A lesbian couple gave birth within three weeks of each other after paying for 'pregnancy kits' on the internet.
Alison Castree and Catherine Barlow decided to fulfil their dream of becoming mums and paid £10 to find a sperm donor online.
But when Catherine struggled to conceive using artificial insemination , they decided Alison would try.
The pair were then astounded to discover they were both expecting with their due dates just a fortnight apart.
Now their family is 'complete' after Alison gave birth to Lacey Castree-Barlow on October 1 following a 13-hour labour before they returned to the Royal Stoke University Hospital for Catherine to have Vinnie Castree-Barlow via a C-section on October 22.
The couple, from Clayton, Stoke, are currently enjoying their maternity leaves with their two little bundles of joy, reports the Stoke Sentinel .
Palliative care worker Alison, aged 31, said: "We have always wanted children and last year we felt it was the right time.
"A lot of people have donors but I've never known it where both women in a couple have been pregnant at the same time."
The couple, who have been together for four years and engaged for two, started their journey by finding a sperm donor on the website prideangel.com after paying a £10 registration fee. They had already ruled out IVF as too expensive.
Alison added: "You can just go on a website and pick your sperm donor. We found one straight away and then about three to four months before we met him in person and went through the process.
"We chose him because of his background. He is a university teacher so he is very clever. Looks as well were very important. He sprang out at us.
"He would come to the house, do his thing and then go straight away. After that we used artificial insemination.
"Because they have the same father, the babies are blood-related to each other."
Alison and Catherine spent the next eight months experiencing the highs and lows of pregnancy together, including going to each other's scans and experiencing the same cravings.
Alison added: "I thought it would be quite hard us being pregnant at the same time but the beginning was actually the worst. We both craved apples and crisps like beef Hula Hoops.
"Catherine actually had a bit of bleeding at the beginning but everything was OK after that. I then got gestational diabetes. I also had to be induced as they were concerned my baby wasn't growing but it was all fine.
"It's wonderful that our babies will grow up together."
New Look warehouse worker Catherine said it had never been their intention to fall pregnant at the same time.
The 27-year-old said: "I'd been trying for quite a few months but with no luck. We decided to alternate to see if Alison had any joy and for the one month we both went through the process to give us a better chance.
"It was a bit of a shock when we both got pregnant though. It was like all the babies had come along at once!
"It's nice have shared this experience, being on maternity together, and neither of us missed anything. Everything is great with the babies – our little family is complete!"
The couple will explain their unusual conception to both Lacey and Vinnie when they are old enough to understand.
Alison added: "We have our donor's contact details and send him photos every now and then along with updates.
"When the children are old enough, they can track him down. It will be up to them whether they want to know.
"Obviously when they go to school I know some children can be cruel, but in this day and age, it's a lot different. We will have to face that when we come to it."
