Married at First Sight alums Chris Thielk and Nicole Lilienthal have welcomed their twin babies into the world.
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Nicole, who wed Chris on Season 16 of Married at First Sight, gave birth to Sofia Lily and Anthony Ramsay on Monday, January 5, according to People.
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While the couple was able to bring Sofia home, Anthony has to spend more time in the hospital.
"Our daughter Sofia is perfectly healthy and at home with us, but our son, Anthony, will be spending the next 3+ months in the NICU," Chris and Nicole told the magazine.
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"Anthony was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) when [Nicole] was around 17 weeks pregnant."
The pair said they never heard of CDH.
"We were distraught when we found out our son had a hole in his diaphragm and the majority of his organs were in his chest, compressing his lungs," the couple continued.
"Our prenatal care was immediately transferred to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital where we met with pediatric surgeons and neonatologists [and found] out that our son would need breathing assistance within minutes after birth and surgery shortly after to fix his hernia."
Nicole and Chris said CDH happens in about 1 in 2,500 babies or 0.4% of the time. It apparently happens "even less often" in twins.
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"So we are still in disbelief that this happened to our son," the couple admitted.
Anthony apparently had surgery a few days after his birth.
"Luckily, it was a success. Chris and Nicole say his hernia was rated a D, which is the most severe rating of CDH, and he was missing about 90% of his diaphragm," the pair explained.
"He still has a long road to recovery in front of him, but having a successful surgery was the first major step. The cause of CDH is often unknown, and we are going to spend the rest of our lives trying to raise awareness for it to hopefully help even one family going through the same thing."
Nicole and Chris then thanked family, friends and fans for their "overwhelming support," adding that they "will do anything" they can to "pay that forward."
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Nicole and Chris said they visit Anthony in the NICU every day as he continues to get healthier and grow stronger.
Nicole admitted her pregnancy was a very difficult experience but she's so grateful to have her babies now.
"Pregnancy, especially with one sick baby, was the biggest and hardest thing I've ever done in my life," Nicole said.
"I questioned every day why our son was sick and how we would handle it when the time came. The day our twins were born was the most magical day of my entire life, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
She added, "I wish more than anything that I had both babies home with me and Chris, but I know our son is in incredible hands and our daughter is giving enough cuddles and sass for both of them right now."
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Nicole went on to gush about how her husband is an "amazing" partner and the "rock" of their family.
"His unwavering love and support have gotten me through more emotional breakdowns than I can count," Nicole boasted.
"I am thankful every day for our new family and will be the most fulfilled once everyone is home together in a few months."
And Chris said it's been incredible to watch Nicole become a mother.
"You think you know what love is and then you have kids and experience this whole different kind of deep love that you didn't think ever existed," Chris explained.
"It's an amazing feeling, and Nicole is already an amazing mother, and I am so proud of her and all she has already done for our family."
He concluded, "I am truly amazed by her every day and admire her strength throughout the pregnancy and now into motherhood! Me and the kids are so incredibly lucky to have her! I love her so much."
Nicole also took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, January 14, saying the couple is "so proud" of their "fighter" and "sweet baby girl."
Nicole and Chris revealed they were expecting twins in July 2025.
Nicole told People at the time that she never anticipated she'd get pregnant with twins.
"Twins were never on my BINGO card, but then again, neither was marrying a stranger," Nicole quipped to the magazine.
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"I'm so blessed that both things have happened, and I can't wait to be twin parents with the love of my life. I truly can't believe my luck sometimes, but then I remind myself that everything in my life has led me to this point and I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
Chris and Nicole, who changed her last name to Thielk after her wedding, bought their first home together in Summer 2023.
On Married at First Sight's sixteenth season, Nicole and Chris had a very healthy and communicative relationship, but they experienced some hardship.
The couple, for example, learned the Nashville apartment they were about to move in to wasn't going to allow all three of their dogs.
Nicole also needed to work through some insecurities and trust that Chris wouldn't hurt her or leave her.
But over the passing weeks of the extreme experiment, the couple grew their emotional and physical intimacy, and they developed a mutual respect and admiration for each other.
At the end of the season, Nicole and Chris were deeply in love, however, Chris suggested to Nicole they could live apart and take their time picking out a new place. Nicole, on the other hand, wanted to buy a house and live together as soon as possible in order to not lose momentum.
Nicole was afraid distance would cause their strong romance to crumble, and she didn't understand why Chris was dragging his feet on taking the next step in their relationship.
Nicole, however, recognized that marriage isn't easy, and so she and Chris decided to stay together.
Nicole and Chris were the only couple to come out of the Married at First Sight season still married and happy.
The season's other four couples -- Gina Micheletti and Clint Webb, Airris Williams and Jasmine Secrest, Kirsten Grimes and Shaquille Dillon, and Domynique Kloss and Mackinley Gilbert -- all chose to get a divorce on Decision Day.
After the show, Nicole and Chris talked about wanting to travel and enjoy their marriage before starting a family. Chris said he definitely wanted kids while Nicole was unsure at the time.
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RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)
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