KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The odds of giving birth to identical triplets are between one in 60,000 to one in 200 million, which is wide-ranging but rare nonetheless.
Adrienne Blanford can now say she overcame those odds.
Blanford gave birth to triplet daughters E’Mani, Leilani and Khelani Muhammad, expanding her family from four children to seven.
"I was super surprised, especially for someone like me to have something that rare happen," Blanford said.
She says she might keep her lucky streak going, too.
"Maybe this is my year to play the lottery," Blanford joked, referencing the Mega Millions jackpot which reached $1.3 billion.
The triplets' due date was set for March 15 but they were born at 30 weeks, about two months ahead of schedule.
E’Mani was 2 pounds, 12 ounces, Leilani was 3 pounds, 2 ounces, and Khelani was 3 pounds, 6 ounces, which are all smaller than the average baby. But doctors reassured Blanford her girls are healthy.
"They were on oxygen when they first arrived, but now only one is on oxygen," Blanford said. "They're all doing really good as far as feeding and everything."
The triplets are still being held in the University Health Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) but are ahead of schedule in terms of being ready to go home.
Closer to the end of her pregnancy, Blaford says things she usually took for granted, like putting on clothes, became more complicated.
"It was kind of like I had a beach ball that I was working around," she said.
Though she wouldn't have it any other way.
"It was an unexpected journey, but it wasn't difficult, and it was well worth it in the end," Blanford said.
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