Triplets set world record for lightest weight at combined 2.83lbs

Triplets born just three weeks after mother discovered she was pregnant set two Guinness World Records for most premature birth and lightest ever birth weight at a combined 2.83lbs

• Rubi-Rose, Payton Jane and Porscha-Mae Hopkins were born at just 22 weeks 
• Triplets were born in February 2021 and have just celebrated their 2nd birthday

British triplets have set two Guinness World Records – for the most premature birth and the lightest ever birth-weight.

Rubi-Rose, Payton Jane and Porscha-Mae Hopkins were born at just 22 weeks and five days with a combined weight of 2.83lb.

The eldest, Rubi-Rose, was born at 10:33 am, weighing 1lb and immediately swaddled in a polythene wrapping which acted as a makeshift womb, reducing heat loss and risk of hypothermia.

Payton-Jane was delivered at 12:01 weighing 0.89lb and youngest Porscha-Mae at 12:02 pm weighing just 0.91oz by emergency caesarean section.

The record-breaking triplets were born on February 14, 2021 and have just celebrated their second birthday.

Two-year-old triplets Rubi-Rose (right), Payton Jane (centre) and Porscha-Mae Hopkins (left), pictured here with their parents Michaela White and Jay Hopkins, have set two Guinness World Records – for the most premature birth and lightest birth-weight

The triplets L-R Payton Jane, Rubi Rose, Porscha Mae were born at just 22 weeks

Their mother Michaela White discovered she was pregnant at 19 weeks with not one baby, but three.

She gave birth just three weeks later at 22 weeks and five days with her partner Jason Hopkins by her side and 21 doctors and nurses.

She described the birth as ‘traumatic’ but has been hailed by her partner as a ‘wonder mum’. 

Each baby was required to breathe independently for ten seconds before the medical staff would intervene to provide oxygen. 

All three babies passed the test and continued to do well for the next critical 72 hours.

The triplets remained in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for several months Rubi-Rose and Payton-Jane were cleared to leave in July, while Porscha-Mae stayed until October.

The triplets are now two-years-old and are living with differing degrees of cerebral palsy. Rubi-Rose, the firstborn can eat, crawl, and walk independently while Porscha-Mae and Payton-Jane both have mobility difficulties and require feeding tubes.

Their mother Michaela said: ‘It can be really challenging for anyone with disabled children but me and my partner Jay – we just crack on and do what we need for them.

‘It can be quite challenging at times with all the appointments, the people coming in your house and doing physio with the girls on a day-to-day basis. 

‘It was very, very stressful in the first year that [the triplets] were here.’

The girls’ father Jason suffered from post-natal depression and PTSD following a traumatic medical emergency with Payton.

The family have a dedicated TikTok channel @hopkinstribe with over 10K followers and which charts the triplets’ journey and highlight the challenges and raise awareness of cerebral palsy, male post-natal depression, and PTSD.

The triplets remained in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for several months Rubi-Rose (pictured) and Payton-Jane were cleared to leave in July

Rubi-Rose (front) weighed 1lb. Payton-Jane (left) weighed 0.89lb and youngest Porscha-Mae (top) weighed just 0.91oz

Pictured: Michaela White with Payton Jane, whowas born by emergency cesarean section

Jason said: ‘Postnatal depression isn’t really recognised in dads and the whole experience for a dad can be very alienating.

 ‘If it was not for Michaela and how incredibly strong she is. She was my support and was there for me throughout. Michaela is a wonder mum, she is amazing. I love her to bits.

‘The whole journey between finding out that there were triplets and then triplets actually being here was, I think, the quickest pregnancy I’ve ever known. It was mad,’ he explained. 

In the months before the triplets were born Jason and Michaela lost their jobs in the pub they worked in due to Covid-19 and were then evicted from their home in the flat above the pub.

Michalea believes that the stress of those months contributed to her early labour.

‘I think with the pressure and stress of eviction and things could have brought my waters on,’ she explained. 

‘No one knows why I went into labour that early. 

‘It was a tough year for us losing our home and going into temporary accommodation.’ 

Despite the challenges both parents have faced over the last two years, the triplets celebrated their second birthday with their mother, father and two older siblings Jamie-Leigh, aged eight, and Issac, aged six. 

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