Itõs A Twin Thing!
With three sets of twins in three generations, Melanie was shocked to keep the tradition going...
Sitting in the doctor’s office in March 2013, I held my hubby Christopher’s hand. I was 12 weeks pregnant for the second time, and it was my first scan.
While the doctor was telling us about the baby on the screen, I couldn’t help but notice something else in the corner. A white, bean shape. ‘And here’s baby number two,’ the doctor said, pointing to the blob. ‘You’re having twins.’
Christopher, 39, and I stared at each other. ‘Twins!’ I squealed, smiling. Christopher was so stunned, he couldn’t speak!
It was a shock, but I think on some level I must’ve expected it.
My family has something of a history with twins…
My grandmother, Joyce, was a twin, and she gave birth to my dad, Kevin, 60, and his twin brother, Keith. Then came me and my identical twin sister, Sherrill.
When I had my 5-year-old son, Bentley, I assumed the pattern must’ve passed.
Four sets of twins in four generations! The odds of that are around four billion to one.
While at hospital, we saw a poster saying the Channel 4 show One Born Every Minute was looking for people to appear in the programme, but your due date had to be by November. Mine was December. ‘Let’s apply anyway,’ Christopher said to me.
The odds are around four billion to one
We were big fans of the show, and the thought of giving birth on TV didn’t faze me.
Once they heard we were having our family’s fourth set of twins in a row, they signed us up!
Though it was a smooth pregnancy, I went into labour five weeks before the due date.
Christopher phoned the One Born Every Minute team, who met us at Southmead hospital to set up. It should’ve been a bit surreal, giving birth in front of all those people and cameras, but it wasn’t.
I was just excited I’d get to see their birth.
And, at 5.30am on 13 November, Jessica and Clara came into the world.
At 4lb 14oz and 4lb 7oz, they had to spend time in a Special Care Baby Unit, but soon both were declared healthy.
Now 22 months, the girls are getting on so well, I’m sure they’ll grow up to share as close a bond as I do with Sherrill.
We’re coping well with having twins, and Bentley adores them.
It’s too soon to tell if Jessica and Clara are identical.
Who knows, maybe they’ll even keep the twin tradition going when they’re older…