Twins died within week of their birth
AMUM who lost her twin babies within a week of them being born has said she wants to celebrate their short lives rather than focus on the loss.
Hannah Beverley, 30, has bravely spoken about the ordeal just days after losing her “beautiful babies”.
Hannah and her husband Thomas, also 30, were left heartbroken when Max Arthur and Nel Martha, who were 16 weeks premature, lost their short battles for life.
Speaking to the Daily Post, Hannah said she first fell pregnant in 2017 but found out in September last year no heartbeat could be found. She said the “physical, emotional and psychological trauma” will haunt them forever.
The couple, who live in Colwyn Bay, discovered Hannah was expecting in June of this year, adding: “We were over the moon.
“After what we had been through the year before, our families and friends couldn’t be happier to share in our delight. The bombshell that we were expecting twins was met with delighted squeals and excited giggles from everyone we told.”
But after 22 weeks things started to go wrong when Hannah woke to find she had lost her mucus plug and was found to be fully dilated when she arrived in hospital.
Doctors at Glan Clwyd Hospital were able to perform a “cervical cerclage”, a procedure which aims to prevent labour.
Hannah, who works as head of English at Ysgol y Creuddyn in Penrhyn Bay, said: “Luckily, the determined doctor and his amazing team were able to put the stitch in place and I was wheeled into recovery.”
She stayed at Glan Clwyd until she was 23 weeks pregnant before being transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral. After 24 weeks and four days of pregnancy, Hannah went into labour and daughter Nel Martha was born weighing 1lb 5oz and son Max Arthur was born in breech seven minutes later weighing 1lb 6oz.
Hannah said: “We were able to visit them a couple of hours later and seeing them in their tiny incubators, surrounded by beeping machines and alarms was overwhelming and frightening. Our babies were absolutely perfect, just so, so tiny.
“We went to bed the proudest parents of two beautiful babies.”
But the couple were woken up in the night to be given the devastating news that Max was seriously ill.
They were called to the intensive care unit where they found doctors performing CPR on Max as they desperately tried to save his life.
Doctors managed to restart his heart, giving grandparents Gordon, Julie, James and Sandy the chance to meet their grandchild. But Max could not be saved and died on October 24.
Hannah said: “It was clear that Max was slipping away and we made the decision to allow him to die in his mummy’s arms.”
After losing their son, the couple watched on as their daughter Nel battled with “strength and resilience” to stay alive. But she also started to deteriorate after showing signs of infection.
Hannah said: “Exactly a week after Max’s death, we made the decision to take her out of her incubator to die in her mummy’s arms.”
She died on October 31. Despite their devastation, Hannah said she and Thomas want to focus on the positives.
She said: “We are blessed that we got to spend 22 precious hours with our beautiful boy and seven days, 12 hours with our gorgeous girl.
“Dr Banfield at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd bought me that time with my perfect babies and I’ll always be grateful.”
Max and Nel’s funerals will take place on Wednesday at Colwyn Bay Crematorium. People are asked to wear colourful clothing and donations can be made in memory of Max and Nel in aid of Ronald McDonald House and Arrowe Park Hospital Special Care Baby Unit.