The very first scan showed twins. Our reaction was: ‘Twins! No problem, people have twins every day’! At eight weeks we went for our next scan and, if surprises were the order of the day, we hit the jackpot. Our doctor went silent. We were expecting two sets of identical twins! At that moment our lives changed…we saw four heartbeats on the screen in front of us.

The realisation dawned on us: We were suddenly a family of six!”

“The magnitude of the responsibility that rested on our shoulders prompted us to think long and hard about our financial plans – especially because Jean took on a new, more flexible job and I became a stay-at-home mom.

The biggest issue was that we would be relying on one income and we’d need to ensure that our financial priorities and risks were covered. Because our situation had changed, the financial responsibility now rests with Jean’s ability to continue earning an income. If anything happens to him now, five other people are also affected.”

“If we were to give our younger selves advice, it would be to be to enjoy life, but be wise with your money – and keep in mind that life doesn’t happen by the book. Surprises can cost a lot! And if you’re not prepared it can cause stress and financial difficulties.

When you’re prepared, then you can enjoy your blessings: having quadruplets is incredible, we wouldn’t trade it for anything.