Her triple bundles of joy have defied incredible odds to be born, because, amazingly, they are like three peas in a pod – completely identical.

Giving birth to naturally-conceived identical triplets is so rare, some experts have said it might happen in just one in 200 million cases.

While she usually helps bring babies into the world, this time round, it was Carmela Testa's turn to be fussed over by colleagues at Peterborough Maternity Unit, where she gave birth to three baby girls.

The blonde-haired, blue eyed tots were born seven weeks prematurely by emergency Caesarean in January, after Miss Testa developed high blood pressure.

Miss Testa and her fiancé Richard Rees (22) had to wait three weeks until they could bring them home because they had to be cared for in incubators.

Gazing adoringly at gorgeous Gabriella, Alessia and Olivia, delighted Miss Testa called them her mini miracles.

The 23-year-old, of Walkers Way, Bretton, Peterborough, said: "I found out at my 12-week scan I was having triplets.

"I knew they would be identical because there was just one placenta, so they were from the same egg.

"I was very shocked. They weren't planned. They were born on January 9, two days after my birthday so they were a lovely present.

"We've got twins on both sides of the family, but not triplets."

She added: "I'm quite small – only 5ft – so at the unit, they joked that out of all the midwives, it would have to be me that gave birth to triplets.

"Everyone was great there. My three close friends delivered each of the babies.

"They were so encouraging and supportive. Because they knew triplets are so rare, they were all helping."

They admit there were a few worrying moments, but the gorgeous girls are now out of the woods.

She said: "Everything is fine now and the girls are all putting on weight.

"It's a miracle. I'm so overwhelmed when I see them. I can't believe they are mine and that they are perfect."

The bouncing babies, who are now 15 weeks old, weighed between 3lb 4 and 3lb 10 at birth – but have now gained around seven pounds.

The couple, who are childhood sweethearts who met at Longthorpe Primary school when they were 11, admit the new additions to their family have turned their daily routines upside down – but they wouldn't be without them. And they have a special way of telling them apart – their distinctive personalities.

She said: "They have their own characters.

"Gabriella was called gobby Gabriella.