One mum received the best Mother’s Day gift she ever could have wished for when she was able to hold her “miracle” twins for the first time since their birth.
Twin girls Jillian and Jenna were born to Sarah Thistlewaite and her husband Bill on Friday in Ohio, the US.
However, the couple were only able to hold their beautiful daughters for the first time yesterday - the American Mother’s Day - as the girls were born with a rare condition that effects only one out of 10,000 pregnancies.
The identical twin girls shared the same amniotic sac and placenta. Such births are called monoamniotic, or ‘mono mono' - a very rare, potentially life-threatening condition.
Yesterday, the girls were removed from ventilators and breathing comfortably, so Sarah and Bill were finally able to cuddle their new babies.
"It's just hard to put into words how amazing it feels to know the girls are OK," said Sarah. "It's great to know that they're doing so well, and being able to hold them is the best Mother's Day present ever."
Jenna was born first at 4 pounds, 2 ounces and 17 inches, with Jillian following 48 seconds later at 3 pounds, 13 ounces and 17.5 inches.
They were grasping each other’s hands when they arrived into the world, and their mum said there wasn't a dry eye in the delivery room.
"They're already best friends," said the 32-year-old mum. "I can't believe they were holding hands. That's amazing."
Sarah expects to be released from hospital tomorrow, while the girls will have to stay in the hospital for up to four weeks.
Dr. Melissa Mancuso helped deliver the twins, one of several amniotic pairs she has helped deliver in 11 years. She said the twins are at risk during pregnancy of entanglement of umbilical cords, which can cause death.
Sarah and Bill also have a son, Jaxon, whose first birthday was January 27th - the day they also found out they were expecting twins.
"All I could do was laugh," said proud dad Bill.
