The age-old saying is “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.” Southern California couple Angie and Gino made a wish and got what they wished for…and then some! The two were living a happy, healthy life with their sons. And while the family was content, Angie and Gino couldn’t help but think that something was missing — a baby girl. This is the story of Angie and Gino and their wish that came true, and then turned their lives upside down!
Angie And Gino Dreamed Of Becoming Parents
Some people seem to be made for parenthood, like Angie and Gino. When the couple got married, they were eager to start their family. From the get-go, they knew they wanted children and they couldn’t wait to add to their already happy bunch.
Before long, the couple got pregnant with their first child, a healthy baby boy. Not even two years later, they got pregnant again and welcomed another healthy baby boy to their growing family.
Angie and Gino Were Living Happy, Healthy Lives With Their Two Sons
From the start, Angie and Gino took great pride in being parents. They loved watching their sons grow up and reach milestones with each passing day. For the parents, there was nothing better than living life with their two happy, healthy sons and watching them grow into smart, kind-hearted individuals.
But for the couple, there was still one thing missing…
Angie and Gino Wanted to Add a Baby Girl To The Mix
Angie and Gino already had two happy and healthy boys. While the little family was living a good life in Southern California, the parents thought something was missing. Of course, the couple was grateful for their little family, but they knew that adding a little girl to the mix would make things complete.
The couple prayed and prayed for a daughter until one day when Angie took a pregnancy test.
The couple was about to receive some happy news!
It’s a Girl!
Angie was ecstatic that she was pregnant again and the happy parents couldn’t wait to figure out whether their third child was going to be a boy or girl. Of course, Angie and Gino would have been happy to add any child to their growing family, but deep down, they were hoping for a girl.
When the time came to figure out the sex of baby, the nurse turned to the couple and said, “It’s a girl!”
But the ultrasound showed something strange…
It’s a Girl…Times Three!
Angie and Gino were over the moon when they found out that Angie was expecting a girl. But while the doctor was performing the ultrasound, the look on his face shifted from excitement to utter shock.
Angie wasn’t just having one girl. Angie was having three girls. She was pregnant with triplets. The couple could not believe what they were seeing on the ultrasound.
They finally got their little girl (times three) but Angie was about to get some horrific news about them.
Three Babies, Two Placentas
Angie and Gino were already surprised that they were now expecting not just one baby girl, but three. That’s when things got even more unusual.
As Angie’s doctor was performing an ultrasound, he noticed that Angie had two placentas. This meant that two of the baby girls were sharing one placenta and had split from a single egg, making them identical. Meanwhile, the third baby girl had formed from an entirely different egg.
This was indeed a rare occurrence.
A Rare Pregnancy
Angie and Gino never expected their prayers would be answered three times over. Things seemed to be getting increasingly strange now that they knew two of the triplets were identical.
Angie and Gino had conceived naturally, so her pregnancy was indeed very rare. In fact, the chances of having triplets are just 1 in 4,000 — but the chances of having triplets where two are identical was much, much rarer.
They Prepared As Much As Possible
While Angie and Gino were over the moon with excitement about their growing family, the couple needed to come to grips with what was to come. They knew their lives were about to change drastically so they got to work.
The couple started preparing for the girls’ arrival early on by hiring a nanny, purchasing a minivan, and reaching out to their friends and family for support. Because both of them held jobs, they also worked with their employers to ensure they could have professional flexibility.
High-Risk Pregnancy
With Angie expecting triplets, her pregnancy was considered high-risk. During the early stages of her pregnancy, Dr. Daneshmand had warned the parents that this time around would be much different than when Angie had delivered her sons.
While the idea of potential complications was in the back of Angie and Gino’s minds, they still weren’t prepared for what was about to happen.
The risk of carrying triplets was about to get very real.
Angie Experienced Serious Complications
When Angie was just 26 weeks pregnant with the triplets, she experienced serious complications. Fluid discrepancy had occurred suddenly and was creating a potentially dangerous situation for Angie and her unborn babies.
In an interview with Sharp Healthcare, Angie said, “We saw that the liquid for ‘Baby B’ was too low and for ‘C’ was a little high.” The levels of liquid are important when a baby is still in utero, so it was imperative that Angie and her doctors took action right away.
To ensure Angie and her babies would be safe, she had to do something extreme.
Angie Moved Into the Hospital
The fluid discrepancy was posing a serious risk for two of Angie’s babies. With fluid too high or too low, the girls were at risk of being born with brain hemorrhaging and underdeveloped lungs.
This meant that continuing her day-to-day routine was out of the question. To ensure that Angie and the triplets would be safe, Dr. Daneshmand determined Angie needed to go to the hospital and stay there for the remainder of her pregnancy.
Angie’s Life Was Put On Hold
Naturally, Angie was shocked. “I said, ‘Wait, right now?'” she said in an interview with Sharp Healthcare.
Angie found herself at a crossroads. Of course, she was prepared to do everything possible to ensure her babies would be safe — but at just 26 weeks pregnant, this would mean she would be in there possibl for weeks. With two kids at home, she was understandably upset that she couldn’t be there with them all of the time.
The Family Made It Work
Moving into the hospital at 26 weeks was difficult for Angie. Not only was she on strict bed rest, but she wasn’t even in the comfort of her own home. Worse, she was away from Gino and their two sons.
But this family puts family first, and they knew that this is what was necessary to ensure their family would grow. So, they made it work. Every day, Gino and the boys would visit Mom. It wasn’t home, but at least they were together.
The nurses were a big help too.
Home Sweet Hospital
Now that Angie was in the hospital, her idea of home had changed. Her home, even if it was only temporary, was now the hospital, so she and Gino did what they could to make it feel like it.
The nurses were especially empathetic for Angie and her situation that so many other mothers have experienced. “They’re taken away from everything that’s normal,” Toni Hicks, RN, said in an interview with Sharp Healthcare. “So by telling them, ‘You know, I understand that this is really hard for you’ — that’s huge for our patients.”
Date Night!
Put yourself in Angie’s shoes for a minute. Not only are you navigating a high-risk pregnancy, but now you’re forced to move out of your home and into the hospital for weeks on end. Worst of all, you’re away from your family, save for a few hours each week during visitation.
Although this was Angie and Gino’s reality, they were determined to do whatever it took to keep Angie’s spirits up. To do so, they got a little creative. One of their new favorite activities was to have “date night” at the hospitals. “This is our date night that we never get at home,” Angie said while the couple shared dinner in her room.
Touring The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
When you’re expecting triplets, it’s important to have a detailed birth plan for when the babies arrive. Although Angie’s medical team was on top of her and the babies’ health throughout Angie’s pregnancy, they knew that the babies could end up in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to their small size.
So before Angie’s due date, she and Gino toured the NICU at the hospital so they would be ready for whatever was thrown their way.
Angie Felt Empowered
No expectant mother wants to think about their newborn having to be in the NICU, but Angie remained positive throughout their tour and beyond. For Angie, touring the NICU and having a detailed birth plan ultimately made her feel like she was in control.
“You hear a lot of stories, you know, of triplets who don’t make it or especially of identical twins. The body absorbs one of them,” Angie said. “I didn’t see [the NICU] as a sad place, I saw it as a place that was empowering for me.”
Baby ‘B’ Wasn’t Growing As Quickly In The Womb
Throughout her pregnancy, Angie and her medical team were diligent about monitoring the babies daily. During a routine ultrasound they discovered that baby ‘B’ was smaller than baby ‘A’ and baby ‘C.’
While this isn’t unusual considering baby ‘B’ and baby ‘C’ were sharing the same placenta, it was still something the team would need to continue to monitor.
Angie was now more than halfway through her pregnancy, but the babies would be premature if she delivered now.
Aiming For 34 Weeks
While Angie was confined to the hospital, she and her medical team had one goal in mind: to make it to 34 weeks. If she could make it to 34 weeks without going into labor, the triplets would have a good amount of time to develop in the womb.
If the triplets were in the womb for less than 34 weeks, they had a greater chance of complications due to being underdeveloped.
Taking It Day By Day
With Angie now more than 30 weeks along in her pregnancy, all she could do was take it day by day. While she and Gino were eager to meet their newest additions, the longer the triplets stayed in the womb, the more time they would have to develop. Still, anything was possible at this point.
“Anything could happen between now and my due date,” she said in an interview with Sharp Healthcare. “We could have contractions that can’t control. We may do an emergency C-section. For us, we don’t count the weeks here, we count the days.”
Little did they know, the girls were about to make their debut.
It’s Showtime
Although Angie and her medical team had hoped she would make it to 34 weeks, life had other plans for this family. When she was just 32 weeks and one day pregnant, Angie went into labor. The couple put their game faces on and were ready for what was ahead.
“Three little stars will be born tonight,” Gino said. “I have some hard work ahead of me now,” Angie added as they wheeled her into the delivery room.
Happy Birthday!
Before they knew it, Angie was dilated and the girls were ready to make their debut into the world. Because of safety concerns, Angie’s medical team decided that a C-section was the best option for both Angie and the triplets.
The medical team prepped the room and Angie’s C-section soon began. One by one, Angie’s medical team delivered three baby girls, weighing just under four pounds each. The sisters were named Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla.
Each Baby Had Her Own Advanced Life Support Team
Angie’s medical team had anticipated that she might give birth earlier on, so they were prepared. Since Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla were so small, each of the babies had her own advanced life support team to ensure they were healthy once they were delivered.
As soon as each baby girl was delivered, they were passed through a window to a room adjacent to the operating room. Here, the babies were assessed, stabilized, and helped with breathing before being transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Angie Didn’t Get To See Her Girls
After carrying a child for nine months and going through hours of labor, all a mother wants to do in hold her baby. Angie may have had a predetermined birth plan, but it was still hard for her to not to get to see her newborn children after they were delivered.
Since the girls were born so small, it was important to transfer them to the NICU right away. Angie was sad she couldn’t hold them at first but was comforted knowing they were receiving the care they needed.
Breathing Isn’t Always Easy
When Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla were born, they were each under four pounds. Because they were so small, their lungs weren’t entirely developed. This caused them to have some difficulty breathing.
Fortunately, Angie’s medical team was prepared for this scenario. They worked quickly to ensure that the triplets’ lungs were open and that oxygen was flowing by putting them on C-pap. The girls were certainly in good hands, but it was still challenging for Angie and Gino to watch helplessly on the sidelines.
Stabilizing The Girls
At one points, the babies’ oxygen levels were at just 55 percent, but Angie’s medical team was prepared. The girls needed pressure to open up their lungs, so the nurses and doctors put them on C-pap.
Meanwhile, Angie got to see her babies for the first time on a digital camera. It was nowhere near the same thing as holding them herself, but it was all she had right now.
Angie and Gino would hopefully get to the meet their girls soon.
Nurses Watched The Girls Around The Clock
Now that the Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla were in the NICU, the nurses were watching them around the clock. It was important for everyone to remember that the girls were still very small and still predisposed to having other complications.
Alina Harper, one of the RNs working with the girls, said, “You know, I really empathize with the parents that have to have their babies and be separated from them.”
Angie was indeed having a tough time being separated from her girls, but that was about to change!
The Triplets Were In Stable Condition
Just a few hours after Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla were delivered by C-section, they were doing much better. Although they needed to remain in the NICU to avoid any complications, they were stable and breathing on their own.
They were nowhere near ready to go home, but they were ready to do the next best thing…meet their mom and dad!
Angie’s heartfelt reaction to meeting her babies will warm your heart and probably make you cry.
Reality Was Setting In
The day had been a whirlwind for Angie and Gino. After having spent weeks in the hospital, the big day was finally here. But since the girls had been rushed to the NICU, things didn’t feel real just yet. After all, the parents still hadn’t been able to hold their newborn daughters.
But as the medical team updated Angie and Gino, letting them know Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla were stable, things started getting real — and fast. The time was nearing to meet their babies.
The NICU Nurses Couldn’t Wait For Angie And Gino To Meet Their Girls
NICU nurses deal with sentimental situations on a daily basis. When you’re around parents during some of the most vulnerable moments of their loves, it’s tough not to form an emotional bond with the parents and their babies. This was especially true for the nurses who watched out the triplets in the NICU. They were so excited for Angie and Gino to finally be reunited with them.
“I love to see the initial contact between mommy and baby,” Alina Harper, an RN, said. “I always look for that, that moment that is just theirs that I get to be a part of.”
Angie And Gino Were Cleared To See The Girls In The NICU
Although Angie had a long road ahead of her while she was recovering from her C-section, she was doing great. Both Angie and the girls were in stable condition and could finally be reunited.
The nurses wheeled Angie to the NICU. As Gino walked alongside side Angie and the nurse, the couple could barely contain their excitement. They were about to meet the three little angels that they prayed so hard for.
Finally Meeting Their Baby Girls
Finally, Angie and Gino were led into the NICU. The nurse wheeled Angie over to the individual stations were the girls where being monitored. At long last, she and Gino finally got to officially meet Danielle, Anabella, and Camilla.
As a nurse handed Angie one of her girls, Angie was in complete disbelief. She was so overcome with happiness that she couldn’t help but cry. She turned to her husband and said, “It feels so right.”
Reunited At Last
Although Angie was only separated from her girls for a few hours, it felt like much longer. “I was only a few hours apart from them and I already missed them,” Angie said. “So it feels good to be reunited.”
One by one, the nurses gently picked up the girls, as Angie got to hold each of them separately. She relished getting to hear each of them cry as she held and soothed them back to sleep.
Meeting Dad
Mom wasn’t the only one who was anxious to meet her baby girls — Dad was too! Alongside Angie, Gino took turns holding Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla. The nurses even tucked each of the girls into Gino’s shirt so they could receive the benefits of skin-to-skin contact.
Skin-to-skin contact can be especially beneficial for premature babies. During skin-to-skin contact, your body becomes a natural incubator, regulating your temperature to meet the needs of the baby.
A Special Moment With Dad
Often times, newborn babies don’t open their eyes right after they’re born. But when Anabella was placed on her dad’s chest, she opened her eyes and tried to look up at him. When he would start speaking, eye eyes would follow his mouth, as if she was trying her hardest to listen to what he was saying.
“Look at that, she’s opening her eyes, listening to me,” Gino said. “Beautiful, beautiful feeling.”
See what the triplets are up to today!
The Triplets Grow Up
After a few weeks in the NICU, the triplets had stabilized enough that they could finally go home. Finally, after Angie spent weeks pregnant in the hospital followed by the girls spending weeks in the NICU, they were able to take these little ladies home.
Now, after all this time, their family truly felt complete! As the girls grew up, they continued to thrive and developed their own personalities.
Angie And Gino Keep Busy With Five Kids
Being a parent is not an easy job. Being a parent to five children, three of whom are triplets is definitely not an easy job. But Angie and Gino make it work. Thanks to their commitment to putting their family first, Angie and Gino do whatever it takes to make sure they can always provide happy, healthy lives for their children.
Although they make it looks easy, we know that raising a family this big is no walk in the park!
Sometimes Your Biggest Wishes Do Come True
Now that the triplets are growing up alongside their older brothers, it’s hard for Angie and Gino to imagine their life before kids.With two boys and three girls, the couple surely has their hands full, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. They prayed and prayed for a little girl and got more than they bargained for — and for that they are eternally grateful!
“It’s truly a dream come true to have them come into my life,” Angie says.