This is a twin birth story from my online mama friend, Lori. I love when a cesarean birth story ends with a perfectly happy mom who got everything she needed AND healthy babies. Goes to show that there is joy in every birth, no matter the mode of delivery!
***
We were told at our very first ultrasound that we were having twins. We had done IUI (a fertility procedure) and Clomid (a fertility drug) so we always knew there was a chance - but the surprise was that they were identical, which neither of those things can cause! From the next appointment on (and there were many many appointments and many ultrasounds) we were thoroughly explained the many risks of carrying not only twins, but monozygotic/diamniotic twins. I had been told that the hospital and doctors were willing to allow a vaginal birth in the case that: Baby A (the one presenting) was head down and that a doctor comfortable with a breech delivery (in case B was breech or flipped to breech during A’s delivery) was on staff and willing to do the delivery. I did every amount of planning and “type A” preparation that I could. I had a birth plan written out and my hospital bags packed and in the car by 28-ish weeks. They had both been head down for weeks, and at around 30 weeks, it seemed like something had “slipped”, causing me to be in enough pain to go into triage to be monitored - babies were okay, but were both now breech.
Contractions began on their own at 35+1. I kept a pretty good record of them via a phone app (highly recommended! the app will do the math for you, especially once they really start up, math is hard to do.) and I was only having them every 7-10 minutes, if that. Lots of yoga ball bouncing and trying to stay comfortable for the night and calling triage nurses to confirm when they wanted me to come in. We all agreed on “when they get closer together” because the hospital is about an hour from us (the closer to us does not have a NICU and weren’t able to deliver identical twins without the risk of being flight transferred to Seattle while I was stuck behind). The next afternoon they jumped pretty suddenly to being about 5-7 minutes apart, so we hopped in the car and went to the hospital.
Upon arrival, they hooked me up to the monitors and I was checked for dialation, at that point I was at 3cm. They weren’t all too sure about whether or not I would deliver or be sent home, but because of both babies still being breech, we filled out the c-section consent form so it didn’t need to be done in a rush of activity later. They let 2 hours go by and checked me again (while having constant back labor, all contractions showing on the monitor, and me stuck on a break away bed with the break right where the contractions were in my back, mind you!) - I was now a 6-7cm and Kaylee kicked the doctor!
This is where things became a blur; We were delivering that day and quick. They confirmed when the last time was that I had eaten, discussed giving me my epidural in the triage room so it had enough time to take effect before being rushed to the OR for a c-section (they didn’t end up doing this). Because I had dilated relatively quickly (and babies clearly wanted out!) they were concerned with both being breech that they would continue to try to come on their own before they could get in for the c-section. We were taken to a delivery room, epidural given, and moved to the OR pretty quickly.
From there, it really became a blur in the quickness of activity, the drugs, the hormones, and the emotions. We had arrived at triage around 4pm and Kaylee and Alyssa were born via c-section at 8:38 and 8:39pm, both with Apgar scores of 9! Kaylee (5lb 3oz) immediately came to the room with me, Alyssa (4lb 2oz) was admitted to the NICU per policy due to being low weight. She was able to room-in with me and her sister after overnight monitoring.
I went into my birth with a full researched plan of what I wanted in a best case scenario, but also knowing at that point I needed to “let go” and that the girls may have their own plans. I controlled what I could, I stood up for what I needed to, and the girls came out healthy and happy.
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment