After going on her first trip with friends since the pandemic lockdowns, 42-Year-Old Mom Claire Mcwhinnie returned home with what seemed like COVID-19 symptoms. But she was actually pregnant with miracle twins.
Mcwhinnie, a property developer from Dublin, experienced nausea and tiredness from partying during a brief break from work. After taking some tests, including a pregnancy test, just to be certain, she was shocked to find out that she was expecting.
The 42-year-old mom suffered three miscarriages in trying to conceive with her partner, Geoff Hennefer, 44. Doctors have also told the couple that her body has a low egg count, which made conception quite challenging, per Manchester Evening News.
So, she could not believe that she was actually pregnant with miracle twins. She never expected to be pregnant in her 40s, let alone have two in her womb.
Contracting COVID-19 While Pregnant
However, Mcwhinnie's pregnancy was rough as her blood pressure needed to be monitored. Her medical team suspected she could suffer from a blood clot and pre-eclampsia, so she was recommended for admission to the Royal Bolton Hospital.
While there, however, the mother contracted COVID-19, thus increasing her pregnancy risk. She also needed to be isolated from the rest of the patients and her partner and family members who wanted to visit her at the hospital.
Speaking with Leicestershire Live, Mcwhinnie said that she was anxious about COVID-19, the vaccines, and the pregnancy and believed she was doing poorly, health-wise. She was not advised to go home anymore since she was nearing her due date.
Fortunately, the babies were delivered safely via C-section despite their mother's condition. Mcwhinnie and her partner welcomed healthy miracle twins Louise William and Florence Rose in May 2022. The babies both weighed over 6lbs.
The new mom said she could not thank the hospital staff enough for ensuring they would be well. While she was "touch and go" because of COVID-19, the whole ordeal ended on a positively high note.
Mcwhinnie said that having her miracle twins was like "all my Christmases have come together at once."
New Mom Has Been Waiting for this
The happy and excited mother said she has always wanted to be a mother despite pursuing her career first. When the right time came, she suffered those devastating baby losses, so she thought motherhood was not for her anymore.
She and her partner are now getting through some sleepless nights with the arrival of the twin babies in their lives. Despite this, the first-time parents said they were over the moon given what they had to experience in having the babies.
In an interview with The Bolton News, Mcwhinnie shared that she cried her eyes out after seeing her twins for the first time. But she knows they would not be here if not for the medical team who monitored her pregnancy and COVID-19 status. She said she owed "everything and more" to the hospital staff.