SYNCHRONISED TWINNING

Identical sisters have babies just days apart

A PAIR of identical twins who share matching lives gave birth to daughters just days apart.

Hannah Pountain and Lilli Paterson, both 31, have always done everything together – they even took their driving tests on the same day.

So they were thrilled when they discovered they were pregnant within weeks of each other in spring 2017.

Lilli, who lives in Northampton, gave birth to Bonnie in December and Hannah, from Leicester, had Lexi in January. Fashion merchandiser Hannah said: “When our families discovered we were both pregnant at the same time, they were shocked.

“We have always been similar. We have the same personality and even the same group of friends. And we both went to university together.

“So to go through pregnancy and childbirth together was very special – a unique twin connection. And of course it was very beautiful.

“Giving birth just three-and-a-half weeks apart is something not many siblings can experience – let alone identical twins.

“The feeling was completely magical and incredible.

“It didn’t really sink in until after we had both given birth. Having someone so close to be so honest with and go through everything together with was nice.

“We hope our two girls will be as close as we have been our whole lives.” Hannah said she and her husband Ben had conceived after a year of trying. Her sister and her then fiancé Michael found out they were expecting a month before their wedding in Florence, Italy, last year.

Hannah said: “When I discovered Lilli was pregnant, I was over the moon.

“She kept it secret from the rest of the family, and I was the only one who knew about it.

“I knew when I told Lilli I was pregnant too, she was going to be ecstatic.”

Hannah and Ben broke the news to her sister as Lilli was making final preparations to get hitched.

She said: “I wanted to tell her in the most beautiful way, so I burst into her room with Ben for breakfast the day before Lilli’s wedding and told both Lilli and Michael.”

Hannah had to hide her own baby secret at the wedding. She said: “I just disguised it by holding drinks so people wouldn’t question why I wasn’t drinking.”

The twins both kept the news from their families for several weeks. They told them when Lilli was 12 weeks’ pregnant and Hannah six weeks.

Lilli said: “Hannah had to tell our families when I announced my pregnancy.”

Both of them had decided not to find out the sex of their babies – just like their own mum three decades earlier.

On their Instagram account – titled @thetwinstories – the sisters often share snaps of one another and their daughters.

Lilli said: “Having a twin connection is the best! Like having a best friend all the time who you can be totally honest with, and they’ll be totally honest with you.

“And it’s great that we both know we’ll always agree on things – so there’s always someone to back you up.”