When Lindalva Pinheiro da Silva's waters broke at just 24 weeks into her pregnancy, she panicked:
“It wasn’t time. It was too early. I knew I could lose the babies.”
Doctors did everything they could to delay the birth, but four days later, one of Lindalva’s twins was born, at just 745 grams.
After rushing the first baby to intensive care, there was no sign of his twin brother. Lindalva’s contractions had waned, and her cervix had closed back up.
“They said, ‘Maybe you’ll deliver in hour or a day or one week, the longer he stays inside, the more he will grow.'”
It took three weeks for Lindvala’s contractions to start again, and her second baby was born – much bigger than his brother – at 3 pounds, 3 ounces.
“That time made a crazy difference,” said da Silva. “He was born like a regular baby. He didn’t need a breathing tube or anything.”
Now, three months later, the twins weigh more than 6 pounds each.
“They’re my miracle babies.
“Ronaldo because he stayed inside, and Alexandre because he’s a survivor.”
Alexandre , the first twin to be born, is still a bit smaller than his brother Ronaldo and may need surgery down the road for eye problems and a hernia, but Lindalva is hoping to leave the hospital next week.
“I’ve got everything ready,” said da Silva. “I can’t wait. I go to sleep thinking about them.”
