Just hours old, they clasp their hands together and entwine their tiny fingers.
This is the moment baby Jaxen reached out to comfort his twin brother – who faced immediate treatment to save his life.
The photo of brotherly love was captured just 24 hours after the boys were born to Francesca Tackas and her partner Aaron Marriott, 32, a delivery driver.
Baby Indy – the youngest by nine minutes – had been found to have a chest infection, and needed an intravenous antibiotic drip.
‘Word quickly spread and we had doctors and nurses all popping in to see them in their cot. It was a very moving moment.’
The babies were born on June 25 at 38 weeks. Jaxen, the eldest by nine minutes, weighed 6Ib 1oz and his brother Indy weighed 7Ib.
However, their mother says: ‘Indy wasn’t breathing when he was born. And it took three midwives twenty seconds to resuscitate him. It was only seconds but it seemed a lifetime.’
Then six hours later as the couple celebrated their births, doctors detected Indy had a chest infection.
Miss Tackas said:‘It was the moment every parent dreads when you are told your child is sick.
‘While we knew antibiotics would most likely cure it, the thought of tiny Indy having a drip put in his hand filled us with horror.
‘It was then as the nurse was explaining the treatment that she suddenly stopped in amazement. She had just spotted Jaxen reach over to Indy. Then Indy put his hand out and Jaxen clenched it.
‘It was then as the nurse was explaining the treatment that she suddenly stopped in amazement. She had just spotted Jaxen reach over to Indy. Then Indy put his hand out and Jaxen clenched it.
‘It was as if Jaxen was telling Indy that everything was going to be ok and not to worry. It was such a poignant moment and incredibly emotional.’
Thankfully baby Indy made a good recovery from his chest infection and the parents were able to take their little boys to their home nearby the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth four days later.
Miss Tackas, added: ‘Even now they are inseparable. When we got them home we decided to keep them together as much as possible.
‘They adore cuddling up together as they fall asleep and quite often Indy is snuggled into Jaxen. Jaxen is already the big protective brother with Indy looking up to him.’
The non-identical twins, the couples’ first children, were conceived naturally.
