Patient Stories
Sutter Women's Services
Laura - Mom of Multiples
“We were surprised to find out we were having twins,” Laura says. “We were happy to hear the news – a little nervous, but still happy.”
As Laura’s due date grew near, those nerves became a bigger issue. “I knew we could handle it, but I did become a little more apprehensive later in my pregnancy,” she says. “That’s when I joined Sutter’s Moms of Multiples group. I figured I could use all the help I could get.”
Sutter Moms of Multiples (MOMs) Center, offered through Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, helps women expecting twins, triplets or quadruplets through their pregnancies, births and post-natal experiences. Because multiple gestation pregnancies are considered high-risk, this program provides resources designed to minimize those risks and enhance the pregnancy and birthing experience.
Within her first week of joining MOMs, Laura took advantage of the pre-natal massage that was offered with membership. “That alone was worth the cost of joining!” she says. “I was sore and extremely uncomfortable – that massage did wonders. I recommend that every pregnant woman get a pre-natal massage at least once.”
Laura also made the most of MOMs’ medical experts. “I met with the dietician, the exercise physiologist and I leaned heavily on Susan, one of the nurse coordinators. She responded to my calls and email messages at all hours of the day,” Laura says. “And when I was admitted to the hospital, she was a godsend.”
Due to preeclampsia complications, Laura had an emergency C-section at 33 weeks at Sutter Memorial Hospital. Her son, Carson, was born first – weighing three pounds, one ounce. Cate, her daughter, came a minute later and weighed three pounds, 10 ounces. “Considering their premature birth, they were doing relatively well,” says Laura. “They were in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for three weeks, but when I brought them home, they were completely healthy.”
Laura also had to stay in the hospital for a week following the birth because of the preeclampsia. “I was sick, but I wanted to be with my babies. It didn’t feel right not to be with them,” she says. “My husband was going back and forth between the twins and me, giving me updates. It was rough on both of us.”
Knowing her situation, the nurses in the NICU brought Carson and Cate to Laura’s hospital room. “I think they bent the rules a bit for me,” Laura says. “But it was one of the best moments of my life to have some quality time with my newborn twins. Those nurses are wonderful; they knew that we needed some family time, on both physical and emotional levels. It was therapeutic for each of us.”
Susan, Laura’s nurse coordinator from the Sutter MOMs Center, kept in close contact with Laura and her babies while they were in the hospital. “It was a relief to know I had an additional pro on my side during that trying time,” Laura says. “She made sure the twins were given my breast milk, and that there was a pump for me in the NICU when I was visiting. Coordinating details like that went a long way.”
It’s been a few months since Carson and Cate came home from the hospital; and they are happy, healthy babies. “Carson’s a little fireball; he loves attention and demands it. And Cate is an angel; she’s a sweet, calm baby,” Laura says about her twins. “Their birth, and the period immediately following it, was joyful – but it was also stressful and trying. Joining Sutter’s Moms of Multiples group was one of the best things I did since it helped me through that difficult time.”
“Moms of Multiples provides resources that go beyond medical care,” Laura explains. “Of course we would have been OK without it, but the easy access to experts, peace of mind and camaraderie with women going through the same thing made joining Sutter Moms of Multiples worth every penny.”