A Mother's First Test

Not wanting to know the babies' sex ahead of time, they called them Baby A and Baby B. It became clear to Maggie Beirne that Baby A, "who ruled my belly" and kicked before bedtime, was going to be the rambunctious one.

There was a time when Beirne never imagined becoming a mother. It seemed like so much work -- the tantrums, the diapers, the mess. Now she can't imagine what life would be like without them.

Two weeks ago, Beirne suddenly didn't feel right. She wasn't overly worried, but the doctor said she had better come to the hospital. She threw a few things in a bag just in case, but she didn't really think she'd be giving birth. The nurse informed her it was happening. Now.

"Did you feel that?" Beirne remembered the nurse asking her.

"No," she responded.

"You're having contractions."

She couldn't be. It was too early. The babies weren't due until June 26. It was only April 29.

"I'm not having any babies today," she insisted.

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They came out needing urgent care. Betsy weighed 4 pounds 10 1/2 ounces. Martin was four pounds even.

After Betsy was born, the nurses brought her to Beirne for a quick kiss before carting the baby away. Martin, in worse shape, was taken away so fast that Beirne only caught a glimpse of him after he was put in the incubator.

Their lungs and digestive systems were underdeveloped. They were fragile, susceptible to infection. Beirne was scared. Preemie babies have a high risk of developing medical complications and long-term disabilities. But babies born at 32 weeks have 98 percent survival rates, and doctors have told Beirne that her children are progressing very well.