Miracle Twins Home In Time For Christmas

A Queensland family is celebrating a Christmas miracle, with their twin girls coming home after more than 100 days in hospital.

It’s been an exhausting and emotional few months for Melissa and Matthew Heald, who have been under the watchful eye of doctors throughout the pregnancy.

“From 18 weeks gestation, I was required to travel back and forth every fortnight from Gladstone to Brisbane, and sometimes weekly, based on the recommendations of the MFM team,” Melissa explained.

The couple, who have two older children, Billie, 12, and Cooper, 8, eventually relocated more than 500km from Gladstone to South Brisbane so the girls could be monitored by the team at Mater’s Centre for Maternal Fetal Medicine.

“By 28 weeks into my pregnancy I had to relocate to Ronald McDonald House in Brisbane.

“Although I wasn’t on bed rest, I needed to be close to the hospital as doctors monitored possible Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) and intrauterine growth restriction, since Lilly consistently measured in the first percentile.

“We were informed that there was always a risk that the smaller twin, Lilly, might not survive due to her size.

“Additionally, we were cautioned that if Lilly became ill in utero, it could potentially jeopardise Lucy’s health, putting both of them at risk.”

The tiny girls were born via emergency c-section at 31 weeks, due to them being in distress.

Lucy was born weighing 1400 grams and spent 50 days in Mater’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit, while Lilly weighed just 867 grams and spent 75 days in hospital.

Lilly was diagnosed with jejunal atresia, a rare birth defect causing a blockage in her small bowel. She was just 22 hours old when she had her first surgery.

When she was 64 days old she underwent another surgery, and made a complete recovery.

“Lucy was the stronger of the two, but they both needed help with breathing and feeding issues.”

As they days ticked on, the little fighters became stronger and stronger. Eventually after spending a combined 125 days in hospital, Lilly and Lucy were able to go home.

“To be able to have both our girls home for Christmas is really special for all of us.

“We can’t wait to share this special occasion and create beautiful memories together as we celebrate the girls’ first Christmas with everyone.”

17 Comments

- - mom101628 said
  - 27 Dec 2024
    5:15 pm
This would have been the best Christmas present that you could have had. It is wonderful to hear that both your girls have survived all the obstacles they had to go through and are now in their loving home in time for everyone to celebrate their Christmas home-coming. Your other children quite obviously adore them from the pictures you have posted. Enjoy your lovely big family now and forever.

- - mom160270 said
  - 17 Dec 2024
    9:08 pm
Happy to read that all is going well.

- - mom486197 said
  - 14 Dec 2024
    8:45 am
What a beautiful story. I am so glad that this ladies twins will get to spend their first Christmas at home with their family. After everything this mum has gone through in her pregnancy and after the twin were born, I am so happy to hear they are doing well and get to go home.

- - mom489452 said
  - 13 Dec 2024
    10:59 am
Merry Xmas great good story

- - Amy.m said
  - 13 Dec 2024
    10:22 am
What a beautiful time in your lives for all your family. And to top it off to be home for Christmas is just magical. A time to create memories and celebrate each milestone with all your family around and make a routine, hoping your getting some sleep! Wishing you all the most wonderful Christmas!

- - tessie said
  - 13 Dec 2024
    8:33 am
That’s wonderful news that the girl’s will be home to celebrate their first Christmas with all of the family. I’m so glad that they are doing so well. I’m sure that Billie and Cooper will do their best to make it the best Christmas for Lilly and Lucy too. Merry Christmas to all

- - TraceyGail said
  - 13 Dec 2024
    7:15 am
The medical world is absolutely amazing and we are so lucky to have this available to us in Australia. Such a long, hard journey to go through but all has ended well and they are gorgeous little girls. Their siblings look very loving and proud. What a beautiful family they are.

- - mom93821 said
  - 13 Dec 2024
    4:25 am
Thank you for sharing a pregnancy and birth story with a happy ending. It is wonderful that the medical profession was able to support this family with the the health of the mum and the precious babies during the pregnancy. The babies look so little and so precious. A joy for this family.

- - BellaB said
  - 12 Dec 2024
    6:43 pm
A lovely story and the very best of wishes to this family.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 12 Dec 2024
    4:02 pm
That’s an absolutely heart breaking situation to have had to go through. It’s amazing what the miracle of science can accomplish. Those 2 little girls are definitely fighters! It’s just beautiful that they are able to share their first Christmas at home with their family. I bet this will be one Christmas they will remember forever.
- mom93821 replied
  
  14 Dec 2024 , 4:17 am
  Precious and healthy babies for Christmas time is truly special and it will be such a memorable and cherished Christmas to fondly look back on over the years. It is such a good idea to capture Christmas with photos and stories and keep them as future keepsakes for the children.
- - Ellen said
  - 12 Dec 2024
    8:39 am
Aw bless, a true miracle twin ! It must have been a stressful pregnancy with fear of TTTS and then having one of the twins diagnosed with jejunal atresia causing a blockage in her small bowel. It’s hard to picture having a serious operation done on a baby of just 22 hours but amazing that it can and that it was successful as was the second surgery !

- - ChiWren said
  - 12 Dec 2024
    8:07 am
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful thing to start my day reading. I’m so happy for this family, it will be such a memorable Christmas and a lovely new year.

- - BellaB said
  - 11 Dec 2024
    6:36 pm
They are so very lucky. Best wishes to all the family.

- - Mum2archer said
  - 11 Dec 2024
    4:47 pm
wow! What wonderful news for the family! I bet they are so glad they twins will be home in time to share their first Christmas together! I hope it’s full of everything they wished for & they have a safe and happy new year too. What a sweet story!
1

- - Mum2archer said
  - 11 Dec 2024
    4:45 pm
That is so wonderful for them & I hope they have the most beautiful Christmas

- - MandaMags said
  - 11 Dec 2024
    4:27 pm
What a beautiful celebration they get to share as a family over Christmas. So happy these little treasures have made a recovery and will be home to celebrate Christmas as a family. I wish them all the very best and now they can enjoy watching Lilly and Lucy thrive in the comfort of their family home.