‘Friendship knot’ in womb gave us hope twins would survive
PREGNANT Scout leader Kate Butcher was warned her twins might not survive as they shared a placenta – but the boys’ umbilical cords combined in a “friendship knot” and both are thriving.
Doctors had offered Kate and husband Ashley an early termination of one foetus, to save the other, but the couple declined.
A 30-week scan then showed the twins’ cords were tangled.
Fellow Scout leader Ashley said: “It was life threatening for them, but the consultant told us that even though they had a knot, the blood flow was still ok. The knot was like the friendship knot that we had both used millions of times doing our job in the Scouts.
Strength
“It was a knot that we taught all our Scouts to use. Their cords were tangled, but we felt more reassured that the friendship knot was going to keep them safe. It showed what a special bond they had in the womb.”
Contracts negotiator Kate, 39, delivered their sons via caesarean three weeks later in August 2020 – 4lb 7oz Arlen was resuscitated but, like 4lb 11oz Eivin, has since gone from strength to strength.
Window cleaner Ashley, 28, said: “When we saw the friendship knot between the twins we both felt like it was a good sign.
“We knew that it was a risky pregnancy for them. We were so relieved when they were finally born safe and well – the odds had been stacked against them.”
The couple had been devastated when, at 12 weeks pregnant, Kate was told the twins’ cords could cut off their oxygen and blood supply.
Ashley, of Norfolk, said: “There was a 30-40 per cent chance that one or both of them wouldn’t make it. [Doctors] told us we could terminate one which would give the other a better chance.There was no way that we were going to choose one of our babies over the other.
“At first we couldn’t tell them apart – for the first week we had to write their names on their nappies. When we take them swimming it’s difficult to tell them apart if we don’t put them in different colour trunks.
“It feels like a miracle. Only four per cent of twins are like them, where they share a placenta and a sac, so we know how lucky we are.
“The boys have such a close bond, but they have very different personalities. Eivin is the chilled-out one.Arlen is a bit of a diva – but when he looks at us, it’s like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
“They get up to all sorts of mischief together – they are a real tag team.
“When they are old enough we will tell them about their miracle birth – and how a friendship knot tied them together in the womb and gave us hope.”