Following a six-year battle trying to conceive, Sam, 37 and Max Delmege, 76, have opened up about their journey to becoming new parents.
Defying the odds since their marriage in 2015 with a 39-year age gap, the couple thought they would be ready for the journey of starting a family via IVF.
Despite attempting IVF 23 times and suffering multiple miscarriages, “Team Delmege” kept persevering and were rewarded in January this year when they welcomed twins Tommy and Lexie into their family.
“I remember feeling excited at the time but very emotional that we had finally got there,” Mrs Delmege told A Current Affair.
“It all just happened really fast … I was sitting here having dinner one night, had a few pains, rang the obstetrician, in hospital and within two hours was in theatre – babies out.”
Mrs Delmege gave birth following a difficult pregnancy, during which she suffered severe morning sickness and was admitted to hospital at 23 weeks at risk of going into early labour.
Staying for 50 days on round-the-clock bed rest, she made it to 35 weeks before the babies decided they were ready to come out.
“To see them come out was unbelievable to see, they seemed to be healthy and happy, it was just wonderful,” Mr Delmege said.
After spending three weeks in the hospital’s special care nursery, Tommy and Lexie are now settling in their Gold Coast home, while Mr and Mrs Delmege enjoy life as a family of four.
Of the long IVF journey they went through, Mr Delmege said it was “certainly worth it when you look at these two beautiful, little children.”
For Mr Delmege, the twins represent his second time at fatherhood, already having two adult sons who he regrets not spending enough time with.
“When I am sitting here at 4.30 in the morning feeding them, once I feed her she starts to laugh and we talk and I’m looking at her and I thought, gee I’m a very lucky guy,” he said.
Though the first few months haven’t been easy for both parents, especially as Mrs Delmege adjusts to being a first-time mum, she said she wouldn’t change it for the world.
At just four months old, the twins are already an aunt and uncle to five nieces and nephews – the oldest 19.
Despite their slightly unusual family tree, the couple said they have been well supported on their 11-year journey from newlyweds to parents.
“You’re always going to have a few people who don’t agree with things but the majority of the people have supported us,” Mr Delmege said.
Mr and Mrs Delmege also hope their story will help others struggling with conceiving.
“Don’t give up, at the end of the storm, as they say, there’s always a rainbow and there really is, you’ve just got to keep pushing through no matter how hard it is,” Mrs Delmege said.
This article originally appeared on Over60.