Hear the inspiring story of a twin family who was told they may need to terminate their pregnancy and how that didn’t stop them from willing their beautiful twinnies into this world.
Despite knowing the extra risks that twin pregnancies can carry, hearing the words “you may to need to terminate your twin pregnancy” will still leave you completely stunned.
Here’s one twin family’s experience with hearing that news and the journey that unfolded for them after.
Our preemie twins were born on October 20th, two months before their due date. Finding out we were pregnant in April was truly a blessing.
Then when we found out we were having two, we were shocked, excited, and nervous all at the same time. Being that the twins were mono-di, it was considered a high risk pregnancy from the beginning.
We learned that the two babies were identical and shared the same placenta while being in two different sacs. Of course, the worst would pop into our heads from time to time, making sure both babies were safe.
I️ never got sick throughout pregnancy and couldn’t have felt better. I️ worked summer school, walked our dog, Baci, and lived life mostly normally until late July when I️ went for an appointment.
The doctor told me my cervix looked short and I had to begin taking a hormone that would strengthen it.
“Okay,” I️ thought, “no big deal.” I️ got a phone call that night from my Ob-Gyn saying to begin modified bed rest and that I wouldn’t be able to return to work in September.
I immediately began crying because I️ didn’t expect that to happen. I️ didn’t know it at the time, but this was only the beginning.
I️ was able to finish the two days I had left of teaching summer school before beginning bed rest. I would do whatever it took to make sure these babies were safe and healthy.
We did the gender reveal the night of finding out I️ didn’t need a cerclage, so we were excited and overjoyed! Finding out they were two boys melted our hearts. But either way, we would have had the same reaction.
When things started to take a turn…
At the end of August, going to the usual high risk appointments, we found out that Baby A was smaller than his brother. Being that they shared the same placenta, we had to make sure Baby A was getting the proper blood flow. Otherwise, it would affect his growth.
By then, we were going to the doctor two times a week for Doppler checks. We became much more worrisome than before, not knowing what to expect. That one appointment changed everything.
We were told we had two options: terminate the whole pregnancy or take it all week by week because we can’t deliver one baby without the other.
Those next few months were a rollercoaster ride of all emotions.
We chose to follow our faith and prayed more than ever. One doctor even told me I knew more than them at this point and felt that we made the best decision.
I was told to pack a hospital bag because at any appointment, I could be admitted. Well, the day came when I was then admitted to the hospital. It was October 12th, and my delivery wasn’t supposed to be until December 18th. But there was reverse blood flow from Baby A. I was getting daily sonograms and non-stress tests twice a day.
The night of October 19th, I was on the monitor most of the night because baby A’s heart rate was inconsistent. In the early afternoon the next day, my doctor came in and said it was time to have the C-section because baby A’s heart rate did not come back up as quickly as it should.
Therefore, I ended up delivering that day on Friday, October 20th. Baby A was 2.11 lbs, and Baby B was 3.4 lbs. Our beautiful boys were in the NICU, and the worst feeling was going home without them.
They stayed there for 30 days. We couldn’t have been happier that they finally came home together. Our family and friends supported and prayed for us throughout.
We are so grateful to all the doctors and nurses at NSUH who helped our family through this journey.
What I learned…
Not every pregnancy follows the same story. Trust in your faith and your gut. It was some ride, but I would do it all over again for our beautiful boys who are now 8 years old.
Twin parents, remember to…
Cherish every single moment because they grow up too quickly!
This personal article was written by twin mom Catarina Largana.
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Want to read more personal twin parent stories and gain more first year twin parenting insights? Check out these articles too:
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- Keeping Your Marriage Strong With Twins: Advice for Twin Parents
