adminSo here I am just over 3 years later wishing I’d done a better job of keeping a journal because well life helps you forget all the little details. For the last 3 years I’ve been telling myself I’d get around to writing down the story of the boys birth. Because it was a crazy 2 days and I want to remember as many details as I can.
I’m not going to get into the details of the pregnancy because to be honest we were happy for about 10 weeks. Then we went to the doctor for the first ultrasound and we were having identical twins. Learning you’re having twins is a SHOCK. Identical twins are a high-risk pregnancy right from the start because they share the same placenta. There is a whole host of issues that can come up. I spent my whole pregnancy going to the doctor’s office at least once a week, towards the end it was 2-3 times a week. There were a few growth scares and I spend about a month in the hospital (not all at once but a week here and there).
Two days before my birthday I had one of my regular doctor appointments. At that appointment my blood pressure tested a little high and the protein in my urine was a little high. Both of which are signs of pre-eclampsia, and could mean giving birth to the boys earlier then we want to. The doctor wanted to send me to be monitored at the hospital. But I was tired of going to the hospital to get no sleep and have nothing change. Plus, I wasn’t going to have those boys on my birthday. So I fought to stay out of the hospital for at least the next few days.
My birthday came and went (without having any babies). I had another regular doctor’s appointment on the 13th. At that appointment the blood pressure was higher and there was even more protein. I wasn’t really feeling all that well, my head had started to hurt. I had a feeling I was headed back to the hospital. It did. That Friday night I checked into the hospital. I spent that night with monitors on my belly (to keep track of the boy’s heart rates).
The morning comes, I’ve just had my breakfast delivered when my doctor comes in for morning rounds. The first thing, besides good morning, I remember the doctor saying is “todays the day.” At first, I was shocked but deep down I knew I couldn’t make it much longer. Not the way my blood pressure was going. Oh boy, today is the day I get to met my boys!
Next step was an epidural, if I wanted it. It had to be now because some number of mine was dropping and if it got below 100 I wouldn’t be able to have the epidural. Then after that I would be connected to Pitocin and magnesium. Then we’d just wait for the Pitocin to do its work. In case you don’t know Pitocin is used to induce labor and magnesium was to protect the baby’s heads and me from having seizures. I was also due to get a second round of steroid shots, which are to help the boy’s lungs.
Then I’m told that the doctor who I’ve been seeing for the last 7 months will not be there for my delivery. Well this is a surprise to me. I thought I’d have the doctor I’d been seeing. But he made it sound normal to have the on-call hospital doctor take care of my delivery. Next up is how this delivery could go. Baby A is head down but baby B is sideways. Which could mean a tricky delivery, one the doctor called a super delivery. Which is where one is delivered vaginally and a C-section for the second. The other option is they can turn baby B after A is out (when there’s more room). But the doctor warns “baby A isn’t as big as B, so he won’t carve a good path for B.” I know I’d prefer less needles so plan A is to deliver baby A and turn B. Worse case is B won’t turn, ends up feet down, and I have to have a C-section.
I look down at the tray of food I haven’t had the chance to eat and ask the doctor can I eat any of this? He glances at it and says probably not or at least only eat a small amount. We’d hate to have your belly full if you have to be knocked out. The doctor leaves, I give my mom a call and give her the exciting news. Eat a few bites of my food. And the waiting begins.
I felt so lucky to be in the hospital that day because one of my favorite nurses, Jen was helping out in the delivery ward. I had gotten to know her in my time staying at the hospital. There was something extra comforting about having her there with me. Once it was decided that I was going to be induced the head nurse came to reassign Jen because she wasn’t trained to help deliver twins. Jen asked if she could stay and the head nurse paused. My husband took the chance to also ask if she could stay. I didn’t have to ask, I think the head nurse could see the begging on my face. But we were told that when the labor actually got going she was only there as side helper.
The first item on my list to get was the epidural. One thing you should know about me. I HATE needles. You’d think by now it wouldn’t be such a big deal because I can’t even remember how many times they’ve taken my blood. Plus, by now I’ve had 4 shots in my butt, 2 or 3 in my arm, and am on my 5th IV. But no, they still freak me out. And I’m talking go white, can’t breathe, pass out kind of freak out. The second I sit up for the epidural I lose it. I’m shaking and trying not to cry. Wishing my mom was there to hold my hand. Wishing I could skip delivery all together. This step makes the delivery REAL. The anesthesiologist leans over my shoulder and says I should just let the tears out. And just like that there’s a waterfall.
My crying calms and we get the epidural in. No medicine is going through it yet. That won’t start till serious contractions start. One stressful step done. Now my room is a flurry. I’m not sure of the order but my IV bags get hung, my mom and step dad get to the room, and the hospital doctor breaks my water. My brother drops by some time before he had to work. Things are so fuzzy because the magnesium is making it hard for me to think. I’m burning up. And feel like junk.
Here’s what happens to you when you’re on magnesium. You feel like you’re SICK and on FIRE at the same time. It is a terrible feeling. What I really remember about this time is my family standing over me like I was a fire pit, and having ice packs and cold wet rags on me.
The doctor comes in again to check me. And says she’s not sure my water really broke. Maybe she just poked a hole and now baby A has plugged that hole. She’s going to break my water again. It worked this time. There’s a huge gush and the start of a rolling pain. I can finally feel the contractions. And Oh My God it hurts. After just the first contraction I’m asking for my pain button. Time is ticking by slowly now. It’s getting closer and closer to the nurses shift change. And we will be losing Jen when that happens. I did not progress very fast. At shift change I traded Jen for 2 new nurses. Yes 2, one needed to be trained on delivering twins.
Somewhere around 10:30 pm the nurses come in and inform us that the OR’s are going to be full (I have to deliver in an OR just in case something serious were to happen) and I will have to wait. Since I have to wait my drip of pitocin is turned off. Essentially my labor is being paused. PAUSED!
Tune in next week to find out how this all ends.
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