Premature Staffordshire twins 'could be home by Christmas'

Mason and Evie both weighed a little over 2lbs when they were born

The parents of twins that were born 12 weeks early hope they could be home by Christmas.

Babies Mason and Evie were born at 27 weeks at Staffordshire Children's Hospital, weighing 2lb 3oz and 2lb 7oz respectively, on 8 September.

Both needed ventilation after their birth and Mason later had to undergo heart surgery.

But their mother, Samantha, said both babies were now breathing unaided and "doing amazingly".

In the 19th week of her pregnancy, Samantha was told she could deliver as early as 22 weeks so she was given medication and was put on bed rest.

At 25 weeks Samantha lost some of her waters and underwent an internal scan which confirmed some of Evie's water had gone.

Samantha was then admitted to hospital for two weeks.

Over the next two weeks the twins started to make their way through the birth canal and, at 27 weeks, Samantha had to deliver.

After the birth, Evie and Mason were initially ventilated, with Evie able to come off the ventilator and feed well within a week.

But Mason suffered pulmonary haemorrhages which cause bleeding into the lungs and a heart scan showed that the bleeds were because he had Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), a persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart.

He was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital where he had heart surgery and three days later was breathing on his own.

"The twins are now nearly 35 weeks and are doing amazing, putting on weight and feeding well," Samantha said.

"The care we have received throughout our journey has been fantastic.

"The team here have provided us with the best care and hopefully we will get them home in time for Christmas."