Mother-of-seven defies the odds of 88,000 to one by naturally conceiving three sets of twins

It may have felt like Déjà vu for a mother-of-seven who saw two heartbeats for the THIRD time at her six-week scan.

Misty Lang, 37, has defied the odds of 88,000 to one by creating three sets of non-identical twins. Despite her ‘hectic’ household, Misty from Seattle, US, has continued studying at medical school to become a doctor.

Even though Misty is a twin herself as well as her great grandmother – she recalls being ‘flabbergasted’ with every pregnancy. Misty now says that after her third set of twins in 2018 that she’s not having any more.

She said: "Although twins run in the family, I never thought I would have any. I was ecstatic when my first pregnancy in 2009 revealed two babies as I had been trying for three months."

"I then fell pregnant one years later, in 2010, with Calista, nine, which proved it is possible for me to have a singleton. But the following year, in 2012, I discovered I was pregnant again, and I had a feeling it was twins which brought on mixed emotions when a scan confirmed it was."

"I was shocked, excited and anxious as I knew what I was in for. I then fell pregnant again with twins in 2018 with Larna and Phoenix, two, will be our final set as my husband Peter, 34, has said no more babies as it is pretty hectic and costly."

"I feel extremely lucky to have them but sometimes guilty as I know many women struggle to have just one."

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A weekly food shop is often mistaken by cashiers to be a monthly one as the bill racks up to $600 (around R 9 000).

She adds: "Supermarket staff always assume we are stocking up for the whole month as I have two trolleys full to the brim. We were recently asked if we were preparing for the coronavirus but it was just my usual shop!"

"Peter is a stay-at-home dad as the cost of childcare is too high and I make enough to provide for the family as a scrub nurse."

"The eldest twins Lexie and Alex, 11, help out when they can but we have practices in place when it comes to mealtimes. They all have a different coloured plate and line up to get their dinner. Our house is chaotic and messy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way."

"My children have always got a friend or an enemy depending on the day, but it is amazing to see their special bond. Calista feels left out sometimes, but I joke and say she must have eaten her twin. Then she responds, 'No, you ate it'."

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Misty has donated over 203 gallons of milk to babies in need as she seemingly has a 'large storage capacity' and tends to pump an average of 41 oz at a time.

She adds: "I had a C-section with Lacie and Nash, eight, as he was sideways – it was hard to recover when looking after five babies who were three and under."

"With multiples, I have learnt it is best to oversupply so I use the first four weeks as a golden opportunity for stashing away milk. In addition to nursing directly at the breast, I tend to pump both breasts 2-3 times per day and donate the remaining milk to babies."

"It is an amazing feeling knowing I can help a baby flourish and get the nutrients they need."

Milk Matters (Cape Town) or Ithemba Lethu (Durban) or find your nearest milk bank here: www.sabr.org.za. A number of State hospitals and a few private hospitals have their own in-house milk banks too. 

The busy mum often pumps milk during car journeys whilst listening to her lectures to avoid studying at home. Misty who balances her time between the children, work and studying - wants other mums to ‘never give up’ on their dreams.

She said: "I want other parents to realise they don’t have to abandon their dreams because they have children. I am the only one in my class with seven kids, but I manage to balance my time perfectly."

"I listen to lectures whilst commuting to save time studying at home and work eight hours a week. Peter is super supportive and a massive help at home."

"I am sharing my story so mums never give up on themselves."

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