A couple has spoken of their joy after having identical triplets - defying odds of up to 200 million to one.
Alex and Amy Lindsay were left in 'total shock' when they attended their 12-week appointment expecting to see one baby -only to learn there were three on the way.
The couple, who already had Elijah, 4, and two-year-old Zion, are now proud parents to five little boys.
Estimates vary, but experts believe the odds of having identical triplets are anything from one in 60,000, to one in 200m.
Amy gave birth to Abel, Asher and Azariah in July at Sunderland Royal Hospital after 35 weeks of pregnancy. "I felt really blessed," she said.
"It was a high risk pregnancy, but they all got to really good weights.
"However, it was very difficult by the end of my pregnancy. Even getting dressed was difficult and I was in pain just sitting down.
"They're very settled babies but the biggest challenge comes at feeding time when you’ve three babies all wanting to be fed at the same time.
"I've been breast feeding them but have been topping it up with bottle feeds which also allows me to get support from Alex and my mother."
Hubby Alex added: "There’s always a risk when having triplets but they were all really healthy and a good weight."
Abel was 6lb 2, Asher 5lb 12 and Azariah 5lb 11.
Amy, 31, recalled the shock of her first scan appointment, adding: "Alex said he could see quite a lot of movement on the scan.
"That's when the sonographer asked if there was a history of twins in the family and revealed there were two babies.
"We already have two little boys and so this was already a massive shock, I tried to calm myself down.
"It was then the sonographer suddenly gasped – you could tell even behind the mask. "
The couple, of Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, were concerned at first in case there was 'something wrong'.
"At that point I got quite emotional," added Amy.
"The plan was this would be our last child and with two boys under four, I wondered how we would cope.
"I just kept thinking, I've only got two arms, how am I going to hold and feed them."
Alex, 33, added: "I remember telling my mother-in-law and she thought we were joking. She wouldn’t believe us until we showed her the scan.
"But we feel blessed. We are lucky we live in a four-bedroom detached house but space is an issue.
"We've had to move out our dining table and chairs to make more room.
'My friends keep joking that when the boys are older we can start our own five-a-side team."
