A 57-year-old woman from Fort Payne, Alabama, is tickled pink and blue. Rosee and Jay Swain took their newborn twins home from UAB Hospital today. They are grandparents, great grandparents, and now, parents again. The twins, born by vaginal delivery April 20 at 31 weeks, have spent the last four weeks in UAB’s newborn intensive care and step-down unit. The Swains say they didn’t want their 6 year old to grow up as an only child.

WHAT:

 

A 57-year-old woman from Fort Payne, Alabama, is tickled pink and blue. Rosee and Jay Swain took their newborn twins home from UAB Hospital today. They are grandparents, great grandparents, and now, parents again. The twins, born by vaginal delivery April 20 at 31 weeks, have spent the last four weeks in UAB’s newborn intensive care and step-down unit. The Swains say they didn’t want their 6 year old to grow up as an only child.

“There are lots of options out there for older women like me,” Mrs. Swain said. “And women shouldn’t give up hope without exploring all of their options. Being a mother again at 57 isn’t for everyone, but we felt it was right for us.” Mrs. Swain, a special education school teacher, said she thought the delivery was exceptionally easy, and reports she was up slow dancing with her husband only hours after the delivery. She returned to work a week after the children were born.

 

 

 

WHO:

 

Christian Kaczur Hart Swain
Born 4:51 a.m., April 20
4 pounds, 1 ounce; 17 3/4 inches long

Diana Rose Angelina Swain
Born 4:55 a.m., April 20
3 pounds, 3 ounces; 16 3/4 inches long

The babies are doing remarkably well and continue to grow and progress. Today, Christian weighs 5 pounds, 12 ounces; and Diana weighs 4 pounds, 11 ounces. To go home, a premature baby must be able to maintain his or her body temperature, the child must be gaining weight and must be free of any apnea problems and be off medication for five days. Apnea is an interruption of breathing and slowing of the heart rate, a condition that is common in premature babies.



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Christian Kaczur Hart Swain (pictured). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

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Christian Kaczur Hart Swain (pictured). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

Diana Rose Angelina Swain (pictured). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

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Diana Rose Angelina Swain (pictured). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

Jimmy Swain (left) with mother Rosee Swain (seated), holding Christian (blue blanket) and Diana (pink blanket). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

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Jimmy Swain (left) with mother Rosee Swain (seated), holding Christian (blue blanket) and Diana (pink blanket). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

Mother Rosee Swain (left), holding Diana (pink blanket), Jimmy Swain (center), and father Jay Swain (right), holding Christian (blue blanket). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.

Image Size:
1,800 pixels by 1,350 pixels
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File Size: 2,221 KB
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Caption:
Mother Rosee Swain (left), holding Diana (pink blanket), Jimmy Swain (center), and father Jay Swain (right), holding Christian (blue blanket). Photo credit: Tracy Bischoff, UAB Media Relations.