A frantic mum is desperately searching to find a new home after medics told her that her family of four will soon become a family of eight.
Arlene Mitchell, 34, and her husband, who already have a girl aged 11, and a boy, three, were left in "shock" after they found out she was expecting quadruplets. The couple, from West Lothian, Scotland, are pleading with their council to move them out of their two-bedroom home. Arlene Mitchell, who previously lost a girl during her pregnancy last year, was stunned to discover she would be welcoming several additions to her family.
Sadly, her excitement has been overshadowed by anxiety as she continues to frantically find a more suitable property. The mum-of-two says she has been unable to prepare ahead of the due date, which is in two weeks because she has no space to fit new items. She explained that although she'd like to stay close to her family in the area, she is "flexible" due to the cramped conditions they are about to face.
“To be honest we would take a four-bed or even three-bed house pretty much anywhere in West Lothian,” she said. “I’ve gone to all the housing associations and even looked at private rent but we are being quoted £1,000-a-month - that is a mad amount to be paying when you already have two children and have four on the way. I have 10-weeks maximum before I’m due to give birth to the quads and this is consuming my mind.
The said she is still in 'shock' by the huge pregnancy development (Arlene Mitchell)
Arlene hasn't been able to purchase any items for her babies (Arlene Mitchell)“Some people have told me that I should have planned ahead better but who expects to have quadruplets, that was impossible. So far we have not had much help from the council and we are desperate for a bigger home. We don’t have any beds, no car seats, no buggies or high chairs as we have nowhere to put it all. If we get a move soon then we can start buying all these things and start getting rooms sorted", reports Edinburgh Live.
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“I suffer from really bad anxiety and have other mental health issues, so this stress is not good for me or the babies. I spend all day on the phone trying to find a house that we can move into. We really need a four-bed house but we are also happy to go to a three if it is our only option. We would still be overcrowded in a three but the extra room would make a huge difference. I heard the council are getting a percentage of the new builds in Longridge and we have heard larger homes are becoming available in Fauldhouse but there seems to be so many people applying for them.”
Arlene says that the worry of finding a new home has not allowed her to focus on her pregnancy. “We lost a girl during a pregnancy last year and were over the moon when we found out I was pregnant again,” she added. “My husband has two brothers that are twins and my brothers are also twins but I thought it was meant to skip a generation. Our son is only three and he just keeps telling people ‘I’m having four’ while my daughter is just a typical 11-year-old full of cheek and attitude but they are both super excited although all of us are still in shock. I don’t think it will sink in until I do my birthing plan in six weeks' time.
“If we got a house then it would allow me to focus on the birth, our two bed is a nice home with not a thing wrong with it, so someone could make good use of it. I’ll not be able to move after giving birth and my husband and family could help but I could be in the hospital for months. I’m petrified of blood loss and have a lot going on in my head. I am worried that my babies or I might not survive. The house is the last thing I want to worry about right now.” Arlene and her family say they are willing to move into a private property, a housing association home as well as a council home but would just need it to be affordable for them.
West Lothian Council has stated that once it has received the MatB1 form confirming the pregnancy, then the family will be moved to a top priority status. The spokesperson said: “Our Housing team have been in regular contact with the family, and will continue to evaluate all housing options we have and what can be done to support the family. We have made them aware that once we have received official confirmation of pregnancy via the appropriate documentation, it will allow us to start the formal process of identifying potential suitable homes for the family, when they become available.
“We hope an appropriate new home can be identified for them soon due to their exceptional circumstances, but as frequently reported to the council committee, we have very limited housing stock and extremely high demand for all types of housing in West Lothian. In particular, larger homes, such as that required by this family, become available less frequently than smaller properties. As we advise all applicants for housing, consideration of all housing options including a wide selection of areas and other Registered Social Landlords increases their chances of being accommodated sooner.”
The Mirror has contacted the council for comment.
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