Looking at her two babies as they hold hands and giggle at each other, 25-year-old Odalis Martinez beams with pride. But though they look every inch like twins, her seven-month-old daughters – Imelda and Lilo – were astonishingly conceived just five days apart.
It’s a rare phenomenon known as superfetation, when a second egg is released and fertilised during a first pregnancy, which can happen at any time from a few days to months later.
Odalis, who lives with her husband Antonio, 31, a counsellor, explains, “People think they’re twins and I often don’t bother correcting them as it’s quite complicated!
“I had no idea you could get pregnant when you were already pregnant. I still can’t believe it’s happened for us – they’re our two little miracles – and they look so similar that even we’ve got confused.”
Their arrival, on the same day, was all the more special as Odalis had sadly suffered a miscarriage when she was 12 weeks pregnant in July 2020. She recalls, “I went in for my first scan alone because of Covid restrictions. And then the doctor told me the news that there was no heartbeat, it was absolutely devastating and so hard to get that news alone.
“I remember having to go outside to see Antonio – he was waiting in the car looking so happy and it just broke his heart. It was as hard for him as for me and we both cried so much that day and in the weeks that followed.”
A few months later they decided to try again and were thrilled when Odalis conceived in the first month.
She says, “I was extremely happy to be on our pregnancy journey once more. And I felt so lucky as I know a lot of people struggle to conceive and it was one of my biggest fears. But with hindsight I wonder if I was emotionally ready – there wasn’t a week during my pregnancy that I didn’t cry because I was so scared of losing another baby.”
In January 2021, at eight weeks pregnant, Odalis went for her first scan, once again she had to be alone because of Covid regulations and she admits she was terrified.
The full-time mum, who lives in California, USA, says, “I was just so scared that they were going to tell me, ‘Oh, there’s no heartbeat’. The doctor came in and I was mentally preparing myself... when she found the baby and the heartbeat I was crying with happiness.
“Then she started going back and forth with the scanner on my stomach and I was wondering why – my mind just went to the worst-case scenario because of the traumatic experience that we’d had.
“That’s when she told me that she had found another baby that also had a heartbeat. I was overjoyed and couldn’t believe how lucky I was. I felt like the first baby that we had lost was in the room with me and saying it was going to be OK.”
CHECK OUT illegal baby names
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1 of 15Illegal baby names in the UK
According to Mom Junction these names are banned in the UK:1) Martian2) Monkey3) Chow Tow (which means 'Smelly Head')4) Rogue5) Akuma (in Japanese it mean 'Devil'
2 of 15Illegal baby names in France
Over in France parents are banned from naming their children:1) Nutella (yup, just like the chocolate)2) MJ3) Manhattan4) Joyeux (which means 'happy' in English)5) Deamon6) Prince William7) Mini Cooper (we can't quite believe this one)
3 of 15Illegal baby names in Germany
- Matti2) Kohl3) Stompie4) Osama Bin Laden5) Adolf HitlerAlso in Germany you are only allowed to give your child a gender neutral name if you make it double barrel and the second moniker is gender specific.
4 of 15Illegal baby names in Australia
Some of the names that have been banned in Australia are certainly questionable...1) Ikea2) Ranga3) LOL4) Batman5) Snort6) Hitler7) Spinach8) Christ9) Dame10) God11) Satan12) Brother13) Sir14) Prime Minister15) General
5 of 15Illegal baby names in Switzerland
- Mercedes2) Schmid3) Paris4) Chanel5) Judas6) Lucifer
6 of 15Illegal baby names in Iceland
Here's a fun fact about the Icelandic alphabet it doesn't include the letters C, Q, W or Z which makes any name with those character banned.1) Duncan2) Zoe3) Enrique4) Ludwig5) Camilla6) Harriet
7 of 15Illegal baby names in Portugal
Judging by just a few of the banned names in Portugal it's safe to say they're not fond of names used by the royal family...1) William2) Catherine3) George4) Charlotte5) Tom6) Michael7) Emily8) Bruce9) Jenny10) Nirvana11) Rihanna12) Jimmy13) Viking
8 of 15Illegal baby names in America
Similar to the banned baby names in Portugal, in America they're not too fond of royal type names, so...1) King2) Queen3) Majesty4) Master5) Judge6) Duke
9 of 15Illegal baby names in Denmark
If you're naming your baby in Denmark you'll most likely know someone with the same name because the country has a pre-approved list of names that you can pick from. Not only that but if you want a name not on the list, you'll have to get permission from Copenhagen University's Names Investigation Department and at the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs.Wowza!A few names illegal in the country are:1) Anus2) Monkey3) Pluto4) Ashleiy5) Jakobp
10 of 15Illegal baby names in Hungary
- Stephan (but you can give them the name Stefán)
11 of 15Illegal baby names in Saudi Arabia
Some of the names banned in Saudi Arabia include: 1) Malak2) Malika3) Nardeen4) Maya5) Linda6) Alice7) Eleen8) Arm9) Lauren
12 of 15Illegal baby names in Mexico
- Facebook2) Batman3) Hermione4) Rambo5) Terminator6) James Bond7) Rolling Stone8) Rocky9) Hitler10) Christmas Day11) Burger King
13 of 15Illegal baby names in New Zealand
In 2015 these were the top 27 names rejected in 2015, which means people tried to name their children with these monikers...1) Messiah2) King3) Royal4) Prince5) Royale6) Bishop7) Empress8) Princess9) / (symbol in the name)
14 of 15Banned baby names in New Zealand
- () a name in brackets11) Chief12) Christ13) Commodore14) Impryss15) Justice16) Justyce17) Knight18) Lord19) MMMR
15 of 15Banned baby names in New Zealand
- Queen21) Regal22) Rogue23) Royaal24) Royahl25) Sarjant26) Sir 27) Suprintendent
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Understandably, Odalis presumed the doctor meant she was having twins, but then he told her they’d actually been conceived five days apart. At that stage an accurate date of conception can be determined by looking at the size of the foetus and comparing it to the pattern of growth in other pregnancies.
As they grow quickly, an ultrasound can determine how old they are. Doctors set their due date for 21 August in the middle of the two babies’ expected birth dates – so two days before one was 40 weeks, and two days after for the other.
Odalis was warned that her pregnancy was more risky due to having two babies, but no more so than if she was having twins. She admits, “It was a tough pregnancy both physically and emotionally. I was at college doing ethnic studies, but I was throwing up around 10 times a day. I couldn’t keep anything down and I had to go to the doctors three times a week for IV fluids as otherwise I became dehydrated. But it was worth every moment to get my babies.
“Mentally I struggled with the thought that something would happen to them. But there were so many moments of joy too, from the support I got from my friends and family to feeling them kicking inside me. I loved lying beside my husband while they kicked and he would feel them too.”
The babies were induced on 10 August 2021 as going any further than that can be dangerous for multiple births and Odalis also had pre-eclampsia – which causes high blood pressure and can be dangerous if it’s not treated.
Lilo, who was conceived first, was born first weighing 6lbs 12oz and then, a few minutes later, Imelda followed weighing 7lbs 3oz. Odalis says, “My high blood pressure affected my vision for three days, so my babies’ faces looked blurry. I longed to see them, but I could hold them and feed them. I remember the first time they latched on was so surreal, I’d seen other women do it and imagined it so many times and finally it was happening.
“I feel it’s some sort of miracle that I experienced a double pregnancy. It was a really beautiful moment to finally be able to hold them in my arms. When I held them and knew that they were OK, I can’t even explain the feeling. I love my family and my husband, but I had just never experienced a love and happiness like that.”
After a few days, Odalis and the girls were allowed home. Antonio took paternity leave and Odalis’ mum also came to stay, but even so she admits it was exhausting. She says, “I was so tired but so happy. When the girls were tiny I could tell the difference most of the time – though there were moments when I’d think, ‘Hang on, which one is which?’ They do look so similar. And even now Antonio and my mum can get confused for a moment.”
Happily, the girls are thriving and they adore each other.
“They sleep in the same bed,” says Odalis. “And it’s so cute, when one of them wakes up she will reach over to the other one so they can hold hands. At times I will try to quickly pick one up so they don’t wake their sister up, but then they will start crying, loudly, as if they’re determined to wake them up! And though Lilo is technically older, it’s Imelda who’s the bossy one in charge. If Lilo has a toy, she will always want to take it, even if she’s got one herself! It’s just a joy to watch them interacting with each other and I feel so lucky to have two daughters. The way that they were conceived feels like a miracle to us, and they will always feel like that to me, especially after the loss we experienced.”
Read more in the latest issue of Closer magazine – OUT NOW.