Two Southern California newborns were released from the ICU and headed home just in time for the holidays after an unforgettable birth story.
The parents of 6-week-old twins, Mason and Madison Sanchez, recalled the day the babies were brought into the world.
On Nov. 10, Jennifer Sanchez’s water broke at around 5:30 in the morning and, being a parent to a 2-year-old son, the parents were relaxed as previously, it took around eight hours before their son was born.
So Jennifer’s husband, Kevin Sanchez, decided to head to work that morning. However, within minutes, Jennifer’s contractions grew more intense. Her sister and mother were close by so they drove her to the hospital.
During the car ride, Jennifer suddenly felt the baby coming out.
“I told my mom, ‘I have to push. Pull my pants down!’” Jennifer recalls.
They pull over on the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway and in the front seat of their car, Jennifer gives birth to her son, Mason.
Paramedics arrived soon after to provide oxygen to the newborn. Jennifer was transported to a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Fontana where around 40 minutes later, Madison was also born.
The twins were born prematurely at 32 weeks, about four weeks earlier than expected.
Jennifer and Kevin remembered feeling nervous about their condition.
“Their breathing wasn’t 100 percent,” Jennifer said.
“You get those thoughts in your head, like worst-case scenarios,” Kevin said. “When she was pregnant, we always thought, ‘Oh, it’s going to be crazy here at the house,’ but we never thought they weren’t going to come home.”
Both twins remained hospitalized at the neonatal ICU at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital for about a month after they were born.
The babies’ worried parents stayed by their side during that nervewracking month until they finally received the good news — they were strong and healthy enough to go home for Christmas.
“That was amazing,” Jennifer said.
“We’re super grateful for the care they received at Loma Linda and Kaiser,” Kevin added. Along with their 2-year-old son, the couple also have two children from previous relationships. With the twins’ arrival, the Sanchez family of five is excited to be all together for the first time this holiday season.