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Suzie and her wife Laura Francis-Mathers spent two years on the IVF rollercoaster, before trying (just once!) to fall pregnant in the same month. Incredibly, both cycles worked, and the couple recently gave birth to their miracle babies, just four days apart.

The couple revealed on their joint Instagram account, that they’d each welcomed a beautiful baby: Mackenzie Rose Francis-Mathers and Marlow Lachlan Francis-Mathers born on the 22nd and 26th of July.

Marlow wasn’t due for another three weeks, making the births even more incredible!

Suzie and Laura met in London in 2015, with Suzie moving to ‘pursue her dreams of performing on the West End’, while Laura moved for a career in TV and for adventure.

And they describe their love story in a beautifully simplistic way: “We were two Aussies with Scottish families who headed to the other side of the world to meet. We were neighbours. Friends at first, but soon realised that we had been destined for more – serendipity at its finest!”

The couple travelled through Europe while living out their dreams in London, before marrying at a French Chateau in 2019. The couple started talking about having a family early on their relationship: “Both of us couldn’t wait to be mums … Prior to getting married we started putting the wheels in motion.”

The couple have shared their motherhood story, offering a glimpse into their complicated journey.

“For those following who are thinking about starting IVF, as a same-sex couple in Australia (or anyone who is an egg/sperm donor or recipient) you are required to undergo a compulsory counselling session before you can start the fertility process with a clinic.

“We had the appointment in May 2019 when we were in Aus for Suzie performing in Barnum The Circus Musical. It was a bizarre experience! The counsellor wore giant sunglasses the entire time so you could barely see her face as she talked us through all the questions she was legally required to ask.

“It felt very strange having to justify all the reasons we thought we’d be good parents to a complete stranger, but after years of considered conversations about starting a family it became very apparent to the counsellor that we were both completely on the same page. We felt like we were acing a school exam and it was exciting!

“We had an initial appointment with a specialist who ordered the standard fertility blood tests including testing our Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) levels to check ovarian reserves. Everything was on track for us to hit the ground running when we moved back to Sydney in September 2019!”

But when the couple were finally ready to start, Covid hit and their dreams were put on pause.

“Thankfully the elective surgery ban was short-lived, and was lifted just in time for the beginning of Laura’s next cycle – a week later and we would’ve had to wait another month. (For those new to IVF, everything is timed to your cycle so you’re at the behest of your body). The box of injections arrived, and it was game on! Well, after a few attempts.

“We gave each other every single injection throughout this process, went to every early morning appointment together (and there were MANY) … we were there for every blood test, every scan and procedure. We felt from day one that we were making a baby, together … with each other every step of the way.”

In the end it would be two years, six rounds, 10 transfers and two chemical pregnancies before they would get not one, but two pregnancies. When they announced their pregnancies the couple gave a glimpse into the difficulty of their IVF road.

“It is a very long and complicated story as to how we got to this point … two years into our rollercoaster IVF journey, for a number of complex reasons, we decided to both have a shot JUST ONCE in the same month … and here we are, with two little miracles on the way!

“To all the IVF warriors out there, we salute you. The strength and resilience this journey takes is like nothing we’ve ever known and we are sending you all our positive thoughts that your day will come soon too.”

Now the loved-up duo are in the throes of newborn life times two – and you can follow their journey at suzie_and_laura.

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  • 11 year journey and 30 weeks pregnant. IVF is tough, so I salute anyone bracing this journey. The rules are different in each state, there’s good counsellors and bad and lots of tough moments.

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  • Such a beautiful story. Double happiness

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  • Wow I can’t believe the odds of that happening! Congratulations to them!

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  • What a wonderful outcome for both of them and lucky to have a boy and a girl. They must feel so blessed!

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  • This is such a beautiful story. What a bond they would have after this.

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  • What a beautiful story. My late husband and I went through the IVF painful route for 4 years before having to stop as you had to pay for all the procedures yourself.

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  • What a gorgeous story.

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  • Congratulations and enjoy your babies while you can. They do grow up so quickly!

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  • Nice they both get to enjoy motherhood and can support each other throughout

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  • Wow that’s so special! Never heard of anything like this. Technology is amazing.

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  • This is such an amazing and happy story. Well done and congratulations for long happy lives.

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  • Lovely story. Two little babies born so close like twins really. I wish them all the very best.

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  • What a beautiful read, congratulations to you both. You give hope to many people out there who are trying IVF. Enjoy you new chapter of life with you bundles of joy.

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  • That is incredible and so amazing. Things happen in magical ways and they are truly blessed with two gorgeous human beings.
    Congratulations and well done to both of them.

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  • Omg they are just adorable! Congrats to the happy couple,

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