All photos via: WUSA9
Here’s how one family of five became a family of eight.
Six years ago, Robert and Nia Tolbert of Waldorf, Maryland welcomed their first child into the world. Then three years later, they became husband and wife when they got married on August 31, 2014. This happened to be around the same time the couple was simultaneously expecting their second and third child, as they were soon to be parents of twin boys.
“We joked about having a big family, but we never thought it would happen to us,” Robert, who is a project manager with the federal government, told WUSA9. “We thought we were good with one or two, but here we are.”
Little did the Tolberts know, their family would get even bigger- by three to be exact. Although Robert and Nia both have multiples in their families, the couple never guessed that after twins they would be expecting triplets next.
During her ultrasound, Nia learned that she would be having two babies, but when she returned from the bathroom the nurse gave her a sonogram with an extra surprise. According to WUSA9, “The nurse told her, ‘There’s three. Baby A. Baby B. Baby C.'”
“It’s extremely rare. We’re talking less than one in 1,000 (births). That’s a very low chance for it happening to anyone in general,” said Dr. Rami Tabbarah, an OBGYN at Inova Women’s Hospital. “It’s very rare to have twins then triplets (naturally) in the same lifetime.”
Turns out, Nia hyper-ovulates, which is a rare occurrence when more than one egg ovulates at once. Nevertheless, Robert was shocked that their family would be growing by three, as his wife delivered the news in a gift bag with three onesies and a note that read: “Please accept this blessing from me and God. I think you’ll be overjoyed.”
The family will now be adding three baby girls to their three boys, 6-year-old Shai and 2-year-old twins, Riley and Alexander. Robert and Nia are expecting their new bundles of joy in early March.
It looks like it all balanced out. Congratulations to the Tolberts!
Visit WUSA9 for more details about the Tolberts and their journey to becoming parents of six.