My little miracles

April 20, 2006

I was asked why Emily and Sarah are my miracle babies, well here is the condensed version.

(6 months preg)

I had a condition called Twin-to-twin-transfusion-syndrome (TTTS) when I was pregnant with them. Basically this is a condition that can only occur with identical twins. They share a placenta, and the arteries and veins in the umbilical cords from each baby connect to each other in the placenta so they not only get blood flow between baby and placenta, but also between baby and baby. In cases of TTTS one baby gets more of the blood flow and nutrition than the other. Emily was the bigger baby and got most of the nutrition and Sarah was the smaller baby and didn't get much. When I was 29 weeks 1 day pregnant Sarah went into distress and her heart rate kept dropping dangerously low. The decision was made to take them and I had an emergency C-section within the hour.

On April 28, 2005 I gave birth to Twins!

Sarah was born 1 min after her sister at 2 lb 5 oz. She came out screaming and lasted for 12 hrs before having to go on a vent. She just got too tired to breathe on her own.

Emily was born first at 2 lb 15 oz. She came out crying, but was having a hard time breathing and went on a vent almost right away.

This is one of my favorite pictures taken in the NICU. This is Elizabeth with Emily on Mother's Day. She was so gentle with her new sisters.

Here is Sarah at 6 weeks old. She weighed 3 lb 2 oz.

Emily at 6 weeks old weighed an even 4 lbs.

Sarah on my right and Emily on my left. This was the first time I got to hold both of my babies at the same time. It was wonderful!!

On June 22nd after 55 days in the NICU Emily got to come home to stay. Here she is with her big sister Elizabeth.

I finally got both of my babies home on July 29th. Sarah spent 92 days in NICU. (Sarah is in the front and Emily is in the back.) They were on apnea monitors for months because they would stop breathing. I think by the time they came off the monitors, the paramedic knew us by name!