Cover Photography by Brandi Stage Portraiture | Location: Lollie and Pop: A Children’s Shoppe
Once braced for heartbreak, Ashlynne Clute is now blissful as she cuddles her twin bundles of joy, Carrah and Carleigh.
Now about 5 months old, Clute’s babies are healthy and thriving — an outcome that seemed doubtful at times during her pregnancy. Clute’s first ultrasound revealed a flattened gestational sac, which caused her and her husband, Wesley, to expect a miscarriage.
“We were devastated,” recalls Clute, whose family also includes sons Carter, 8, and Cayden, 5. “We went to church that Sunday, and the whole church prayed for us.”
Four weeks later, another ultrasound revealed that Clute was, in fact, carrying a set of rare monochorionic-monoamniotic twins, or “momo” twins, which account for only about 1 percent of all identical-twin pregnancies.
“This means that the babies shared the same sac and the same placenta, making (the pregnancy) extremely high risk,” she explains, “and I would need to get into a maternal-fetal medicine specialist right away.”
HIGH RISK, HIGHER HOPES
Although Clute was heavily monitored throughout her pregnancy, the statistics gave her and her husband plenty of cause for worry. The survival rate for momo twins is less than 60%, and doctors told the couple that there was a high chance of cord entanglement, or of one twin taking nutrients from the other.
“From the moment we found out, we were told death, death, death,” Clute recalls. “I remember the first high-risk appointment we had; I left there in tears, feeling defeated and hopeless, scared to death of what the outcome could be.”
The Clutes then had a “come-to- Jesus” talk, during which Wesley reminded his wife of their faith, of the miracles they’d witnessed and how God had never failed them.
“Though this was easier said than done, we prayed,” Clute says. “We held onto our faith and leaned on others.”
At 14 weeks, a subchorionic hematoma sent Clute to the emergency room, and the expectant mom was placed on bedrest.
“I followed up with (my specialist),
Dr. Bofill, and he said my placenta was starting to detach itself, that I needed to take it easy and that one of two things could happen,” Clute says. “Either it will reattach and heal on its own, or it will continue to detach and result in the loss of the pregnancy. I took it easy, and at my next ultrasound, it appeared to be back to normal.”
Clute’s OB-GYN, Dr. Alisha Ware, recalls worrying about her patient every day for weeks.
“I am so grateful to the team of doctors that helped to care for her,” Ware says.” She was so amazingly strong, stuck in a hospital room day in and day out. It’s really hard on mom to worry that something could go wrong any moment, but Ashlynne was consistently brave and positive.”
PRAYERS ANSWERED
Clute was admitted to Memorial on Nov. 1, where she remained for seven weeks until her daughters were born. Meanwhile, her two-income household dropped to one, and Clute’s husband found himself playing both the mother and father role — cooking dinner, helping with homework and getting the kids ready for bed and school.
“It was not easy; I felt like I missed out on a lot,” Clute says. “At times, I felt all alone just stuck within those four walls. Ultimately, we knew it was just a season and did what we had to do to ensure the safety of our babies.”
Day by day, the Clutes made it to 32 weeks, and on Dec. 18, the twins made their scheduled debut.
“I was a complete wreck the morning of my (cesarean) section,” Clute admits. “I remember just praying God to keep us and protect us.”
As soon as they were born, the babies were placed in a special bag to maintain their temperature and also were placed on oxygen. While she couldn’t hold her newborns, Clute got to see them briefly before they went to the neonatal intensive care unit
“My doctor told us it was a miracle we made it to 32 weeks, and an even bigger miracle that they were alive!” she says. “My umbilical cord was braided and tied in a knot.”
The twins’ remarkable survival story inspired their widely used nickname: “The miracle babies.”
“I’m so thankful her babies were able to stay in all the way to their goal date and that they all recovered so beautifully!” Dr. Ware says.
FULL HANDS, FULLER HEARTS
Both Carleigh and Carrah underwent phototherapy for jaundice, and during the twins’ stay in the NICU, their parents were as hands-on as possible, changing diapers and taking temperatures.
“Each day, they were doing better and better, coming off oxygen, maintaining their temperatures and increasing feeds,” Clute says. “When they were a week old, they slowly started introducing a bottle, and we were able to try to feed them.”
This steady improvement continued, and on Jan. 1, the Clutes got the call they had been waiting for: Their girls were ready to go home.
Now happily settled in Gulfport, Carrah and Carleigh are getting used to a schedule and starting to sleep more throughout the night. While being a mom of four can be overwhelming, Clute has adopted a new motto: Just take it one day at a time.
“Some days are harder than others,” she admits. “But even through the toughest times, I know it’s only a season, and soon they won’t be so little. I love every second with these two beautiful girls.”
The twins are always smiling, and they love cuddles and being talked to. Clute says now that they’re staying awake longer, she’s seeing their personalities take shape.
“Our girls are identical, so I am always dressing them alike and letting family guess who is who!” she says. “It’s double the work and double the joy! We need two of everything.”
Although tiny for their age, the girls are developmentally on track, and Clute is excited to watch them grow and form a unique bond with each other. They even have a TikTok page (CluteTwins24), where others can follow their journey.
To other moms walking a similar path, Clute offers this advice: Hold fast to your faith and soak up every second you can.
“Everyone always says, ‘You’ve got your hands full,’ and yes, they sure are,” she says, “but my heart is even fuller!”
ASHLYNNE’S TOP MOM TIPS:
- Establish routines and schedules. Having both babies on similar schedules, such as eating and napping, helps bring a little structure to the chaos.
- Seek help and accept it when offered. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Two babies at once is a lot, and leaning on your partner is crucial for your own sanity.
- Enjoy the moment. Babies grow so quickly, so be sure to enjoy the little moments and soak up every second you can. Before you know it, those little moments will be memories.
- Make time for yourself. Although I don’t do this enough, self-care is important, and you need to take care of yourself. You deserve a break and a little bit of quiet time.