When Kaylie and Brandon learned they would soon become parents to triplets, they could not contain their excitement. They anticipated that their children would be extraordinary. However, they did not anticipate being included in the Guinness Book of World Records. All because of premature birth at the end of the 22nd week of pregnancy, which caused two of them to be born five days after the first sibling.

Rubi-Rose, Payton Jane and Porscha-Mae Hopkins, who were born in 2021, have set the Guinness World Record for the lowest combined birth weight and most premature triplets to survive. They were born at 22 weeks gestation and weighed in at just 2lbs 12oz combined.

Firstborn Rubi-Rose weighed 1lb and was put in a polythene swaddle which acted as an artificial womb to reduce the risk of hyperthermia as soon as she entered the world

Little Payton Jane was born next and weighed just 14oz and Porscha-Mae had to be delivered by C-section last, weighing 15oz.

All three triplets were rushed into incubators and swaddled in polythene wrapping which served as a makeshift womb to regulate their body temperature, reducing the risk of hypothermia.

Each baby was required to breathe independently for 10 seconds before medics intervened to provide oxygen.

They all pulled through a critical 72-hour period before spending several months in a neo-natal intensive care (NICU) unit.

Rubi-Rose and Payton-Jane were allowed to leave the NICU in July, with Porscha-Mae discharged from the unit in October 2021

The girls, who turned two last month, spent 216 days in the NICU at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. Proud parents Michaela White and Jason Hopkins have said that their daughters have ‘come on leaps’