A MUM who fell pregnant with two sets of triplets naturally has revealed the heart-breaking reason she never stops hugging her children first is because she lost two babies.
Crystal and Marco Milutinovic, from Ohio, who now have five children, lost two children from their first set of triplets, and the mum also tragically miscarried twins.
The mum shared a moving clip on TikTok, revealing her heartbreak, as she urged parents to ‘hold them tight’.
She said: “Let me tell you why I never let go first.
“Because two years ago I was the one that had to let go.
“When their brother and sister died at 3 days old.
“Since that day I told myself I will never be the one to get go first.
“So I am going to hold on as long as I can.”
The clip has been viewed more than 20 million times, as Crystal shared her and Marco's journey to parenthood.
The couple spent five years trying to conceive their first child, son Demitirje, now three.
The parents were over the moon, as Crystal, 29, had previously been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Which is why the parents thought it was nothing short of a miracle when they discovered Crystal had fallen pregnant with triplets naturally in 2018.
Everything was going smoothly up until 24 weeks, when her triplets made their sudden arrival.
Lana, Katarina and Milan were rushed straight into the NICU, but sadly Milan and Katarina didn’t survive.
Crystal and Marco, also 29, made the heartbreaking decision to switch off Milan’s life-support as he was ‘suffering’, and a few minutes later Katarina’s heart rate dropped.
Crystal held both her babies as they slipped away, later saying they’re “forever in our hearts”.
Lana, who was born weighing just 1lb 9oz, stayed in the NICU for 109 days, during which time she caught E-Coli and developed a chronic lung disease.
But she pulled through and the parents were finally able to take her home.
The following year Crystal discovered she was pregnant with twins - conceived naturally - but sadly she miscarried them.
The couple took a break from trying to have children, but they fell pregnant the first month they started trying again.
Incredibly Crystal had fallen pregnant with triplets again naturally, and after a rocky pregnancy - during which she had a special mesh fitted to stop herself going into early labour - her three children were born.
On September 10 at 36 weeks Malina, weighing 5lbs 9oz, Kostadin, weighing 5lbs 10oz and Aleksija, weighing 6lbs, arrived.
Reflecting on the loss of her two children, Crystal said: “1 year ago today wanting to give up on so much after losing our son and daughter thinking our family will never be complete.
“Looking at our rainbow triplets sleeping with their big sis and bro next to them. Feeling complete.”
Crystal revealed that she didn’t throw away anything she bought for her first set of triplets, which she was finally able to use this year.
She added: “Me 2018 pregnant with triplets. Buying three of everything for our girl, girl boy triplets.
“2 of our triplets pass away - stuck with all this girl, girl, boy triplets stuff from clothes to baby gear (pack it away and out of sight for two years).
"2020 me: Had triplets again girl, girl, boy (this time they all come home).
"End up using all the stuff I bought three years ago from clothes to baby gear.”
