My Birth Story by Terri

I had been trying to conceive since January 2000 (really wanted a millennium baby!) but after a year had had no luck so we went for further investigations, moved area, had to start again, etc. Before we knew it we were 5 years down the line having had numerous investigations and treatments including clomid, iui and fibroid removal. No one could give any reason why we could not conceive and my husband’s sperm was fine. We decided to try ivf and after one failed attempt where I developed ovarian hyperstimulation and a failed frozen attempt, I got pregnant in March 2005.

The first two scans revealed a healthy fetus, and to our great surprise at our nuchal scan we found another baby! We were expecting twins and at 20 weeks found out it was 2 boys. Sadly I went in to unexplained premature labour after a bleed at 22 weeks and my darling, perfect boys Matthew and Luke were born asleep, they were perfect in every way and there was no explanation as to why my body let them down – we were on holiday at the time. Devastated, we moved areas and went to London ARGC to see if we could try again. Lots of tests etc later, I conceived twins again, and spent the next 8 months terrified and barely moving around for fear of losing my little men. I had a cervical stitch (in case there may be weak cervix issues), packed my dog off to my mums and took it very easy, put my feet up and did very little in the way of housework/shopping/socialising. It might sound like fun now, but in fact I was a mess – lonely and scared – my husband did so much for me during that time and I will always be grateful to him.

I was looked after very well at Guildford’s Royal Surrey hospital and had a wonderful consultant who performed my stitch operation and saw mw nearly every week throughout my pregnancy – I had soooo many scans but it was nice to keep seeing my little boys – something to look forward to. Everything went well until I developed pre-eclampsia at 36 weeks and was admitted to hospital for monitoring. They decided to keep me in up until the planned c-section birth at 38+6 weeks – how they expected me to get that far I don’t know!! My blood pressure and urine could not be stabilised and one morning I dropped a large bottle of shampoo on my tummy in the shower – that afternoon I went in to labour.

I had had Braxton hicks contractions a lot towards the end but they were coming every 20 minutes on the afternoon of February 8th 2007, I noted them down, but as I had no pain, I didn’t twig what was about to happen. I went to the loo at about 2.30pm and saw blood – I panicked as this is how my labour started last time. I gingerly walked to the nurses’ station and whispered “I’m bleeding” and it all started happening very quickly – midwives and doctors examining me – my cervix was closed (the stitch) so they decided to take me to the labour ward and see what happened. I got them to call my husband and he arrived about an hour later. My contractions continued and the consultant who examined me said they would deliver that night – I was so scared I just wanted them out quickly and safely and practically begged them to perform the c-section that night and not wait any longer.

I was all prepared for a spinal but told the anaesthetist that I had had my clexane injection late that morning and she would not give me a spinal for fear of paralysis/bleeding in the spine. So, I had to have a general anaesthetic. My husband was the first to see our beautiful boys. Twin 1 was 5lb 10oz and Twin 2 was 5lb 12oz, they did not need special care. We had nothing for them as my superstition and not wanting to tempt fate (I really did not think I would be leaving hospital with living babies) meant that I had refused to buy anything in preparation. Hubby went to the all night Tesco for babygros and nappies!! They even slept in a drawer, Victorian style, for the first 2 nights as we had no cots or buggy – nothing! They even had no names for 2 weeks as we could not decide – eventually we agreed on Willem and Rufus. After 3 days and unsuccessful breastfeeding attempts I switched to bottle feeding and asked to go home – I wanted to be at home with my boys, so on Monday 12th February we all came home as a family.

The last year has been tough – I had post natal depression, they think because I had not really grieved the loss of Matthew and Luke, and we moved house again. Now at 14 months they are the liveliest, cheekiest, most loving boys we could wish for – I have everything I need and more.

The photo was taken at their First Birthday celebration at Gravesend and Northfleet Twinsclub. I hope you find my birthstory interesting!

Regards Terri, Willem and Rufus.

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Page last updated: 25-Jun-2008

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