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Mum stunned as twins are born two days apart

Dylan and Oscar are twins, but unlike most other twins they don’t share a birthday, as they were born two days apart.

Their mum Joanne Reilly was shocked when her waters broke early at 24 weeks and she gave birth to baby Dylan, weighing just 1lb 10oz on 10 January 2019, but then her labor stopped progressing.

Dylan and Oscar are twins who were born two days apart. (Caters)
Dylan and Oscar are twins who were born two days apart. (Caters)

Initially, doctors hoped Joanne, 32, might be able to carry the second twin to full term. But Oscar was keen to join his twin brother and was born two days later on 12 January, weighing 2lbs.

“I had a lovely pregnancy and I was enjoying every second as everything was running smoothly with no cravings and barely any sickness,” the mum, from Manchester, said.

“I had a scan a week before my waters broke and everything was fine so I was very confused and panicked when my waters had broke at 24 weeks and five days.

“Dylan was born at 4.43am but he was in a poor state and needed resuscitating for 30 minutes. We almost lost him which was very traumatic.”

Twins Dylan and Oscar still have a special bond despite spending time apart after their birth. (Caters)
Twins Dylan and Oscar still have a special bond despite spending time apart after their birth. (Caters)

Though Joanne was preparing to start pushing again to welcome her second baby, hours later, nothing had happened.

“Time passed but nothing happened and the doctor said I have to stay on strict bed rest to try and keep the other baby in for as long as possible,” she explained.

“I was shocked as I didn’t know know that was possible. In a way, I just wanted Oscar to come too as it felt weird having one but not the other.”

The new mum was unable to visit Dylan in NICU, but she was given an iPad to watch him in the incubator.

“I really wanted to see Dylan but I knew I had to follow the doctors’ orders to do what is best for Oscar,” she said.

“Every hour counted towards his development so it was vital for me to stay on bed rest to ensure he was given the best chance.”

Two days later, Dylan was joined by his brother Oscar, who was born at 10:39am, when Joanne was 25 weeks pregnant.

“Fortunately, he was born without any health complications,” Joanne said.

“We always say the extra two days did Oscar the world of good as he had zero complications and was taken off the ventilation first.”

It was two weeks before Joanne could hold her twins and the brothers were only put into a cot with one another for the first time after three months in NICU, with their parents worrying they may not form a special bond having spent so much time apart.

But 19 months on the twins are thriving and have an unbreakable brotherly bond.

Dylan (Left) Oscar (Right) at 10 months old. (Caters)
Dylan (Left) Oscar (Right) at 10 months old. (Caters)

“I had nothing to worry about in terms of their bond as they are very much aware that they are twins - they can’t settle without one another,” Joanne said.

“If one leaves the room, then the other will cry. They also love to annoy one another.”

Looking back on the twins unusual delivery, Joanne says though having children in the NICU for so long was a stressful experience, she’s grateful both babies were healthy.

“We are very fortunate to have had premature babies who had no health complications,” she added.

“It is horrible seeing your tiny baby in an incubator and there is nothing you can do.”

Professor Basky Thilaganathan, consultant obstetrician and spokesperson of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said delayed birth of a second twin, such in the case of Dylan and Oscar, is rare.

“Delayed birth of the second twin is only warranted in case of preterm birth and usually when they do not share a placenta. This is uncommon, but is not unheard of,” he said.

“With a birth near term (more than 34 weeks in twins) such inter-twin birth delay is not recommended as it may put the twins and mother at risk. You can have a maximum interval of around 20 to 30 minutes for babies which share a placenta and slightly longer for those which do not share a placenta, as long as the second baby is continuously monitored.”

Additional reporting Caters News.

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