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25 November 2022, 17:05
Genevieve Knox was in her third trimester when doctors revealed she was pregnant with three babies.
A Californian mum was left gobsmacked when she discovered she was having triplets seven months into her pregnancy.
Following an ultrasound at 30 weeks, Genevieve 'Genna' Knox, known on Instagram @knoxedoutnumbered, was shellshocked by the sonographer's revelation that she was growing three babies inside her uterus instead of one.
The fifth grade teacher, who already shares 6-year-old son Liam with husband Kyle, revealed she was left speechless by the news, which took a while to sink in.
Because that's not the only twist in Genna's pregnancy story as the San Diego educator was dealt another surprise during her 20-week check-up.
During a routine ultrasound between four and five months, Genna explained that the technician suddenly went quiet.
"She’s like, 'Wait, you’re having twins?' And I said, 'No, I’m not,'" the now mother-of-four told TODAY Parents.
"Then I looked up and I could see clear as day that there were two babies."
The number of embryos is usually picked up in a routine 12-week scan here in the UK, but due to the American teacher opting out of nuchal translucency testing (also known as an NT scan) during her first trimester, it meant she wasn't aware she was pregnant with multiples until much later.
"All the blood work came back normal, so my doctor asked me if I wanted to wave the nuchal and I said, 'Oh, sure.' I was working full-time and it was just one less appointment,'" she explained, adding: "Whoops."
After learning she was welcoming twins into the family, Genna admitted she and husband Kyle felt like the “luckiest people in the world".
"I started having kids later in life, and I didn’t know if I’d even be able to have one," she said. "We were overjoyed."
Despite their excitement, the nervous parents discussed how they were going to juggle basic logistics by adding another two children into the mix.
Genna said: :"I remember telling (Kyle) 'I can’t even fit 3 car seats in my car!'"
It was just nine weeks later that the duo received the shocking news that would bump their family up to six.
While yet another sonographer moved the wand across Genna's growing tummy and began to grow quiet, he said: "'How far along were you when you found out you were having twins?' And I said, 'Oh, gosh you’re not going to believe it,' before telling him the crazy story.
It was only then that he revealed the couple were in fact having triplets.
"I barely remember anything else about the moment. I was in total shock," Genna explained.
Not long after the scan, at 33 weeks, Genna gave birth to three daughters – Kaylee, Lily, and Cecilia.
The tiny sisters, born on 21st March 2019, were taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) but quickly built up strength and are now three healthy toddlers.
Mum-of-four Genna revealed the 'hidden triplet', Cecilia, still causes a stir to this day.
"She has a very big personality," she laughed. "She is hilarious and we love her to death, but she definitely marches to the beat of her own drum."