twins

In what can only be called an absolute miracle, a set of twins from Ireland were born 87 days apart from each other - setting a Guinness World Record for "longest interval between the birth of twins." The miracle twins truly have an incredible story.

It all started when their mother, Maria, went into labor right before her 24th week began. The mother's water broke and after two days of labor, her first twin, Amy, was born. Because of her size - a mere 1 pound, 3 ounces - the dangerously premature baby was rushed to the NICU. Doctors prepped for the birth of the second twin. But something bizarre happened.

Maria's contractions stopped.

Her medical team was concerned about infection - of her and the other twin - so they induced labor. But something bizarre happened again: Maria did not respond to the induction and her contractions never began again. "They stopped dead. It was like I never gave birth," the mother says. And "the doctors said they had never seen anything like it."

The mother made the decision with her husband and her doctors to "let nature take its course," and not force a delivery of the second twin. And for the next three months, twin Amy and mother Maria both remained in the hospital. Maria says, "I made up my mind I wouldn't leave the hospital unless it was with both my girls. Even if it meant that I would have to lie in bed for the full three months I had left of my pregnancy - I would do whatever it took."



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It was four days before Maria could even see baby Amy, and when she did, Amy was in the incubator "covered in tubes." It was another five weeks before Maria was allowed to hold Amy. Amazingly, when she did, Amy's heart stabilized and the twin still in her womb began moving and kicking, "as if she knew," the mother says. The second time Maria held Amy - the following day - Amy "turned and put her head towards her sister inside the womb."

Are you crying yet? Because I totally cried at that part.

Story continues

At 36 weeks, 3 days, Maria was induced and twin Katie was born, healthy and not in need of any medical attention. Later that day, a nurse put Katie in the incubator with her sister and Maria says Amy immediately smiled.

Katie left the hospital with her mother five days later, and Amy joined the whole family - including two older siblings - seven weeks later.

These amazing miracle twins have broken the previous record of 84 days and have defied all odds.

Stories like this make me wonder how my own story would have been different if my water broke a few weeks later than the 17 weeks when it did. Would my twins have had a fighting chance? What if I had chosen to go against my doctors' advice and not have been induced after my water broke? I guess I will likely always wonder what if…



-By Aela H. Mass

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For 10 things I learned about life when my twins died, visit Babble



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