Skin-to-Skin Miracles: A Twin Preemie Story of Bonding, Healing & Hope

“The next contraction she was out, and I reached down and pulled her out and put her on my stomach… Then she started crying. It wasn’t the biggest cry, but it was a sign she was alive. Once I heard that noise, I felt calmer… I was 100% confident everything was going to be okay.”

For many families, NICU life begins unexpectedly. For Sydney, it began in the backseat of a speeding car—just five minutes from the hospital and 11 weeks before her due date. This November, during Preemie Awareness Month, Bonsie is honored to share her story.

Sydney went into labor with her twins at 29 weeks. Her husband, a police officer, rushed home from the night shift to drive her to the hospital, which was 40 minutes away. But they didn’t make it in time. Five minutes from the hospital, Sydney delivered Harper, her tiny little girl, in the back seat of their car.

“Obviously, the pain of childbirth was very overwhelming. I didn't have too much time to think about what was happening because of the pain. But in the back of my mind, I was terrified. I was only 29 weeks pregnant and I didn't know what was happening or what was going to happen. Was I really going into labor? Would my babies survive this young? What issues or struggles would they face? I knew Harper would come quickly—in the ultrasound the week prior she was tiny, only in the 11th percentile, and her head was sitting right on my cervix,” Sydney said. 

Sydney also knew that Walter, her son, was breech. As soon as they arrived at the hospital, the medical team rushed Harper to the NICU, and Sydney underwent an emergency c-section to deliver her son. Harper weighed 2 lb 3 oz, and Walter weighed 3 lb 4 oz.

“Looking back, I should have been freaking out, but for some reason I was calm and optimistic. I think I could just sense that our twins were fighters and strong.”

Sydney holds her baby’s hand in the NICU

The Science Behind Skin-to-Skin 

Despite the cords, monitors, and fear of the unknown, the first time Sydney held her babies skin-to-skin, she felt a wave of relief.

“I was so scared to hold them with all those cords and tubes; they seemed so fragile. But once the nurse handed them to me and I felt their warmth, everything felt right in the world.”

Skin-to-skin contact triggers a powerful release of oxytocin for both mom and baby, which helps regulate stress, stabilize vital signs, support breastfeeding, and strengthen bonding—even in the NICU environment. According to UNICEF UK, skin-to-skin helps newborns regulate their temperature, breathing, heart rate, and blood sugar, while also reducing maternal stress and supporting emotional connection.

“I think the first thing I said to my husband once the nurses left the room is this is the best therapy I could have. I really don't know how to describe it—it just felt right, like my whole purpose in life was to be these sweet babies' mom and everything was going to work out. Just going to see them in the isolates I didn't feel that bond, but I did once I felt their skin on mine.”

The Benefits She Could See Immediately

The benefits of skin-to-skin are staggering—and many of them were things Sydney began noticing right away while holding her twins. Some of the most important include:

• More stable heart rate and breathing
• Improved temperature regulation
• Better blood sugar control
• Reduced fussiness and stress
• Enhanced bonding and maternal confidence
• Reduced risk of postpartum depression 
• Support for milk production and breastfeeding

Sydney holds her daughter, Harper, skin-to-skin. 

“We noticed so many things. Harper was very fussy and her heart rate always seemed high. And both of them had troubles controlling their blood sugar and temperature. Once we started doing skin-to-skin all of those things started to improve. When they are in those isolates you just don't feel like you can do much to help them, but between skin-to-skin and pumping I felt like I was involved in their health and progress.” 

Sydney described skin-to-skin contact as “the best medicine” for moms and their babies, especially for parents with preemie and NICU babies. “When everything feels wrong and unfair, skin-to-skin makes you forget that and lets you feel like their mom or dad.”

She added: “I try to do skin-to-skin holds with them every day and I think it has been a tremendous help with their development and my mental health. After all we have been through, I don’t think there is any better therapy than getting to hold them, feel their warmth, and feel their tiny breaths.”

Coming Home — One Baby at a Time

After 75 days in the NICU, Walter is home, and Harper will be right behind him soon.

Walter graduates from the NICU after 75 days. 

Sydney learned about Bonsie Skin to Skin Babywear after receiving a Bonsie from the hospital. Bonsie regularly donates babywear to hospitals for NICU families to make skin-to-skin more accessible.

Harper in the NICU wearing a Bonsie. 

Our mission is to empower parents with education about the benefits of bonding through touch. We are grateful that Sydney received a Bonsie in the hospital and that it made her NICU experience a little more comfortable for her twins. We offer sizes from preemie to 6–9 months, including rompers, bags, and footless styles to meet the needs of various medical situations.

“Bonsie made it so easy to do skin-to-skin. With all the cords some onesies are so hard to get on and off babies, but Bonsies let you easily open their outfit and they are ready. Also, the nurses love them. It's so much easier to run cords from their chest and feet out of the Bonsie than a regular onesie. Plus, my babies get a little fussy when you take their clothes on and off, so just being able to open up their tops helps so much. Now that we have one baby at home I am still using them because of the ease of getting them on and off.”

Sydney holds her twins in the hospital.

Every skin-to-skin moment is a step toward healing, bonding, and resilience—for babies and parents alike. As Sydney discovered, those tiny touches can make a big difference. Bonsie was created to make skin-to-skin more accessible in every setting, from the NICU to the couch at home, giving parents the confidence and ease to practice this essential care whenever their baby needs it