Four times the love!
We were hoping for one healthy baby, then this lot came along!
When I married my husband Paul, in 2008, I knew exactly what I wanted next. A baby. But life doesn’t always pan out as you dream it.
We tried and tried, and tried again, but every time I took a pregnancy test, my heart sank.
‘What are we doing wrong?’ I cried to Paul, now 42.
It took years and two rounds of IVF on the NHS before beautiful Darcie was born on 29 October 2013. We were thrilled. But, when she was 10 months old, I started getting broody again. ‘I want another!’ I told Paul. In August 2014, Paul and I went back to the IVF clinic.
This time it cost us £2,000 – but we couldn’t put a price on having another baby.
But then, just three days before having the embryos transferred, my mum Irene was diagnosed with a brain tumour. I was devastated.
The embryologist said I needed to be calm and relaxed – but, of course, I was neither.
So we cancelled the cycle, and lost the money.
Sadly, Mum died in October 2014, and I was heartbroken. But, three months later, feeling stronger, we started IVF again.
I fell pregnant, but, five weeks in, I started bleeding.
At the hospital, although the nurse could find a heartbeat, she could also see an active bleed, and suggested I return in a week.
Back home, there was more bleeding, and I knew it was over.
The next scan confirmed my worst fears.
‘This is so hard,’ I sobbed to Paul.
In September 2015, we discovered an IVF clinic in Cyprus that was a lot cheaper than the UK. So we scrimped, saved, and borrowed from family, finally raising £4,500 for the trip and treatment. It worked! I was thrilled, but nervous. So, back in the UK, I booked myself in for a scan. ‘It looks like you’re around five weeks gone. Is that right?’ the nurse asked.
No. With IVF, you always know the exact date of conception, and I was nine weeks.
Only, they couldn’t find a heartbeat. I’d miscarried again. I had to go back to hospital two weeks later to have my womb emptied. It was the worst experience of my life.
For months, I felt so low, but I still longed for a baby. Paul and Darcie were the only things keeping me going.
But time is a healer, and, in March last year, I found the strength to give it one last go. So we decided to take out a loan.
At Herts & Essex Fertility Centre, they advised us to make some lifestyle changes to increase our chances of success.
I joined Slimming World, and started going to the gym five times a week.
With healthy eating and exercise, we lost 3st 7lb between us. And, on 28 September last year, we had another cycle of IVF.
On 12 October, it was third time lucky – I was pregnant again. There was hope.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about our past experience. At
The nurse went quiet, then pointed at the screené
a seven-week scan, I felt so nervous, I was shaking.
‘It’s double trouble,’ the sonographer smiled. I froze. ‘Wait, hang on a minute,’ she said. ‘It’s triplets!’ Paul and I cried with joy. Days before our 12-week scan, I even bought Darcie a T-shirt saying, I’m going to be a big sister to triplets.
Then, at our scan, the nurse went quiet…
‘How many did you say you were having?’ she asked.
Confused, she pointed at the screen.
‘Can you see what I’m seeing?’ she said.
There were four babies! Unbelievable.
Darcie was still too young to understand, but our friends and family were shocked.
At the 16-week scan, we found out we were having two sets of identical twin girls – it was a one in 70 million chance!
My waters broke on Mother’s Day this year. My little loves were so excited to meet us, they wanted to arrive 12 weeks early.
Taking me to a specialist unit at Medway Maritime Hospital, nurses said it would be a while. But I’d felt this way just before I went into labour with Darcie.
Sure enough, at 4.10am the following day, 28 March, my girls were born by Caesarean.
Isla Amelie was first, weighing 2lb 4oz, then Demi May at 2lb 7oz, Alyse Jade, 2lb 4oz, and Milla Leigh, 2lb 9oz.
When I finally got to see them 12 hours later, they all looked so fragile.
I felt guilty, like I should’ve kept them inside me for longer.
But, despite being born so prematurely, they were all doing well.
‘They’re strong like their mother,’ Paul said to me as we stared adoringly at our brood.
By 26 May, all four babies were home. It was quite crazy, but friends and family rallied. And, somehow, we managed.
Now they all sleep through the night, and are getting bigger by the minute.
Darcie adores her sisters. She always wants to help and give cuddles.
The girls’ personalities are starting to come through. Alyse is the whingy one, Milla is the smiley one, and Isla and Demi are both really chilled.
It’s definitely four times the work – but four times the love, too. We’re not complaining!
Our babies are proof that miracles do happen.