Carron twin boys keeping well after being born 14 weeks early

Robyn Balfour, 22, and Mathew Simpson, 25, have thanked all the NHS staff who looked after their sons when the pair arrived four months before their due date and in the middle of the pandemic.

The couple finally brought their boys home last October after 91 days in hospital and five days before they were originally due to be born.

Speaking from her Carron home this week, first-time mum Robyn said it has been a rollercoaster of emotions since the boys – Cole Andrew and Kyle John – arrived.

However, she said they are now both thriving.

It was last February that the couple,who both work in The Bruce, formerly The Outside Inn in Larbert, discovered that Robyn was expecting.

Shortly after the country went into lockdown a scan revealed she was having twins.

"It was a shock,” she admitted. "There is one set of random twins in Mathew’s family and we never expected that we would be having two babies.”

She thought her pregnancy was progressing normally but at 22 weeks her waters broke around one twin.

By 26 weeks she was in hospital and told that her babies would have to be born by caesarean section.

"As we were in lockdown we weren’t seeing anyone and as it was my first baby I didn’t realise that my swollen feet could be a sign of a problem.

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"I was later told that I had pre-eclampsia and they would have to deliver the babies straight away.”

The babies were born in University Hospital Wishaw on July 22, Cole weighing 2lbs 0.5oz and Kyle at 1lb 8oz.

Robyn admits that it was a “very scary” experience for the couple, seeing their sons fighting for their lives in incubators and surrounded by lots of medical equipment.

"We went through every emotion possible and when they hit a setback, such as when they got sepsis, it was very difficult. But they are both little fighters.”

When Robyn was discharged home, the couple would travel to hospital every day to visit their sons.

After being born in Wishaw they were later transferred to the Sick Children’s Hospital in Glasgow and then finally to Forth Valley Royal in Larbert before being allowed home.

However, they were always transferred at different times which meant their parents had to visit one before journeying to another hospital to see their other baby.

The couple were told that one other family member could be in their ‘bubble’ to visit the boys but they said it wouldn’t have been fair to chose either her dad, John Balfour, or Mathew’s mum, Mary Simpson, so family had to wait until they came home to meet them.

Both babies were discharged on October 20, five days before their due date, although they still required oxygen.

Kyle now weighs 14lbs and Cole a few ounces less.

At seven months, the couple say it is a delight to watch them develop their own personalities.

"Cole is the cheeky, loud one, while Kyle is more laid back. But they are developing every day,” said their proud mum.

As well as thanking the NHS staff and their parents, the couple had a special mention for Kaitlynd Cuthill, Robyn’s brother’s fiancée for her support.

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