The story of Rowen and Blake: Twins who cuddled to stay alive

London, England, Feb 3, 2017 / 03:02 am

When newlyweds Charlie and Hayley Lampshire from Oxfordshire, England found out they were pregnant with twins in 2015, they couldn't have been happier.

But at their 12-week ultrasound, the couple found out some frightening news: Hayley was carrying Monoamniotic-Monochorionic twins, which meant that the babies shared one amniotic sac – putting them at high-risk for becoming strangled by their own umbilical cords.

"Charlie and I were terrified at first, but we want to share our story to reassure other that there is hope, something that we struggled to find when doing our own research," said Hayley, according to the Metro.co.UK.

"My husband, Charlie, and I were heartbroken when we found out our babies were in danger," she said.

As the babies grew and became more active in the womb, they became more at risk for becoming tangled in each other's cords. They couple was told that selective abortion would be an option, but they continued the pregnancy with both babies.

The doctors told Hayley and Charlie that the only way the babies would survive is if they didn't move throughout the pregnancy.

"They needed to keep still in order to keep one another alive," Hayley recalled.

As Hayley continued to visit the doctor for her ultrasounds, they were astonished to discover a miracle: the babies were cuddling and holding hands as they grew – remaining still and untangled with each growth scan.

Because of their high-risk, the babies were scheduled to be delivered at 34-weeks by caesarian section, as the doctors didn't want the babies to get any bigger.

On August 25, the twin boys Rowen and Blake were each delivered within 36 seconds of each other, weighing just over 4 pounds each.

"They had fluid in their lungs and were struggling to breathe on their own," Hayley said, adding that the twins stayed in the hospital for three weeks before bringing them home.

Now, Hayley and Charlie are happy to report that their sons are now thriving and "growing so fast." The couple expressed how grateful they were for the lives of their twins, and can't wait to tell their sons about their miraculous story when they get older.

"So far, they have been good at sharing, after all it saved their lives. But I'm sure it will be a different story when they get older," Hayley noted.

"When they get older, we will tell them how special their bond is."