Twin Sisters, Parallel Paths: Babies Born Just Days Apart

On February 11, 1994, fraternal twins Vetthya and Sindujah were born just one minute apart — a connection that has shaped their lives in countless ways. From childhood to adulthood, through milestones big and small, their bond has remained steadfast and unbreakable. 

However, neither sister could have predicted just how closely their paths would continue to align through motherhood. 

After both struggling to conceive for over a year, offering each other advice and encouragement along the way, Sindujah found out she was pregnant with her first child. After a rollercoaster of emotion, surprise, and disbelief, she shared the news with her husband during a romantic dinner and then headed straight to Vetthya’s house to share the good news with her in person. 

What she didn’t know was that Vetthya was pregnant too; she just hadn’t told anyone yet. 

“I didn’t want to take away from her moment,” Vetthya shared. “This was her first pregnancy, and I knew how much it meant to her. I just wanted her to have the spotlight.” 

But two weeks later, when she finally told her sister, Sindujah was thrilled. Not only were they both pregnant, but their due dates were just two days apart. 

“We joked that our babies were going to be twins too,” they laughed. 

Fast forward to summer 2025, both sisters chose Lakeridge Health’s Oshawa Hospital for their deliveries – a decision that made the experience even more meaningful, especially under the care of their obstetrician, Dr. Gregory Athaide, who happens to have twin daughters of his own. 

Reflecting on this unique situation, Dr. Athaide described it as a rare and meaningful intersection of his professional work and personal life. “I’ve cared for countless twin, and even some triplet, pregnancies, but never twin sisters who were pregnant at the same time.” said Dr. Athaide. “As someone with a special interest in twins, it really resonated with me. I even imagined my own twin daughters going through something similar someday.” 

Vetthya gave birth to her second son, Reyan Rodrigo Bitara, on June 30. Just days later, Sindujah welcomed her baby boy, Shakthi Krishnan, via a caesarean section, on July 3. 

Even their care teams were surprised. “When I went into labour, some of the nurses and doctors had remembered seeing me the day before and asked if they forgot to take out another baby,” Sindujah joked. “That’s when I had to explain, no, that was my twin sister.” 

Though their birth experiences were different, the postpartum journey brought them even closer. They leaned on each other, just as they always had, only this time, it was as mothers navigating newborn days side by side. 

“Becoming mothers at the same time made our bond stronger than ever,” said Vetthya. “We weren’t just talking about symptoms anymore; we were feeling them together.” 

Dr. Athaide echoed the significance of having someone to lean on during this period. “Pregnancy and childbirth can be a very trying time, and postpartum specifically can feel isolating. Having a built-in support system like this is incredibly powerful.” 

Vetthya and Sindujah’s sons, Reyan and Shakthi, are surrounded by a village of love, including a big crew of cousins. With their older sister’s four kids and Vetthya’s three-year-old son in the mix, family gatherings are always full of laughter, chaos, and connection. 

“We call them our ‘twin babies,’” the sisters say. “But no matter what, they’re just more pieces of this beautiful puzzle we’ve been building since birth.”