{"id":298656,"date":"2023-09-17T09:36:26","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T14:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=298656"},"modified":"2023-09-15T15:08:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T20:08:48","slug":"preemie-big-sisters-girls-same-weight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/preemie-big-sisters-girls-same-weight\/","title":{"rendered":"Preemie follows in big sister’s footsteps, with both girls born at the same weight"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A preemie born at just 31 weeks is doing well after doctors told her parents to say goodbye amid fears she wouldn\u2019t make it. And amazingly, she\u2019s following right in the steps of her big sister, who was also born at 31 weeks four years ago… and at the exact same weight.<\/p>\n

Gemma Townsend gave birth<\/a> to daughter Sienna in 2019. At birth, Sienna weighed 3 pounds, 1 ounce, and when she was discharged from the hospital, she was placed in doll clothes because nothing else fit. In June of 2022, Gemma welcomed her second daughter, Amelia, who was born at exactly the same age and even weighing the same at birth as big sister Sienna.<\/p>\n

“Both were born early at exactly 31 weeks and three days and 3lbs 1oz each \u2013 which is really weird,\u201d Gemma said.<\/p>\n

As a preemie, Amelia experienced some complications early on, including a collapsed lung. Doctors told Gemma and her husband Jamie to prepare themselves, because the little girl might not pull through.<\/p>\n

“They said, ‘You need to come in and say goodbye,'” Gemma said. “We were told she was dying. I couldn\u2019t believe she made it.”<\/p>\n

The medical team was able to stabilize Amelia and get her to another, more specialized hospital. Still, things were touch and go. “She became really distorted. Her head was massive,” Gemma explained. “She was really uncomfortable looking. We were told to prepare for the worst.”<\/p>\n