeks, in March. All were conceived naturally.
Miss Ward, 29, said: ‘At times it feels more like running a nursery than a home, but we feel so blessed.
‘I was stunned when I found out I was pregnant again so soon. When we learned it was triplets we went into shock.
‘At times it’s utter chaos but we just laugh and get stuck in.
‘It takes two hours to prepare to leave the house but we don’t dwell on the hard work. I love babies so I feel like the luckiest mum in the world.’
Miss Ward had tried to conceive for more than a year and was due to see a GP for tests when she became pregnant with Freddie. So after he was born in June last year, the couple did not use birth control.
Miss Ward said: ‘We wanted to have at least two children. Because it had taken so long with Freddie, we assumed it would take the same time again, if not longer.’
In fact, Freddie was only eight weeks old when she learned she was expecting.
She said: ‘I started shaking. I had barely recovered from having Freddie. I was still wearing maternity clothing. I was wondering how on earth I was going to cope.’
A scan at 12 weeks revealed Miss Ward was expecting fraternal triplets.
She said: ‘The sonographer paused and asked if we knew how many babies we were having. Our mouths fell open because we thought she was telling us it was twins.
‘When she said triplets I nearly fell off the bed in shock. Neither of us could speak as she turned the screen to us and pointed out three little wriggling shapes. I just started crying when I realised they would be born before Freddie was one.’
The couple, from Crayford in south-east London, were warned the pregnancy was high risk and offered a selective termination – aborting one baby to give the other two a better chance. They decided against the procedure.
At 33 weeks, one of the babies showed signs of distress, so surgeons at Medway Hospital, in Kent, had to perform an emergency caesarean section.
Stanley was born first weighing 3lb 12oz, followed by Reggie, 4lb 7oz, and sister Daisy, at 3lb 14oz.
Miss Ward said: ‘I couldn’t believe it when they kept passing over all these babies. When we saw all three side by side in their incubators it took my breath away.’
The triplets were finally allowed to come home last month.
Miss Ward said: ‘It’s like a tag team operation but we still find time for a cup of tea together when they first go to bed.