My birth story… by Claire Deguara
I had had a fairly trouble free pregnancy until around 24 weeks when there was a problem in the flow in the cord to twin 2 an intermittent absent was detected. I was told this wasn’t a problem but would require an early delivery probably at 32 weeks and that I would need to be scanned weekly to check on growth and flow in the cord. At 26 weeks I attended a routine scan appointment where 1+ of protein was detected in my urine. My blood pressure was slightly elevated and for a few days my community midwife checked it at home.
At the following weeks appointment 2+ of protein was discovered and I was admitted to hospital with suspected pre-eclampsia. I was having regular CTG monitoring which was incredibly complicated by the fact that my pregnancy was only 27 weeks through and it was found to be quite difficult to find both heart beat. Although I was in for a week for monitoring, my blood pressure was again elevated at the following weeks appointment and I was told that I would be kept in until the girls were delivered at the planned 32 weeks. Little did I know that the following day my girls would be delivered.
The CTG monitor showed that Grace (Twin 2) was showing signs of distress. Within an hour the girls were out. The girls spent 11 long weeks in special care taking their own sweet time to come off oxygen and establish good formula feeding. Both the girls came home on oxygen and we were visited every few days by the SCBU outreach team.
The girls are now 15 months and are doing fantastically well. No sign of any development lag. I’m so very lucky as things could have been so different. I’m so proud of my little girls, they amaze me every day!
Best wishes and thanks for reading,
Claire Deguara