Two Tiny Hearts: A family’s NICU journey

When Tara Marbra woke up one morning just 23 weeks into her pregnancy, something felt off. She couldn’t have known that this moment would mark the beginning of a long, emotional journey: one that would test her strength, deepen her gratitude, and ultimately bring her twin daughters, Lenora and Lakelyn, safely home.

“I just knew something wasn’t right,” Tara recalls. “It was too early in my pregnancy, and I was scared.”

Tara was admitted to Trinity Health Grand Rapids, where she made it to exactly 24 weeks before delivering via emergency C-section. Thus began her babies’ stay at the Trinity Health Grand Rapids Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 

The NICU has successfully cared for babies born as early as 22 weeks' gestation and weighing as little as 11 ounces.

Lenora and Lakelyn were born weighing just over a pound each. Their lungs were fragile, their bodies tiny. The girls were immediately admitted to the NICU, where they would spend the next 113 days fighting to grow stronger.

“A baby born at 24 weeks requires immediate, intensive support. Their lungs, brain, and digestive systems are still developing, so we use every tool available to help them grow outside the womb,” said Steven Gelfand, MD, FAAP, regional medical director of Newborn Medicine and section chief of Neonatology at Trinity Health West Michigan.

The first month was especially difficult with the twins on oscillating ventilators and getting daily lung X-rays. “We held our breath every day, just hoping they’d keep breathing,” Tara says. 
Though there were setbacks and moments of fear, both girls were discharged on their original due date, a milestone that felt like a miracle.

Throughout the journey, Tara leaned heavily on the NICU staff and other parents. “Those nurses were there at all times,” she says. “They loved my girls. They answered every call, gave me updates every night, and never made me feel like a burden.”

The NICU experience was isolating, but Tara found strength in other families’ stories. “I clung to the positive ones. That’s why I wanted to share ours, so someone else can hold on to hope.”

“The NICU is not just a medical space; it’s an emotional one. Parents are navigating fear, hope, and exhaustion all at once. Our team works hard to not only care for the babies, but to support the entire family,” said Dr. Gelfand.

Today, Lenora and Lakelyn are thriving. At the age of 14 months, both are happy, healthy, and developmentally on track. “They are perfect,” Tara says.

Looking back, Tara wishes she could tell her past self to slow down. “When they told me I’d deliver at 24 weeks, my mind raced with everything that could go wrong. But it was bittersweet as I got to see my babies grow. As scary as it was, they had everything they needed.”

She remembers the moment they came off the ventilators as a turning point. “That was huge. We knew their lungs were capable. From there, things started to move fast.”

Her advice to other NICU parents is to take it one day at a time, don’t overthink, stay off the internet, and remember it’s okay to be scared and amazed at the same time. “These babies are stronger than you can imagine.”

Tara remains deeply grateful to the team at Trinity Health Grand Rapids NICU. “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have my girls. I’ve learned to be thankful. Time has helped me talk about it, and now I just want other parents to know that they’re not alone.”

Explore Trinity Health Michigan’s commitment to advanced neonatal care and family-centered support for our smallest patients.