A super fertile mum has a 700,000 to one family after giving birth to TWO sets of twins – one identical, one fraternal – with no ‘filler baby’ in-between at incredible odds.
Gina Shelton, 30, and partner Olie Lloyd, 33, from Telford, Shrops, were left stunned in March when their second natural pregnancy in three years turned out to be another set of twins – despite no history of twins in the family.
With the chances of two consecutive twin pregnancies thought to be in the region of one in 700,000, the stay-at-home mum-of-five admits people joke 'I'm not sitting next to you' for fear of catching her productive genes.
But social media influencer Gina loves her life as a mum to five-under six - Phoebe (6), Niamh and Esme (3), and Arlo and Alby (3 months) - and said she wouldn’t swap it for the world despite having changed more than 5,550 nappies to date.
Gina says: "I never thought we would have twins, but when I was pregnant with the girls I was working in a nursery and I was just so tired all the time. "Everyone around me was always saying I was going to have twins.
"In the waiting room at the hospital Olie and I were looking at cars before the scan and Olie kept joking 'forget it, we're going to need a bus!
"I think we were crying with happiness and panic when we found out because at the time, we were living in a two-bedroom flat and Olie was in the process of building our house.
"A year later we found out we were having another set of twins – we couldn't believe it, but neither could our family or even our doctors."It's crazy, busy and noisy having five kids but I wouldn't change it for the world.
"We get through thousands of nappies and we've had to buy a seven-seater car, but my family is one in a million."
With no known history of twins on either Gina or Olie's side of the family, the couple's relatives are puzzled as to where their double trouble DNA has come from.
Both sets of twins were conceived naturally and were born by c-section so when the couple announced that a second pair were on the way, their family were in disbelief.
The chances of having two sets of twins without a single 'filler' baby between them are estimated to be in the region of 700,000 to one.
But for super-fertile Gina, it took just four months of trying to conceive to fall pregnant with both her twin girls and twin boys.
Also read: Woman with two wombs and two vaginas overcomes the odds to deliver perfect baby girl
The couple estimate as the boys get older and start eating solids, their monthly supermarket shop will cost somewhere in the region of £1,000. Gina said:
"When we rang Olie's mum and dad to tell them the news about the second set of twins they thought we were having them on.
"They even thought we were just going to send them the scan of Niamh and Esme again and that it was all a joke.
"My nan just kept telling me how sorry she felt for me. "But I'm able to go into the town center with all five of my kids, I am very lucky that they are so well behaved.
"As identical twins, Niamh and Esme get a lot of attention while out and about so when people notice the other set too, they can't believe their eyes.
"I think the key is being active, getting up and out and keeping them entertained.
"I get sick of staying in, so I'm always organizing things for us to do as a family."
After her older girls were born, Gina started documenting her life on social media and now has 133,000 Instagram followers who catch up with her life as part of a family of seven.
The supermom wows her friends, family, and followers as she takes her five youngsters out and about in adorable and immaculate matching outfits.
But the siblings have even captured the attention of huge brands such as Heinz, Amazon, and McDonalds, who have featured the family in advertising campaigns.
And Gina and Olie, a carpenter, said while their unlikely two sets of twins have brought twice as much demand to the family they have also brought twice as much love and happiness
Gina says: "I did worry that Phoebe was going to be pushed out as Niamh and Esme grew up, but actually it has just brought us closer together.
"While the twins have each other, Phoebe and I will always have each other because we don't understand their bond.
"Niamh and Esme will talk to each other and burst into hysterical fits of laughter while Olie and I are stood trying to work out what they're laughing at.
"But if one of them gets picked on, the other is the first one by their side defending them. "They're incredibly close and I'm sure the boys will be the same. "Watching them laugh and love each other like that is the most rewarding thing as a mother.
"Although the odds aren't that much higher of winning the lottery, I still think we're luckier to have the family we do.
FACTBOX: Odds of having two sets of twin
Although most experts claim it is almost impossible to quantify the odds of having consecutive sets of twins because there are 'too many variables' - several reports suggest that the odds could be around one in 700,000.
Inherited genetics and whether a woman have undergone IVF affect her chances of giving birth to twins - with fertility treatment known to increase the risk of getting two babies for the price of one.
The Twin's Trust also adds that a woman who gives birth to a set of non-identical twins is four times more likely to give birth to another set of non-identical twins than other mums.
Source: Magazine Features
Chat back:
Share your story with us and we could publish it. Anonymous contributions are welcome.
WhatsApp: Send messages and voicenotes to 066 010 0325
Email: Share your story with us via email at chatback @ parent24.com