Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles is experiencing what they’re calling a “baby boom,” with a high rate of multiples being cared for at their neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Bevin Merideth, the NICU’s associate director of nursing, told Good Morning America that NICU staff was caring for quadruplets as well as eight sets of twins. Prior to the quadruplets’ arrival, the hospital was caring for 10 sets of twins, though two of those families were recently discharged.
“We’re used to having multiples in the NICU. It’s not uncommon for multiples to not be able to carry to term,” Merideth told GMA. “It’s not something that’s uncommon in the NICU, but it was like four twins, five twins, six twins, and once we got to 10, we realized this is a record.”
“It’s almost half our unit,” she noted.
Merideth told GMA that she was inspired to take up nursing after watching her own twin siblings being cared for in the very same NICU unit years ago. “They were my first preemie babies, I call them,” she said. “I immediately was like, ‘I want to be a NICU nurse,’ and have never left the NICU. I started in the NICU and have been here 25 years.”
Samantha Pearlman, whose twin daughters are in the NICU, said it’s been wonderful connecting with other families. “I love that there are multiple twins in the NICU with us. I found out just by being in the same bay with them or getting to know some of the parents and exchanging numbers,” she said in a video. “We’ve been keeping in touch, which is really wonderful.”
Jordan Edelstein is another parent who has twins at the hospital. “I was surprised there were two, let alone 10 sets of twins, but it’s been great to connect with other parents and see their journey,” he said. “It’s comforting to see so many other families experiencing the same thing.”
Meredith said it’s always a joy for staff to follow the progress of their patients once they’re discharged from the hospital. “We look forward to hearing from these parents and seeing photos as the twins progress at home,” she said. “Perhaps next year at this time we’ll have a reunion with 20 one-year-olds.”
