‘Why didn’t Daddy do some of the work?’

‘They have different interests’

Rosie and Ruby had the honour of being the first twins on One Born Every Minute when their mum Sophia Chapman gave birth in series two. Sophia, 27, already knew she would need a caesarean because the girls, now six, had stopped growing and Ruby had a severe complication called gastroschisis – her stomach was growing outside her body. Sophia says, ‘All the births on the first series seemed normal, so it seemed like a good idea to share our story. So many people contacted us after the show aired, it was lovely to be able to help.’ After the delivery, Sophia and mechanic husband Adam Vickery, 29, were allowed to hold Rosie, while Ruby had urgent surgery to push her stomach back into her body. It was a success and she went home four weeks later. Retail worker Sophia says, ‘The first time we saw the birth it was a shock. We forgot so much that happened, and I didn’t see her stomach properly before the operation.’ Rosie and Ruby have done almost everything together since. But Sophia, from Basingstoke, Hants, says, ‘They have very different interests. Rosie loves princesses, ice skating and make-up, while Ruby prefers playing football and running around. ‘And it’s Rosie keeping us in hospitals now. Rosie was born deaf in her right ear, it’s completely closed up, and has glue ear in her left, so she is seen every six months at Great Ormond Street Hospital.’ Rosie says, ‘It was good watching ourselves being born, but I don’t know why Daddy didn’t do some of the work.’ Ruby adds, ‘I wondered where I was when Mummy was holding Rosie, she told me I was with the special doctor.’