The mother of the UK’s most premature twins says they are getting stronger a year after coming home from hospital.
Harley and Harry Crane, from Derbyshire, were given a zero percent chance of survival when they were born in October 2021 at 22 weeks and five days – more than a week before the usual abortion limit.
But the tough siblings beat the odds and came home after 140 days in neonatal intensive care.
Now 17 months old, the couple is happy and healthy at home. And a year after leaving the hospital, mom Jade Crane, 41, said she’s finally no longer afraid and knows her miracle babies are “here to stay.”
Harley, who was born at a tiny 500 grams, is now a “crazy” 24 pounds and stands up. Her brother Harry was born weighing 520 grams and now weighs 20 pounds. He’s a little behind in development, but “trying to crawl around.”
Born at 22 weeks and five days in October 2021, Harry and Harley Crane came home to Heanor, Derbyshire, after 140 days in neonatal intensive care, but are now going strong
Parents Jade and Steve, 53, who work in sales, said they couldn’t be more proud of their twins and look forward to their future.
Jade, a former psychiatric nurse and addiction counselor, said, “We are so blessed and lucky that they are doing so well.
“It’s so crazy. Last year we were really scared. It was totally new to us. They are here and they will stay here. I now trust that.
“They have gone from strength to strength. Their personalities have not changed since birth.
‘Harley is the feisty one and Harry was Mr Laid-Back. That’s how they are now, but reinforced. They love eachother.’
Jade and Steve underwent 11 years of fertility treatments before two embryos implanted in the eighth cycle of IVF resulted in twins.
She said, “I couldn’t bring myself to believe it. I was so afraid of a miscarriage or something going wrong.
“I literally did nothing during the pregnancy because of it.”
The couple, pictured in neonatal intensive care after birth, were given a zero percent chance of survival but grew from strength to strength
Jade, pictured with her husband Steve and Harry and Harley, said she now knows her babies are here to stay after months of fighting for their lives in hospital
“I was still in disbelief when we hit 20 weeks, and I wasn’t even in my third trimester when I went into labor, so we hadn’t bought anything.”
After leaking fluid, Jade went to Queens Medical Hospital, Nottingham in October 2021 to get checked.
An internal examination revealed that she had premature rupture of the membranes – where the fetal membranes rupture before labor begins.
When she was 22 weeks pregnant, the mother feared that the twins would not survive.
She said, “They told me they would take me in, but I was probably having a miscarriage.
“The doctor kept saying it was a miscarriage, but I said it couldn’t be because I could feel the babies moving.
“I knew they were fine, but I was told they wouldn’t survive this pregnancy.”
The UK’s abortion law states that in most cases women can terminate a pregnancy up to 24 weeks – and doctors are not required to intervene medically first.
Fortunately for Jade, Queen’s Medical Center, where she was treated, is a teaching hospital and doctors intervene for babies born after 23 weeks, she said.
At the time of giving birth, on Oct. 26, 2021, Jade was still 30 hours away from 23 weeks, but doctors chose to intervene, she said.
Jade said, “My babies got a zero percent chance of survival.
‘They were alive, moving around, and they were crying. Their little cries sounded like a little kitten.’
Little Harley and Harry were intubated and taken to the neonatal intensive care unit, where they remained on a ventilator.
Jade with the two babies in the neonatal intensive care unit where they fought for their lives for 140 days before being discharged and sent home
Harry, left, and Harley, right, enjoy playtime together at home. Jade said Harley would walk soon
The twins battled chronic lung disease, a serious gastrointestinal problem called necrotizing enterocolitis, and underwent many surgeries.
Harley had to have an ostomy bag fitted, which has since been removed, and Harry received injections in his eyes to prevent premature blindness.
Harry came home on March 6 last year and Harley came to him a week later.
Jade said, “I’m so proud of my babies – they’re little fighters.”
Other than a week back in the hospital when Harley contracted respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the twins are doing well, and both came off oxygen last July.
Jade said, “It was a scary time. You expect them to be back in the hospital. A week later was Harley – with RSV.
“But we haven’t had anything else despite the bag being packed and ready to go.”
The twins’ corrected age is 13 months old and Harley is on track with her milestones.
Jade said, “She gets up. Soon she will walk. I’m really happy with that.
Harry shows a few more delays. We are concerned that Harry may have a mild case of cerebral palsy.
He’s trying to crawl around. He’s a bit behind, but Harley’s dragging him along.’
The family won’t get an official diagnosis until Harry is two, but Jade is “lucky” that her twins are doing so well.
The pair display strong personalities, with Harry being laid-back and his twin sister being more “feisty,” Jade said
Harry and Harley play together at home. The pair returned home in March last year after months in hospital
She said, “At the time they said they would have no quality of life.
“I remember asking if they could feel love — at the time, that was all that mattered.
“Harley is the happiest baby you’ve ever met. She is a charmer, smiley and very interactive. Harry’s a little more serious.’
Jade and Steve celebrated the one year anniversary of the twins coming home by visiting the hospital.
She said: ‘It’s a home from home for us. We’ve seen a lot of nurses – they love it.
‘I always have that “what if”; it’s the PTSD of everything.
‘But we are so looking forward to summer days and for the first time in a paddling pool.’