A young couple who were told they may never be able to have children have welcomed their second set of twins – exactly one year after their first.
Now with four children under the age of two, Alisha Young, 25, and Connor Craster, 26, from Hartlepool, certainly have their hands full.
Surviving on a maximum of five hours’ sleep a night, the couple said they essentially have quadruplets and spend £18 a day on nappies, with around 50 changes in 24 hours.
‘We’re so happy and so blessed,’ said Ms Young.
‘I always wanted a big family and have always wanted to be a mammy.’
But their journey to this point was far from straightforward.
The couple met while working in a hospital in May 2022 and were engaged in November the following year.
Months later, Ms Young was told she could not have her own children due to her having endometriosis, a condition where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body.
Connor Craster and Alisha Young certainly have their hands full with four children under the age of two
Surviving on a maximum of five hours’ sleep a night, the couple spend £18 a day on nappies, with around 50 changes in 24 hours
After struggling with painful, heavy periods and pelvic pain from a young age, she was advised to have a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, as she was told she risked losing her right ovary.
‘It’s very difficult with endo, there’s always a lot of information to think about, options to explore and decisions to make,’ said Ms Young.
After deciding to go ahead with the hysterectomy in February 2024, she took a pregnancy test, which revealed she was pregnant.
‘Finding out we were pregnant was such a shock but a huge blessing. I was absolutely gobsmacked,’ she said.
Then, at an eight-week scan, the couple found out that they were expecting twins – months after being told she wouldn’t be able to conceive.
Mr Craster said: ‘I saw two circles on the screen. They were joined by a little line, and it looked like a smiley face.’
The couple discovered they were expecting girls at 16 weeks, and the babies were due on December 27 2024.
Lottie, 4lb 2oz, was born at 5.07am, and Hattie, weighing 3lb 14oz, was born at 5.40am, on November 2, 2024, and they spent 29 days in neonatal care.
And then came their second miracle. Just five months after giving birth, in April 2025, came another positive pregnancy test.
A scan four weeks later revealed they were expecting twins again.
In the UK, the chance of having a multiple birth (twins, triplets, or more) is approximately 1 in 65 pregnancies, or about 2.4 per cent of live births.
Connor and Alisha are pictured with their four children: Hattie, Lottie, Florence and William
With four babies in nappies, the young couple’s lives revolve around constant changes, feeding and around-the-clock care
If the first set is fraternal (non-identical), the chances of having twins again are higher because the genetic tendency to ‘hyper-ovulate’ (release multiple eggs) persists.
‘We couldn’t believe it,’ said Mr Craster. ‘The first time was so unexpected it just didn’t seem possible.
‘We looked at each other with dropped jaws – we were told we couldn’t have any children and now we were about to have four.
‘Finding out we were pregnant again when Lottie had just come out of hospital was a huge shock. It was crazy – I didn’t know what we’d do.’
The babies were due on December 17, but Ms Young went into labour on October 29.
When the labour didn’t progress, her waters were broken on November 2 and 5lb 5oz Florence and 5lbs 3oz William were born six weeks early, at 2.15pm and 3.35pm, on their big sisters’ first birthday.
Florence and William spent 14 days in neonatal care, in the exact same bed spaces as their sisters a year earlier.
With four babies in nappies, the young couple’s lives revolve around constant changes, feeding and around-the-clock care.
‘I can’t say when the day starts, because the last one just doesn’t end,’ Mr Craster said.
And despite having to trade in their compact Mitsubishi Mirage for a seven-seater Kia Carens, the couple say they ‘couldn’t ask for anything more’.
‘Once they were here, our lives and family felt complete,’ said Mr Craster.
Ms Young added: ‘With four children, routine is absolutely key.
‘Making sure you stick to timings is the only way to get any time for yourself.
‘When people say it takes a village to raise children, it really does. We’re so lucky to have a great support circle.’