The McIntosh Family - North Canterbury
Otto and Lottie McIntosh have recently celebrated their first birthdays, surrounded by loved ones at home in North Canterbury. The twins have their own little personalities; Otto is a chilled out, smiley little lad and Lottie is “quite confident, she’s definitely the boss!” says mum, Amy. The family of four, including dad Dallas, love spending time at home – their haven. “We’re real homebodies, we do love going for walks and taking the twins swimming but mainly just spending time together as a family,” says Amy. Considering the twins’ start to life, this sentiment is not surprising.
When Amy became pregnant with the twins, she knew the risks of pre-eclampsia and foetal growth restriction were higher than average. In 2021, she had experienced a similar complication, delivering her baby, Lola, at just 26 weeks. Tragically, Lola passed away four days later. This time, Amy was closely monitored, and it soon became clear that Otto faced the same challenge Lola had in utero: severe growth restriction.
By 24 weeks, Amy and her partner Dallas knew the twins would arrive early, as Amy had already begun experiencing symptoms of pre-eclampsia, including high blood pressure and swelling. Reflecting on the difficult decisions they faced, Amy explained, “We had to weigh the risks for both the babies and me. The longer they stayed in, the higher the chances that Otto wouldn’t survive or that my pre-eclampsia would worsen, putting my life at risk.”
“Every single day mattered. We counted down each week, first trying to hold on till 25 weeks, then to pass the gestation we lost Lola, and eventually, 30 weeks became the final goal. We knew at 30 weeks that Otto had stopped growing, so we had to give them a chance to grow on the outside.”
The twins arrived by C-section; Lottie weighed 1.2 kg, and Otto just 1 kg. Amy says, “With Lola, I hadn’t prepared myself for what could happen – this time around, I tried to steel myself for the worst.” The babies were moved to the NICU at Christchurch Hospital immediately, where they were both intubated. “It took three days before I could hold Lottie for the first time; I didn’t hold Otto until he was stable enough after six days,” says Amy, “it was a tough time.” Lottie gained strength and graduated from the NICU at 79 days, however Otto was struggling. “On his third day, we were called in at midnight to be told he might not make it. It was awful,” Amy remembers, “my wee baby boy was on High frequency intubation for 15 days, NIPPV (non-invasive positive pressure ventilation) and CPAP for 61 days then ultimately onto high-flow oxygen and coming home on low-flow oxygen. He also went through three blood transfusions, an albumin transfusion and multiple rounds of antibiotics.”
During this challenging time, the family stayed just down the road at Ronald McDonald House. “Lottie came with me once discharged and Dallas split his time between home and the House,” says
Amy, “I honestly don’t know how I would have coped being at home, a long drive away from Otto’s bedside.” Amy found the staff and other families at the House to be a constant source of strength to her, explaining, “Some nights when Dallas was at home other parents would help out at dinner time, holding Lottie so I could dish up my food – stuff like that. I’m still friends with some of the parents I met during this time.”
The family spent their first Christmas at the House, and Amy and Dallas were overjoyed to find a large Santa’s sack at their bedroom door on Christmas morning. “It was so sweet. Lottie is still obsessed with the teddy bear she was gifted at Ronald McDonald House,” Amy says.
After 110 nights at Ronald McDonald House and in the NICU, the family were able to move back home. “Otto was still needing oxygen, with a nasal gastric tube for feeding as well– so it was a little overwhelming at first,” explains Amy. The family found their groove with time and are now looking forward to their twins’ second Christmas – this time at home. “They’re thriving,” says Amy, “Otto loves his trucks and cars and is developing really well. He and Lottie are very different, and it’s great to see their personalities develop!”
Amy works for Ray White NZ as a real estate agent; Ray White has been a long-term supporter of RMHC NZ, including partnering with us for our major campaign, House to House. Amy got involved this year and plans to do it again in 2025 to give back. Amy explains her motivation for getting involved, “RMHC NZ meant everything to me and my family. They enabled us to be near Otto during some of our toughest moments.” If you would like to sign up to our most popular campaign, please do so by clicking here!
