Hope Henderson, a 31-year-old midwife from Evanston, Wyoming, recently gave birth to twins who weighed nearly 19 pounds combined, setting a record for the state. Her son, Clay, weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces, and her daughter, Leah, weighed 9 pounds, 6 ounces.

A Family History of Big Babies

Henderson has a history of having big babies. Her older daughters, Joy and Ann, weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces and 9 pounds, 13 ounces at birth, respectively. Henderson’s husband, Raleigh, stands 6 feet, 4 inches tall, which may have contributed to the size of their children.

Throughout her pregnancy, Henderson remained active and paid close attention to her nutrition. She attended births as part of her midwifery practice and made sure to hit her protein goals every day. Her blood pressure remained healthy, and her blood sugar levels were normal. Ultrasounds showed strong growth and adequate amniotic fluid.

The twins were born on March 3, about a week after Henderson’s due date. The labor moved quickly, and Henderson delivered Clay within a contraction or two after her water was broken. Eleven minutes later, Leah arrived.

Henderson says what stands out most isn’t the size of the twins, but how closely they matched in size. Normally, one twin is significantly bigger than the other, but Clay and Leah grew evenly.

Today, the twins are thriving. Exclusively breastfed, they have already surpassed 14 pounds each. Henderson says one of the biggest surprises came after the birth – she didn’t tear at all and had no vaginal lacerations, which was a huge plus for her healing.

Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.