How this fashion photographer tackles twin parenting

How this fashion photographer tackles twin parenting

As if being a twin mom isn't just awesome in itself twin mom, Leah McQueen, has also a career most of us can only dream of. She has travelled the world as a fashion photographer in all the major fashion capitals and her work has been published in magazines such as GQ and Vogue. Her work has captured some of the most amazing fashion shows and even some royalty (!). 

When Leah had her twins, she decided to hit the pause button and fully focus on raising her incredibly cute twin boys. We wanted to learn more about her experiences before, during and after having twins. Read on to be inspired by this amazing twin mom! 

1. Who are you and what do you do?

Before becoming a mother of twins, I was a fashion photographer and travelled all around the world photographing the world’s biggest fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris (www.leahmcqueen.com)

Twin Mom Leah McQueen with twins on grass Interview with Twinning Store

2. How did you get started? 

I studied photography in high school and pursued it as a hobby for many years, eventually starting my own photography business in London 2005, where I photographed weddings and events. I was commissioned to photograph HRH Princess Anne at an event in London during 2008 and my career escalated rapidly from there onwards. I moved back to Australia in 2009-2010 and photographed my first Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.

This was the defining moment in my career where I decided to pursue fashion photography as my niche, so I moved back to London and photographed London Fashion Week in 2010 and Paris Fashion Week in 2011, followed by Milan and New York shortly after. My images from my first London Fashion Week in 2010 were published in Vogue and GQ magazine. 

3. What fascinates you the most about twins (especially your own)?

The way they communicate with each other, through noises and words (twin language) and how my boys sleep with their heads tilted at exactly the same angle when they are napping in their stroller everyday! Everyone comments on this whenever they see them asleep. 

twin mom leah mcqueen

4. What was the biggest fear you had going into twin motherhood?

My biggest fear during pregnancy was that I would lose them, being a high-risk pregnancy, I didn’t tell anyone (other than family) I was pregnant until 20 weeks.

And then they were born 10 weeks early (at 30.4 weeks) in Special Care in hospital for 6.5 weeks with feeding/oxygen tubes, I was scared they wouldn’t survive, or one would die.

However, they survived and are now big, strong, healthy boys, 2 years and 7 months old, full of abounding energy!!

5. What has surprised you the most about your twins?

They are very different, even though they look similar (they are not identical) and have very similar interests. One of my boys enjoys being alone (at times) and is quite grumpy/moody when he wakes up, whereas the other one is totally the opposite! 

leah mcqueen twin brothers

6. What is the number one myth about having twins you would like to debunk?

I was blessed with a very smooth and easy pregnancy. Although I had heard warnings of women having awful twin pregnancies with twice as many hormones/symptoms and everything being twice as bad as a single pregnancy.

My pregnancy was a breeze, I didn’t have any nausea/morning sickness, didn’t gain any extra weight (other than in my belly!) and actually loved being pregnant! Every pregnancy is different though.

twin brothers nicu

7. Is there any advice about having twins you wish you had been given?

I wish someone had told me to hire a Nanny. I made a decision to become a full-time mother for the first 2+ years.

Also, living in London I didn’t have any family to help babysit anytime, as all our family are in Australia, so I felt very isolated. It is great to be a full-time mother and very beneficial to the boys to have a sole parent looking after them in their early years, however for my own sanity it would have been wiser to hire a nanny to help out a few days a week, or even to hire a Night Maternity Nurse to help with the night shifts/sleep routine in the first few months at home when we were still establishing their routine.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help - if someone offers to help you, just say yes! In hindsight, my boys are healthy and happy, so I cannot complain, and I am proud of what I have achieved raising them on my own (with my husband). They are growing into fine young boys and I couldn’t ask for more! 

8. Finally a bonus question - how you would style a Twinning Store Twin Mom t-shirt?

I would style the t-shirt with denim cut-off shorts or skirt, sun visor/hat and espadrilles. 

Thank you, Leah. We love your approach to life and are in awe of your talents. We love how you turned your hobby into an amazing career. You are a true representation of the fact that mother of twins can do anything! 

Don't miss out on Leah's work, head over to her website to check it out. 

We love getting to know to know twin parents and their journey, and this is our latest interview in our twin parent series (check out the others, including with twin mom blogger Simple Chic Brunette here and Two Boring Twin Brothers author Katelyn Halko here). 

Twinning Store was established by twin sisters K & E in Los Angeles in July 2017. We sell clothing for twins and twin parents, because twinning is winning!