Britney Alba spoke with her obstetrician and gynecologist through text message six months following the birth of her identical twin sons. The text of the message read: “I believe that I may be pregnant.”
The elementary school teacher, who is 27 years old, confirms her pregnancy to TODAY.com by saying, “I was pregnant.”
Lynlee and Lydia Alba, their identical twin daughters, were born to Alba and her fireman husband, Frankie Alba, 25 years old, in August of 2022. The infants joined their identical twin brothers Luka and Levi, both of whom were created naturally and without the use of any reproductive technology.
The gap between Lynlee and Lydia is the same as the gap between Luka and Levi, which is 13 months.
While we are in public, people stare at us and make comments. When it was just Luka and Levi, people would always stop me and ask, “Are they, twins?” This used to happen all the time when it was just the two of them. “Right now it’s just like a circus,” adds Alba. “Everyone is clamoring to catch a glimpse!”
Alba doesn’t mind one bit. She is of the opinion that having an identical twin may be very miraculous.
“Yes, they’re extremely adorable but they also have a unique connection,” Alba adds, pointing out that Luka and Levi only began sleeping through the night once they started sharing a nursery. “Yes, they’re super cute but they also share a unique relationship,” Alba says.
Alba says that the moments when Lynlee and Lydia are holding hands or touching are the times when they feel the most at ease.
It is hardly surprising that the sisters find solace in being in close quarters with one another. Both Lynlee and Lydia were born monochorionic and monoamniotic, abbreviated as “MoMo,” which implies that their placentas and amniotic sacs were identical. Dr. Meghana Limaye, an expert in maternal-fetal medicine at NYU Langone Health, estimates that MoMo twins account for around one percent of all sets of identical twins.
There is an increased chance of complications for MoMo twin pregnancies, including stillbirth and twisted umbilical cords. It is possible for one or both of the infants to pass away if the cords get tangled during delivery.
According to Limaye, “we suggest that patients be hospitalized from 24 or 26 weeks (gestation) until birth, which is normally at 32 to 34 weeks with many hours of fetal monitoring every day.” “We recommend that patients be admitted from 24 or 26 weeks (gestation) until delivery.”
When Alba was admitted to the Women and Infants Center at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, she was 25 weeks along in her pregnancy at the time.
“They would monitor their heart rates numerous times a day, and every time they would check, I would hold my breath, trying to hear two heartbeats,” Alba recalls. “Every time they would check, I would hold my breath, waiting to hear two heartbeats.” “That was quite terrifying, but the medical staff took excellent care of me.”
During 32 weeks gestation, Lynlee and Lydia were both born at UAB through cesarean section, also known as a C-section. According to Dr. Limaye, the only safe method of delivery is by cesarean section because of the possibility of umbilical cord entanglement.
Although Lynlee and Lydia are now 3 months old, Luka and Levi have reached the age of 17 months. The lovely group of four likes to take strolls together in their stroller, which has seating for all of them.
When asked how long ago it seems, Alba will remark that the news that she is expecting another pair of identical twins seems like it was only yesterday.
“You know, it’s weird, I wasn’t terrified,” Alba reveals to the audience. “You know what? “I distinctly recall thinking, ‘OK! The second round.'”
