Mother of conjoined twins given just 24 hours to live reveals why she refused to separate them

Just three days after co-joined twins Callie and Carter Torres were born, doctors told their mother not to separate them.

Their mother, Chelsea, says that medical advice went against 'a lot of doctors and a lot of surgeons'. The conjoined twins from Idaho, who are joined at the chest and abdomen, were born in January 2017 and were initially given just 24 hours to live.

Now nine years old, they have defied those odds and recently started a new school year.

Chelsea told This Morning that the family was called into the doctors' office when the girls were three days old.

Callie and Carter Torres were born in January 2017 and are now nine years old. (This Morning)

"They advised us at 3 days old to come into the office and talk with them," she said. "And they said, do not separate the girls."

She had known for months that something was different. Chelsea was 8 weeks and 3 days pregnant when she learned she was expecting conjoined twins.

She said the doctors were quiet at first, before telling them their kids were 'stuck together'.

The reaction, she said, was 'complete shock'. The early days after the birth were hard in a different way.

Chelsea was recovering from major surgery and did not see her daughters until about 18 hours after they were born. "I was a little worried that I didn't have enough time with them," she said. But she said the girls "just kept thriving and they just kept going", and the family was eventually able to take them home.

When the twins were around three, the family faced a big decision about whether to separate them while they were young enough not to remember it.

Chelsea said they chose another route. "We decided to ultimately give them the option whenever they became older and understood the risks and the surgery."

How do conjoined twins who share a leg learn to walk?

Walking took time. Chelsea explained that the leg underneath is the one the girls control, so when they first started out it was as if they were 'picking up one leg and floating in the air'.

She said it was 'really hard' to get them walking, but they now manage 'perfect'. Another challenge caught her off guard: buying clothes.

Callie and Carter Torres were born in January 2017 and are now nine years old. (This Morning)

Chelsea said she had not realized how difficult it would be to find ready-made outfits in stores, calling it something people 'do not think about'.

The sisters have their own personalities, though. They told hosts that they both enjoy drawing and making crafts, and playing together on an iPad. Their favorite game to share is Roblox. When they disagree, they settle it with rock, paper, scissors, although Chelsea said she taught them from a young age to 'talk it out' first.

The twins from Idaho are joined at the chest and abdomen and were initially given 24 hours to live. (This Morning)

What worries parents of conjoined twins about the future?

Looking ahead, Chelsea said she is nervous about the teenage years and dating.

The family is also thinking about getting a service dog, which she hopes could help with tasks such as getting things off the counter and turning on lights.

She also reflected on what the girls have taught her. Chelsea, who has two other children, said the lesson has been patience, and not only with her daughters.

She said she has had to learn it with the public too, because 'people stare'.

Chelsea also runs an online page for the girls.

She said she started it to connect with other parents of conjoined twins, because messages from her personal account were not getting through.

Having the page made her seem 'authentic', she said, and helped people find her too.