Zara Bradbury, 36, fell pregnant with twins four just weeks after her first baby Dei-Dei – and says each of her girls has their own ‘totally different’ personalities
A mum has told how she gave birth to three babies in the space of nine months – after falling pregnant with twins just one month after having her third child.
After Zara Bradbury, 36, gave birth to her little girl, Dei-Dei, on October 7, 2023, she and her partner, Luke, 31, had no plans to add their family until she was a few years older. But just one month after she gave birth in November 2023, Zara missed a period – so took a pregnancy test and was shocked to discover she was expecting again. She was left even more stunned when she discovered she was having twins at her 20-week scan in February the following year.
Zara gave birth two daughters, Zayla and Kayla, six weeks early, on July 26, 2024 – just nine months after their big sister Dei-Dei – and says strangers often mistake the three girls for triplets – as they look so similar. She describes having three under the age of two as “tough at times” but says they’re all thriving and each of the girls has their own “totally different” personalities.
Zara, a stay-at-home mum, from Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, said: “It was a real shock finding out I was pregnant with the twins after just giving birth. Luke was very very shocked, but he was hoping for twins one as twins run in his family. He was adamant they were going to be boys – now he’s truly outnumbered. They look a little bit alike, but I wouldn’t say they look double.
“I do tend to dress them all the same. All the time everyone comes up to us thinking they’re triplets.
“I love that they can all be there for each other and look out for each other growing up.
“I’m not looking forward to all three of them starting their hormones at the same time though, or when they all want a mobile phone or laptop.”
Before having Dei-Dei, Zara was worried she wouldn’t be able to have children after suffering three miscarriages in late 2022 and was due to have a doctor’s appointment to test why when she fell pregnant. But, after a difficult pregnancy where Zara was constantly in hospital with gestational diabetes, Dei-Dei was born at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield at 10.01am on October 7, 2023, weighing 8lbs.
Just nine months later, the twins arrived on July 26, 2024, via emergency c-section at 34 weeks. Zayla was born at 10.40am weighing 4lb 5ox, with younger sister, Kayla, following at 10.43am weighing 5lb. Zara said: “I just knew that I wanted quite similar names because they were twins. I really liked Zayla, and I was trying to find something nice that went with it.
“Their umbilical cords had stopped working so they had to get them out as there was a risk of stillbirth. We spent 11 days in hospital.”
The family has had some challenges – including Kayla’s recent referral to a paediatrician for child development and neurodisability. It can be quite hard, but we’ve got a good routine going on,” Zara said.
“The only problem is we’re stuck in a two-bed house with all these kids. We don’t even have a garden for them, so that can be quite tricky.”
The girls are forming their own personalities as they grow, with Zayla the “chirpy” one of the two, and sister Kayla “unsettled” – while big sister, Dei-Dei, is “chilled”. Zara said: “My mum comes over every other weekend and she does sleep here when she can to help out.
“And Luke’s mum and dad help whenever they can. They dote on them”.