Birth Story

Let me bring you to Wednesday, in the middle of the night in my hospital room.  I was having some contractions, that I have been having all along.  I told my nurse who came in to check on me, and she hooked me up to the contraction monitor.  Nothing.  I pressed the button when they happened (every 7 minutes), but nothing came up on the monitor.  After a few hours of me trying to get some sleep, and waking up from contractions, I called the nurse in because I was in so much pain.  Not pain from the contractions, pain from having to pee, and I couldn't.  I tried and tried, but nothing would come out.  At this point it was about 6am, and I called Laurie to tell her what was going on.  She talked me though my contractions and waited for a sitter to come stay with Ryan.  Not knowing what was going to happen next, she needed to be with me.  The nurse told the doctor about my lack of being able to pee and I was in an exam room "just to check things out" within 10 minutes or so. 
Being that my water was broke, nothing could go inside the vag for risk of infection.  All they were able to do was put a speculum in (no manual exams) to visually check to see if my cervix has changed, sure enough.....it has.  I was 3-4cm, and scared out of my mind.  The doctor made a comment to the nurse about "you know baby A is head down, lets check baby B", that's when I said, " oh my god, you saw the head??!?"  My nurse looked at me and shook her head yes.  I was scared. I was so afraid to deliver these babies knowing they were not ready to come out yet.   They did a sono to check on baby B who was also head down, perfect!


Now, it's about 7am.  Being that I had my IV taken out the day prior, I had to have another one put in.  Third time was a charm with that one.  I was being transferred to Labor and Delivery, all I had to do was wait for a wheelchair.  I was swaying back and fourth with each contraction and trying to relax the best I could.  I think I did better relaxing with the contractions when I didn't know I was in labor!  I guess because I was nervous that it was actually happening.  Transport was taking way too long, so in comes the charge nurse in a dress to come take me to L&D.  She was my nurse 2 days prior so I knew who she was.  I sat in the wheelchair...Ouch! I wanted to stand back up for the contraction to pass.  Nope, she said, "I'm really sorry, but we have to get you to labor and delivery before you have these babies here!"  She was pretty much running with me in a wheelchair (in her dress and heals) yelling at people "excuse me, I have someone in labor!" "excuse me, coming through someone in labor!"  Embarrassing much?! 


It's now about 7:15am and I arrive in Labor and Delivery.  Laurie is there waiting for me as they whisk me into a labor room and start hooking me up to monitors and IVs.  Not exactly what I had in plan for the twins birth.  Trying to get a 20 minute strip on two all over the place 27 week twins is not 20 minutes at all. More like 40.  As they were trying to find the heartbeats, run some antibiotics ( I was on antibiotics since I was admitted because of my preterm rupture of membranes).  They couldn't find baby B's heartbeat, but we heard them bouncing around we we knew they were okay.  While we waited for the sono machine I tried to pee again, no go.  I told now a different nurse that I had to pee so bad, and couldn't go.  Urinary retention, people!!!! Going on 8 hours without being able to pee!! Help!!  In comes the sono to check on baby B's heart rate. "Wow, that's a big bladder!!! Do you have to pee?!" Seriously, I couldn't of kicked the doctor!  Ughh, YEAH I DO!!  My bladder was huge, and I was having a foley catheter placed within seconds.  I never wanted a tube in my urethra so bad in my life!  It was instant relief!  They got 1 LITER of urine out, I told them I had to pee.  Apparently, little baby Parker was cutting off my urine flow...  The doctor decided to check me manually, being that I was in labor anyways.  9cm's and Parker's head was RIGHT THERE.  Mind you it's now about 8am, less than a hour ago they told me I was 3-4. Holy moly, things are happening fast.


After the urine fiasco, in walks the anaesthesiologist.  I didn't want the epidural, but the other side was to be put under general anesthesia if I needed a cesarean for Zachary (Baby B) who is now breech.  I talked with Laurie for a few minutes, about what we wanted to do.  I was scared to be put under, and be intabated, and not be able to see the twins being born, or Laurie because she wouldn't be able to be in the room if I had to be put under.  Epidural it is.  This way, in case I did need the cesarean, I already had some meds on board.  They said, if needed it would happen within seconds.  Fantastic.  I had to lay on my side to get the epidural because Parker's head was so far down they didn't want me to sit up.  In it went and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Didn't even hurt. 


Now at about 8:45-9am I was being wheeled back into the OR to have some babies.  Even though I was delivering vaginally, I had to be in the OR just in case.  I was put on the OR table, cleaned and prepped with my legs in stirrups (again, not the way I thought I'd be giving birth).   I was prepped for a vaginal and cesarean at the same time.  People started to come in to get everything ready.  There was a team for each baby, about 5 or 6 people each, the high risk doctor manning the ultrasound machine who was going to try and get Zachary to come out without having to cut me open, the anaesthesiologist(s), my L&D nurse, one of the midwives ( I was so happy she came in to be with us!), a student who was shadowing someone, a team for vaginal and a team for cesarean who was setting up all the shiny silver scissors and knifes and blue tarp paper.  There was about 20-25 people in the room not including Laurie, the boys and myself.  At times someone will come up to me and say that they attended the birth.  So. Many. People.  They have all said it was an amazing thing to watch.  I'm glad I could entertain them. 


Everything is all set up, I'm ready to push.  They wait for Laurie to come in because they had to get everything ready first, and she had to get dressed in her c/s suit and mask.  She's here. I can push.  I can't feel my contractions because my epidural was pretty strong (even though he said he only put the loading dose) I must be a cheap date!  The nurse and doctor told me when to push, so I did.  After a few pushes, out comes.....PARKER!  I could hear his little voice.  He was perfect.  Parker was the easy one.  The midwife was able to snap some pictures of him coming out, so neat!  Laurie went over to see him while they tried to flip Zachary.  It was not happening.  They were pushing on my belly so hard.  A lot of manipulation went into getting Zachary into the birth canal.  The high risk doctor had the ultra sound prob jabbed into my belly and his hand blocking Zachary from going back up and out of the birth canal.  They were born 1 hour and 16 minutes apart, I was told that they wouldn't let me go past 30 minutes apart.  The high risk doctor was determined to get Zachary out, even if it meant him being breech.  Finally, with his bag of waters still attached Zachary was peeking out into the world.  At just about that time I heard a big splash.  His water broke all over everyone. It was like someone threw a huge water balloon out of my body.  Right after that one more push and Zachary was born butt first!  He also cried immediately, he sounded like a cute little mouse!  They were both perfect, I couldn't be happier. 


I got all stitched up, 2nd degree tear.  Both babies were intabated and taken to the NICU after I got a quick glance at them.  I was moved into the recovery room, where I was put on Magnesium.  My blood pressure was high, and my 24 hour urine that I completed the day before came back elevated.  Protien in urine should be less than 300 mine was 733.  Mild pre-eclampsia.  Laurie went down to let our family know that all was well and that we had TWO BOYS!  

My birth experience was absolutely different than what I had wanted for myself.  It was the biggest surprise of my life.  But, I wouldn't want it any other way.  The nurses and doctors were wonderful.  Laurie was a awesome coach (even coaching me on the phone at times) and wife.  Their birth went as good as it could go.  I vaginally delivered twins with one being breech and they were over an hour apart. Wow.   


Here is a picture of their 2 room condo aka twin placents.  I have a bunch of pictures of the babies coming out, but yeah, maybe thats too much vag for a online blog. haha.  =)