Celebrating their first family Christmas with premature ‘miracle’ triplets Henry, Joyce and Josie will be a dream come true for Queensland parents Emma and Joshua Lowe.

The trio, who were an “unexpected surprise” for the couple, are now home after spending more than a month receiving around-the-clock care in the Special Care Nursery at Mater Mothers’ Private Hospital in South Brisbane.

“I found out at six weeks into my pregnancy we were having triplets – I was very shocked!” Mrs Lowe, 36, said.

The triplets were born six weeks early on November 9, with Henry arriving first at 1.43pm weighing 2.1kg. Little sister Joyce arrived one minute later at 1.44pm weighing 1.9kg, and Josie, the smallest of the siblings, arrived at 1.46pm weighing 1.5kg.

After arriving home on 11 December, the couple, from Ipswich, are planning a “low-key” Christmas with their tiny newborns and their excited 19-month-old big brother Flynn.

Mrs Lowe spent seven weeks on bedrest at Mater Mothers’ Private Hospital to help her babies grow safely, before doctors decided the time was right for a planned cesarean section birth.

“It was a very long pregnancy and hard to manage towards the end. The doctors suggested I was cared for in hospital to give me a break, otherwise I would have had the babies earlier,” she said.

“To have them home for Christmas is so special. I am excited for our big family future that we weren’t expecting,” she laughed.

She said her tiny newborns had gone from strength to strength in Mater’s Special Care Nursery since being born.

“They have been putting on weight and learning how to suck feed,” she said.

“Josie and Joyce needed help to breathe in the first five minutes of being born, and I am feeling really lucky that the three of them are here with us, all together.

“I remember holding them for the first time when they wheeled me up from theatre and when the nurses put them in my arms, that was really special. I cried, I cried a lot.

“I have done a lot of crying over the last few weeks. It’s been an overwhelming experience.

“Having to go home without them and being separated from them for weeks was really hard, but here we are all together again.”

Mater Director of Neonatology Dr Pita Birch said Henry, Joyce and Josie were one of five sets of triplets cared for in the Special Care Nursery in 2023.

“To see the triplets go home in time for Christmas is no doubt special for Emma, Joshua and big brother Flynn,” Dr Birch said.

“The triplets have made great progress during their time in hospital thanks to the efforts of a multidisciplinary clinical team.”

Pictured: Emma Lowe and her triplets with their sibling Flynn.