Colchester mum of tragic triplets speaks out to help others

For Savanna Clark, it was monumental - a happy ending to what had been a heart-wrenching and devastating chapter in her life.

Nearly five years ago, the 25-year-old suffered the unimaginable pain of losing identical triplets.

Little Stanley, Charlie and Tommy arrived at 24 weeks into her pregnancy, two of them weighing just one pound and the other 750g.

They suffered brain damage and did not survive, leaving their mum feeling understandably bereft and suicidal.

She still thinks about them every day, but now, at last, has cause for celebration after giving birth to her “rainbow baby” Lola-Rose Lawrence.

She is a little sister for five-year-old Riley, who was just a year old when his brothers died.

“I’m absolutely loving being a mum again,” said Savanna, who lives in Mumford Close, West Bergholt, and gave birth on November 14.

“Lola-Rose is beautiful and she will always be special to me.

“She’s my rainbow baby and going into hospital in the middle of this pandemic was so scary, after my last experience.

“For her to be born while all this is going on was amazing and we couldn’t be happier.”

Savanna, 25, has every reason to feel blessed and elated, but that is the polar opposite to the emotions she felt in May 2016.

Her triplets arrived unexpectedly early and, tragically, did not survive.

It was a monochorionic triplet pregnancy, which is exceedingly rare, with a reported incidence of one in 100,000 births.

“There was and still is some bitterness towards the hospital,” she said.

“I should have been having more regular check-ups and hadn’t had a scan for a month and a half before it happened.

“I’d actually been into hospital the night before for an iron transfusion.

“I knew something wasn’t right and know my own body, but they sent me home again and said there was nothing to worry about.

“I started having pain the following evening and then everything happened at once.

“The first baby arrived outside in the ambulance, on the drive outside my flat, and the second while we were travelling across the Strood, because at that time I lived on Mersea Island.

“The third was then delivered in hospital.

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“They were taken to the neonatal intensive care unit in Norwich. However, all three suffered bleeding on the brain.

“They were brain damaged and I had to make the heart-wrenching decision to switch off their life-support machines.

“It was so traumatic. I didn’t know where to turn or who to talk to. I was in a world of my own.

“I’ll never get over it and think about the boys every day.

“But thankfully I’m in a much better, stronger place now and having another baby has been such a blessing.”

Riley, five and in Year 1 at Heathlands Primary School, in West Bergholt, is loving being a big brother to Lola-Rose.

He was also a real hero and ray of light during Savanna’s devastating experience in 2016.

“Riley reminds me of his brothers because they all looked alike,” said the proud mum.

Rainbow baby Lola-Rose Lawrence

“When it happened, I had to carry on for his sake, but I can safely say that had I not had him, I wouldn’t be here now.

“He was my light at the end of the tunnel and kept me going.

“I went back to work after losing the boys, but really struggled.

“It was such a hard time. I felt depressed and in a very dark place.

“Everything took its toll and I certainly went through a stage where I didn’t want to be here anymore.

“I still have my down days, but know how to cope now.

“Instead of feeling suicidal, I know I just need a bit of time of my own.

“I’ll run a bath and have a cry. Then I can get on with my life.”

Savanna has found happiness with Lola-Rose’s dad, Jack Lawrence.

But she admits the hardship of five years ago ruined her relationship with Riley’s dad.

“Unfortunately, the situation with the boys broke us,” she said.

“We blamed each other when deep down, we both knew it wasn’t each other’s fault.

“We just needed someone to shout and scream at.

“What we experienced ruined our relationship and we had to go our separate ways. We had no choice.

“We still talk and he sees his little boy.

“Thankfully, we’re both in a better place and, now time has passed, I’m happy to talk about my experiences and reach out to anyone who may have been through something similar.

“Carrying triplets was a unique experience and something I absolutely loved. Not many people know what it feels like.

“To lose them was devastating and if I can help anyone in any way, then I’ll always talk.”

Savanna can be contacted via pwincessclarky@gmail.com