MedWatch- CCMH welcomes their 1st set of triplets to the world from Medwatch 7 KSWO on Vimeo.
LAWTON, OK (KSWO)- A little over 1 out of every thousand births, are triplets. While that may sound more common than you think, it’s still pretty rare. And up until the beginning of June, Comanche County Memorial Hospital had never delivered a set of triplets. But now that has changed.
Meet Melanie, Ma’ Lina and Ma’ Leah. These three beautiful little girls are the first triplets to be delivered at CCMH.
“The triplets were born on June 1st. Welcomed by a team of 18 nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, neonatologists, respiratory therapists. So it was really a team effort,” said Paula Griffith, Nurse Manager of Women & Children’s Services.
Born at just 36 weeks, their mother Kadrijah Smith couldn’t wait to see them, and when she did…
“It was breathtaking.” Smith says she is thankful for 3 healthy babies. “It’s a blessing to have them. And for all of them to make it, because you usually don’t hear that.”
While two are still in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, all three of the babies are doing very well. Paula Griffith is the Nurse manager of women and children’s services, and says this is a huge milestone for CCMH.
“It’s a really big thing for us because it means that we have more abilities to serve the community, and to keep babies here in the community, closer to family and to their parents,” Griffith says in the past, expecting mothers would have to go to another hospital that had the capabilities to care for babies with higher needs. But now, CCMH has the resources to do so.
“With the NICU, and our access to maternal fetal medicine specialists, we’re able to provide this service and deliver of course twins, but also higher order multiples such as triplets,” explained Griffith.
Smith is a soldier stationed here at Fort Sill, and is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. So, for her, feeling comfortable with her doctor and hospital is important. Both the triplets parents say the staff in the NICU have been very helpful and caring.
“The people are nice, friendly, warming. We had no problems,” said Darian Selvage, the father of triplets.
“They’re very patient and answer all your questions. You can come anytime of the night, anytime of the morning. They let you touch them. They understand that you’re their parents, and they work with you,” Smith says even though she doesn’t plan on having any more children, if she did, she wouldn’t hesitate to go to CCMH again. Now she is just ready to bring her babies home. “Growing with them, them growing with me, because it’s very new. My first kids, and there’s three of them.”
Griffith says the 2 girls still in the NICU, just need to learn how to eat to get a little bigger and stronger, and they will be ready to go home with Mom.
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