My big sister

Story by Claire Elliot

DAISY and Poppy Sutherland are one set of twins no one will have trouble telling apart.

The three-week-old girls were born within 10 minutes of each other, weighing a combined 13lb 8oz.

But Daisy is whopping three-and-a-half pounds heavier than her daintier twin and several inches longer.

The average size of a twin is 5lb but Daisy weighed a mammoth 8lb 1oz, dwarfing her 5lb 7oz sister.

They are now 9lb 7oz and 6lb 1oz respectively.

Proud parents Barry and Pamela, from Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, always knew one of the babies was going to be bigger following routine scans. But they never expected the tot to tip the scales at more than half a stone.

Pamela, 30, who is also mum to Travis, three, said: “Even the midwife was shocked when she weighed Daisy. She had to do a double take at the scales.

“We always knew the baby lying on the left side would be a big baby so we were half warned.

“But I never expected her to tip the scales at 8lb 1oz.

“Our son, Travis, was 8lb 13oz when he was born so when we were told we were having twins I was expecting two half that size.”

Despite the unexpected weight, however, Daisy and Poppy were born naturally at Elgin Maternity Hospital on May 20.

Their proud mum was induced 38 weeks into her pregnancy at 10am and gave birth to Daisy at 5.05pm and Poppy, who was born breach, at 5.15pm.

They were both given oxygen immediately after their arrival. But the healthy bundles of joy were home by tea-time the following day.

Pamela said: “Poppy was breach but there were no problems at all. It all went smoothly.

“We weren’t given a reason for the difference in their sizes. They had different sacs and different placentas.

“But they are both healthy and we feel very lucky.”

And apart from one twin having slightly lighter hair than the other, she admitted their size difference makes it easy to tell them apart.

She said: “Poppy is really dainty and petite and Daisy is more stretched out. She’s not really a big baby. She’s just big for a twin.”

But Daisy drinks 6oz of formula each meal - twice as much as Poppy, who drinks just two to three ounces.

Daisy is also wearing a size up in clothing to Poppy, who will be able to grow into her sisters outfits.

And despite being only three-weeks-old, it would appear Daisy is already keeping an eye out for her smaller sibling.

Pamela said: “They share a crib and when they are lying next to each other there is quite a size difference between them.
 
“It’s quite funny because even though Poppy is the smallest, Daisy notices if Poppy’s not there. Poppy is more a sound sleeper and doesn’t really bother but Daisy is really aware when her sister’s not there.

“They’re just amazing.”

The heaviest twins born naturally in Scotland are thought to weigh just over 15lb 14oz.