Welcoming Twins: Babies 99 and 100 this year

Meet Layla and her twin boys, the 99th and 100th babies born this year in our community health program.

Both babies arrived healthy, weighing about five pounds each. That kind of start is never guaranteed in the communities where we work, and it’s even harder when a family is welcoming twins.

Layla and her family have been part of our program for a little over 18 months. She is thrilled to have her newborn twins, but she’s also realistic. Raising twins while struggling to get by financially is no easy task. Twins means double the cost of food, diapers, and basic supplies for a family that is already stretching. We see this reality often at the nutrition center, where twins or siblings born very close together often arrive malnourished due to economic difficulties at home.

Layla’s story is different. She and her husband managed to set aside a small amount of savings, and she stayed on top of her prenatal care. One of our community nurses, Erica , supported Layla throughout the pregnancy (pictured here together). This included meeting Layla at home for consultations and prenatal education, accompanying her for OBGYN visits, and coordinating and delivering prenatal vitamins. When concerns came up, Layla had someone to talk to.

The end result, two healthy newborns, will have an impact on Layla and her family for years to come. In the short term, it means quicker growth and cognitive development, as well as lower healthcare costs and travel days to see a doctor. And in the long term, the boys will get sick less often and be better prepared for school than if they had experienced malnutrition. Early interventions like our prenatal work can go a long way in ensuring kids in difficult circumstances have a solid foundation from which to grow.