Mother’s Day Trifecta: Frankfort Woman Delivers Twins on Her Birthday

Danielle Emola remembers dreading Mother’s Day. Although she adores her mom, Kathy, Danielle’s birthday often fell on the holiday.

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“And Mother’s Day trumps a birthday, right? I mean, you can’t have a birthday without having a mom,” she explained.

Now, the Frankfort woman can have her cake and eat it, too. She delivered twin baby boys six weeks early by C-section at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox on May 10, Mother’s Day, which also fell on her birthday this year.

“Talk about luck, I should have bought a lottery ticket!” said Emola, now 36. “We’ll be having a triple birthday cake from now on.”

Emola already feels as though she won the lottery, with Anthony Eugene born that morning at 5 pounds, 1 ounce; and younger brother, Theodore Peter, weighing in at 4 pounds, 6 ounces.

“I got to hear their little cries. They were so high-pitched and cute!”

Born at 34 weeks, they were moved to the at Silver Cross. They were given oxygen and IV nutrition until they could handle donated breast milk and then mother’s milk.

Emola had spent the previous two-plus weeks at Silver Cross after she developed symptoms of preeclampsia on April 23. While she had her up and downs due to the medications, doctors and nurses could see the babies were developing well, and a C-section moved from June 8 to May 11 once the preeclampsia hit.

“But on May 9, my arms and legs started bloating,” she explained. “Dr. Gamilah Pierre, who was on call, said it would be safe to do the C-section the next day. I said, ‘Oh yes. Please!’”

Emola said Dr. Pierre was wonderful, as was her OB, Dr. Nicole Gress, and all the NICU nurses and staff.

“Everyone at Silver Cross was just wonderful, so friendly. The lady who cleaned the floors in OB, Norma, she helped get me through so many days.”

Her mom was a regular visitor, as was her Aunt Patty, who, guess what, also are twins! Her Mom told one of the nurses, Chris, she just had a feeling from early on that the babies would be born on her daughter’s birthday.

“They are such an adorable family!” said Peggy Farrell, DNP, RN, Director of Perinatal Services at Silver Cross. “They even won a gift basket in honor of International Kangaroo Care Day (May 15) which promotes skin-to-skin care with newborns.”

Emola said Anthony and Theodore won because they got so many cuddles from her and her mom.

After her babies spent two weeks in the Silver Cross NICU, the new family went home. While their sleep schedules are still a work in progress, she said they are draining their bottles and filling diapers like champs.

“Anthony now is close to 6 pounds, and so is Theodore. They are doing great. Mom moved in, and Aunt Patty comes over to help with cooking and cleaning. I am so blessed with the way things turned out. Silver Cross made it a wonderful experience.”

To learn more about the Women and Infant Services Birthing Center at Silver Cross Hospital, visit silvercross.org