18 MAY/JUNE 2011Saint Raphael’s

a survivor’s story NICU provided expert care for premature twins

Born nine weeks before their due date, twins Madison and Miranda Landino were facing risks typical for premature infants, including low birth weight and breathing problems. Fortunately, the twins’ early arrival last July was at the Hospital of Saint Raphael, where experts in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provided the specialized care they required. Better Health writer Karen Pasacreta recently caught up with Marc and Michelle Landino of Branford to reflect on their daughters’ journey.

Michelle Landino stared down at several early photos of her adorable 10-month-old identical twins, as she shared their story. “During your delivery, you get caught up in the excitement about seeing your babies. But when you finally get to see them and this is what you see – well, it was hard,” she said, referring to photos of the tiny newborns hooked up to large breathing tubes.

Madison and Miranda were born at 31 weeks via emergency C-section in what is now the renovated Vidone Birth Center at Saint Raphael’s. After they were born, the girls were immediately whisked away to the NICU, where they were placed on respiratory support and had specialized catheters placed to provide their nutrition. The girls weighed under 4 pounds each.

“Delivering nine weeks before a due date is not that uncommon in multiple births,” said Annmarie Golioto, M.D., medical director of the NICU and an attending neonatologist at Saint Raphael’s. “But when babies are born that early, there are risks that the team needs to be prepared to deal with.”

Miranda and Madison both needed special tubing called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, which goes under the nose to keep the lungs from collapsing. “Both babies required breathing assistance because the lungs are the last organs to mature,

generally between 34 and 36 weeks,” Golioto explained.

Saint Raphael’s NICU, with its dedicated team of neonatologists and other neonatal specialists, provides advanced care 24 hours a day, seven days a week for babies born as early as the 28th week of pregnancy. “Because we have up to just 10 patients at a time, we are able to provide personalized care for babies and their families,” Golioto noted.

For Michelle and Marc, Saint Raphael’s NICU was a second home for 37 days – a place where they would bond with their babies and deliver expressed breast milk three times a day. “The staff made us feel as if there was nothing wrong with our babies,” Marc said. “It was a very comfortable atmosphere and always welcoming. It began to feel like family.”

And, it was important to have

family to lean on when there were setbacks. First, the twins lost weight; then they needed blood transfusions; then Madison developed apnea, a condition common in preemies, and would stop breathing for no reason. “It would usually happen when she was eating,” Michelle recalled. Sometimes it would last

for a second, other times a bit longer, but before Madison was allowed to go

home, she had to have a full week without any episodes. Through it all, the Landinos’ spirits remained high. When the day finally arrived – the day both girls could come home together – “I cried, Marc cried,” Michelle said.

Today, Marc marvels at the girls’ progress. “Every time they do something new, it makes me feel so good inside,” he said. “I like it when I walk in the room, and they light up and get happy. I have the perfect family!”

With a highly trained and specialized staff – including neonatologists and other neonatal specialists as well as respiratory therapists, lactation consultants, physical therapists, social workers and others – Saint Raphael’s NICU delivers advanced care to premature babies born as early as the 28th week of pregnancy. To learn more, visit srhs.org/NICU.

Preemies at birth, twins Miranda and Madison Landino (l-r), shown here with their parents, Michelle and Marc, are happy and healthy today.