My Birth Story by Saffron Doney

After going on Honeymoon in April 05, and deciding it was time that we started a family, it was quite a shock when in month one of trying the test confirmed that we were indeed "pregnant" (and the subsequent nine tests after that!).

The weeks prior to the first scan went soooooo slowly that when the day actually dawned I had started to debate whether we were expecting at all. On entering the ultrasound room my heart was thundering at the prospect of being told it was a phantom pregnancy or that there was something terribly wrong, so after the sonographer's silence after fourteen minutes I started to panic, even more so when she asked my husband to come and sit with me and continued to hold my hand. I naturally expected the worst - so when she looked at me and said "there's two in there" my initial reaction was "and.......are they ok?" to which she answered "yes, they seem fine".

I cannot tell you how I felt (well, if you're reading this then you'll probably understand). We left the room looking considerably paler that when we entered, clutching three pictures and two Bounty bags met by curious glances from the other expectant mums and dads. Telling friends and family became somewhat difficult as no-one would believe us, myself and my husband have a reputation for pulling people's legs! Telling them that we expecting was a big enough thing for them to accept, let alone twins.

We then realised that at that instant everything had altered - my Dad's mother was a twin you see, but apart from the standard "it could be twins!" comment before the scan we really hadn't even considered the possibillity. The months that followed were full of arguments about double buggies, and the constant comments from people about how "small I was for twins" which drove me nuts and severe morning sickness. During a growth scan at 28 weeks, we were told that both babies were breech and that a c-section looked like the best method of delivery or through the "sunroof" as my husband Kevin had put it! At a routine ante natal appointment at thirty four weeks, (New Years' Eve) I was admitted for high blood pressure and swelling of my ankles but then 'released' the day after (totally missing New Years Eve!).

I was given a date of the 20th Jan for a section much to my disappointment. I had hoped that they would arrive before then as I would then have been 38w 4 days and didn't believe that I could possibly get any bigger (the comments about being small for twins stopped at around thirty two weeks). The following Tuesday at ante natal the midwife told me after testing my urine and BP to get myself to the hospital asap as I had two traces of protein and an alarmingly high Blood Pressure. It's funny that after all the waiting and excitement I suddenly felt quite scared, we went to the admissions ward and after being examined and having bloods taken we were told that the section would take place the following morning as I had started to develop pre-eclampsia.

After a night of no sleep they came for me at 10.30am, I remember thinking how strange it was to walk into the operating theatre and being asked to choose from a selection of cd's - it all felt like a dream. The theatre was full of strangely masked faces all busy bustling around and two cots in the corner. After the spinal block had been administered and I had finally been convinced that I couldn't feel anything, the surgeon began - myself and kevin were just looking at each other talking about everything and anything - I couldn't say what we spoke about all I remember is laying there waiting for them to arrive. 'twin one' was born at 11.22am - a girl and 'twin two' at 11.24am - another girl! Florence was first out and weighed in at 6lb2oz and Phoebe at 4lb14oz. They are now four months and one day and they are wonderful - ignore the people who tell you how hard it will be, don't get me wrong, it is hard but so, so worth it.

xx Saffron

(Phoebe and Florence pictured above)

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Page last updated: 29-Jan-2008

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