Tweed’s miracle babies: Oliver Meyer, Annabel and Isla Day and Darby Orman

From a mother who was told she’d never have a child to twins who weighed barely over 1kg at birth, Tweed’s miracle babies have brought their families immense joy.

Tweed miracle babies Oliver Meyer, Isla and Annabelle Day and Darby Orman defied the odds at the beginning of their lives.

A Tweed Heads mother was told she would never give birth again but defied the odds after contraception and the morning after pill didn’t stop her baby being born.

Another mother spent three weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit after her twins were born barely over 1kg.

Here are just some of the Tweed’s miracle babies.

Oliver Aaron Meyer

Oliver Aaron Meyer with mum Josephine Meyer.

Josephine Meyer expected she would never give birth after losing two babies and being told she was infertile.

It came as a massive surprise when baby Oliver was conceived, especially considering she had used protection and even took a morning after pill to be safe.

Oliver was born at the Southport Hospital on July 7, 2020, weighing about 4.8kg.

“I was in shock for the first 12 weeks and very paranoid worried that I would lose him,” Ms Meyer said.

“I was so grateful that God had gifted him to me.

“He truly is a miracle as his dad had a terrible accident in June and passed away and was very young so he is a pure miracle.”

The Bilambil baker said her mother had been “her rock” of support during Oliver’s birth.

Isla and Annabel Day

Identical twins Isla and Annabel Day spent the beginning of their life in an intensive care unit.

Beck Day describes the neonatal intensive care unit as “a place you never knew existed or could ever prepare yourself for”.

But it was where her twin babies Isla and Annabel spent the beginning of their lives after being born at 30 weeks.

“At my 29+6 week appointment I was told that had developed twin to twin transfusion and I had to be admitted, have steroids and prepare to meet the girls in the next 48 hours,” Mrs Day of North Tumbulgum said.

“Very scary time.”

Identical twins Annabel and Isla Day.

Annabel was born 1320g and Isla 1160g at the Gold Coast University Hospital on June 14, 2019 having been conceived after IVF treatment.

She said she was highly appreciative of the hospital staff.

“Not only do they stay by your baby’s side every minute of everyday to keep them alive they also have this magic way of comforting and supporting the families,” she said.

“I don’t think I could of got through the traumatic ordeal without them.”

Darby Orman

After losing her baby Billy at 19 weeks, mother Jane Orman couldn’t believe it when she was able to give birth to her son Darby.

But the birth didn’t come easy.

Baby Darby was expected to arrive as early as 19 weeks when Mrs Orman was diagnosed with a “short cervix”.

She was put onto bed rest until a scan at 26+4 weeks where she was found to have no measurable cervix left and was rushed to the Royal Brisbane Women‘s Hospital before giving birth four days later on March 19, 2021.

“It was scary and very uncertain,” she said.

“I was in an out of birth suite with complications for three days prior to him being born.”

Darby Orman spent nine weeks in an intensive care unit.

The birth was followed by nine weeks in intensive care and an additional three in special care when he was born at a tiny 1137g.

The Banora Point resident, who teaches at Lindisfarne, now dedicates her time to helping other sick babies after starting business Billy J Baby – named after the baby she lost – where a portion of profits are donated to charity.

She also helped raise $17,000 for Running for Premature Babies with her husband and friends in the virtual GC marathon.

“It’s been a journey after the losing Billy and then all the issues with Darby,” she said.

“But we have him now and he’s a true miracle.”