Author: Josie Teggeris

6 weeks pregnant and over the moon BUT I’m in hospital on a drip for extreme nausea and constant vomiting. By morning I thankfully felt better and it was during a routine ultrasound that I was told there was not only one baby growing but two!

Hyperemesis Gravidarum with twins

Blessed with two, double the trouble but throughout my pregnancy it was double the damn hormones!  This lead to an early diagnosis of the medical term for severe all day sickness called “hyperemesis gravidarum”. This was horrible, this was constant and by week 12, I had to stop work completely. My amazing OB advised if it hadn’t subsided by this stage it will continue throughout the whole pregnancy. And damn it, he was right.

My pregnancy was dependent on medication.  This was to help subside the vomiting and nausea but it didn’t stop it from coming out up to 6 times a day. To say my pregnancy was terrible was an understatement, because it was completely debilitating on all levels.

27 weeks pregnant with twins

At 27 weeks hubby and I attended a routine ultrasound, which lead me straight to the hospital for admission. Being told I may need to deliver within the next 24 hours was daunting! One twin was not getting enough nutrients through the umbilical cord as there was some sort of resistance. My OB quickly gave me steroid injections as this would enhance the babies lung capacity should I deliver early.

After two days of steroids, ultrasounds and general monitoring, I was advised the umbilical cord once again flowed as it should and I was released and sent home. This came with weekly hospital visits which monitored the heartbeats, followed straight after by a steroid injection, ultrasound and OB visit. All ran smoothly for the next 4 weeks, the babies development was good and although I still battled Hyperemesis Gravidarum, became tired, bloated up with fluid and was dealing with acid reflux and placed on meds, I was just managing.

32 weeks + 5 days pregnant with twins

At 32 weeks + 5 days, I went to the hospital for my weekly routine checks and after seeing my OB, he stated “you aren’t going home; I’m delivering your babies this afternoon”. Once again, my umbilical cord showed resistance and this was not good for the baby’s development. He stated the babies will be safer outside of the womb as opposed to inside with what is happening.

I was so scared, but was reassured that even though the babies were only 32 weeks, they should be ok. I was advised they will need to be placed in the Special Care Nursery until they were big enough and strong enough to come home and although it was surreal, I knew my OB wouldn’t make the decision to deliver unless it was an emergency.

Twins born at 32 weeks 5 days

My husband met me at the hospital with my suitcase. He looked worried but also looked excited, he was about to become a dad. We were taken to the operating theatre and I was given an epidural anaesthetic. These are used in childbirth to produce loss of sensation below the waist. I was numb within minutes and right then and there they made their incision to deliver.

My OB advised the twin in distress would be delivered first and within moments he was holding a screaming Zara Christine, who weighed a tiny 1.2 kilos. One exact minute later, Sienna Victoria weighing 1.8 kilos was born and to everyone’s amazement, she was delivered with the amniotic sac still around her. My OB cut it open and much to my delight, I heard her cry.

The girls were seen by a paediatrician who was there for the delivery and from what I heard, the girls were ok. They wrapped them up and finally gave them to us to hold. This would have to have been the greatest joy of my life.

Twins born at 32 weeks 5 days.  Our Special Care journey

The girls were placed in Special Care only based on their size and weight. Thankfully they had no other complications even though they were delivered early. They fed from a feeding tube, purely because they were way too small to suck.

The next 5 weeks seemed frantic as I recovered from my emergency caesarean. I was pumping milk every four hours and from morning to night was at the Special Care Nursery attending to my babies needs. I was exhausted and overwhelmed with anxiety, just wanting the girls to reach their milestones so they could come home. Within days I was holding my babies and nurturing them as much as I could. Within 2 or so weeks, I was able to feed them with the breast milk I pumped and within another 4 weeks they came home – yayyyy..

At home I put into routine all I learned from the Special Care Nursery nurses. And what I thought would be difficult, seemed ok! Don’t get me wrong, it was tough but not as tough as hubby would wake to help feed and change nappies. I was all about routine but didn’t take to the self-settling part! I decided to learn about gentle parenting and took on a therapeutic approach to the girls when it came to them crying and sleeping.

Twins born at 32 weeks 5 days. Our life today.

2 years and 8 months later, my girls are reaching all milestones. They are intelligent, cheeky, cute, head strong and loving. The horrific pregnancy I endured and the early delivery is now a complete blur. The overall experience has taught me how strong I really am. How capable I really am.  And it taught me to trust and follow my instincts. Toddler stage so far is the hardest! End even though I go a little crazy, I remind myself it is all age appropriate behaviour and they aren’t little for long. My little loves are my everything, I’d do it all again just for them if I had to.

You can read Josies amazing journey with an egg donor HERE.

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