Mount Isa mum calls for more support after birth of premature twins

Kristen Curd's journey began with a sudden emergency at 24 weeks pregnant with twins. A Royal Flying Doctor Service flight transported her nearly 1,000 kilometers to Townsville, leaving her five-year-old daughter behind and filled with worry about when she would see her again.

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I thought, 'When am I going to see my daughter again?'

Her twin boys, Sam and Ben, were born by emergency cesarean section. Their subsequent months in the neonatal intensive care unit were a blur of alarms and oxygen support. Curd found comfort in connecting with other mothers in similar situations, realizing she wasn't alone in her ordeal.

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You just go through the motions.

After nearly four months, Curd and her sons were cleared to go home. However, the return to remote Queensland brought new challenges. Doctors informed her the babies would still need oxygen, a prospect that daunted her. "How am I going to do this?" she recalled thinking.

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You knew someone else was going through something similar and you weren't alone.

Caring for two premature infants requiring oxygen became overwhelming once the equipment arrived. Curd described the difficulty of managing the babies, oxygen tanks, and equipment while juggling appointments and her daughter's needs. "You're pretty much on your own," she said, especially during the wet season when roads were cut, adding to her fears.

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How am I going to do this?