Triplets delivered for the first time at Western Regional Hospital in Belize

Irene Garcia and Alfred Avilez of St. Matthews Village are the proud parents of three healthy baby girls. The identical triplets were delivered by caesarian section at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan. The family and doctors are ecstatic over the bundles of joy. Today News five’s Andrea Polanco visited with the mom and the triplets.

Andre Polanco, Reporting

On Wednesday, a set of triplets, Renata, Racquel and Rebecca were delivered at the Western Regional Hospital. Today we met the girls sound as sleep in their trays and their very happy mother:

Irene Cecilia Garcia, Mother of triplets

“I am very happy to see that they already come out and happy to see that they are healthy and alive.”

Andrea Polanco

Irene Cecilia Garcia

“So, Ms. Garcia how did you prepare for the arrival of your three babies?”

Irene Cecilia Garcia

“Well, like I was expecting it, I buy lotta clothes for three babies and I buy lotta pampers and I already have more in my house that are waiting.”

Andrea Polanco

“So when you first got the news from your doctors, that you’re going to be having three babies, what was your reaction?”

Irene Cecilia Garcia

“I couldn’t believe it but the doctor showed me the pictures and he told me it’s three and I said ‘three’? I don’t think it’s three’ I was surprised and scared I think.”

Melhem Ayala

Garcia, who was a part of the hospital’s high risk clinic, was admitted to hospital on Tuesday and the surgery was set for Wednesday by Dr. Melhem Ayala who delivered the triplets:

Dr. Melhem Ayala- OB/GYN- Delivered the triplets

“We were looking for the best time, we were trying for her to reach full term if possible, which as you may know when it’s multiple pregnancies you could barely reach full term. In her case triplets we were expecting her to go in labour even earlier but we managed to reach thirty-seven weeks, border line there. And we had to admit her on Tuesday for surgery on Wednesday.”

Irene Cecilia Garcia

“I was nervous because of the operation but I was excited to see that three babies were coming out and that gave me the strength too.”

For this first set of triplets to be born at the Western Regional Hospital is history, and Dr. Ayala says everything was in place for the birth of the babies:

Dr. Melhem Ayala

“We had our two pediatricians going in to receive the baby along with our nurse; we had the two gynecologists, myself and Dr. Howe also we both went it for the surgery nuh incase there were any complications even after the babies are born. The whole operating team also, we had two anesthetists they were also present yesterday. We had also the team from maternity ward, our nurses.”

After thirty minutes the three girls were born via c-section, a few minutes apart:

Dr. Melhem Ayala

“The babies were born around nine-fifty, three minutes difference nuh apart. The surgery was, the third one was a little bit more difficult to extract because the third one was in a transverse line nuh. But everything was successful.”

Andrea Polanco

“So twenty-four hours later doc, how are the babies doing?”

Dr. Melhem Ayala

“The babies are doing fine, they are perfectly good. They are with their mom, the parents. Their weight was four and a half, four and a quarter and four pounds. And even though they are a little small in weight, which is expected of triplets, they are fine.”

Dr. Ayala has been working as a specialist in Belize for the past seven years, this is the first time he has delivered triplets. He was almost at a loss for words:

Dr. Melhem Ayala

“It’s my first set of triplets.”

Andrea Polanco

“And what was the experience like for you?”

Dr. Melhem Ayala

“It was very special, it was very interesting. It was, I don’t know. I can’t express. It was very good and also knowing that we are able to help and bring these three lives into the world which is our main objective and to make the mom and the babies be safe and sound.”

A day later and the triplets are already making progress. Baby Renata woke up from her sleep and her mom is breastfeeding her as her grandmother looks on:

Irene Cecilia Garcia

“They are doing fine; they are very well and healthy because as soon as I come out of the theater they bring them.”

Andrea Polanco

“So are they breastfeeding as normal, are they you know, greedy?”

Irene Cecilia Garcia

“Yes, they are eating normal and sleep well, very good.”

The triplets will be monitored for the next few days due to low birth weight; however, the Western Regional Hospital’s pediatricians are working closely with them. Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.

The mother, Irene Garcia is expected to be released in the next couple of days, as for the three girls, they will be sent home depending on their progress. If you’d like to make a donation or contribution to the family, you can contact them at 660-6866.