Mary & the twins readying to leave hospital

As reported, the Crown Prince Couple will leave the hospital with the twins in the late afternoon tomorrow (Friday). It has been speculated in the press that the twins may have been jaundiced, which is very common among twins and premature babies. Chief Obstetrician Morten Hedegaard said the twins were born early at the press conference last Saturday. He said they had been due towards the end of January. Meanwhile, there are a few things to ponder. What will Mary wrap the twins in? Crown Princess Mary used a shawl knitted by her mother, the late Henrietta Donaldson, as a receiving blanket for both Prince Christian and Princess Isabella when leaving the hospital. It is an old traditional Shetland christening shawl pattern (like this: see Marianne Knorborg's site, who translated and developed the pattern in 2005). The other 'twin problem' for Mary and Frederik is that there is just one traditional royal 140-year-old christening robe, which has been used since Christian X was christened (see DRWs | Christening robe and font ). The royal children who have been christened in this robe are:

Prince Christian
Prince Carl (King Haakon VII of Norway from 1905)
Prince Harald
Prince Gustav
Princess Louise
Princess Thyra
Princess Dagmar
Frederik IX
Prince Knud (once Heir Presumptive to the Throne)
Queen Margrethe
Princess Benedikte
Queen Anne-Marie
Princess Elisabeth
Count Ingolf of Rosenborg
Count Christian of Rosenborg
Crown Prince Frederik
Prince Joachim
Prince Christian
Princess Isabella

One problem is sorted however. The babies will have a twins pram from Odder. Prince Christian and Princess Isabella had an Odder pram (so did princes Nikolai and Felix) and Mary has ordered one in beige for the twins. Not only has the Odder factory made prams for the current younger generation, but in 2007 they did a special commission for Queen Margrethe, which demonstrates both her sense of history and sense of humour. The Queen found an old pram in the attics at Amalienborg which was used for her as a small child. She thought the next generation should also enjoy it, so the charming old wagon received a new set of wheels, a new hood and it had a license plate mounted on it which said [roughly] 'quite small Crown car'. The Queen gave it to Christian and Isabella to play with at Chancellory House.

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Berlingske Tidende Royal twins suffering from jaundice

Says there is speculation about why the twins are still in hospital six days after their birth. Berlingske Tidende quotes B.T. that the twins are suffering jaundice.

"Mary and the kids are doing well, but the twins have been undergoing treatment for jaundice," says a source from University Hospital to B.T. The source is also known by Berlingske Tidende.

Jaundice is usually a harmless condition which colors the skin and eyes yellow. The twins right now lie in a special ultra violet light box that breaks down the substance called bilirubin that causes jaundice.

The condition often affects premature babies, and last Saturday obstetrician Morten Hedegaard said that the twins were born a few weeks before term.

Both twins scored the highest points on the Apgar score, and both had good birth weights, despite the fact that they are born prematurely. The little prince weighed 2674 grams and measured 47 cm, while the little princess weighed 2554 grams and measured 46 cm.

The court does not want to comment on the children's health, but confirms that it is their small sizes which keeps them in the hospital.

"They are doing really well and everything is as it should be. They are still hospitalised because they are small babies who are born prematurely. It is therefore quite natural that they are staying longer in hospital than single birth babies," says the court's press chief Lene Balleby to B.T.

When Prince Christian was born five years ago the Crown Prince Couple had to take their firstborn back to the hospital for light treatment because he developed jaundice after six days. Therefore in the first images of the little prince he had a yellowish tinge on face and hands. Christian otherwise also had a beautiful birth - 3,500 grams and 51 cm.

Billed Bladet Twins not to go home earlier than Friday

13 January 2011 | Preben Petersen

According to Billed Bladet's information the Crown Prince Couple will not leave hospital on Thursday and it will be Friday at the earliest. There has been speculation in Denmark about when the twins will be seen. In the entrance hall at Rigshospitalet the press area is ready and the press is anticipating the announcement of when the Crown Prince Couple and their newborns leave. The Crown Prince Couple are known not to take chances when it comes to their children's well-being. Prince Christian was born on 15th October 2005 and left Rigshospitalet with his parents on 18th October 2005. Princess Isabella was born on 21st April 2007 and left the Rigshospitalet with her parents on the 23rd April 2007.

Billed Bladet Crown Princess Mary's sister looks forward to them arriving home. Billed Bladet came across Mary's sister Jane and her father.

Mary is getting the best treatment at University Hospital as anyone one could wish. But being in her own familiar environment is now the best. And all in the immediate family will be looking forward to the moment when the University Hospital's maternity ward will be replaced by the newly decorated nursery.

Also, Mary's sister looks forward to her little sister back home where she is waiting with her father. "We look forward to the twins arriving home," Jane Stephens said today when she and John Donaldson went for a walk around Amalienborg Palace in the company of the Crown Prince couple's dog Ziggy.

Hello! magazine Princess Mary and twins to go home in next few days
Berlingske Tidende Mary's sister visited the twins for nine hours and Susan Moody and John Donaldson also visited

Berlingske Tidende gallery the twins' siblings
Berlingske Tidende gallery the twins are 'so-oo big'

ZDF.de clip

Photos © Martin Høien/Billed Bladet, Jesper Sunesen/Billed Bladet, Getty Images

Thanks cph :))