Source: Louise Risk, Waikato Times

A Paterangi toddler is about to get the biggest Christmas surprise ever.

On Christmas Day, 19-month-old Liam Shaw will meet his sisters, twins Olivia Elsie and Emily May, for the first time.

Their parents, sharemilkers Kate and Wayne Shaw, were all ready for their last Christmas with one child when the twins decided they did not want to miss out on all the festive fun, arriving last Saturday at 33 weeks.

"I did all my Christmas shopping early because I knew I wouldn't be feeling like doing it close to Christmas," Mrs Shaw said.

On Friday, December 16, "I was planning on doing the Christmas grocery shop and cooking some meals to freeze for after the girls arrived.

"I was in the hospital by 9am and didn't leave again."

Emily and Olivia, who were due on February 1, were born the next day.

And after a night in incubators they have gone from strength to strength.

Like their brother before them, the twins were conceived with the assistance of IVF treatment.

The Shaws said it was initially difficult to come to terms with needing IVF, but the Fertility Associates Hamilton staff had been brilliant, and the process was something they encouraged other couples in their situation to pursue.

"It was scary ... but wonderful," Mrs Shaw said.

"Without the treatment we wouldn't have any children."

During the pregnancy, the couple were warned there was a 90 per cent chance Olivia would have abnormalities, and they advise others in such situations to follow their instincts when contemplating action they may regret later. "Don't make rash decisions," Mr Shaw said.

Three tests in Auckland during Mrs Shaw's pregnancy plus more on Olivia after she was born have given her a clean bill of health.

In fact, at birth Olivia, at 2490 grams, outweighed Emily, at 1962 grams.   READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE >