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Berkeley County hospital seeing doubles

Journal photos by Samantha Cronk First-time mom Cortney Kesecker holds her twin girls Reilly, left, and Halia, right. Kesecker’s children are one of three sets of twins currently at Berkeley Medical Center, helping set a record number of twins born at the hospital.
Journal photos by Samantha Cronk
First-time mom Cortney Kesecker holds her twin girls Reilly, left, and Halia, right. Kesecker’s children are one of three sets of twins currently at Berkeley Medical Center, helping set a record number of twins born at the hospital.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Berkeley Medical Center is facing a unique situation, with three sets of twins housed in the birthing center with a fourth set expected Friday.

All in good health, three sets of twins and their moms are currently residing in the obstetric unit and neonatal intensive care unit, boosting the number of twins born at the center to an unusually high number.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had three sets of twins at the same time before. Last year, we had eight sets of twins born here, and this year we’ve already had 11,” said Teresa McCabe, vice president marketing and development for Berkeley Medical Center.

Girls Illiana and Isaura Gonzalez-Reyes were the first of the current trio born July 24 to Romina Reyes. The girls were born premature, weighing 3.5 and 3.8 pounds, and have resided in the neonatal intensive care unit since their birth.

With the girls now in good health, Reyes is excited and anxious to be able to bring them home for the first time today to meet friends and family. Big brother Isaias is also excited to bring his new sisters home, although he said he is unsure about having future baby-sitting duty.

“Everybody’s been waiting to meet them. I’m pretty excited with the whole experience I’m going to be dealing with. I’ve dealt with one, but having two is completely different,” Reyes said.

Born Sunday, boys Carbon and Parker Roberts, weighing 4.12 pounds and 4.8 pounds, made a quiet entry into the world, born to Nikki Sample and Will Roberts.

When first learning that she was going to have twins, Sample said she cried in happiness, feeling blessed by God to be having two children. In choosing their names, Sample said she and Roberts wanted to select names that are uncommon.

“We read in a baby book that the more unique a name, the more they blossom, whether it be in their social environment or at school or in life in general, because they stand out,” Sample said.

Since the babies’ birth, Sample said she can already see a special bond between the boys and is looking forward to watching that bond develop as they grow.

“They’re not very fussy, but when they get fussy, all you have to do is lay them next to one another, whether it’s in a bed or in the crib, and it’s instant tranquility. They can feel each other and they instantly just go tranquil, because they’re so used to being with one another in the womb,” Sample said.

Girls Reilly and Halia Kesecker were the third set of twins born recently at Berkeley Medical Center, coming into the world Monday.

With twin births prevalent in both sides of the babies’ families, mom Cortney Kesecker was not surprised to learn that she would be having twins. Reilly and Halia are Kesecker’s first kids, and the family is expected to be released from the hospital today.

Tina Aaron, a certified registered nurse with Berkeley Medical Center, said it is common for women carrying twins to delivery early, with the traditional carry period around 35 weeks. A baby is considered premature if it is born before a 37-week gestation period.

With twin births, the delivery will often take place in an operating room, even if both babies are healthy and in the correct position, in anticipation of any complications. All three mothers had cesarean sections to deliver either one or both of their children.

With Berkeley Medical Center’s new neonatal intensive care unit to open on the eight floor in September, the hospital will be able to accept babies born as early as 32 weeks. A public open house for the new unit will be held Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.

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