Dundee mum’s pre-eclampsia warning and thanks to Ninewells as twins go home

A Dundee couple say they have nothing but praise for staff at Ninewells as they welcome their beautiful twins home after a traumatic first few weeks.

New mum and dad Ashlea Glen and Gary Lochhead are sharing their experience in the hope it may help other families – and also highlight the expertise of Ninewells neonatal unit.

Little Grace and brother Fionn were delivered seven weeks early, and spent 17 days in special care, after Ashlea developed the potentially life-threatening condition pre-eclampsia.

Here Ashlea tells us:

• How the last few weeks were the ‘toughest of our lives’
• Her warning for other pregnant mums about warning signs of pre-eclampsia
• How the babies are doing now and how much joy they’ve brought

Gary and Ashlea, who both work for Jaguar Land Rover in Dundee, had just moved house and were ‘living out of boxes’ when Ashlea was admitted to hospital.

“We found out on Gary’s 30th birthday we were pregnant. About four weeks in I just had a feeling it was twins. So when Gary saw them on the scan he couldn’t believe it!”

“I had to be scanned every four weeks after the 20 weeks scan to make sure they’re growing the way they should be,” Ashlea explains.

Blurred vision

“They told me Grace wasn’t growing as much as they’d like but it could be because I was on blood pressure tablets.

“On April 7 I went up for my scan and she’d caught up with her growth, which we thought was great news.

“But then suddenly my blood pressure went through the roof and I developed a migraine and blurred vision.

“I don’t suffer migraines and didn’t realise it is a sign of pre-eclampsia.

“I was in severe pain and crying and, thankfully, was immediately admitted to hospital.”

Ashlea was carefully monitored and it was decided the twins would need to be born early due to the pre-eclampsia.

“They were born on Monday April 11, each exactly 3lbs 12ozs and three minutes apart by C-section. Grace was first,” says Ashlea, 36.

Separated from the babies

“Everything was explained to us before we went in but nothing prepared us for how scary the birth was.

“As soon as they were born, eight paediatric nurses came running out and within minutes the twins were wired up to little breathing face masks and being monitored.

“Lying there paralysed, it was so emotional and traumatic waiting to hear those first cries. It was pure relief to hear them.

“I was able to hold Fionn for a minute before they went to the Unit. But because my blood pressure was so high I wasn’t able to go and see them in NICU.

Cried all night

“I was in the post-natal ward, with babies and their mums, so I wasn’t sleeping, was wondering how the babies were, my blood pressure was still high.

“There were two health care assistants who were amazing, so kind to me.

“I cried all night for the babies. The midwives and all the staff at Ninewells were so caring and supportive.

“When I got out after five days we were allowed to go into the NICU to, at last, have skin to skin contact with them.

“The staff taught us how to change the nappies and the feeding tubes. The twins were in incubators, had jaundice and on blue-light therapy.

“They were separated for treatment but then were put in a cot together. They seem to settle better when they are beside each other.”

Pre-eclampsia warning

Before the birth Ashlea had a home blood pressure monitor and did urine samples to send to the hospital to check for pre-eclampsia.

She explains: “I hadn’t realised how serious the condition is. It can bring on heart attacks and strokes and can stop oxygen or blood flow to the babies.

“So it is really important for mums to trust their instincts, listen to their own bodies and to do the checks for pre-eclampsia.

“I had a sixth sense it would happen to me and it did.”

The family went home just before what would have been the twins’ due date.

So grateful

“They’ll both continue to be checked – they’ll need hip ultrasounds, a common thing if twins are breech,” says Ashlea.

“We’re feeling more normal now. The babies are doing absolutely great, despite being seven weeks early.

“We look at them and see how perfect and adorable they are. We’re beyond grateful to Ninewells and feel so blessed.”

• Click here for more information on pre-eclampsia.