Rare Set of Mono Mono Twins Hold Hands in Delivery Room

The Little Girls Holding Hands…

ABCNews: One Ohio mom got a very special present for Mother's Day, when her identical twin girls were born holding hands.

Sarah Thistlewaite's daughters, Jenna and Jillian, are a rare set of monoamniotic or "mono mono" identical twins, which means they shared an amniotic sack and were in constant contact during the pregnancy.

The condition also meant that Thistlewaite had to remain on bed rest for weeks at Akron General Medical Center in Akron, Ohio. The twins had to be constantly monitored for nearly two months, since mono mono twins can easily become entangled in each other's umbilical cords.

"It's really mentally challenging. It's a very tough experience to go through," Thistlewaite told ABC News.

Thistlewaite, who also has a 15-month-old son, had to check into the hospital for nearly two months so doctors could carefully monitor the babies.

"They hook you up to heart rate monitors to watch for heart deceleration or variables," Thistlewaite said. "That's what they look for the whole time. I got ultrasounds every other week."

Thankfully for Thistlewaite and her husband Bill, their daughters were born healthy at 33 weeks this past Friday. Doctors planned a Caesarian section because if the twins grew too large, they would be at greater risk for entanglement.

As the girls were born, doctors held them up over a sheet so that Thistlewaite and her husband could see them. The newborns were holding hands.

"I didn't think they would come out and instantly be holding hands. It was overwhelming. I can't even put into words," Thistlewaite said. "There wasn't a dry eye in the whole OR."

Although the girls were born healthy, Thistlewaite said Saturday they had some breathing problems, so they were moved to the neonatal unit at Akron Children's Hospital. Today Thistlewaite will get to celebrate Mother's Day by introducing her daughters to their older brother for the first time.

"It's the first time that we'll all be together in one room," Thistlewaite said.

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Amazing Video Captures The Unbreakable Bond Between Twins

Video: Thalasso Bain Bébé Jumeaux - Twin Baby Bath

Examiner: Newborn twins mimic life in the womb… This video provides viewers with a rare insight into what life in the womb has been like for twins. “A video of a unique bath is offering an amazing look at what life must [be] like for twins in the womb, with the babies cuddling and embracing as if they were still in their mom’s belly,” reported Today Moms on Nov. 15, 2013.

The newborn twins mimic life in the womb video received more than 3 million views on YouTube after the video was taken last month at the maternity clinic where Sonia Rochel, a maternity nurse at the Clinique de la Muette in Paris, France, works.

At the time the video was taken, the twins, a boy and a girl, were only a few days old. The bathing technique that the newborn twins experienced is called Thalasso Baby Bath and it was invented by Sonia Rochel.

As the bathing video of the newborn twins shows, the babies are – just like in the womb – in an enclosed basin filled with water. While keeping their noses and mouths above the water level, the newborn twins experience the gentle movement of water as an adult is carefully pouring the water over their foreheads and eyes. In addition to the flowing water, the newborn twins are also gently massaged and relaxing music is played.

Watching the video of the newborn twins, their closeness, their movements, their facial expression, and their feeling of completeness provides viewers with an amazing insight into what life in the womb must have been like for the newborn twins.

Sonia Rochel, who is an experienced nurse, came up with mimicking life in the womb for the newborn twins while she was taking a shower and associated the comfort of the running water with life in the womb.

Even though watching the video of the newborn twins being bathed and gaining an insight into what life must have been like for the newborn twins in the womb is enjoyable, Sonia Rochel is emphasizing that parents should not try to duplicate the bathing at home.