Google mono mono twins and the first thing that pops up is survival rates. Terrifying. When I found out we were having mono mono twins, I googled the crap out of that before seeing my doctor. just so I had some kind of idea what to ask and expect.

Sadly, my doctor confirmed most of what I had seen; that momos are more likely to experience difficulties because their cords can tangle so easily, which can prevent them from growing and receiving blood flow, that many patients are admitted to the hospital at 24 weeks, that they must be delivered via C-section, and that the latest they can go is 32 weeks to help prevent them from tangling too much and getting caught.

So, for the past 13 weeks, I have spent every Monday getting ultrasounds to check on them, and then following up with my doc. We’ve had a few challenges to overcome. For awhile, it really felt like every week was some more bad news. Twin B has a two-vessel cord, instead of the usual three, which can be linked to kidney and heart problems, and some believe can be related to Downs. A fetal echo later showed that she’s doing just fine, and the ultrasound techs love her special cord because without it, they would have no clue who the hell each baby was. Twin A also has shown to have a smaller corpus callosum, the part of the brain linking the two hemispheres together, which can also be related to disabilities.

But, the girls are growing well, and at 24 weeks, here I sit at Sunnybrook (http://sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=women-babies-obstetrics-gynaecology) constantly monitoring and checking on the little cantaloupes growing inside. Each just slightly over a pound, I am determined that they will cook in my oven as long as possible. At 24 weeks, babies born now only have about 50% survival rate, and twins find it particularly hard as they are already more likely to experience health concerns. With each week, the babies grow bigger, start looking more like the cute little things old ladies love to coo over, and have a higher chance of not only surviving, but thriving. I am so thankful to be in such amazing care, though who wants to be stuck in the hospital? Every now and then, a little baby will cry out or be wheeled down the hall, and it’s hard not to get teary-eyed imagining my little girls doing the same.