Sisters: Melanie, 33, said “they are such content and happy little babies. They love to cuddle” (Image: SWNS)

A proud mum told today how she defied odds of 2,000,000-1 to naturally conceive three identical girl triplets.

Mum Melanie Thornton, aged 33, said: “Sometimes I just sit and stare at them and think wow… 1 in 2 million chance of me naturally conceiving identical triplets.

“But mostly I just think… WOW I love these little girls.”

Surprise: Melanie was persuaded to try for ‘one last 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥’ by Martin, 27, and found out she had triplets (Image: SWNS)

Husband Martin, 27, persuaded Melanie to try for another 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 even though the couple already had a daughter Tia, 13.

They found out on Valentine’s Day last year that Melanie was expecting – but were stunned when a 12-week hospital scan revealed triplets.

The identical sisters were 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 by cesarean section more than seven weeks premature at Torbay Hospital on August 25.

Boe was first to arrive weighing 3lbs 3oz, Mika was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 a minute later scaling 3lbs 1oz and little Hope came last at just 2lbs 13oz.

Adorable: Boe, Hope and Mika were 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 seven weeks premature at Torbay Hospital on August 25 (Image: SWNS)

Melanie said: “I’d looked up pictures of premature babies before so I expected them to look a bit weird, but they weren’t – they were perfectly formed tiny little babies.

“It was amazing. My babies took up the whole room. It was so reassuring to see how perfect they were and they didn’t need any help or anything with breathing – just a little tube for food.

“They are such content and happy little babies. They love to cuddle. They put their arms around each other and love to hold hands.

“Their favourite way to be is with Mika in the middle, and she holds both their hands.

Special: Each month the couple bulk buy almost 100 litres of 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 formula (Image: SWNS)

“My living room does look like Mothercare and the washing machine is constantly on. When I’m feeding and burping them it is a lot of balancing, and juggling and holding bottles, but of course it is worth it.

“I can’t really remember life when my family was half the size.”

Each month the couple, from Paignton, Devon, bulk buy almost 100 litres of 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 formula for the triplets and have arranged special rubbish collections to deal with more than 200 dirty nappies a week.

Melanie admits that from an early stage she was surprised how odd her second pregnancy felt compared to the time she was expecting eldest daughter Tia.

Ultrasound: Melanie said “before the scan I had been saying something felt really different this time round” (Image: SWNS)

The mum said: “Before the scan I had been saying something felt really different this time round.

“I said a few times ‘I’m sure there’s more than one’ but I never said anything about triplets.

“When they told me I just burst out laughing and asked ‘where are the cameras?’ I thought it must have been a joke, a set up.

Cute: “Their favourite way to be is with Mika in the middle, and she holds both their hands,” Melanie said (Image: SWNS)

“When they were finally 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 it was so nice to finally see them – I didn’t know who to go to first, who to touch or who to talk to first.

“Now we’ve got them home everyone keeps offering to come round to help me because I have three.

“But they are great – they all slept through the night last night.

“If I split them up though they do start to cry – the closer together they are the better.”