Kelly Beukers: ‘Our twins were born after 26 weeks

In On the stage every other week let’s talk about motherhood with an influencer. This time we speak to Kelly Beukers, mother of the twins Jackson and James (2).

Introduce

• Kelly Beukers (26)
• Relationship: Engaged to Rory
• Children: Jackson and James (2)
• Instagram: @kellybeukers
• Number of followers: 13,900

You are a momfluencer: how did that come about?

“As a singer, I started Instagram early. Before I shared about motherhood, I already had thousands of followers. From the moment I was with Rory, my world was turned upside down: I wanted to be a mother. That singing will come, I thought. I got pregnant, off the pill, but unfortunately it ended in a miscarriage. A month later – I had stopped taking the pill – I was pregnant again, this time with twins. In September 2019, James and Jackson were born after a 26-week pregnancy. A month later I shared the news with my followers, because it felt strange that overnight I didn’t have a big belly anymore. After that, more and more followers joined: they all wanted to stay informed. Everyone sympathized with us. We got a lot of cards in the mail, even from strangers. So special.”

Jackson and James spent months in the hospital. What was that time like?

“Before delivery, we were told that their survival rate was fifty percent. They both weighed less than a kilo. Even after the birth, it was often the end of the line. We were called several times to say goodbye, because they were doing so badly. James almost had to have surgery because he hadn’t pooped yet. But because premature babies are so vulnerable, they often do not survive the operation. It just went well: a few days before the operation he pooped. We actually went through such difficult things all the time.”

How did you and Rory deal with that?

“We are both very positive. We always thought it would be okay, kind of a gut feeling. And the more you say that to each other, the more you believe in it. I also felt a kind of strength. We said to the children in the incubator: ‘Come on kid, you can do it’, but at home we cried together. I didn’t want to show them that I was afraid of losing them. According to my mother, I lived in a kind of intoxication for those months. I told everyone who wanted to hear how beautiful my children were, while they were tiny and between the wires. When people asked what it felt like to be a mother, I had no idea. “Just enjoy your rest,” others said. I thought that was such an odd comment.”

Also read: Graziëlla ten Veen has triplets: ‘It’s always hop, hop, hop, hurry up’

When were the boys allowed to go home?

“A day before Christmas. My birthday is on Christmas Day, so it was a very nice birthday. Just after New Years, they were hospitalized with the RS virus. At the end of January they came home and it was really good. So unreal! I was always afraid that something would go wrong, so I was on my toes: everyone who came by had to wash and disinfect their hands twice. I had to learn to let go of the boys with the help of EMDR therapy. The first weeks we thought at night with every cry: ‘Oh yes, we are parents now. We can comfort them.’ Those self-evident moments were very special to us.”

Do you ever have to deal with mom shaming†

“Oh yes, every day. We once shared a video on TikTok about a child lock on the kitchen cabinets. We found a useful tip, but it was criticized. “Just teach your kid to stay out of the kitchen,” they responded. I don’t care about that, but at the same time I didn’t fall for my mouth either. If someone asks, “Oh, isn’t your child walking yet?” I’ll say something about that. And then they are tongue-tied.”

Something different: you will soon be doing something fun for Kek Mama. Tell!

“Rory and I have created short couples workout videos that will be online at the end of April. The exercises are very nice and funny to do with your partner, for example when the children are in bed. It’s especially for beginners, but sweat a lot, haha. There is also a moment in which you kiss each other, both from a different exercise. Over the past few months, Rory and I have been very fanatical: we ate healthy and exercised every morning. It makes me feel a lot more comfortable in my own skin.”

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