Luck continues for the first Aussie to win Winter Olympic gold — when every other finalist fell over — as he fathers twins. Rose Fydler reports.
Spiky-haired speed skater Steven Bradbury is famous for being in the right place at exactly the right time. But when his wife Amanda went into early labour with twins while the Winter Olympic hero was in Canada, he wondered if his luck had finally deserted him.
“It was pretty upsetting, listening to Amanda on the phone back in Brisbane, in pain and with contractions less than two minutes apart. I was so worried about her, about the babies being too premature at eight weeks early, and of course missing out on the births,” says Steve, recalling his frantic dash home from Vancouver, where he had been mentoring the Australian speed skating team in the lead up to the Games.
“That whole trip almost backfired — but just when I was preparing for the worst, the contractions suddenly came to a halt. It was the best kind of miracle!” beams the proud new dad as he introduces son Flyn Steven and daughter Eryn Leigh, precious little bundles who determinedly held on for their official due date of December 17, 2009.
“Born 6lb 4oz [2.8kg], Flyn was so much bigger than his sister, who was 4lb 13oz [2.2kg] — but I think Eryn could already be the boss,” says Amanda, who has already lost the 11.5kg she gained in pregnancy. “Flyn is the most laid-back and easygoing little guy — a mini Steve.”
The twins were born via caesarean, then spent 72 hours in the special needs nursery with low blood sugar and feeding problems, but nothing could shake the couple’s elation.
“If I could have carried the babies for Amanda, I would have,” says Steve, 36, who presented his wife with diamond encrusted E and F pendants in the moments after the birth.
“Carrying two babies for a whole nine months is a hard slog — as the man you feel useless, so we were both very happy to see them. I’m doing my bit now that they’re on the outside!”
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