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Woman gives birth twice – and has five babies
2:17pm Monday 10th March 2008
A woman has defied odds of 729,000 to one to give birth to triplets - then twins.
Emma Witney, 30, had two boys and a girl in one go before conceiving two more boys four years later.
Despite being on the maternity ward just twice Emma's brood is made of Jason, Scott and Rachel, all six, and Freddie and William, 19 months, Emma, of Raymond Close, Seaford, said: "We thought we'd try for a baby when the triplets were about four years old but then we were told we were having twins.
"It was a bit of a relief because everybody was saying that I was going to have quads. When there were two of them I was so relieved because there could have been more."
The odds of having non-identical, or fraternal, triplets are about one in every 8,100 births while the odds of fraternal twins are one in 90.
With combined odds of 729,000 to one, Emma had more chance of being struck by lightening at 576,000 to one, or being killed by an asteroid at 20,000 to one.
Emma has a mountain to climb each morning.
She said: "We get up at 7am and Neil goes straight to work. I get up and get myself sorted while the triplets get themselves up and dressed while I bring the twins downstairs ready for breakfast.
"It's usually really manic between 7am and 8.30am. The triplets then get off to school and it quietens down. I've got two very good friends who take them for me.
"The triplets love the twins and they're fantastic with them.
"They've never been jealous of them because they've never been on their own. If there is anything they can do to help, they will."
Although the twins were an extra burden on Emma and taxi driver husband Neil, 41, the couple have managed to co-ordinate the evenings with military precision.
She said: "You have to get a bedtime routine going as soon as you can. You're able to get some time to yourself and with your other half and you can de-stress in the evening.
"It also helps if you've got family willing to help if you fancy going out. My family have been brilliant and they all much in as much as they can."
Your Say YourArgus
RAS Putin, Brighton says...
3:18pm Mon 10 Mar 08
FO Trubshaw wrote:Yes and since +-400,000 people die in the UK each year that's 20 people annually being killed by the pesky things!
\"Emma had more chance of being struck by lightening at 576,000 to one, or being killed by an asteroid at 20,000 to one.\"
Struck by lightening?? You mean anorexia perhaps? So, 1 in 20,000 of us are going to be killed by an Asteroid?
The end is nigh..
Confused, Seaford says...
3:21pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Andrew, Patcham says...
3:23pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Emma has a mountain to climb each morning.
You've got to feel sorry for poor Emma. Not only does she have 5 children to look after, but she also has to climb a mountain each morning. Extraordinary stamina!
Dufus, Hove says...
4:50pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Lizzie, Hove says...
5:20pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Humpty, my house says...
5:32pm Mon 10 Mar 08
I read that as a woman had given birth twice, in the same space of time. Then I hear its just twins and triplets four years apart.
Thats no story. If she'd given birth once and then two more suprise kids had popped out five minutes later... that would have been a story.
Darryl, Kemp Town says...
11:27pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Lizzie wrote:Lizzie, this is the Argus- "ATM doesn't give receipt" would make headline news!
So, this woman had triplets over 6 years ago, then twins 19 months ago - must be a slow news day today.
Amanda, 475-624 says...
12:30am Tue 11 Mar 08
bored, by this story says...
1:39am Tue 11 Mar 08
chris, seaford says...
10:57am Tue 11 Mar 08
Amanda wrote:Yeah right ! The camera never lies !
I know Emma, Neil & the Children very well and she does have a life-threatening condition she is not having a laugh at anyone's expense she is very very ill.
mel, newhaven says...
11:06am Tue 11 Mar 08
Confused wrote:That story is on the argus website 7/3/08, 3 days before this happy photo was taken, it's a miracle !
The Argus ran a story on Emma Witney a few days ago. It was reported that she was suffering from a life-threatening condition & was unable to look after her 5 young children. She was angry that her Consultant was working at his private practice whilst on sick leave from the NHS. She's obviously made a very speedy recovery.
emma, seaford says...
1:39pm Tue 11 Mar 08
Tara Phlapps, Portslade says...
4:37pm Tue 11 Mar 08
emma wrote:OMG! Like, learn to spell or something!! LOL!! EL - OH - EL!
iam emma for 1 iam ill..for 2 i had the children before my illness struck!!!iam willing to give papers evidence if all u sad people out there doubting me want to see it.what do people expect me to look like.iam still a normal mother but do striggle at times due to the illness.but do have help at hand if needed.iam not faking for the cameras.. iam angry and still waiting to see the dr again..so to all those being negative please dont iam not a FAKE............
joshua, seaford says...
11:01pm Tue 11 Mar 08
emma, seaford says...
11:59am Wed 12 Mar 08
mr angry, ovingdean says...
12:05pm Wed 12 Mar 08
joshua, eastbourne says...
1:56pm Wed 12 Mar 08
Billy, Seaford says...
11:58pm Wed 12 Mar 08
lee, seaford says...
3:10pm Thu 13 Mar 08
lee, seaford says...
3:17pm Thu 13 Mar 08
stacey, seaford says...
3:23pm Thu 13 Mar 08
sandy, seaford says...
3:27pm Thu 13 Mar 08
Billy, Seaford says...
10:26pm Thu 13 Mar 08
lee, seaford says...
3:35pm Fri 14 Mar 08
Scientist, Brighton says...
4:22pm Fri 14 Mar 08
or being killed by an asteroid at 20,000 to one.
Oh my God! For God's sake, do some better research! How are you going to get killed by an asteroid, when they usually orbit the Sun between the prbital paths of Mars and Jupiter? I think you meant meteorite - believe me, if an asteroid hit the Earth we'd all know about it!
Also, the odds of being killed by an asteroid are much more than 20,000 to one.
This is another perfect example of journalists throwing numbers around without the faintest idea of what they mean. There's a 20,000 to 1 chance that Richard Gurner understand probability or astronomy.
Lord Tilfords Faithful Servant, The Scullery says...
5:00pm Fri 14 Mar 08
lee wrote:If perhaps you understood the comment you wally - the poster was referring to the mis-use of the word "lightening", as in getting lighter. Like losing weight. You don't get struck by lightening, you get struck by lightning. No 'e' you see. Now, stop using so many commas and open your eyes a bit more.
in reply to billys message if you read the 1st message then there are insults to her weight,we are all not here to argue,we have better things to do, here is the insult for proof(Struck by lightening?? You mean anorexia perhaps),,,please someone say a positive comment for once,,,,its me doing the yawning...
vee, England,Staffs. says...
10:53pm Tue 20 May 08
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Emma Witney, with her children (left to right) triplets Jason, Scott and Rachel, six, and twins, William and Freddie, 19 months
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FO Trubshaw, Ovingdean says...
2:41pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Struck by lightening?? You mean anorexia perhaps? So, 1 in 20,000 of us are going to be killed by an Asteroid?
The end is nigh..