While a significant number of people were jumping to the sounds of soca in varying types of costumes yesterday, new father Jason Charles was jumping to the sound of babies crying: three babies in total.
Charles and his wife, Shinette Samuel-Charles, welcomed the first set of triplets for 2016 at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday.
The babies, all girls, were delivered via C-section around 11.34 am, eight weeks early.
Yesterday, a beaming Charles, who is a lecturer and placement officer at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), told the T&T Guardian he felt overjoyed by the birth of his daughters.
“Everyone keeps saying ‘Jason, three girls is a lot of work,’ but I could not be happier right now,” he said.
“Although I have been downgraded to number five in the house now,” he joked.
Charles said a C-section had been scheduled for February 16, but Shinette began having minor contractions last Wednesday. Her water broke on Sunday and the surgery, done by Drs Rampersadsingh and Jaggernauth, was done shortly after 11 am.
Samuel-Charles spoke briefly as she was still recovering from anaesthetic used in the surgery.
“I feel happy, excited and very tired,” she said with a smile.
Asked if she has any plans on how to manage the three babies, Samuel-Charles said, “Jason and I will do as much as we can and both of our mothers will pitch in as well. For now, there is no hard and fast rules, we’ll have to see how it goes.”
The Cocoyea couple, who have been married for ten years, have named their girls Niah, Aaliyah and Emma-Lee.
The infants’ pediatrician, Dr Barry Donahue, said all was well with the girls and they will hopefully be out of incubators in a week’s time.
“We are monitoring them very closely, as babies born prematurely are more prone to developing problems, especially respiratory problems, but so far all is well with all three,” Donahue said.