This article is written by a mother, sharing the journey she and her husband shared after discovering they were expecting twins. The twins were born prematurely at 30 weeks. At Early Intervention Services, we regularly provide therapies and support services to premature infants and their parents and caregivers. November is Prematurity Awareness Month.
An Unexpected Start: Our Twin Premature Journey
It started as a joke, an April Fools’ surprise in August. My husband, looking at the ultrasound, thought the mirrored image of our identical twins was my way of playing a trick on him. He was wrong—we had won a random, wonderful lottery! From that moment, we knew to expect the unexpected.
My pregnancy was uneventful for five months, a blissful period where my only symptom was a little heartburn. That tranquility shattered on January 7th, at 27 weeks gestation. I was admitted to Beth Israel Hospital and diagnosed with PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes)—a leaking amniotic sac. Our hearts sank.
The Antenatal Battle
Our “Twin A” had the leak. While the initial diagnosis was terrifying, we were told I could continue the pregnancy as long as no major complications, like an infection, arose. I went into an inpatient holding pattern on the ante-partum unit. The medical team checked on us every few hours, and we often joked that our twins, Kenny and Mikey, tried to hide from the heart monitors.
But the infection we feared arrived on the 20th day of my hospital stay. Around midnight, my body began to shake uncontrollably. The doctors rushed in and told us it was time: we had to deliver at 30 weeks and 2 days. We were terrified, but in that moment of crisis, we also felt a fierce desire to meet the boys who simply couldn’t wait any longer.
The Day They Arrived
The delivery room was packed with nearly 20 medical professionals—an incredible show of support, with two NICU doctors assigned to each twin. At 8:30 am, Kenny arrived at 3 lbs. 0.7 oz, followed by Mikey at 2 lbs. 14 oz. I only had a minute with Kenny before they were both swiftly taken to the NICU.
The absence was stark. Lying in the recovery room without my newborns — the space where a bassinet should have been — left me constantly wondering how they were doing. When I finally saw them, they were so fragile. They were hooked up to breathing devices and feeding tubes. They were small enough to fit completely in the palms of my petite hands. I was so afraid of hurting them that I only dared to touch them with a fingertip.
The Fight for Home and Beyond
The next two and a half months were a blur of daily visits to two different hospitals. Seeing our tiny boys endure hardship — learning to breathe, suck, and swallow — was heartbreaking. We wished we could trade places with them, but we felt incredibly lucky to have an exceptional medical team caring for them every single moment.
During their stay, I found a powerful way to support not only my twins but other premature babies. My dedication to pumping eight times a day yielded over 4,000 oz of breast milk. I proudly donated half to a local non-profit at the Mothers’ Milk Bank. We felt incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to pay forward this vital support for other families.
Our twins fought hard. They overcame the typical challenges faced by premature babies. They grew stronger and more resilient with each passing day. Finally, in early April, right around the time they would have been full-term, Kenny and Mikey were ready to come home! They achieved the ultimate goal: graduating from the NICU without any medical devices.
The support didn’t stop there. Once home, the twins continued their journey with specialized care, including Early Intervention Services from Partners in Child Development. This team has been crucial in monitoring and assisting with their ongoing development.
Today, our boys are thriving. Their early arrival taught us the true meaning of resilience, strength, and unwavering faith. We are eternally grateful for the dedication of the doctors, nurses, and entire medical staff who made their homecoming possible, and for the continued care that ensures Kenny and Mikey are doing so well today.
Written by Ann Linh, mother, North Chelmsford, MA
