A mother of twins has spoken out about her shock after giving birth to twins for the second time. Alana Christensen, 25, gave birth to twins in June 2020 before discovering she was pregnant again and having another set of twins in August 2022.
Alana and her 31-year-old husband Cole even joked about having three sets of twins after their first. Alana gave birth to twin boys, Moon and Beck, who are both two, before she and Cole welcomed twin girls, Cove and Gracie, into their lives, which they say as ‘full of love.’
The mum-of-four spoke of her disbelief upon realizing she was having twins for a second time. She said: “I was shocked and scared but excited. I was out of town when we got the first ultrasound in Las Vegas and my husband was joking saying: ‘let’s just have one, just the one. Then we found out and I was just like ‘oh my goodness you’re kidding me, it’s two again!’
“It’s so funny because when I found out I was pregnant for the first time with my boys, I joked that we should have three sets of twins.”
Both sets of twins are fraternal, and despite Alana’s surprise, having twins for the second time isn’t that uncommon, with the odds multiplying by four – or one in 12 – after the first set. Alana and Cole, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, were not the only ones surprised by their twin double; friends and family were as well.
Alana said: “I was at my mum’s house for Christmas after the first ultrasound and she was waiting at the door asking if it was one or two. Then she and my sister started screaming when they found out. My mum joked that the next 60 years of my life are going to be hard.
“Then when I was out for lunch with friends, one of them said: at least it’s not two, right? It’ll be easier this time. She couldn’t believe it when I said, ‘it was two.’ “
Prior to having children, Alana worked as a nanny and felt that she was ‘always meant to have twins. She said: “I’ve always been used to taking care of kids. I feel like I was meant to have twins – it feels natural for me to have this many kids. I’m okay with chaos – I know how to turn it off If I need to!”
Being a mum to two sets of twins isn’t easy, says Alana, and finds herself juggling lots of things at once. She said: “What’s not hard? If we go to Costco, for example, I have to have the girls in the carrier and the boys in the cart.
“If we’re going to church it’s hard because the boys don’t like sitting still or staying in our little area.
They end up running up and down the halls, so Cole and I have to split up. He’s with the boys and I’m with the girls. Keeping up with laundry is hard since we have so many little people.”
Alana has shared some of her wisdom for other mums who may happen to find themselves with a second set of twins. “In my experience, the second set of twins has felt easier as you know what to expect,” she said. “Make sure you have a good support system and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Yes, you know your life is going to get crazier, but you’ve been there before, and your life is full of love.”