Who knew twins could be born on different days? Well, that is exactly what happened with Lindalva Pinheiro da Silva when her water broke at only 24 weeks, resulting in one twin being born early before his brother, who was born at 28 weeks.
According to the Boston Globe, Lindalva DaSilva went into labor in February and even when doctors tried to settle her contractions, they were unsuccessful. Under her doctors guidance, she delivered one twin in order to give the second twin more time to grow and develop in the womb.
'One twin was born in winter, and one was born in spring,' da Silva, 35, told the Boston Globe.
Alexandre and Ronaldo were to be her first children with Ronaldo Antunes, 40, and she was thrilled to be pregnant with twins.
At first when her water broke, she didn't know what was happening.
'I panicked,' da Silva told ABC. 'It wasn't time. It was too early. I knew I could lose the babies.'
Around 50 percent of babies born at the 24 week mark don't survive.
'When you have a situation where one baby is born and labor stops, you are given this window of opportunity,' Dr. Steven Ralston, director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, told the Globe. 'But it's a rare window. Most times, labor does not stop.'
Thankfully, after Alexendre was born at just 1 pound, 10 ounces, it did happen.
Doctors stopped da Silva's labor and left the delivered child's umbillical cord and placenta inside da Silva's womb.
Three months after their birth, the boys weigh over six pounds and Alexandre is smaller than his brother. Their mother calls them "my miracle babies."
The twins may be able to leave the hospital around June 18, which was the date they were originally due to be born.
