After 7 Days in the NICU, These Twins Held Hands and That's All That Matters

When you've spent the last eight months carrying two children and seven long days in the NICU, it's safe to say that you might not feel emotionally or physically prepared for a photo shoot. Brittany Wilkes can attest to that, but the mom of two still shared a personal photo on the Love What Matters Facebook page.

Although she recalled not looking her best, the photo captures an incredible heart-stopping moment that absolutely needed to be shared. "Truth is this is the face of seven days of nonstop crying and worrying," Brittany wrote. "Exactly seven days until I could hold both of these beautiful souls that just spent eight whole months together inside of me."

Every mom has a unique childbirth story, and many can agree that all of the brutally painful contractions and screaming memories tend to disappear the second your baby is in your arms. Brittany's twins spent a long week in the neonatal intensive care unit, meaning she couldn't have them in her arms right away, but once they came out and "immediately grabbed each others hands," that was all that mattered. She recalled the beautiful birthing experience but said she will "never forget how painful NICU life was."

Now, almost two years later, she's reflecting on the photo she never wanted to publicly share with an important message about gratitude. "I am SO thankful I now have two healthy thriving almost 2 year olds (holy cow)," Brittany wrote. "This picture gives me that lump-in-your-throat moment. But mostly it shows me all I can go through and still come out happier than I've ever been."