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Conjoined twin boys cleared a major hurdle Thursday morning at Atlanta's Northside Hospital. They were born. And soon, they were crying like any other newborn babies, according to their family.
"Babies are out and so far they are doing AMAZING," an 8 a.m. post said on the Hamby Twins Facebook page. "Both babies crying their little eyes out!!!"
Asa and Eli Hamby were born by C-section to Robin and Michael Hamby, of Ladonia, Ala. The boys, born at 37 weeks, share a torso, arms and legs, according to their parents.
It was a rare and risky pregnancy, but the Hambys have said they have relied on their faith and remain hopeful the boys can beat the odds. The babies’ tears were a relief to anxious family members, many of whom traveled from the Columbus, Ga., area to the hospital 2 hours north in Atlanta for the births.
“Robin is doing amazing and rocked that surgery!!!” the twins’ aunt, Emily Berdeaux posted online.
Asa and Eli, who weighed 9 pounds and 10.4 ounces, and measured 17 inches long, are expected to be transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston later Thursday morning.
Conjoined twins occur once every 200,000 live births, but between 40 and 60 percent arrive stillborn, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Being joined side-by-side makes the Hamby twins even rarer, a condition known as dicephalic parapagus.
The Hambys, who also have a 22-month-old daughter, chronicled the pregnancy on Facebook, posting videos and frequent updates to keep thousands of people informed. The couple drove to Atlanta on Wednesday and enjoyed dinner at the Cheesecake Factory before posting a late-night video asking for prayers.
Anyone wishing to assist the family with medical costs can donate to the Hamby Twins Benefit account at any branch of Wells Fargo or through an online fundraising page.
