South Bay Mom Delivers 19-Pound Triplets Naturally

Nyla Craft thought she was seeing double at her ultrasound appointment this year, but the news was even bigger. Three baby boys were growing inside her, all naturally conceived, in a pregnancy doctors called extraordinarily rare.

The South Bay mom already had two children, but nothing prepared her for carrying triplets. When doctors told her the three boys weighed a combined 19 pounds at birth, everything suddenly made sense about her difficult pregnancy.

"Knowing that it was 19 pounds of baby in there just hanging was like, oh my gosh," Craft said. "Now it makes sense why I was in so much pain."

That combined weight puts the trio close to the world record for heaviest triplets at birth, which stands at 22.7 pounds. But the rarity goes beyond just size.

Dr. Quynh Vo-Hanser of Kaiser Permanente South Bay explained what made this delivery so special. The triplets include one set of identical twins and one fraternal brother, all boys, all from a spontaneous pregnancy.

"In my three decades, I have never seen all these conditions within triplets," Vo-Hanser said. Among 3.5 million U.S. deliveries annually, only about 2,400 are triplets, and this combination of factors is even rarer.

The delivery brought together a team of 15 medical professionals instead of the usual five. Three NICU nurses stood ready, one for each baby, alongside multiple doctors caring for both mom and newborns.

Craft's husband Marco Bernal shared his initial shock at the news. "I was freaking out," he said. "We have two right now. Going from 2 to 5 was insane."

Their older daughter Naya has embraced her big sister role with excitement, eager to help with the babies. The triplets share a special birthday connection with their dad, arriving on the same date he was born.

Why This Inspires

This story represents more than rare statistics and record-chasing numbers. Dr. Rohit Passi, chief of neonatology, noted that Craft once worried she might never become pregnant. Her journey from uncertainty to welcoming three healthy boys shows how far medical care and determination can take families facing challenges.

The medical team took extra care to support Craft throughout her pregnancy, recognizing the higher risks Black mothers face. Their holistic approach and attention to her needs helped bring three healthy babies into the world safely.

"She shared her story of having struggles early on," Passi said. "It's our job to elevate their voices, particularly of moms like Nyla, because they are truly inspirational."

Now a family of seven, the Craft-Bernal household is adjusting to life with three newborns who beat incredible odds from their very first day.