God always sends you signs after you go through a particular kind of grief. Fate has plans to make you heal and overcome the traumas, and Heather Brown was able to experience it all. At 36, the feeling that she wanted to expand her family never disappeared. She was all set to begin her fertility journey, as already due to her age, her egg count was now low, and the chances of conceiving a baby also suffered with it. Thus, she opted for a donor to become a mother.
The first time, things did not work out, as after only a few weeks, the doctors told her that she was miscarrying the baby. However, her joy and gratitude at the news of being pregnant with twins couldn’t be put into words.
Buchanan and Leonor “Nori,” a baby boy and a girl, were soon welcomed into the family.
Every day of being pregnant, she was grateful to experience the beauty of motherhood once again, this time with two babies, and just like that, a few weeks passed. Tables turned, when at 1 week she had severe cramps and also started bleeding. Heather knew it was time to visit the hospital, and it was too early to deliver the babies. However, soon she was informed that labour had been induced and the babies, premature now, had to be delivered to not risk her life. Both babies were lifeless.
Previously, the Heather, excited and the happiest to soon become a mother, was surrounded by deep sorrow. How devastating would it be to lose two of your babies at the same time? However, with her strong wish to become a mother, she did not want to stop trying. Also, to preserve the twins as a memory, she got their footprints tattooed on her arm.
With great courage, she went to the tattoo artist, who broke down, reading the name of the baby, “Leonor Bechanan,” as it was also the name of the tattoo artist’s grandmother. Heather found the event unusual and saw it as a sign. It felt like no matter where she went, the presence and essence of the babies were always with her.
Later, she got a few tests and scans done to figure out if there was any other issue other than the low egg count, and she was right about it, as she was now also diagnosed with a unicornate uterus. It did not mean that she could not get pregnant, but the chances of miscarrying and having a pregnancy with complications were higher. Thus, at the age of 39, she switched to IVF. She transferred two embryos and soon was pregnant, with twins AGAIN! This time again, it was a boy and a girl.
Although the doctor immediately gave her a suggestion to reduce the number of babies for this reason, she refused and found a doctor who would enlighten her about the hope of a safe delivery of the twins. However, at 17 weeks, the scans revealed only one heartbeat.
The news seemed to shatter her world, but she had to keep going for her daughter. Her emotions varied on days; how she felt throughout the weeks would impact the other baby. When it was nearly time to deliver, Heather was diagnosed with preeclampsia. However, through a C-section, she safely delivered her daughter, Leti James, at 36 weeks, and what happened next is the highlight of her journey.
Heti had her birthmarks on her forehead, and the mark was footprint-shaped. The other baby she delivered, James, was lifeless, but she did get to hold him for a little while. She was upset that she couldn’t get his fingerprints like all her other babies, but managed to get a creative photoshoot done to honour the baby and his presence in the family.
Seeing Leti smiling and looking towards the other cot during the photoshoot was heartwarming.
The images are dear to Heather, who believes that all three babies, Nori, Buchanan, and James, always watch over their sister. Losing them required a lot of strength for Heather to get a hold of herself, but she could gladly do it all. She has made peace with the fact that her bond with the babies is forever.
