Harry & Harley’s Story
Ickle Pickles’ supporters Jade and Steve Crane shared the story of their twins Harley and Harry to raise awareness of NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Awareness Month this September.
Battling infertility
We spent over a decade battling infertility.
Finally, after 8 rounds of IVF & multiple miscarriages along the way, we could not believe that our last cycle was successful and we were expecting boy/girl twins due in February 2022.
I wouldn’t allow myself to fully believe that I was pregnant as I was scared of another miscarriage. My pregnancy was otherwise wonderful and apart from a little heartburn, I had no physical problems.
A High-Risk pregnancy
Due to being a High Risk pregnancy (twins/ IVF/ age) I was seen most weeks for scans and bloods with no issues raised along the way.
At 22 weeks pregnant I felt a small gush of fluid one night so after some research, I started wearing a maternity pad at night to see if I was leaking fluid. I honestly just thought I was heavily pregnant with twins and peeing myself a little.
At 22 weeks and 5 days, I decided to call triage at my hospital and I was asked to come in for a check.
I was examined internally which was extremely painful and I was told (by a scared-looking Doctor) that I’d be admitted to hospital straight away as I was experiencing Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes ‘PPROM’.
The doctor suggested that I was having a miscarriage and said that I was going into labour imminently.
The problem of viability
The neonatal team came to speak to me about 22 weeks not being ‘viable’ and that I’d need to make it to 23 weeks for the hospital to intervene medically.
The plan was to keep the babies in until we reached ‘viability’ which was 23 weeks at my hospital (24 weeks at others). I was 30 hours away from viability.
They gave the twins a 0% chance of survival and we discussed ‘comfort care’ which basically means no medical intervention. This was unthinkable to me.
I begged them to please do everything possible to try and save my twins.
I was informed of the risks around babies being born so premature, if somehow they did survive, the picture was painted of a life of disability or poor quality of life.
I was in shock & disbelief but I just wanted my babies to be helped.
It was agreed that IF the babies were born ‘showing signs of life’ or trying to breathe on their own, then the team would attempt to offer life-saving medical interventions.
My waters broke right there, in front of the neonatal team and all panic broke out. People came running in and out of the room with resuscitation trolleys and equipment.
A very early birth
I shouted, “This could be the worst day of our lives!”, squeezing my hand, my husband reminded me that “it could also be the best.”
I silently prayed over and over whilst I delivered twin one, Harley.
Despite being told that she would NOT cry because “it’s too early for that”
she did cry (a tiny kitten-like sound). I said “She cried?” and one of the midwives confirmed, “she did, she did!” The relief in the room was evident.
She was a tiny 500 grams but perfectly formed. I was unable to touch her as her skin was extremely fragile and she was wrapped in a little plastic bag to keep her warm. Fortunately, the neonatal team were able to intubate her and send her off to the NICU.
An hour had passed and twin two, Harry, was still in utero. It was during this time that I had an awful realisation that he was at risk as he was not being monitored.
It seemed like I had no choice but to deliver Harry, so he could get the medical care that he needed. He was born in his sac also known as a mermaid birth.
Thankfully he also cried and was able to be intubated and sent to the neonatal unit where his sister was. After I’d been checked by the doctor I was able to visit my twins.
The NICU was scary!
Going through those doors into the blue-hued rooms, the hand washing, the masks, the gloves (COVID times) to see your babies in tiny incubators attached to so many wires and machines is something that I will never forget.
It’s a world I knew nothing about.
We battled through the hardest and darkest of hours and days in the NICU.
The twins overcame so much including PDA, BPD, IVH, PVL, NEC, Sepsis, ROP, Adrenal Insufficiency, and Metabolic Bone Disease and received over 40 blood transfusions between them.
Harley had NEC and a perforated bowel, leading her to have life-saving surgery. She was the smallest baby to ever have the surgery in our hospital. We were encouraged to have the twins christened before her surgery as we didn’t know if she’d make it back. Harley survived the surgery and had a stoma created that ultimately saved her life.
Graduating NICU
We graduated from NICU on day 139 and took home two healthy 7lbs babies to start our life as a family.
We are forever grateful to the whole team for making our dreams a reality.
My advice to NICU parents
My advice to anyone going through something similar would be - take things one day at a time, ask questions, take pictures - both good and bad, seek support and always listen to your instincts. You know your baby best.
Thanks to Ickle Pickles for helping support tiny babies!
Proud Parents Jade & Steve Crane.
