The premature twins who were so tiny their arms could fit inside a wedding ring

When tiny twins Willow and Stanley Senior were born 14 weeks premature, they were so small they could fit their arm inside their father's wedding ring.
Between them the precious pair stopped breathing an incredible 100 times and had to be resuscitated by nurses.

Tiny tot: Baby Stanley holds his father Anthony's wedding ring when he is four weeks old

Even changing their nappies or cuddling them could have caused the little brother and sister to stop breathing.
But the pair, who were born at 26 weeks - two weeks after the legal limit for abortion - defied the odds and grew stronger after a gruelling 143 days of treatment.
They have now been allowed home for the first time to the delight and relief of parents Leela and Anthony.


Willow and Stanley were born on September 24, 2010, after Mrs Senior went into premature labour.
Weighing just 2lbs 1oz and 2lbs 3oz respectively, their lungs were underdeveloped and they had to be hooked up to machines at a specialist unit in hospital.
Schoolteacher Mrs Senior and Mr Senior kept a vigil beside their incubators and watched in horror as they stopped breathing several times a day due to sleep apnea.
Each time medics saved their lives by squeezing a bag to pump air into their lungs to revive them.

Powerless to help: Willow's parents could only watch as she battled for survival. Here she is pictured at five weeks old

The tiny twins underwent numerous X-rays, heart and head scans to monitor their progress and were covered in a maze of tubes to give them nutrition and vital medicine.

Willow, who was born naturally 20 minutes before her brother, had an operation on her heart at just five weeks to seal an open duct between her main arteries.
But the youngsters now weigh a healthier 10lbs 9ozs and 12lbs 4oz respectively and are settling in to family life at their home in Bournemouth, Dorset.
Mrs Senior, 32, said: 'That first sighting of our babies in amongst the wires and tubes was horrendous and overwhelming.


'When you see them in pain or upset, all you want to do is give them a cuddle - but you can't do that.
'You have to watch someone else sort them out.
'They've been through so much. We just feel really proud of them. We're so grateful to everyone at Poole Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - they are amazing people.
'I have lost count of the times the doctors and nurses have saved the lives of our babies.
'Whether it is reaching for the bag to resuscitate them or calmly asking for assistance when needing to implement cardiac massage, their professionalism is astounding.'

   

Welcome home: Leela and Anthony with their twins who were allowed home after 143 days of treatment

Mr Senior, 32, a business analyst for JP Morgan, said: 'We knew we were expecting twins and there's always a risk of being premature, but we weren't overly worried.
'It came completely out of the blue. Leela started having a bit of bleeding, so we went in for a check-up, but by the time we got there she was fully dilated.
'Willow was born about 20 minutes later and Stanley arrived by caesarean in another 20 minutes.

'Willow was in the corner of the room surrounded by a team of people, being resuscitated, and they were both rushed up to NICU straight away.
'It's difficult to put into words the totally overwhelming feelings we were experiencing at the time.
'They were lying so helpless and tiny, hooked up to wires. We couldn't hold Stanley until he was 18 days old, and couldn't cuddle Willow for the first seven weeks.

'They had ventilators going down their throats to breathe for them and drips for nutrition and antibiotics.
'Now, every day and every milestone feels like a miracle. All the things new parents take for granted, like holding their babies or changing nappies, is amazing to us.
'Going home that first time without our babies was devastating but they were finally allowed home with us on Valentine's Day.


'It was, quite simply, the best day ever.
'Now, they are getting stronger every day. They are vulnerable to infection so we have to be careful, and Willow is still on oxygen 24 hours a day.
'We don't yet know what the future will hold, but we're very positive and hopeful.
'We feel so lucky to have them home and finally be a family.'
The couple are now trying to raise money for the Poole Hospital NICU.



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