A Baby Story (Times Two)

If it hadn't happened to me, I don't think I would have ever believed that giving birth to twins could be so easy (or fast).

Our scheduled induction was at 8 AM Thursday morning.  It took awhile to get registered, get hooked up to two fetal monitors and a contraction monitor, hook me up to the IV, and draw blood for testing so by the time they actually started a tiny drip of Pitocin, it was 10 AM.  The nurse checked my cervix right before starting the Pitocin to get a baseline and I was a generous 4 cm dilated and 70% effaced.  Our nurse was awesome...a veteran, sweet, helpful, concerned and competent.  She was with us the whole time.

The Pitocin wasn't doing all that much.  They started out with a very tiny dosage.  I was not really feeling anything more intense than my usual contractions when our nurse asked me if I wanted to go ahead and get my epidural.  My choices were either to get the epidural and then they would break my water or break my water and then get the epidural.  Well I hadn't had a single painful contraction so I really felt like getting the epidural at that point was "cheating."  But the nurse told me that once my water was broken, things could start happening quickly and painfully and there could be a wait for the epidural.  Her recommendation was to get the epidural first so I agreed.  She said there were 3 people in line before me so I was surprised when the anesthesiologist came in about 10 minutes later. He was very thorough and explained things very well.  By 12:30 I had the epidural and was feeling really, really good. It mad me feel warm and just very cozy.  The nurse brought me warm blankets and I napped while Keith went to get some lunch.  At 1:30 they broke my water and attached an internal contraction monitor and a internal heartbeat monitor on Julia (Baby A).  The resident said I was only about 4-5 cm dilated so the Pitocin hadn't done much.

Feeling warm and cozy

I was really hungry during the day which was a downside.  I got a cherry Popsicle though so that helped!

Cherry Popsicles are GOOD!

My nurse came in at 2:30 and emptied my bladder and checked me again.  At 2:45 I was 6 cm dilated and 100% effaced.  She said she would be back at 3:30 to check me again but to call her right away if I had any pressure in my bottom or a feeling that I wanted to push.

Around 3 PM I noticed feeling some strong contractions.  They didn't hurt but I just felt a lot of pressure.  I had Keith push the button on my epidural to get a boost.  At about 3:10 I started feeling the pressure in my bottom that she was talking about so I had Keith go and find our nurse.  She checked me and said that Julia was way down low and I was 10 cm dilated and it was time to go to the OR to deliver the babies!  I had to deliver in an OR in case they had to do an emergency c-section.  Keith had to hurry up and use the restroom and put on his scrubs, booties, hat, and mask.  He looked good!

They wheeled my bed to the operating room and I had to maneuver myself onto the narrow operating table. The fact that I had so much mobility in my legs should have been a sign that the epidural was wearing off!

I started pushing and pushed for about 20-25 minutes.  Once Julia started to crown and come out I was in A LOT of pain (my first pain of the day).  And not just while I was pushing but while I was waiting on the next contraction too.  With Colin I felt nothing so I was unprepared.  Luckily it didn't take too many pushes once she crowned to push her out.  She came out crying and pink and beautiful.  Keith cut the cord.  And then I said, "I have to do this again?"  They broke Caroline's water and did a quick ultrasound to ensure she was still head down which she was.  I remember saying that I felt like pushing again so they encouraged me. She was out in about 3 contractions worth of pushing thank goodness so it was really too fast to feel much pain.  She was born 8 minutes after her big sister.  Keith cut her cord too but I remember the doctor saying to cut fast because she needed some attention right away.  It turned out the cord was wrapped around her neck.  She needed oxygen and some special attention to get going.  Her Apgar score at 1 minute after birth was a 3.  But by 5 minutes after birth it was an 8 already so she quickly revived.   Julia's scores were 9 and 9.  The doctor then delivered the placenta which was uncomfortable and I cracked that I was glad I only had one of those to deliver.  I asked if the doctor was going to stitch me up then and she said there was no need!  Yahoo!  I guess there is an upside to having small babies!

Meeting Julia for the first time

Our two new additions (I forgot to turn Julia to show her face!)

They took me back to my original labor and delivery room and I got to do skin-to-skin contact with both of them for a long time and even breastfed a little bit.  Our nurse weighed the girls and we were surprised by their small weights just because our last estimate at 34 weeks had them both weighing 5.5 lbs.  But I guess that is why those are only estimates!

We were in our recovery room by 6:30 and I was thrilled to be able to eat a big dinner!  We had an uneventful hospital stay and we were so ready to come home on Saturday.  We were home by noon.

More on life with twins to come!