adminUnfortunately, the one thing they won’t have in common is a nationality.
For while Dylan is English, his sister is actually a Scot, having been born on the other side of the border after their mother went into labour early. Mother Donna Keenan, (28), started having contractions at home in Northumberland, giving birth to Dylan in the living room of his grandparents’ house. But because the twins were premature, she had to be taken to hospital — over the border in Scotland. Hannah arrived an hour and 40 minutes after her brother, but in a different country.
The babies’ father, Joe Fox, 24, said: “We’re still getting our heads around it. I’ve been looking online for an England babygro for Dylan and a Scotland one for Hannah. It was an amazing experience to say the least and Donna was brilliant.”
The drama of the twins’ birth in two different countries began four weeks before their due date last Sunday. Miss Keenan went into labour while watching Italy play Spain in the Euro 2012 final with her partner and his parents at their home in the Northumberland market town of Wooler. It all happened so fast that the paramedics
had to deliver her first baby on the living room floor. Dylan Joseph Fox was born safely at around 10pm, weighing 5lb 13oz, but because the twins were so premature
the medics were worried. They decided there was enough time to take the new mum to hospital for the birth of her second child.
So Miss Keenan, her partner, who works at Haggerston Castle caravan park, and their new baby were taken by ambulance on the hour-long journey to Borders General Hospital in Melrose.
Less than two hours after arriving on the maternity ward, Hannah Rose Fox was welcomed. Cafe worker Miss Keenan, who has been with her partner for four years, said: “Joe and I already have a daughter, Jessica, who’s now two and a half, and I was in labour with her for 30 hours so I never imagined the twins would come so quickly. I had already been up to the Borders hospital and was back at Joe’s mum’s house when I started to feel a bit strange, and that’s when my waters went. That was just after 8pm. I called the hospital and they said to come straight in, but we didn’t have time. We called the paramedics and the next thing I remember is them saying to get ready to have the baby on the living room floor.”
After the first birth, Mr Fox was hoping for a second which came after midnight. He said: “At that point we knew they were going to born in different countries, but there was also a chance they’d be born on different days because it was so late.
“I joked to Donna that she should hold on as long as possible but I only mentioned it once and I don’t think it went down too well!”
In the event, Hannah was delivered at 11.40pm, weighing a healthy 4lb 14.5oz. Both babies and their mother are in the special care baby unit of the Borders hospital. — Daily Mail.
Online Reporter