When Melanie Lewis went to her 12-week pregnancy scan, she just wanted to know that her baby was healthy.
Instead, the Papamoa woman and her husband Peter were shocked to learn she was carrying not one baby, but three.
"It took about a month to sink in that I was having triplets," said Mrs Lewis, 36, who was already mum to Emily, now 20 months.
The pregnancy was natural and there was no history of multiple births in the family.
The high-risk nature of the pregnancy meant Mrs Lewis had scans and appointments up to three times a week, including visits to the Auckland Hospital foetal medicine clinic. The last month of pregnancy saw her on "couch rest" and barely able to move.
But four weeks ago she was delivered of three identical baby girls - an occurrence so rare it is estimated at odds of between one in 500,000 and one in two million.
The triplets were born on July 5 at 33 weeks gestation and were able to breathe without assistance - wowing staff at both Waikato and Tauranga Hospitals, where Mrs Lewis said they were known as "the amazing three".
"I was expecting a lot of medical intervention, and they didn't need any. They have been medical marvels. We were so lucky," she told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend.
Elsie Willow weighed 1.6kg (3lb 8oz), Chloe Lorraine was 1.7kg (3lb 12oz) and Bella May 1.8kg (4lb 2oz).
The trio were born in Waikato Hospital by emergency caesarean after Mrs Lewis developed pre-eclampsia.
She had been transferred from Tauranga Hospital because Waikato was better equipped to deal with three premature babies in the event they had breathing difficulties.
The birth was straight forward, but drama unfolded soon after when Mrs Lewis became seriously ill due to pre-eclampsia, and was admitted to the high dependency unit for 48 hours. "They said, 'I don't want to scare you but there's a risk you could have a stroke'."
After four days in Waikato Hospital she was well enough to be transferred back to Tauranga Hospital, and the triplets were admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
The girls thrived, and last weekend at just 23 days old they were discharged.
They still wear their hospital bracelets and have name tags above their cots to avoid mix-ups.
Having triplets has meant "three of everything", a bigger car, a home office turned into a bedroom and big sister Emily has had to adjust to daycare.
Family, friends and neighbours have helped with baby gear, meals and feeding, while the Multiple Birth Group and triplets club have offered information and moral support.
Now their baby girls are here, the Lewises wouldn't have it any other way.
"I can't believe it has happened to us. Everything is amplified times three - everything is bigger, better, more," Mr Lewis said.
"Everyone says you don't pick triplets, they pick you."
Mrs Lewis is looking forward to watching her girls grow up and watch their special bond evolve.
"They have been a fascination for everyone who has come into contact with them."