Have Mercy Twins! by Helen (helseyc)

My story is not unique…I’m sure many out there have done it tougher than this…twins and a toddler, but this is my story and it is special to me. I hope it brings you some joy to read the trials and tribulations as we experienced it first hand.

The real story began when I met and fell in love with my husband Victor in 2001. We married in 2006. These years were filled with normal highs and lows, fabulous trips around this beautiful country and overseas, lots of nights out and dinners with friends and family and simple pleasures like going to the movies. Our first born arrived in October 2007, Claudia, and did she change our world in oh so many ways! How wonderful this little being was. We delighted in her slightest movements and wondered at her beauty.


Then day to day life took over. We were blessed with a good baby, slept well, fed well. Night time feeds seemed to take over our nights out now and many other invitiations out were met with “Can we bring Claudia?” or “Which family member is going to baby sit this time?”


We coped though, complained a bit about the changes to our life, but celebrated more this gift we had conceived.

We still went out for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. We still went to the movies whilst Claudia was at baba’s (grandmother). We still went on our trips (not overseas but interstate).

Then in Dec 2008 we found we were pregnant again and were super excited.

I was super sick though and so tired, but knew that being pregnant and having a little one would cause this.
I was to go with the midwifery programme, where all of your care throughout pregnancy and birth is with the midwives. But to be able to be a part of this programme you need to be checked that you are a “straight forward” case. Therefore have an easy pregnancy and birth. There is one check up with an obstetrician around 12 weeks to guarantee this status. I got Vic to look after Claudia and drop me off at the hospital. I would call him when I was done. This was going to be a tick and flick type of appointment and I’d be out in a jiffy. I went in, don’t even remember the doctors name, she asked me a few questions about my previous pregnancy and birth and current pregnancy. We got so close to the end and she was saying, “well it looks like we won’t be seeing you again (big smile),  just hop up on the table and we'll listen to the baby’s heart beat!”

We couldn’t find a heart beat with a doppler, to which she said the baby was probably lying low. So she suggested she get the scanning equipment out. Whilst she was putting the gel on my tummy I don’t know what made me ask this question but I did, “What are the chances of a woman my age (36) having twins when there is no family history of twin on either side?” She replied in an almost brush off tone…”oh very low!"

She found my baby. I was over come again with the same feelings of when I first saw Claudia on the scan screen. Just beautiful. I heard the baby’s heart beat and was prattling on to the doctor about what a glorious sound it is when she stops me and says, “Wait a sec…” to which I replied “Bullshit!” Hmmm, I wish I had thought of a more beautiful way to express what I was thinking!! She said nothing more but pointed to the screen to reveal, a second baby! I repeated my expletive this time laughing somewhat hysterically! I was looking at the screen and at her face to confirm if I had got it right and she was pointing out the sacs and Twin A and Twin B as they were to be coined from that day until birth. I then burst out crying, I have to admit here, not with joy more with overwhelm, disbelief and panic!!!! Somedays with one are tough, I thought! Have mercy - Twins.

Now the following are the first 3 things that popped into my head when told I was carrying twins. I am not proud of the way in which my brain worked on that day so prepare yourself.

My first thought was…uh oh, this time I’ll get stretch marks!

My second thought was…oh great we need a new pram!

And finally… are you sure there’s just 2?? Long story about a friend of mine who found out she had twins at her first scan, then at her second scan they found the 3rd! (This friend became my “threshold” bench mark and still does to this day, when I am feeling out of sorts or overwhelmed!!!)
Then I asked if they were both ok? Yep I know this should have been the first question, but that was just the way my brain was working I tell you!

I left that room dumbstruck…surrounded by pregnant women and partners who obviously thought something was wrong. I went to reception to make another appointment as now I had to go through the hospital with an obstetrician, the midwives would class me as a “high risk” pregnancy. I’ll never forget the lovely lady at the reception who asked if I was ok and I told her the news. She was the first person I told and she was so excited for me. I was going on about telling my husband and Claudia and was speaking nonsense for sure. I rang Vic to come get me. He knew something was up and asked if I was ok. I said, "Yeah yeah, tell you when you get here."– I wanted to witness his reaction. I couldn’t contain myself and rang my two sisters. They were so surprised. Then Vic drove up with Claudia in the back and it was a jump in and keep driving situation. He asked how I was and if everything was ok. I said “honey we’re having twins!” He was in disbelief, I had to show him where the obs had written down DC/DA twins on my chart! Then he enthused, “it feels like we’ve won the lottery!” I think I loved him more that day for saying that!

We were in shock on our drive to get some lunch. My head went quickly into organisational overdrive about logistics, what we’d need and how we'd cope.

Our journey was just beginning!