Mighty Mater twins make their way home

Mater Mothers’ Hospitals recently farewelled its newest pair of miracle twins, Anabelle and Zavier Brown born on 22 May 2015, at 29 weeks and five days.

The twins’ mum Vanessa Brown had been experiencing a difficult pregnancy involving acute morning sickness and complications which caused a shortening of the cervix, so at just 24 weeks gestation she went into labour.

The five weeks that followed became a waiting game for Vanessa as she and the Mater Mothers’ Hospitals’ doctors did everything possible to delay the birth.

“At twenty-four weeks I suddenly started to feel very well, which was the first time I had felt like that throughout the pregnancy so I decided to go into the hospital for a check-up,” Vanessa said.

“Once we got to the hospital and found out that there were complications and that the babies were likely to arrive very early our number one goal was to try and make it to thirty weeks,” she said.

Intense pain and fear that too much walking could trigger labour meant Vanessa was bedridden for weeks.

Mater Mothers’ Hospital soon became home and with the help of family, friends and the staff at Mater, Vanessa was able to move the location of her planned baby shower, from her home to the ward.

“I was so happy that the midwives had offered us some space in their lunch room to have my baby shower, it gave me something to think about and look forward to.”

Almost six weeks later the twins were born, just shy of 30 weeks. Born three minutes before her brother, Anabelle weighed 1438 grams and outweighed Zavier who was born at just 1320 grams.

“Despite being premature they were quite healthy when they were born because of the steroids that they were given by the doctors in the days leading up to their birth,” Vanessa said.

The twins were separated in the Neonatal Critical Care Unit for highly specialised care for three weeks following the delivery, before being reunited again.

“We were really excited when the twins were reunited, not only because they were back together, but because it meant that they were in an open-cot, which allowed us to have cuddles with them whenever we wanted without having to schedule it with the staff,” Vanessa said.

After 55 days spent at the Mater Mothers’ Hospitals, Anabelle and Zavier reached the miracle milestone that their parents had longed for and were finally able to go home, weighing almost double their birth weights.

“We will be forever grateful to everyone at Mater Mothers, from the doctors and midwives to the volunteers and cuddlemums, for taking such good care of us,” Vanessa said.

Anabelle and Zavier Brown are only just meant to be entering the world now, but at ten weeks old, the twins are growing well and continue to be adored by their loving parents.