'It was the shortest pregnancy ever. I only found out I was pregnant at 12 weeks.'

Tommy's guest blog, Alexia 23/02/2017

Twins Storm and Ella were born two months early.

It was the shortest pregnancy ever. I only found out I was pregnant at 12 weeks. Very shocked to discover I was pregnant as I was on the pill. Then doubly shocked when partner and I went for a scan and there were two little beings in there.

Midnight on Saturday the 07/08/16 I got out of bed for one of my many trips to the loo and heard a pop. Thought it was my back but soon realised my waters had broke.

Panic ensued as I had been to my twin consultant that Tuesday and as twins were both laying transverse. She said to call an ambulance if my waters broke. Hadn't packed my hospital bag, was due to work my last day at work on the Sunday and go on maternity leave the Monday (was hoping to put my feet up and watch the Olympics in my pyjamas doing very little....lol).

Ambulance arrived, took me to St Richards hospital, Chichester. Midwives were lovely, they monitored me for a while and as I wasn't having contractions they sent me to Howard Ward with the hope of sending me home.

Less than an hour later my contractions started and started fast. They took me back up to delivery ward where they said I had dilated 1cm.

Contractions got more frequent and half an hour later I had dilated to 3cm. Twin A (Storm) had gone into correct position and was head down so was going to try for natural birth. I opted for an epidural just in case I needed emergency c-section (that was fun trying to get needle in and stay still with contractions).

Epidural was given after 6 hours of contractions. By then I still hadn't dilated any more so they gave me a dose to try spur things on, still no further after 3 hours. They gave me another dose and still hadn't dilated any further than 3cm. At which point Storm had tilted her head and put her arm over her head so they said would be best for c-section (I didn't mind how they came out so long as they were okay).

Went for c-section at 16:30, both got whisked away on oxygen. I got sent to recovery and didn't get to see them till 22:00 that night for 2 minutes as they wheeled me to Howard Ward.

That was a horrible night as I wasn't in a private room so all these mums came in with their babies and I kept getting woken by crying babies and mine were in NICU.

I was hand expressing colostrum and sending syringes up to them. The next day once I was able to walk I could go see them properly.

Storm had jaundice and they had put her under the lamps so that was a shock. But I got to have skin to skin with Ella. Storm was on oxygen and Ella just cpap. They were in NICU for just short of a month.

I stayed there every night, my partner came to visit us every evening after work (told him to go back and have paternity leave when we are all home).

We had lots of ups and downs in NICU.

Ella kept having sleep apneas and having to be brought round with oxygen. Storm couldn't shift her jaundice. Ella got bad reflux but eventually we had a few event free days and were able to go home.

They are both doing really well now and are very well behaved little treasures.

The NICU nurses get them into such a good routine. The girls were 4lbs 2oz and 4lbs 10oz when born so were a good weight.

They have made huge progress and love their Water Babies swim classes. We are all very excited about taking part in Splashathon and raising money to help fund research in to premature birth.