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Homecoming for longed-for twins ahead of Multiple Birth Awareness Week

Mar 19, 2025

Cradling a precious baby in their arms was something Jess and Matthew Partington dreamed of for many years before it became their reality, times two!

Ecstatic parents of twins, Kaydn and Kailee, born on the 7 March experienced four years of IVF under the care of Joondalup Private Hospital (JPH) Gynaecologist Dr Megan Byrnes before successfully conceiving on their seventh and final round.

“I went for the first pregnancy scan without Matthew, as he was working away, and Dr Byrnes told me that there was two heartbeats and I bawled my eyes out,” said Jess.

When she called Matthew he assumed her tears meant more bad news.

“He asked why I was crying and I said ‘because there’s two!’”

Jess was referred by Dr Byrnes to Dr Nicola English for obstetric care, who said multiple pregnancies are physically harder for the mother and can be more difficult to manage as they come with double the risk of pregnancy complications.

“With twin pregnancies there are essentially three patients to look after, each with different needs. In Jess’s case Kaydn stopped growing around 32 weeks and required extra monitoring to allow the pregnancy to safely continue so that Kailee, who was growing well, wouldn’t be born unnecessarily early,” said Dr English.

“In the end to we delivered slightly early by caesarean section at 36 weeks which was in Kaydn’s best interest and thankfully both twins came out crying and did so well,” she said.

“Nicola kept checking in with me during the caesarean, she was incredible. Every nurse, midwife, doctor, paediatrician that was in there was fantastic. It was such a calm and enjoyable experience,” said Jess.

Kaydn was born first weighing 2.2kg followed by Kailee who weighed in at 2.7kg.

Kaydn required a short stay in JHC’s Special Care Nursery due to his low birth weight. This special care nursery is equipped with specialist staff to look after babies as young as 32 weeks gestation.

“That really affected me. I needed him and we obviously went to visit him as much as we could while the midwives cared for Kailee on the ward,” said Jess.

The family enjoyed a joint visit from Dr English and Dr Byrnes before their discharge which came just days before Multiple Birth Awareness Week which runs March 16 – 23.

Jess and Matthew say they are looking forward to the adventures and the absolute chaos of two babies.

“I can't wait to experience all the 'firsts' and to just live in the moment with them,” said Jess.