Twins times two: Alabama couple has two sets of identical twins in 13 months
Britney and Frankie Alba of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, defied the odds when they had two sets of identical twins in the span of just 13 months.
Britney Alba, 27, a fourth-grade teacher, and Frankie Alba, 25, a firefighter, have quite a full house with the addition of two boys and two girls. Both sets of twins were conceived naturally and without fertility drugs, the family said.
The family welcomed identical twin boys Luka and Levi on Aug. 26 2021. The now-18-month-old twins were a surprise but a blessing for the Alba family after a miscarriage nine months before, Britney Alba said.
"Just being pregnant again was nerve-racking," Britney Alba said. "So when we found out we had two, of course we were super-excited, but also extremely nervous. But we were assured by our doctor that while twin pregnancies are high risk, everything's gonna be perfectly fine."
The Albas began adjusting to life as a family of four, but soon found out their family would be growing again.
Six months after giving birth to Luka and Levi, Britney Alba and her mom, Shari Gilbert, laughed in disbelief when they found out the new mom of two was pregnant with yet another set of twins.
"Because we had teased (Britney), 'What if you have another set of twins?' " Gilbert said.
Sure enough, the ultrasound technician detected two babies and the family was shocked, but very excited, said Gilbert.
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On Oct. 25 2022, Britney Alba gave birth to identical twin girls Lynlee and Lydia after 32 weeks of gestation. The girls were monoamniotic-monochorionic, which is one of the the rarest types of twins. Monoamniotic-monochorionic or "MoMo" means the twins shared the same placenta, amniotic sac and fluid.
MoMo twins face increased risks including, stillbirth and tangled umbilical cords.
Britney Alba said she was concerned about the risks, but she knew that she was in good hands at the Hospital, where she was admitted to the high-risk obstetrics unit for what turned out to be a stay of more than 50 days.
During her stay, Britney Alba was attended by a team of maternal-fetal specialists, high-risk obstetrics nurses and neonatologists, according to a news release. The team conducted continuous prenatal care, which included fetal monitoring several times a day to ensure the twins remained well.
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After Lydia and Lynlee were born, they were admitted to the newborn intensive care unit to receive continuing care. The twin girls were released on Dec. 7, 2022, just in time for the holiday season.
The Albas welcomed the two healthy girls home and the family of four was now a family of six.
Adjusting to the presence of two sets of twins has been challenging, but very rewarding, the Albas said.
"Oh my goodness, we love it. I mean, its our new normal," said Britney Alba. "So I guess just as a parent, everybody just has to adjust and you do what you have to do because they're your kids. And Frankie and I don't know any anything else except for two babies. So what's two more?"
Frankie Alba said he also loves having a full house and that the kids have changed their lives for the better.
"I will say, it's pretty much changed everything, but in a very good way. We love having all these babies and I wouldn't change it for the world," Frankie Alba said.
It takes a village to raise two sets of identical twins, said Britney Alba. The couple has a lot of support from friends, family, both of their parents and their church community.
Britney Alba's mom often helps out with the kids and said she loves spending time with them.
"The kids are precious. They're wonderful kids and they're wonderful parents. So I'm a blessed GiGi (grandmother)," Gilbert said.
Since the birth of the twin girls, the Albas have received a lot of media attention, an opportunity Britney Alba said she does not take for granted.
"We're very blessed. I'm excited for people to hear our story and hopefully they'll be able to seethe reason behind why we're not going insane," she said. "It's a good way to be able to share our faith and our story so that's been the biggest thing for us."
The Alba family was featured Feb. 23 during a segment on NBC's "Today" show, in addition to stories posted on the websites of ABC's "Good Morning America" and Southern Living magazine.
Frankie Alba said he also considers the public's interest in his family's unique story to be a blessing.
"We really feel blessed to have this opportunity to show the goodness of the Lord in our story. Because the Lord has blessed us and all this is all a work of God. And so that is definitely something that we make sure we tell people when we explain our story, because he's the center of our story," Frankie Alba said.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.