Three mothers describe doctors urging fetal reduction, weeks in neonatal care, sleepless nights, double strollers and the surprising bonds that develop when three children grow up togetherNirit Zuk|Until the 14th week of her pregnancy, Maya Oz was certain she was expecting twins. Then, during a routine ultrasound, the doctor casually pointed to the screen and announced there was another baby.“I suddenly saw three fetuses,” Oz recalls. “We were in shock. After the examination, we sat on a bench outside and didn’t say a word for half an hour. When we told our families, everyone thought we were joking. At first, no one believed us. It took time for our friends and relatives to realize we were serious.”Gallery'We painted each girl’s big toenail a different color so we could tell them apart.' The Oz family triplets (Photo: Private album)Triplet births are relatively rare in Israel, with roughly 60 to 100 recorded annually in figures published over the years by the Central Bureau of Statistics and Health Ministry. Multiple pregnancies also carry greater medical risks, and some parents are advised to consider fetal reduction.After all, the weeks, months and sometimes years after childbirth are demanding for any parent, especially amid pandemics, war and prolonged economic uncertainty. Multiply that by three, and the challenge becomes enormous. Yet the families who chose to continue their pregnancies and care for three newborns at once describe a reality that is not only exhausting, but also deeply rewarding.“The biggest shock was going in an instant from being a couple to being a couple with three children,” Oz says. “It didn’t feel like a slap in the face but more like a complete knockout. Your whole life changes. There was never a dull moment.”Her daughters were identical triplets, creating another immediate challenge: telling them apart. “We had to find a way to know who was who so we could keep track of who had eaten and whose diaper we had changed. We painted a different color of nail polish on each girl’s big toe, so caregivers and relatives who came to help could identify them by color. And every time we left the house, it had to be carefully planned.”What did that involve?