Jana Pittman has shared the incredible story behind her labour after welcoming twins into the world five weeks early.
WATCH: Jana Pittman post-partum belly
The Olympian and former SAS Australia star and her husband Paul Gatward welcomed son Quinlan and daughter Willow on March 22.
On Wednesday – the premature twins’ due date – Jana revealed she was “almost relieved” to be going into labour early, saying: “I was so huge and uncomfortable, I congratulated myself for making it to 34 weeks with twins.”
“Even being medically trained I still had some fairytale idea of taking my babies home the next day with no issues, especially since they had both been over the 90% size on ultrasound!” the doctor shared on Instagram.
“I was absolutely not prepared for how underdeveloped and vulnerable they still were despite being late preterm.”
The mother-of-six said she “felt lost” while the twins went to into the hospital’s special care two hours after they were born.
“I hated not holding them as they needed blue lights for their jaundice, their feet constantly pricked for blood tests,” she penned.
“Most of all I hated that they were separated in different cribs covered in monitoring leads despite being womb buddies for eight months.”
Although Jana knew it was necessary for the twins to be separated, it didn’t stop her “mother guilt raging”.
“I constantly questioned ‘if I had rested more’ and not fallen down the stairs could I have kept them inside longer,” she said, referencing falling up the stairs of her Sydney home prior to going into labour.
“I share this not for sympathy but for awareness as while the idea of twins is amazing (and it is) [but] there is increased risk for mum and bubs.”
WATCH: Jana Pittman reveals she is an egg donor
After a week in hospital, Jana and the twins returned home. Since then, she and Paul have immersed themselves in the joy of getting to know their family’s newest additions.
The newborn twins are being doted on their other older brother Charlie, 18 months, and sisters Emily, six, and Jemima, five.
Jana’s eldest child, Cornelis, 15, from her first marriage to former coach Chris Rawlinson, has also been a huge helping hand for his sleep-deprived mum.
“Corr is amazing. I’ll have one feeding on each breast and he lays between them with his bottle,” Jana gushed to our sister site New Idea earlier this month.
Jana described her home life as “wonderful mayhem” with six kids now under the one roof.
“It has been the hardest and best time of my life.”
This article first appeared on our sister site, Now To Love.
Hear more from Jana and her family life on the Bounty Australia podcast:
- ‘Traditional pregnancies and IVF: Jana Pittman’s gloriously unconventional family
- Avoid mealtime meltdowns: 3 tips for dealing with fussy eaters
- Toddler immunity: How to get their nutrition back on track for health and happiness
- Modern families: Gogglebox’s Kevin and Bob on their unique journey as they raise their sons
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