Belle’s Story: Mom of NICU Twins Shares her Pregnancy and Delivery Experience

Belle Bromfield took comfort in knowing that she was giving birth at one of LA’s best maternity hospitals, which offers specialized maternal and neonatal care. Eight weeks into her pregnancy, Belle found out that she was having twins when “we saw two gestational sacs in the ultrasound,” she says.

A career-driven woman, Belle was in no rush to have babies. But when she got pregnant at the age of 40, she was surprised that she was carrying twins. “It never crossed my mind and I didn’t know that I had a high possibility of having twins. I had faith that God had granted these babies as a blessing,” she says. Due to her age, it was a high-risk twin pregnancy. A noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) revealed that Belle was carrying baby girls and she was very happy about it.

Belle received prenatal care from Dr. Arjang Naim, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at CHA HPMC. She had to cross the 24-week mark for her pregnancy to be out of the danger zone. “After that the babies were doing fine but they were on the smaller side. At this point in my pregnancy, I was seeing a perinatologist (high-risk pregnancy specialist) every two weeks and Dr. Naim once a month,” she says.

Everything was smooth sailing until her 27-week appointment with the perinatologist. “The specialist was a little concerned about my cervix opening and closing too early in the pregnancy and advised bed rest,” she says. “I had spotting that same night and was immediately advised by Dr. Naim to come to the hospital.” Belle was having contractions and was in active labor. She spent five days under the watchful eyes of our Labor and Delivery nurses. “On day 3, my mother asked what I wanted to do and I told her that I wanted the babies out. God heard our prayers and spoke to me through my mother that once the babies are out, He would take it from there. It is now clear to me that part of ‘taking it from there’ meant He knew that my babies would be safe in the hands of the NICU team.”

Chloe and Brooke were born on April 9, 2022 through a cesarean delivery, after only 28 weeks in their mother’s womb. While all premature babies are at-risk for health problems, those born before 32 weeks are at greater risk for serious complications. Post-delivery, Chloe and Brooke were immediately wheeled to our highly specialized Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where they received care from some of the most respected and renowned neonatal nurses and physicians.

Belle and her partner developed a whole new appreciation for the care that premature babies received at CHA HPMC’s NICU after witnessing how their babies were cared for. “The nurses were patient, loving, always accommodating, and very supportive. Doctors make the big decisions, but the nurses did the everyday care and watched our babies 24X7,” she remembers, adding that “the nurses were in love with the girls.”

Belle and her partner also appreciated that CHA HPMC doctors were thoughtful and considerate when it came to taking their wishes into account on important decisions relating to the babies. “Whether it was the vaccines or blood transfusion, the doctors called us before hand and consulted with us before making any big decisions.” Both babies spent around 2.5 months in our NICU. “Even now when I call the NICU team, they treat us with the same level of respect and love,” she says.

Today, Chloe and Brooke have come a long way from birth and are healthy babies who are meeting all their growth milestones.
 
 
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