A mother in Evanston, Wyoming, has given birth to twins who have set a new state record for combined birth weight. Hope Henderson, 31, welcomed her son, Clay, weighing nine pounds four ounces, and her daughter, Leah, weighing nine pounds six ounces, in early March. Their total weight of 19 pounds surpasses the previous Wyoming record of 16 pounds, set in 2024.
Henderson, who already has two daughters with her husband, Raleigh Henderson, attributed the twins' large size to genetics. She noted that her previous children were also born at higher weights: her four-year-old daughter Joy weighed eight pounds seven ounces at birth, and her one-year-old daughter Ann weighed nine pounds 13 ounces.
Carrying the twins presented significant physical challenges for Henderson. By 32 weeks of pregnancy, she felt as though she was already full-term. Strangers in public often commented on her size, with one woman at a grocery store remarking that she had never seen anyone look so pregnant. Despite these challenges, Henderson carried the twins until 40 weeks and two days, exceeding the typical gestation period for twin pregnancies, as more than half of twin pregnancies end before 37 weeks. The average weight for twins at birth is approximately five pounds each.
The birth took place in a birthing pool at a birth center in Ogden, Utah. The midwife assisting Henderson expressed surprise at the newborns' substantial size, stating she had not delivered twins of that weight before, with the last comparable delivery occurring over 18 years prior with twins weighing eight pounds each.
Three months postpartum, Henderson reported that both Clay and Leah are thriving and now weigh over 14 pounds each. She shared her belief that prenatal care, exercise, a positive mindset, and carrying to full term contributed to the healthy outcome for her babies.