A mum whose premature twins were ''killing each other'' in the womb has spoken of her joy after their miracle recovery.
Laura Watson, 29, was so worried during her pregnancy that she refused to buy matching baby clothing after being told her babies were unlikely to survive.
They were diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) - a condition that causes abnormal blood flow between two babies, resulting in uneven development and was told they were better off out of the womb.
She was flown from Northern Ireland to St George's Hospital, London, for a specialised procedure designed to help evenly distribute blood flow and nutrients. Despite a successful operation, her waters broke just three weeks later, at 23 weeks.
Medics at The Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital, in Belfast, Ireland, were keen to delay the twins' birth for as long as possible to give them a ''fighting chance'' and admitted her for observation on August 23, 2022.
Five weeks later, a scan showed the smaller girl twin had become dangerously anaemic due to diminished blood flow. Surgeons performed an emergency c-section and delivered the baby, Meabh Weir, at 1:08 pm, weighing just 1lbs 6oz, at Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital on October 3, 2022.
Her sister, Clodagh Weir, was born shortly after at 1:09pm, weighing 2lbs 8oz. Despite their difficult pregnancy, the nine-month-old twins are now thriving after spending months in hospital.
Laura, from Mid Ulster, Northern Ireland, said: "I wasn't given any good choices. They were effectively killing each other in the womb.
"I was told I could do nothing and most likely loose both of them or have a surgery with a 30 per cent survival rate. I was even asked if I wanted to terminate the pregnancy
''But I couldn't do that, I had to give them a both a chance. I never dreamed I'd get to bring them both home after what we went through.
''But now they are here, and they are happy, and I still can't believe it.'' Laura and her partner, James Weir, 34, a welder, were both ''over the moon'' when they found they were expecting twins in April 2022.
That was until a scan at Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital, in Belfast, at 19 weeks revealed her babies might have TTTS. She was immediately rushed to the London hospital on July 30, where a specialised unit, one of few in the country, investigated.
After the transfer to London, days of tests diagnosed a definite case of TTTS. Laura, who is already mum to, James, three, said: ''I was terrified, everything happened so fast.
''They said it was serious and could be life-threatening for both. 'Nothing can prepare you to hear doctors give terminating your pregnancy as a suggestion.
"So I decided to operate, even though that was extremely risky as well." Surgeons quickly performed an intrauterine laser ablation surgery - a procedure which disconnects blood vessels in order to more evenly distribute nutrients to each baby.
But the surgery didn't work and eight weeks later the babies were born after an emergency c-section. She added: "The day before, they looked great, we had no idea.
"Then, the next day, we were told that if we don't deliver Maebh, we would lose her. Doctors told us they were safer outside — it was terrifying."
Laura and James only got ''a glance'' of their babies before both were taken to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and ventilated. The mum was then given three litres of blood transfusions before finally being allowed to hold her newborns three days later.
She said: "Seeing them intubated the next day was surreal to me. I felt numb, in shock, and in denial — I couldn't believe those were my babies.
"It felt like I was still pregnant, like it never happened. When we finally held them, I don't even know how to describe it, it was so overwhelming.
"I had lost hope through pregnancy and couldn't believe they survived the birth.'' Clodagh stayed in NICU for 63 days while her sister stayed in for 82.
As a result of the extra pressure in the womb, Clodagh developed a congenital heart defect for which she will need lifelong screening. By 24 December 2022, both girls had the chance to meet their older brother and spend their first Christmas as a family.
Nine months after arriving early, the tots have already started to show their personalities and are ''constantly playing'' with each other. The mum-of-three said: “Meabh is very laid back and just entertains herself while rolling about on the floor, while Clodagh just loves her cuddles.
"Anytime they're together, they hold hands and play or interact in any other way. They have a clear connection, and it's amazing to see.
"I can't wait for the bond to grow even stronger." Despite the babies now thriving, Laura has admitted finding it hard to cope with the impact of what she went through.
She explained: "The first few months was very stressful. We had to balance spending time with our three-year-old and still have to take constant trips to the hospital.
"We visited them in the NICU all the time and leaving would break our hearts everyday — I couldn't think of life afterwards. I'm having therapy now though, and it's helping.
''It validates what I’m feeling, and how you go into survival mode when something like this happens. We struggled a lot, mentally and financially, but as parents you just do it. They’re a lot of work, but it's worth it."
