# @mainlinehealth on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C0SnzMluFYq
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/10156478-mainlinehealth-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/18c6527f81.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-12-01T00:52:07.000+00:00

## Caption

As #PrematurityAwarenessMonth comes to a close, we’re sharing one final story from our maternity units and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at Main Line Health. Hear from Alexandra Weiss: 

“My story begins after eight months of trying to conceive. Things just didn't feel right, and I decided to visit a fertility specialist where I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. The doctor told me that due to my infrequent and irregular ovulation, natural conception would be challenging. He reassured me by saying that with the help of medication, I should be able to conceive. 

Low and behold, on September 20, 2021, the ultrasound technician gave me the news: TWINS! Although terrified, I was also extremely excited. Elation set in further after learning that we were having a boy and a girl. All was great until February 2022. At 25 weeks, I learned that my cervix had shortened to half its length and I was told that I would give birth early. It was the absolute hardest time of my life — the unknown was terrifying. At 28 weeks, I began having labor pains. I was admitted to Lankenau Medical Center and my twins were born on March 1st, 2022, at 29 weeks exactly, and on my husband's 34th birthday! 

The first few weeks in the NICU were so hard... again, the hardest part being the unknown. On day nine, my son was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and hypothyroidism. There were several scares in the middle of our stay for both kids, and bottle feeding with my son had a lot of anxieties. He had to work many hours with the speech language pathologist. Towards the end of his stay, he had an MRI which revealed he had nasopharyngeal reflux. Fortunately, with anti-reflux formula, he learned to fully bottle feed within a few days. My daughter, Naomi, was in the NICU for 56 days and my son, Cameron, was in the NICU for 71 days. We were extremely fortunate in our outcomes with our twins being born so early. 

My twins are now 19 months old and thriving! Walking, talking, playing and interacting with each other and other kids. They are meeting every milestone, and I am so beyond proud of them. They are my gifts from God and make me a better person every day.”

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## Tags

prematurityawarenessmonth

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