Take it one hour at a time. This is the motto of a Mitchells Plain mom who suddenly found herself with THREE extra mouths to feed.
Fagmeeda Adams, 35, of Rocklands, had two children, 14-year-old Aakifah and six-year-old Daneen before she found out she was unexpectedly pregnant - with triplets.
Fagmeeda, who’s a sales assistant for a spice retailer, says never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she’d give birth to three babies simultaneously.
Fagmeeda’s husband, Sheraaz Jack, 31, is a construction worker, and the couple and their children live in a bedroom at Fagmeeda’s mother’s three-bedroomed home.
In December 2018, Fagmeeda was referred by a nursing sister at Rocklands Clinic to Mitchells Plain District Hospital.
JOY: Fagmeeda Adams, 35, of Mitchells Plain with her triplets
“The sister said I was carrying big as I was about 12 weeks pregnant,” she says.
At Mitchells Plain District Hospital, staff informed Fagmeeda that she was having twins.
She was then referred to Mowbray Maternity Hospital as the pregnancy was deemed high risk, and Fagmeeda says it was here she learnt she would soon be a mother of five.
“At Lentegeur, they said it’s twins and I was quite surprised as we don’t have twins in the family, only a distant cousin had twins.
“Then at Mowbray they said it’s triplets and I nearly fell off the bed. I was told then already it was two girls and one boy.”
PROGRESS: Scan of the three children
The identical triplets were born at Groote Schuur Hospital on 27 March at 32 weeks.
Little Amirudeen weighed 1.64kg, his sister, Aasiyah 1.4kg and Asma, 1.2kg.
The babies were kept at the “Kangaroo Clinic” until 18 May before they were discharged.
Now Fagmeeda is adjusting to life with her triplets, with the much-needed support of her mother, Jamiela Adams, 63, and her niece, Azraa, 19, who take shifts to help feed and clean the babies.
The triplets get breastfed and bottle fed and use more than 20 nappies a day.
Fagmeeda says at this stage they are identified by the clothing they wear.
“I do not sleep,” laughs Fagmeeda.
SIBLINGS: Daneen and Aakifah
“We take shifts. When one person feeds via the bottle, the next one takes over to burp. Asma is the smallest and I managed to do kangaroo care in hospital with her. It is now that they are home with me that I am learning to get to know my children.”
Azraa says she is getting into the routine: “I will come in at night and help her with the feeds and assist during the day.”
The family has yet to brave the public with the triplets as they don’t have a pram.
If you would like to assist, please WhatsApp Fagmeeda on
066 230 0621 or call her on 021 392 5855