Life comes full circle: Premature birth to mother of premature twins

Shiran Feldman, who gave birth to premature twins this week, met the nurse who cared for her as a premature baby next to their crib.

Shiran was born 32 years ago at Hillel Yaffe Hospital, by emergency cesarean section at 26 weeks of pregnancy, after her mother suffered from severe gestational diabetes. She was born weighing only 690 grams and was hospitalized in the NICU in a very serious condition.

She underwent several life-saving surgeries and after three and a half months was released from premature babies safe and sound. This week, when she herself gave birth to her twins at 36 weeks pregnant, the circle closed perfectly.

"It's like going back 32 years," recalls Gila Kraus, Shiran's mother and the twins' new grandmother, excitedly. "I remember that difficult and challenging time – every day was like a rollercoaster of mixed emotions and fear that she wouldn't survive."

Today, Kraus says, the circle closes in the most exciting way: "To meet again the team that saved my daughter 32 years ago is now taking care of my grandchildren – there is nothing more exciting than that."

* Kikar Shabbat contributed to this article.