Triplet Joanne shares life lessons with parents of multiples

Joanne’s experience of growing up as a triplet with her sisters, Georgia and Laurel, shaped her in ways that are difficult to put into words. From the very beginning, Joanne and her sisters shared an extraordinary bond. “It’s someone who gets you completely. You don’t have to explain your weird jokes,” she says, reflecting on the close connection the three of them have. Despite the inevitable challenges, like teenage arguments and sharing a room until they were 12, the triplet bond remains strong. Today, they are best friends and enjoy spending time together.

Joanne’s story highlights the unique nature of growing up as one of multiples, particularly triplets. While there are undeniable challenges, the shared experience also creates a deep and unspoken connection that lasts a lifetime. This connection is what has driven Joanne to volunteer with Twins Trust, offering support to other parents navigating the same journey.

The unexpected journey

Joanne’s parents never expected to have triplets. “We were naturally conceived and there was no history of twins or triplets as far as anyone was aware,” she explains. During a time when scans weren’t as advanced as they are today, the initial scan had only shown twins, so the news of triplets was a shock. Born via C-section in December 1987, Joanne and her sisters spent their first Christmas in hospital in London after being transferred from another hospital due to a shortage of incubators.

The early months were particularly challenging, with Joanne and her sister Laurel having heart problems that required additional medical support. Joanne recalls, “We were in incubators and given support to help us breathe. I think we were in hospital for three weeks.” This initial period of hardship highlights how the unexpected nature of a multiple birth can bring its own set of emotional and logistical challenges, requiring not only physical but mental resilience from both parents and babies.

Finding balance and growing together

Growing up as triplets, Joanne and her sisters often felt like they were always defined by their “triplet” status. “We always got called the triplets or ‘the girls’,” she recalls. This early labeling sparked a sense of curiosity in Joanne as she wondered why others weren’t referred to the same way. As they got older, the girls were separated into different form classes in secondary school, which Joanne felt was important for their individual growth. “It helped that we weren’t always in the same class,” she said, noting that this separation allowed each sister to develop her own identity, especially during the challenging teenage years when they all experimented with their looks and self-expression.

The impact of growing up as a triplet shaped their personalities and sense of individuality. “We never wore the same, maybe on special occasions for photos,” Joanne shares. Her parents were liberal in allowing them to express themselves, including letting them decorate their rooms and choose their own clothes, even if it meant wearing completely different styles. This freedom played a role in helping the sisters maintain a sense of individuality while still sharing an unbreakable bond.

Volunteering with Twins Trust

As a parent now, Joanne has come to appreciate the challenges her own mother faced raising triplets. “Becoming a mum myself made me realise how hard it must have been for my mum. I was just ignorant to that until I had my own baby,” she says. Joanne’s desire to give back to other parents led her to volunteer with Twins Trust. “My mum talks very highly of the support she felt from being part of the charity,” she adds, reflecting on how Twins Trust (previously known as TAMBA) had helped her family when she was growing up.

Joanne has always wanted to offer something back, so when she became a mother, she felt drawn to sharing her experiences. “I wanted to be able to use the experiences I’ve had and share them with others,” she explains. Through her involvement with Twins Trust, Joanne connects with other parents of multiples, sharing what mattered most to her during her childhood. She also leads webinars for triplet parents, offering advice and providing a space for other families to feel heard and supported.

Joanne’s volunteer work demonstrates the importance of giving back, especially when you’ve experienced the challenges and rewards of parenting multiples. Her story shows how valuable it is to share knowledge and provide emotional support to other families navigating similar paths. Through her work with Twins Trust, Joanne continues to offer the same kind of help her family once received, creating a cycle of support for the next generation of parents.

Joanne’s journey from growing up as a triplet to becoming a mother and volunteering for Twins Trust shows how the experiences of raising multiples are shaped by support, shared knowledge, and the bonds that are formed not just within families, but within the wider community.