Vanessa and Jamie Cronk thought they would never have their own family. It took £100k and 15 YEARS for their dream to finally come true. I wrote their story for the Sunday Mirror and they loved taking part in their very own photoshoot with gorgeous twins, Arley and Cruz.
NEVER GIVE UP: They thought it would happen straightaway… it took 15 YEARS and £100,000 for Vanessa, 45, and Jamie, 46, to have a baby - and it's twins Vanessa, 45, and Jamie 46, tried for a family for 15 yearsThey suffered unexplained infertility, four miscarriages, an ectopic pregnancy, five attempts at IVF and much trauma and heartacheThis year, they had their miracle twin boys Arley and Cruz, now 11 weeks oldVanessa is prepared to be criticised for being an older mum but doesn't care now she's finally got a family of her own...
A couple so desperate for a baby that they didn’t stop trying for 15 years have finally had not one, but two babies. Vanessa, 45, and Jamie, 46, had their twin boys Arley and Cruz in April this year after spending £100k on their fertility journey. The mum, from London, is prepared to be criticised for being an older mum but says nothing can dampen her spirits now she’s got the family she’s so desperately wanted since 2009.
As the years passed, the childhood sweethearts thought it might never happen, especially after suffering four miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy. “I was 30 when we started trying and we thought it would happen straight away,” says Vanessa. “We never imagined the trauma and heartache we would have to go through to get to where we are today. “While all our friends around us were having babies, nothing was happening for us. We were both fit and healthy, didn’t smoke and rarely drank alcohol. We couldn’t understand why I wasn’t falling pregnant."
The couple were allowed one round of IVF on the NHS, which they had at Kingston Hospital. “I was sure it would work. I had 21 eggs collected and tests showed no fertility issues with either of us,” says Vanessa. “So when it didn’t work, it really threw us.” They then went private, paid by a loan and family helping them out. “When we fell pregnant on the first private round, we were so excited. But when we returned a few weeks later for a scan, there was no heartbeat. “We’d gone from feeling euphoric to being told I was going to miscarry. It was a very low time.
A couple of days later, I had a really painful bleed and miscarried." Still keen, the couple had another private round of IVF. “Once again, family helped us financially but when it didn’t work, I thought it was never going to happen. We were classed as having unexplained infertility. “I’ve always worked as a dance teacher and having to go in and smile and pretend everything was OK was really tough. Then that summer, my period was late.”
Vanessa discovered she had fallen pregnant naturally, but it wasn’t meant to be. At 7-8 weeks, she suffered another miscarriage. “After that we changed tack and saw a different specialist. We started a controlled cycle of fertility drug clomid alongside treatment to prevent miscarriages. I was also trying everything else under the sun - acupuncture, hypnotherapy, reflexology, Chinese medicine, you name it.”
“Still nothing happened and with all our friends growing their families, it changed some of our friendships. Just seeing people fall pregnant, or their scan photos on social media was such a trigger for me.” Vanessa and Jamie tried another round of IVF at a different clinic that proved unsuccessful, followed by testing of their remaining frozen embryos, which showed they weren't viable. “At that point, we resigned ourselves to the fact it was never going to happen for us and switched off from it."
But in 2020, still feeling a great emptiness in their lives, they were about to try again when lockdown happened. In December 2021, Vanessa’s period was late again. “I thought the menopause was striking but did a pregnancy test anyway, and it was positive. I was crying as I bought and did five different tests, all positive.”
But a scan in 2022 showed it was an ectopic pregnancy and with Vanessa's life in danger, the couple were forced to make the agonising decision to terminate. “I remember hearing an animal shrieking, before realising it was me. We were finally pregnant, and now we had to get rid of our baby. It was unbearable.” The following year, in May 2023, Jamie’s parents paid for the couple to have further IVF at a clinic in Barcelona, again unsuccessful. “I felt broken and wasn't sure I could mentally and physically go through much more, yet something in me wanted to try one very last time.”
In August 2023, they returned to Barcelona. “The doctors really didn’t want to put two frozen embryos in but I was adamant. I was told it was a risk because of my age, but I stayed firm and made them do it. It had been 15 years and this was our last ever attempt, so I wanted to throw everything at it. “Back in the UK, in August 2023, we got a positive test. I couldn’t get my hopes up, knowing this had happened many times before. “An early scan showed one heartbeat and we were over the moon.
But later, blood began pouring from me - a further scan showed everything was okay, but that there were TWO heartbeats! “It was like living in a dream, growing a bump, finding out we were expecting two boys and preparing for their arrival. Everyone was so happy for us.” But at 20 weeks, Vanessa was told she had a short cervix and the only option to prevent the babies being born too early was to have a stitch in her cervix.
It was a massive risk but it worked and Vanessa kept her feet up for the entirety of the pregnancy. At 37 weeks and two days, Vanessa had a planned C-section and gave birth to Arley, 7lb 3oz, and Cruz, 7lb 7oz – the twins are now 11 weeks old. “Our babies are so loved and everyone is thrilled for us.
Trying for 15 years has pushed both Jamie and I to the brink. I honestly didn’t know my own strength and Jamie has been the biggest support. "We have spent £77k alone on IVF, tests and seeing specialists, and with flights, accommodation and extras, more than £100k has been spent on our fertility journey.
It is an insane amount of money, but our boys have made it all worthwhile. I hope our story helps give hope to anyone in a situation like ours. Never give up.”
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