When first-time mom Maria Burns learned she was expecting twins, she and her husband were elated — but also apprehensive because she had miscarried twins before.
This time, however, the 25-year-old delivered Angel and Antonio early at 34 weeks, and they spent a few weeks in the NICU at Methodist Charlton Medical Center.
“The part I cherish the most was hearing my babies cry,” she says. “I prayed before every appointment for my babies to be healthy.”
Maria credits both the power of prayer and the hospital staff for ensuring her twins were healthy before they went home to Lancaster.
“Whenever we talk about our journey, we talk about the staff at Methodist Charlton,” she says. “We consider them to be our babies’ extended family.”
Maria and her husband, Antonio, visited the NICU often during their twins’ first weeks.
HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY
Maria was nervous when she first learned she had a high-risk pregnancy during a routine visit with her doctor Jorge Saldivar, MD, OB-GYN on the medical staff at Methodist Charlton Medical Center.
Dr. Saldivar told Maria that her babies were growing slower than expected and would need to be closely monitored.
“When a patient like Maria goes home, we want her to understand the nature of her problem,” he says. “Taking care of patients is our No. 1 priority.”
Maria says Dr. Saldivar reassured her during every visit that her pregnancy was progressing well this time.
“Every appointment, I would ask Dr. Saldivar if they were okay,” she says, “and I felt relieved when he told me yes.”
From first-time moms to high-risk pregnancies, we deliver family-centered support every step of the way. Visit MethodistHealthSystem.org
EMERGENCY C-SECTION
In the middle of Maria’s third trimester, nurses noticed that one of the babies’ heart rates dropped, a possible sign of fetal distress. Her cesarean section, which had been scheduled just days away, would need to happen immediately.
“After I called my family, I couldn’t stop crying,” Maria says. “Dr. Saldivar told us our babies would be smaller than they should have been, but I didn’t care. I just wanted them to be okay.”
When Maria arrived at Methodist Charlton, she was relieved by the kindness of the staff. The calm environment and the nurses’ reassurance helped ease her nerves.
“The thing I remember most was how fast everything went,” she says.
After recovering from her C-section, Maria got to meet her boys in the NICU: Antonio Jr., weighed just 3 pounds, 9 ounces, and Angel, weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces.
“As a first-time mom, you always expect things to be smooth and normal,” she says. “It was hard to accept that it would be weeks before my babies could come home.”
Born at 34 weeks, Angel weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces, and Antonio Jr. was 3 pounds, 9 ounces.
NICU OFFERS LOTS OF TLC
When the babies arrived in the NICU, they were treated by Ashmead Ali, MD, a neonatologist on the medical staff at Methodist Charlton.
“When babies are that small, those first 24 hours with them are crucial,” Dr. Ali says. “Since their organs were underdeveloped, I placed an umbilical venous catheter to help them receive fluids and medications.”
Two days later, doctors placed a peripherally inserted central catheter to help the twins receive treatments until they were stronger. Not being able to take her babies home was difficult for Maria, but she said the nurses made it easier.
“The NICU nurses came to me, hugged me, and told me they got me,” she says. “That’s when I knew my babies were in good hands.”
Angel was discharged from the NICU after three weeks, while Antonio needed four weeks because he gained weight more slowly and had some difficulty breathing.
“About three weeks into treatment, Antonio experienced temporary pauses in his breathing,” Dr. Ali says. “His respiratory muscles were weak, so we gave him a blood transfusion and kept him another week to make sure he was ready to go home.”
Maria and Antonio were thrilled to take their healthy twins home to Lancaster.
TWINS GO HOME HEALTHY
Today, both Antonio and Angel are home and growing every day. Maria credits her support system, both at home and at the hospital, with getting her through the journey.
“My husband always reminded me that the nurses could care for them in ways we couldn’t right then,” she says. “And every time I came in, they immediately updated me on how they were doing. It gave me so much peace.”
The road was long for the young couple and their baby boys, but Maria said it was worth it. When her twins got to go home at last, it was a bittersweet goodbye.
“We told the nurses, ‘I’m going to miss y’all so much, but I’m excited not to come back here anymore.’”
Connect With Methodist