A Queensland-based couple who finally took home their twin boys 123 days after their devastatingly premature birth are thrilled the babies defied the odds and made it out of hospital.
When Dianna Ratke went into labour four months early, she and her partner, Christopher Swan, were told by nurses that their newborn twins Maximus and Nikolai were not going to survive and they should ‘say goodbye and let them drift off’.
But the determined parents were not going to give up so easily and decided to use a little-known Queensland law called ‘Ryan’s Rule’, where patients and carers can escalate a medical situation when they believe a death is preventable.
Parents Christopher Swan (left) and his partner Dianna Ratke (right) finally took home their boys 123 days after their premature birth
After their twins (pictured) were born extremely premature, the heartbroken parents were told they would not survive
‘It’s pretty hard to believe they would get this far… but now they are like any other newborns,’ Christopher told Daily Mail Australia.
‘They are doing exceptionally well, eating and sleeping all night and have amazing little personalities already.’
The premature twins arrived via induced labour on May 7, after only 23 weeks gestation and four months before their due date on September 2.
Weighing just 579 grams and 669 grams, the boys now weigh 4.2kg and 5.7kg – defying the odds of their near-fatal early birth.
Christopher says if he hadn’t called for ‘Ryan’s Rule’ – named after the preventable death of two-year-old boy Ryan Saunders – and received the life-saving medical support, his twins definitely would have died.
The premature twins arrived via induced labour on May 7, a worrying four months before their due date on September 2
Following their miraculous recovery the boys now weigh 4.2kg and 5.7kg respectively – defying the odds of their near-fatal early birth
Christopher says if he hadn’t called for ‘Ryan’s Rule’ – named after the preventable death of two-year-old boy Ryan Saunders – his twins would have died
‘The plan was to just let them die. If we didn’t call Ryan’s Rule then they would have died on Dianna’s chest,’ he said.
‘They would have gasped for air for around half an hour and then drifted away.’
After the heart-wrenching ordeal Christopher says he and his partner are no longer the same people.
He describes Dianna as an ‘excellent mother’ however her mental health has suffered following the near-death of her first born children.
Thankfully, the relieved couple now have the support of family and friends – including Virgin businessman Richard Branson.
‘The plan was to just let them die. If we didn’t call Ryan’s Rule then they would have died on Dianna’s chest,’ Christopher said
‘They would have gasped for hair for around half an hour and then drifted away,’ he said
He describes Dianna as an ‘excellent mother’ however her mental health has suffered following the near-death of her first born children
The English philanthropist, who has suffered the effects of premature birth himself after his first-born died at four days old, knew Christopher through colleagues and offered his support.
‘He’s sent us teddies and onesies, because he knows what it is like to have premature children,’ Christopher explains.
‘His support means the world.’
Richard’s influence on the couple’s life is so significant that they even paid tribute to him when naming Maximus and Nikolai.
Richard Branson’s influence on the couple’s life is so significant that they even paid tribute to him when naming Maximus and Nikolai (pictured)
Four months after their birth the twins finally made it home – and are just like any other newborns now
Nikolai now bears the moniker Richard as his middle-name and Maximus was given Branson – the result of a bet Richard made with Christopher if he had twin boys.
While the couple was blessed with a miracle when they brought home their beloved twins, Christopher says many parents aren’t so lucky.
‘We want to stop it from ever happening again and to tell other parents to have hope.’