We must have looked a sorry sight. My boyfriend, Richard Vaughan, and I, both perched on the edge of the bath, staring at the testing wand in my hand. 'I just can't do it,' I cried, shaking my head. 'I'm exhausted.' We'd been here before you see, four years earlier… I was 19 then, and still living at home with my mum, Audrey, 53. I'll admit I wasn't the best at taking my Pill, but it was still a massive shock when I missed a period back in December 2001. I'd only just started work as a teaching assistant, and Richard, now 26, was still at college, studying painting and decorating. 'What can we offer a baby?' he'd asked, worried. 'Love,' I'd replied. But even I'd worried love wouldn't be enough when, at my 12-week scan, we'd learned we were expecting twins. Twins! Double the cost, double the sleepless nights, the mountain of nappies twice as high… Thank heavens for Mum and Richard's parents, Stella and Richard, both then 53. All three of them had been amazing from the moment Khalil and Kia were born at Homerton Hospital, on 10 October 2002.

Life was a whirlwind of nappy changes, feeds, baths and loading the washing machine. But being a mum was a new challenge and I loved it. Richard came over every morning to help out with the twins, leaving in the afternoon to go to work as a security guard. Then, in April 2003, we finally got our own place nearby. Life settled into a routine and as the kids grew, they developed their own little personalities… Khalil, the boisterous one, loved chasing our dog, Isis, or playing football with Richard. Kia was a girly girl who liked reading and helping me make fairy cakes. But cute as they were, now it was November 2006, and I was staring at another positive pregnancy test and wondering how on earth we'd manage with three kids and me still only 24. Six weeks later, I was still getting my head round it when I went for my 12-week scan and the sonographer dropped the bombshell. 'Congratulations,' she said. 'You're having twins!'
Shocked doesn't come close. Shaking, I phoned Richard. 'I-I can't believe it's happened again,' he stammered. Later, as we tucked the twins into bed, I wondered how we'd cope. 'We're older this time,' Richard said. 'And at least I've got a job.' But then another fear struck me. Having four children I could cope with, just. But what if I fell pregnant again?

'I want to get sterilised after I've had these twins,' I told the doctor, two weeks later. 'You're very young,' he frowned. 'What if you want more kids?' 'Are you joking?' I spluttered. 'Four kids are enough for me.' 'Go home and think about it,' the doctor insisted. But I didn't need to. I simply couldn't cope with any more kids. 'I want to be sterilised,' I told Richard later that night. 'What?' he gasped. 'But you're only 24.' 'I know,' I nodded. 'But I think it's the right decision.' 'If it's what you want,' he said, 'I'll support you.' So two weeks later, at my next appointment, the doctor explained the procedure. Immediately after my Caesarean, doctors would tie up my Fallopian tubes, preventing them from releasing any eggs. So on 27 July 2007, at 38 weeks, I went to Homerton Hospital to have the babies. Richard was at my side as the doctors delivered Anai and Amara, identical twin girls. Just perfect. They were shown to me for a moment before being whisked away while I had my surgery. I didn't feel a thing, and less than five minutes later, I was amazed to be wheeled back onto the ward. 'Have you done it?' I asked. 'Yes,' the nurse replied. 'You're all stitched up.' Then she bought us our new arrivals to hold.

As I cradled Anai and Amara in my arms, looking at their rose-petal faces, relief hit me. That was that. I had two more gorgeous babies, and no chance of having any more! Later that day, Mum brought Khalil and Kia to see me. Looking around at my family, I nearly burst with pride. I wouldn't change it for the world. But while I may still be young, my family's already more than complete.

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