03 January 2024 , 01:03
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A couple from Hawaii got two special Christmas gifts this year - their twins were born on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Sara McGuigan Quintino and Pedro Quintino welcomed their son Robert Ka'ala on December 24 and their daughter Madalena Kahana on December 25, both at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children in Honolulu.
Baby Robert Ka'ala was the last baby born at the hospital that day, while baby Madalena Kahana arrived a few hours later, making her the first baby born at the hospital on Christmas Day.
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A couple in Hawaii had their twins born on two different days (Sara McGuigan Quintino and Pedro Quintino)"I actually made it to week 39 with the twins and we were at our Friday morning ultrasound and the amniotic fluid was low for baby A, which is the boy, and at that point, his movements were really slow and we got pretty worried about it," Sara McGuigan Quintino told Good Morning America.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
She went straight from the ultrasound to the hospital to induce labour. Despite having a long labour and not starting delivery until Sunday night, Christmas Eve, she was able to stick to much of their birth plan and deliver without needing a Cesarean section, thanks to their healthcare team, including Dr Robb Ohtani at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children and their midwife Dr. Ye Nguyen, who also served as their doula.
One of the twins became the first baby born at the Hawaii hospital on Christmas (Sara McGuigan Quintino and Pedro Quintino)The mom joked about her twins being born on different days. "It's really funny that they came on separate days. We just always joke that Madalena wanted her own day," she said. The parents revealed that each twin's name has a special meaning.
Sara McGuigan Quintino shared: "The first name of our son is Robert, which is my father and grandfather's name," and "And then the first name of our daughter is Madalena ... after Mary Magdalene ... and then Pedro chose the middle names."
Pedro explained: "Ka'ala is this mountain right next to us here. It's the highest mountain on O'ahu ... and then the girl is Kahana, a beautiful bay more on the east side."
Sara McGuigan Quintino and Pedro Quintino welcomed their son Robert Ka’ala on Dec. 24 and their daughter Madalena Kahana on Dec. 25 (Sara McGuigan Quintino and Pedro Quintino)He also shared his hope for their future, saying, "The only real thing I can give to them is to point them north. And they're gonna know God is the same on the mountain and in the valley and that's their safety." He added that they see their twins as "a gift of God."
After a few days in the NICU for low glucose levels, baby Robert Ka'ala was discharged and the family reunited in their Waialua home.
"They're so different. I can tell that she's gonna be a little bit more spoiled. And then he just cruises but... they seem to bring each other a lot of comfort," said Sara McGuigan Quintino, who also has identical twin brothers.
The Quintinos wanted to share their "Christmas twins" story to express their gratitude for all the help they've received.
"What we really want everyone to know... is how thankful we are to our midwife, Dr Ye, our doctor, Dr Ohtani, and then all the staff, nurses at Kapi'olani Hospital from the nursery to labour and delivery to the NICU none of it would have happened as it happened otherwise," Sara McGuigan Quintino shared.