DOUBLE THE JOY!
TWINS MARIE AND KATELYN GAVE BIRTH HOURS APART
Identical twins Marie Leicester and Katelyn Salvemini always hoped they would have baby girls at the same time, so they could grow up with a close bond like their own.
Miraculously, their dream came true when their daughters Ariella and Elliana were delivered just 48 hours apart on March 30 and April 1 – by the same midwife and nurse!
Staff thought they were seeing double when the newborn cousins, who look almost identical, had nearly matching measurements. Only 30g separated them in weight while they had a height difference of 5mm.
Settling into life with their babies and respective partners, Hardy and Luke, Marie and Katelyn, 26, say they “feel complete”.
“To have our perfect little girls in our arms is all we could have ever wished for,” gushes Marie.
The sisters, from South Australia, discovered they were pregnant on the same day. They didn’t think it would be possible to have children because they both suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The pair experienced similar symptoms during pregnancy and complicated births with both Elliana and Ariella presenting irregular heart rates before arriving safely.
While the timing of their girls’ births astounded many, Katelyn truly believes it was always meant to be.
“I hope our girls grow up with the same, beautiful bond we have,” she says. Marie agrees, adding: “Words can’t describe how amazing it feels holding our baby girls.
“Growing up, we always talked about getting married and starting a family at the same time and it’s still hard to believe that’s exactly how it’s happened.”
By Megan Rowe