Our journey with prematurity began at just 19 weeks. And our babies were born at just 25+5.

At 19+2 i went in for my fortnightly scan with the feto maternal unit, I had been closely watched during pregnancy due to the risk of TTTTS as we were having MCDA twins (two sacs, one placenta). The pregnancy so far had been pretty textbook, however a few days earlier at my morphology scan I was told I had a short, funnelling cervix. I was seen by a dr, put on progesterone and told there was nothing else that could be done for it.

A few days later, when having my scan at 19+2 everything was perfect, until they checked my cervix again. I was in preterm labour and dilated to 3cm. Everything happened very quickly and all of a sudden i was being rushed into surgery to attempt an emergency cerclage. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful and i experienced PPROM with twin a and woke up to doctors surrounding me, everything they told me was negative and i was informed i would probably go into labour within 48 hours and deliver our babies.

Thankfully labour did not immediately follow, and I spent 44 days on hospital bedrest. At 25+5 i woke in the early hours of the morning in labour due to suspected chorio and was quickly rushed in for an emergency c section under general, i got a quick wave through a window to my partner who only made it just in time and when i woke up, we were parents of two tiny girls. Freya was born at 712 grams, and Bridie just 592 grams.

Nothing can prepare you for seing a baby so premature, so tiny with so much medical equipment attached to them.
Freya spent 117 days in hospital, and Bridie 123 days.

They overcame so much, at times we didn't know if they would make it and we had many tough conversations about quality of life, surgeries and intubation but thankfully the girls never needed anything more than CPAP.
Both babies were born with PDAS, Freya had extremely small, stiff lungs from going so long without her waters in the womb. Bridie struggled with abdominal distention which in turn affected her breathing, aswell as immature lungs. Both babies had stage 1 ROP which was thankfully self resolving, and an infection Freya had meant that the girls went 89 days before they were finally reunited for their first ever twin cuddle with their dad.

The journey was long, terrifying and the emotions and pain felt are indescribable, but our girls pushed through every obstacle. Leaving with their only long term diagnosis being chronic lung disease and compromised immune systems. We brought them home both on oxygen which we are now in the process of weaning off. And Freya had an NG tube which we were able to remove after just 2 weeks.

I spent months reading these stories of hope, and finally I am able to share ours. These babies are stronger than you could ever imagine. There is hope and light at the end of the tunnel."