6 March 2020

Mums of tiny twin baby Amelia who was born fighting for her life at just 1lb 7oz are starting to enjoy themselves as a family of four now she that has made a full recovery.

Katie, who has Amelia and Max aged two, with wife Beccy, enjoyed a fairly stress-free pregnancy up until 20 weeks.

But the latter stages of pregnancy and birth were hugely traumatic for the couple who have been together for seven years and live in Aldershot.

A scan revealed the girl twin was not growing properly. But at the time Katie was told this wasn’t of huge concern and just to eat more.

She was not scanned again for 8 weeks (which goes against the NICE multiple birth guidelines) and at the 28 week scan she was told the devastating news that the girl twin had stopped growing.

The couple were then given conflicting advice about delivering the babies at 28 weeks or waiting until 32 weeks to give the boy twin the best chance of survival.

Now under close monitoring, Katie was scanned regularly which included weekly visits to St George’s Hospital in London where there is specialist equipment.

A c-section was booked at St Peter’s in Chertsey,Surrey which has specialist neonatal cots for babies under 800g but events took a different turn when Katie felt reduced movements.

Given steroids to help speed up lung development, Katie was scanned again which showed a slow heart rate for the girl twin but told to go home until the planned c-section.

On arrival for her pre-op, a specialist at Frimley Park Hospital scanned Katie and said the twins would have to be delivered immediately.

“Beccy was told to get scrubs on and a midwife warned me that the room would be full of about 20 people in a matter of seconds,” said Katie.

“I was pumped full of magnesium (which can protect the developing fetal brain and has significant potential to reduce disability). Max was born first, weighing 5lbs and poor Amelia, who was hidden under my rib was just 1lb 7oz.

“If we’d waited just a few more hours, Amelia would not have been here. We were so close to losing her and that has taken a long time for both Beccy and I to come to terms with.”

Max spent four weeks in neonatal care and Amelia seven weeks. Katie expressed milk and breastfed for three months.

“We were allowed to take Amelia home on Christmas Eve which was wonderful. We followed all the advice from the hospital and pretty much hibernated for 2 months, feeding the twins every three hours.

“It was exhausting but we could not risk Amelia getting any kind of infection.”

Katie and Beccy say it’s only now, two years later, that they have all settled into a good routine, stopped worrying so much and started to really enjoy life.

Katie has always wanted to give something back and has decided to take part in the ‘Big Steps for Small Feet’ challenge to climb Ben Nevis at night and raise money for Twins Trust.

She said: “When I saw this challenge it meant something to me; to raise funds for the Bereavement Service. It could so nearly have been us using that group.

“I also have a number of friends who have suffered bereavements and have seen the heartbreak and immense impact this has on not only the individual, but family and friends.

“Some of my close friends have had to suffer with this pain and I have felt completely helpless and powerless to do anything.

“This hike allows me to do something positive and to raise money so someone who goes through this unthinkable pain can have support and someone to talk to.”

In the challenge Twins Trust has joined forces with nine other baby/bereavement charities and climbers can choose who they raise funds for.

Katie and Beccy found Twins Trust when they were expecting and went on one of our parenting courses.

“That’s why I am so ready for this mountain climb, in fact I can’t wait! Life is good and we feel so incredibly lucky to have Amelia and Max – they are just wonderful and so much fun.

“We still have challenges to face but are thankful every day that they are both well and that Amelia managed to hang in there.”