Mitch, 26, and his partner Alice welcomed their daughter Aubrey in 2015, and have now welcomed baby Ethan into the family.
He said: “Ethan is about five months old now, so it’s gone really quickly. Having two is definitely a different experience. When one’s eating, the other one’s crying, and sometimes they are both crying at once, which is a nightmare! Aubrey was a bit shocked when Ethan first appeared and she wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but now she’s taking it all in her stride.”
Mitch has previously said that he was surprised to be called inspirational for simply having a baby with his partner, and remains keen to challenge the idea that having a disability means you can’t be a parent.
He said: “I still don’t know many people in my position who have done it. I think they feel it’s just not possible at all. If it’s what you want to do, you’ve got to go for it. I was probably the same at one time, just thinking that it’s not going to happen. I still can’t believe it has sometimes!
I want people to know that meeting a girl, moving out and having a family – having a normal life – is possible when you have Duchenne. I was really nervous of girls for ages, I met Alice about ten years ago, and we became friends first. We were friends for about four or five years and now we’ve been together for about six.
“Alice wanted kids straight away, but I wasn’t sure at first because of the obstacles. I don’t think you should rush into anything just because you can. So we waited a couple of years before having them.
“It’s the best thing in the world to feel loved by your kids. Aubrey can be a bit grumpy sometimes, but when she gives me a cuddle it gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling. Ethan is really smiley. He lights up when he looks around and focuses on you. My mum obviously can’t get enough of them as well and Alice’s mum and dad help us out a lot.
“It’s hard work, but we have carers in throughout the week which gives us all a break from each other. The kids go to bed around seven, so we have a couple of hours to ourselves. They definitely keep us busy! Me and Alice are proof that if you want a family, Duchenne shouldn’t stand in the way.”