In an exclusive interview with US Weekly, "The Killings" actress Jamie Ann Allman revealed details of her difficult pregnancy that resulted in the birth of her twin boys, born premature, 81 days before her due date.
Allman, wed to "True Blood" star Marshall Allman, gave birth to twins Asher James and Oliver Charles on Jan, 31, but was unable to take her babies home until late April. "Oliver was 2 lbs., 11 oz., and he was discharged at 7 lbs., 7 oz," she said to US Weekly of her son. "Asher was 3 lbs., but he was discharged from the hospital at 8 lbs., 1 oz."
"I puked seven to 12 times a day, and then I peed my pants every time I puked," said of her trying pregnancy. "I popped blood vessels all around my eyes from every time I vomited, and if I moved slightly I would puke, so I couldn't really walk to the bathroom."
The actress also said that she lost her appetite, only eating "toast and apples" for a time, but continued to keep eating a variety of other foods for the sake of her twins. "My husband gave me snacks all day long, and I ate horribly because I couldn't eat anything else," she said. "Pop-Tarts and Toaster Strudel really helped me!"
Allman was put on bed rest for most of her pregnancy due to her shortened cervix, and was also diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The actress said she used a wheelchair before being admitted to the hospital in January, calling her third trimester "horrible."
"They wanted me in the hospital for three months because the shortened cervix was slowly disappearing," said the star. "Then I got a bladder infection and delivered that day."
Although Allman hoped to give birth vaginally, doctors advised her to get a C-section, which she agreed to. "They opened me up and Asher came out, then Oliver. I heard them cry and I looked over at Marshall to see what he was thinking. He looked at me and said, 'It's amazing,'" she said.
Allman's husband and new father Marshall was apparently so awestruck by seeing his twins for the first time that he fainted, and began vomiting when he awoke.
"I was so nervous because I wanted to help him and I couldn't do anything. So I just said, 'You gotta get out of here!'" Allman said. "He started crawling out of the operating room on all fours."
Once Marshall sat down and collected himself, his wife said, "He was fine. We'll never forget that one because he videotaped the babies coming out, and right when they came out, boom! The camera stops."
Allman was on bed rest in the hospital for five days before being allowed home, and visited her twin boys in the NICU daily, though her interactions with them were limited. "The first month, I only got to hold them for two hours total," she said. "They went through a lot. In the second month, thank God, I got to hold them a little bit more."
During that time, Allman worked to regain her strength, as her muscles had "atrophied a bit because [she] hadn't used them for sixth months" during her bed rest. Today, the actress says she feels "great," has her pre-baby body back, and is proud to be the mom of "two normal, healthy babies."
"I kind of want maybe four more," she said. "I think it's really amazing to have a big family. I've always wanted one." She told Us Weekly that she hopes her story will give other women who have been through similar experiences a sense of comraderie.
"I just like to be open and honest and transparent about stuff like that," she said.
