We're Australia's own modern family

Families come in all shapes and sizes…as gay partners Brett and Tony prove. They’ve just become dads to four bouncing baby boys!

It’s a pure “pinch me, is this really happening?” moment. Two sets of twins – all boys – sleeping soundly, are being lovingly held by their totally besotted dads. Suddenly, the drowsy silence is shattered by a cacophony of squawks and lung-busting wails. It’s feed time for these precious little boys who, only five weeks ago, were born in New Delhi, India, via two surrogates.

“This is truly everything we hoped for,” says proud dad Tony, who is remarkably calm for a first-time father – as is his partner Brett, a primary school teacher. “We’ve been really surprised with how relaxed we are,” says social worker Tony, 39. “It’s been a huge learning experience for us. Up until the boys were born, I’d never changed a nappy, never fed a baby, nothing. We’ve had lots of support from family and friends, though, and that makes a huge difference.”

Since bringing the boys home to Bendigo in Victoria, Tony and Brett have hit the ground running. While many first-time parents struggle with the dramatic life changes a new baby brings, these big-hearted dads are dealing with those challenges times four! “We get stressed sometimes, when we might be feeding one and the others start screaming and get really wound up and there’s not a lot you can do,” says Brett, 40. “We are quickly learning to do more than two things at once – putting the dummy in one, trying to comfort another, playing with one, trying to get the other one off to sleep.”

Tony nods in agreement. “I’m not the sort of person who can sit down for long,” he laughs. “We’ve got bottles to fill, clothes to wash, food to prepare, feeds every four hours, coffee and tea to make for all the people coming over to lend a hand and offer support. All my friends say I’m hyper and I can’t relax… well, with four babies to look after, that’s probably a good thing.”Brett and Tony have been a couple for 12 years. They were best friends in high school, came out in their mid-20s, and fell in love in their late 20s. Both yearned for fatherhood, and they decided to pursue surrogacy to fulfil their dream.