'You've got your hands full'

Shropshire Star reports conjoined twins are 'getting stronger'

EIGHTEEN-year-old Laura Williams from Shrewsbury is still in hospital with her three-day-old conjoined twins, Hope and Faith.

The Shrosphire Star reports the baby girls don't share any vital organs and that this is a 'critical' time for them.

Read the latest report here and a fuller story here.

Will Austin Healey be the next out of Strictly?

HANG on a minute, this is a blog about twins and triplets, isn't it?

Well yes and apparently Mr Healey's daughters are teething. Bibi-Dee and Betsy are seven months.

Young parents with triplets or more sought for TV documentary

GECKO Productions is looking for parents in their late teens or early 20s who have triplets or more, who'd be interested in taking part in a documentary for the BBC.

Please get in touch with researcher Charlotte White if you would like more information. Charlotte stresses this is a well-respected, serious and sensitive broadcast company with a reputation for excellent storytelling and that anyone who gets in touch at this stage will be under no commitment to take part.

Tel: 020 7462 4505 Email: cwhite@geckoproductions.tv

Family friendly freelancing...with twins

I FOUND out early on in a freelance writing career that expecting a would-be client to come to my home, littered as it was with wonky naked Barbies and remnants of mashed up chicken stuck in the skirting board, wasn’t the best plan.

In my experience, the carnage wrought by toddler twins was no breeding ground for a successful career. But then I suppose I am a bit more crap at picking stuff up than some people.

You can read some excellent advice from mums working in the media here, which is my first piece for a new site called Freelanceadvisor.co.uk.

Mother in Kenya names twins Barack and Michelle

PAMELA Adhiambo gave birth to a boy and girl at Kisumu Hospital and named them Barack and Michelle Obama. The twins joined several newborn Baracks, Michelles and Obamas, whose parents hoped to inspire them to reach great heights.

also blogs at Deep Muck Big Rake. Write her at becky_handsfull@yahoo.com.

Healthy twins born from 13-year-old sperm

A MOTHER in Taiwan has given birth to healthy twins using the 13-year-old frozen sperm of her partner who had overcome testicular cancer, Reuters has reported.

The boys were reportedly born using the sperm taken from a man surnamed Chen, then 23, who was told chemotherapy could make him infertile.

Chen is reported to be in good health and last month's delivery followed a 37-week pregnancy.

"Never before had a case involving such a long period of time between the freezing of male sperm and procreation been reported in Taiwan," the island's Central News Agency quoted a top medic as saying.

Nearly 400,000 views for triplets on YouTube

NOW this isn't the most action-packed of videos but if you are a fan of cute babies who come along in threes then it's definitely one for you. The family's blog is here.

Diamond anniversary for twins who swapped boyfriends

I'M a miserable old so and so who usually mutters under her breath when reading any media reports which concern well-worn themes of twins hoodwinking a) teachers b) driving instructors or c) their 'love interest.'

But this piece from the BBC is a delight. It tells the story of two sisters, Hettie and Iris Beazley and how they fell for each other's fella. (D'you see what I did there?)
Anyway, good on 'em. May there be many more happy years to come.

It's easy to forget they are twins! Sharpay and Ryan: I want it all

ON the subject of fictional twins who are, refreshingly, nothing like each other here's a clip of Ryan and Sharpay doing what they do best.

I didn't like this latest High School Musical as much as the previous instalments, but it kept Emily and Melissa and their friends entertained on our recent trip to the cinema, so who am I to complain?

When I was their age, it was John Travolta and Olivia Newton John all the way. In fact I remember it very clearly. I'm sure Zac and Vanessa will also linger in the memory for this year's 10-year-olds!