The parents of naturally-conceived twins were shocked and delighted when their second pregnancy turned out to be triplets. Neither had multiples in their family, but both have adapted to life as a family of seven and adore their lively, happy home.
Mandi and Danny Oldani are parents to 3-year-old fraternal twin sons, Beckett and Benson, fraternal triplet boys Bayler and Boston, and their sister, Kole. The triplets turned 7 months old on April 27.
Former teacher, now stay-at-home mom, Mandi, 33, was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Danny, 31, works in technology sales and was raised in New Braunfels, Texas, where the couple has settled.
Mandi became pregnant in the summer of 2019, and the couple found out that they were going to be parents to twins at their first ultrasound appointment at nine weeks.
“We were speechless for the remainder of the doctor’s appointment and only had a few nervous giggles,” Mandi told The Epoch Times. “We began preparing for two sweet babies.”
The twins were born on Jan. 27, 2020, by emergency cesarian section at Resolute Hospital at 34 weeks gestation, a couple of weeks premature due to preeclampsia. Both babies spent 11 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), then headed home healthy.
“The twins had just turned 2 when we found out we were pregnant again. We shared with them that they would be big brothers; little did we know they would be big brothers to three!” Mandi said.
Mandi was “super sick” during her second pregnancy but chalked it down to the superstition that a baby girl causes more prenatal sickness than a boy. She and Danny were “on pins and needles” headed to their first ultrasound.
“We knew after conceiving fraternal twins you have a one-in-12 chance of conceiving multiples again,” Mandi said. “We thought maybe we would have twins again, but our doctor still even mentioned right before the ultrasound that it was a slim chance, only to find three healthy growing babies! My husband was completely silent, in complete disbelief.”
Mandi’s twins, who are tightly bonded, were unfazed by the news, but proudly referred to the triplets as “their babies” after Bayler, Boston, and Kole came into the world on Sept. 27, 2022, via a C-section at the same hospital.
The triplets were considered full-term at 33 weeks and five days, and since Mandi and Danny remembered the NICU nurses, they felt “more comfortable and less overwhelmed” than during their first birth experience.
“Kole had a 14-day NICU stay, Bayler 16 days, and Boston four weeks,” Mandi said, adding, “We were actually the second family to ever deliver triplets at Resolute Hospital, and just 24 hours after the first set ever to be delivered.
“Multiple births do not run in either of our families,” she said. “Both of our pregnancies were completely spontaneous, meaning we did not use any fertility treatments or medications. Conceiving twins occurs about once in every 250 pregnancies, and triplets are one in 10,000 pregnancies.”
The proud parents of five are now focused on managing their happy, chaotic household as best they can.
“We believe in communicating with them effectively by getting on their level, teaching them right from wrong, apologizing, and asking for forgiveness. We want to raise happy, healthy, kind, and most of all, loving children. We want God’s light to shine through their words and interactions with others.”
One challenge for Mandi and Danny is giving each of their children individualized attention. Mandi remains cautious of “mom guilt,” and focuses on feeling “beyond blessed” to spend all day, every day with her happy children as they learn and grow.
“I try to spend time with each child multiple times per day, tickling them, making them smile, asking them questions, and playing with them one on one. ... Hearing them interact with one another and others always puts a smile on my face, because it’s very obvious they are learning and growing,” she said. “Watching them use the skills and demonstrate the character qualities you’ve taught them is so exciting as a parent.”
“I think other moms of multiples appreciate it,” she said. “I think mamas of singletons enjoy seeing what it is like having multiples; I think there’s just something intriguing about multiples in general, and how we manage our family. ... Of course, we get some pushback from viewers from time to time, but we love the life we have been given and no one’s comments will ever change that!”
It tickles Mandi that her children don’t realize that having a family with two sets of multiples is “not the norm.” As her babies grow, the mom of five hopes that they will gradually learn how special and unique their bond will be.
