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The Presley Family - Twins in Kansas CityKansas City ObGyn: Which physician delivered your babies?

Samantha: We loved Dr. Arroyo. We were patients of Dr. Brabec’s at Reproductive Resource Center, as our kiddos were conceived through IVF, and we were worried about transitioning from seeing Dr. Brabec’s office often to being regular patients at our obstetrician’s office.  Dr. Arroyo made me feel so comfortable during my pregnancy.  He never made me feel rushed during our appointments, talked me through all of my concerns, and made sure I knew what to expect during the next weeks. He was also extremely calming during my delivery when I was anything but calm!

KCO: Did anyone else at the office stand out during your pregnancy and delivery?

Samantha: The nursing staff at Overland Park Regional was absolutely amazing. We checked in Wednesday, July 6 for induction and didn’t end up having the babies until late Friday night and early Saturday morning, so we went through multiple shift changes. The anesthesiologist staff was also amazing. My daughter was born first and was having some trouble with her breathing initially. My husband kept going back and forth between being with me and being with our daughter as the respiratory therapist came down from the NICU. Once it was clear that I would require a C-section for my son I got extremely nervous. The anesthesiologist stepped in and was extremely calming for me while they got me prepped and my husband was by our daughter’s side.

KCO: Was there anything else unique about your pregnancy or delivery besides being a mom of multiples?

Samantha: Yes! Not so much pregnancy except for the fact we were IVF pregnancy, but our delivery was pretty unique. My twins have different birthdays and came into this world by different methods. My daughter was born at 10:59 pm on July 7, and my son was born at 12:30 am on July 8 via C-section. After I had my daughter, Avery, Dr. Arroyo broke my son’s water (Mason) and I began pushing. I remember saying, “Ok we have 52 minutes to make sure these kids have the same birthday!” in a joking manner as Dr. Arroyo had told me to, except my son would be born about 15 minutes after my daughter. I pushed and pushed and pushed, and it just wasn’t working. We tried using the vacuum for a few contractions and that was also unsuccessful. At this point it was determined that I needed a C-section. It turns out that my son’s cord was wrapped around him and with every push it was pulling him back in. They weren’t able to see this on the ultrasound – otherwise I would’ve just had a C-section for both.

The Presley Twins in Kansas City

KCO: Tell us about the babies!

Samantha: We have fraternal boy/girl twins. Our daughter is Avery Joan Presley and our son is Mason Phillip Presley. These are my first two kiddos. Our babies have such big personalities for one-year-olds! And they have switched personalities! When they were really little our son was colicky and was the high energy, stranger-loving one of the two - always awake and ready to go.  Our daughter was more relaxed, quiet, reserved and had major “stranger danger”. Around 10 months they flipped. We now refer to our daughter as a bulldozer. She’s always on the go and has never met a stranger that she doesn’t want to charm. Our son is super silly when he’s around people he knows but he is weary around some strangers.  He gives the best cuddles when he is tired or doesn’t feel well.   

KCO: How are you, the babies and the family doing?

Samantha: Everyone is doing great! Our kiddos just turned one and are both walking - they turned into toddlers with attitude overnight!  They eat everything we eat and are always exploring the world around them. I’m doing well one year postpartum. My husband and I are both full-time working parents so it has definitely has been a huge adjustment for our family and at times is overwhelming, but we survived the first year and things are definitely getting easier!  We’ve learned that there is no “new normal,” as soon as we get set on a schedule it seems that something changes - they drop bottles, drop a nap, or cut a new tooth.

KCO: What is it like being a mom of twins?

Samantha: Being a mom of twins is the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I look back on my life pre-kids and realize, “Wow, I was lazy!” There is always something to do between work, laundry, dishes and cleaning, but we also have to remember to slow down and just enjoy our life and these kiddos, because babies don’t keep and they are changing so quickly! Overall we’ve adapted pretty well. We are now up and moving way earlier on the weekends but also shut down for the night much earlier - kiddos don’t know that it’s Saturday morning and they’re supposed to sleep in! We have also learned to be prepared for any outings - snacks, sippy cups, extra outfits, diapers, etc.! In the beginning we used to stay home a lot because of the constant feeding and nap schedule, but now we get out and about with the kids a lot - running errands, going out to breakfast, sometimes going out to dinner, and Deanna Rose Farmstead. Some people may think it’s overwhelming, but it helps us to feel like we are living a normal life. As long as we have our huge diaper bag with us things tend to go ok!