Mater miracle: Shock arrival of premature twins on way to hospital

A Brisbane couple have opened up about the dramatic events that resulted in their beloved twins being delivered in different locations on the side of a major motorway.

Born six minutes apart and on different spots on the ­Pacific Highway, the Davies twins have made a dramatic entrance into the world.

Sunnybank’s Tara Bishop was 32 weeks pregnant, with Harvey and Evelyn sitting in a breech position, when she went into premature ­labour in the early hours of October 31.

“Tara’s waters broke and it was a shock as the babies were still small,” dad Hayden said.

“We had planned a C-section. Tara has an aneurysm so the thought of a natural birth with breech babies was frightening. I was going to drive her to the Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane and I am so glad I didn’t.”

Hayden was following the ambulance to the hospital in his car when it pulled over on the highway. “I ran to find out what happened and when I got there the paramedic said Evelyn had arrived and we needed to get to the Mater straight away,” he said.

“Evelyn arrived at 3.31am and Harvey at 3.37am. Neither of them made it to the hospital in time. Both were born by the side of the road. Harvey arrived just at the Tarragindi exit.”

Hayden Davies and Tara Bishop with their twins Evelyn and Harvey, one was born in the back of an ambulance and the other on the side of the motorway at the Tarragindi exit. Picture: Liam Kidston

Hayden said he was unsure what the twins’ birth certificates would record.

“They are definitely roadside babies but I don’t know if the specific locations will be recorded. That will be something to show them when they grow up,” Hayden said.

Both babies are likely to remain in the Neonatal Critical Care Unit at the Mater for a month.

“They are doing well and we are looking forward to having them home. We are forever grateful to the paramedics that delivered the twins safely and the around-the-clock care they are receiving at the Mater. They were tiny little things, Evelyn weighted 1770g and Harvey 1734g.”

More than 2000 seriously ill and premature babies are cared for each year at Mater Mothers’ Hospitals’ Neonatal Critical Care Unit at South Brisbane. The babies are ­affectionately known as Mater Little Miracles.