Twin Baby Boom: Seeing Double in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Caring for 10 Sets of Twins
A twin baby boom has taken over the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s, with 10 sets of twins in the unit at the same time. Healthcare workers aren’t sure if it’s an official record, but it sure is close.
“We are very excited,” said Ashley Richardson, RN, NICU assistant nurse manager. “We are used to twins and multiples but not this many at once, so it’s keeping us on our toes.”
The twins’ birth weight ranges from just under 2 pounds to 6 pounds and most of the sets are double boys.
These are the first babies for new parents Diana and Jordan Edelstein, who were surprised when they found out they were carrying twins.
“I had always envisioned having boy and girl twins, and somehow, by the grace of God, we were able to have that vision come true,” Diana Edelstein said. The twins were born early but are growing and should be headed home soon.
Rabbi Mendel and Hindi Mintz called it “a big shock and double blessing” to find out they were having twins. “The staff has been amazing,” said Rabbi Mintz. “It’s been an amazing experience and it’s only going to get better.”
“Double blessed,” said Malka Naomi Feldman. A twin herself, Feldman was not surprised to learn she was carrying twins. The surprise came after a pregnancy checkup showed one twin in distress, prompting doctors to deliver the babies at 34 weeks’ gestation. She is counting the days until she and her husband can bring their two daughters home to meet their 2-year-old brother.
Having so many other twin parents in the NICU was a welcome surprise to Samantha and Greg Pearlman. Their two girls have been in the NICU for six weeks. She says it’s comforting being able to talk to other twin parents. “We’ve been keeping in touch, which is really wonderful, talking and exchanging numbers,” Samantha Pearlman said.
Jordan Edelstein finds comfort in the number. “I was surprised there were two, let alone 10 sets of twins, but it’s been great to connect with other parents and see their journey,” he said. “It’s comforting to see so many other families experiencing the same thing.”
NICU associate director Bevin Merideth, RN, remembers back to when she was a child and her then-newborn twin sisters were in the NICU—it’s one of the reasons she became a nurse.
“Seeing all these twins brings back happy memories for me,” said Merideth. “We look forward to hearing from these parents and seeing photos as the twins progress at home. Perhaps next year at this time we’ll have a reunion with 20 one-year-olds.”
Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom: NICVIEW App Links Parents, Babies Via Live Stream
Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Demystifying the NICU