Ashley's Story

Twin pregnancy. IUGR.

Severe Preeclampsia.

Delivered at 31 weeks.

7 and 9 week NICU stays.

If this feels familiar, you’re not alone 🤍

Hi! I’m Ashley, and though my hospital stay myself at Strong wasn’t long, my story is. 

We found out we were pregnant with twins in February 2025 and were so happy, we had joked about having twins since the second we found out we were pregnant. But fast forward to June at one of my ultrasounds when they discovered twin B(being Jayce) was measuring at 11% and had IUGR, where I would be scheduled for weekly NST’s and US for the rest of my pregnancy with expectations to deliver 9/18. 

I continued on my appointments and on July 7th, Jayce dropped from 11% to 7% which caused high concern and I was referred to the MFM team. I went in for another US on 7/9 where they discovered Jayce had absent end diastolic flow in his umbilical cord, which can lead to still birth or complications further in pregnancy. It was discussed I be admitted for the remainder of my pregnancy. 

On 7/10 I went for admission and the first few nights were a nightmare(not due to staff but mental state being away from my fiancé in the time I needed him most), and just the feeling of being alone. The days seemed to drag while waiting for my fiancè to get out of work and be able to come visit me for the short time he was allowed. It seemed like a never ending cycle of the same day on repeat. I didn’t want to leave my room, or have guests. I didn’t want to even leave my bed, but slowly I adapted. 

But what made it better was my roommate. She was also admitted for pregnancy with twin girls, and we had so much in common that being stuck with her didn’t seem so bad. She and I still talk today, and are always sending pictures of our babies back and forth. They’re only 2 weeks apart! 

I continued with testing and had a round of steroid injections, and Jayce was improving! I was sent to 3.16 for continuous monitoring (3 hours of NST) where it was decided I could be discharged as long as I came in every other day to MFM for NST’s and US’s. I was so thrilled to be able to go home after a week. Unfortunately that was short lived, due to blood pressure spikes and Jayce’s umbilical cord flow reversing again. 

My final admission was 8/2 after going to an US and having severely high blood pressure and being diagnosed with severe preeclampsia. My old roommate was still admitted and we planned to get me put back with her but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way, and that’s okay. The plan now was to deliver on 8/21. 

Well, Jayce had another plans, because my US on 8/4 showed he failed his BPP and was now in 4% IUGR, so we decided to deliver that day, so we prepped and my sweet boys were delivered at 31+4 at 4:47 and 4:49PM. Weighing in at 4.1 and 3.1. Jake spent a total of 7 weeks in the NICU, and Jayce spent 9 due to severe breathing issues, and being on bubble CPAP- almost the entire duration of his stay. 

My pregnancy wasn’t anything like I had thought it would be, or dreamed for. We weren’t prepared for this early of a delivery, or even not taking our twins home right away, let alone separately, and that’s okay. It’s our story, and journey and that we made it through. My twins are now 6 months old(as I write this), and though Jayce is still on the little side, he’s thriving and is a fighter.