C-section vs Vaginal delivery

cga3313

Hi All!  I'm at 34 weeks with twin boys and can't wait for them to arrive!  My dr thinks it will be possible to deliver vaginally but baby b is slightly diagonal/oblique so their positions aren't 100% ideal. I'm scared of ending up with a mixed delivery and don't know what to do. My dr has told me if I'm more comfortable with a c-section we can go that route but I know the recovery can be a lot worse with those so I just can't decide!  I'm just curious if anyone else out there was given a choice and how they decided?

tiffy81

Hey there some asked about deliveries the other day. I didn't want you to feel ignored

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12094780/tell-me-your-vaginal-twin-delivery-stories#latest

And I think there was one more on c sections Hope this helps!! Good luck!!

Mthurm17

We weren't really given a choice, but I was the same as you- my biggest fear was having one baby vaginally and one c/s. we initially thought I would be induced but then had to do c/s due to preeclampsia and not being dilated at all.
I'm 9 days post-c/s now and the healing hasn't been as bad as I thought. If you look like you'll be fine with a vaginal delivery, then do it! If you may have to have one baby each way, a c/s might be something to consider a bit more (IMO).
Good luck!

megs2011

I would have chosen vaginally if I had the choice. Both were head down but I had to have a c/s due to the stress labour/birth would have put on them and my body wasn't ready for labour.

mcselfoneal

I agree with your concerns.  It's a scary thought ... all the "what ifs".  My chiropractor told me that there is an adjustment that can help aid the babies into the correct positions.  She told me to make sure I came to her when we got close to delivery if both were not turned.  I dunno ... I trust her a lot ... but it might be worth checking into some chiros in your area to see if they share the same opinion.  It's probably worth the try, right?

carrotcake06

MrsLee04 said:

There is about a 1% chance of having both deliveries, so you can see it's quite rare.  If I had a choice I would've chosen vaginal.  But unfortunately I had a transverse/breech Baby A.

Also, here's a recent article about this:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/02/twin-birth-study/2909759/

Agree and this was me also. In addition to being breech, baby a's cord prolapsed when my water broke.

MissMarnee

I felt the same apprehension about the dreaded c-section, turns out due to babies positions a c/s was the best way forward for us & the recovery really wasn't the horror I'd been lead to believe. I think being mentally prepared to deliver this way was the most helpful, and I think not laboring very much also made recovery easier. Good luck to you! No matter which route you choose, you'll have two extraordinary bundles in your arms at the end of it, which is just about the bestest thing ever!

dmount1994

hey. congrats on the twins, i just had mine 9/19/13 via c-section. this was my first pregnancy so im not sure how a vaginal birth is but my c-section was done a little after 10 and by 2pm the next day i was walking by myself. if you decide to go for the c section you just have to listen to the nurses and keep your self motivated. move around in bed as much as you can by rolling from one side to the other and pain meds help alot.! good luck  

Mrs.Guz

I was terrified of a c/s but had the same fears as you with the vaginal birth. Or that I would end up with an emergency c-section. I ended up going in a few days before my scheduled c/s/induction due to slight distress in both babies. The dr on call didn't feel comfortable trying for a vaginal birth because she didn't know how they would handle it. So I ended up with a c/s. An honestly it wasn't so bad. I liked how it was a very controlled environment. I even got to walk into the OR.

The healing was a lot harder than a vaginal delivery (I had one 5 years ago with DD1). But it wasn't as bad as I expected. 2 weeks PP I started feeling somewhat normal again.

eandk18

I wasn't given a choice but was "supposed" to deliver vaginally as both girls were head down.  My OB did tell me that as long as baby A was head down, the other baby could be pulled out if need be.  

I did end up with a c section due to the fact that baby A was sunnyside up (stalling labor a bit) and I developed a fever so we had to get them out quickly.

I, too, was terrified of the recovery but it was so much easier than I thought it would be.  I can't compare it to a vaginal delivery, but I had a pretty easy time.  I was up moving around the next day and just felt pretty good in general.  

If it were me I'd at least try for the vaginal and be open minded to a c section...just my thoughts!

Good luck either way!

ChattyCathy81

For what its worth, I have experienced both a vaginal delivery and a c-section. I had a vaginal delivery in 2011with my DD and had a very difficult, long recovery due to tearing. I had a c-section in August as my twin boys were both breech. I can tell you that my c section recovery was MUCH easier... seriously. I was so anxious about having a planned c section, but it turned out to be so easy! If you have to have a c section, don't worry too much. Recovery doesn't HAVE to be awful.

cga3313

Thanks everyone for all your responses!  I think I need to mentally prepare myself for either method since it seems plans could change at the last minute due to factors out of my control.   Either way, I appreciate all your personal stories and helpful tips!

tootsscott

New on this board - lurking from Jan14, and found this thread to be very reassuring. I am terrified to need a c/s because of recovery with multiples, but maybe I should consider it a little more than just an emergency measure.

Mye

I had to have a c-section, and if given the choice I would do it that way again. I felt like myself in less than 2 weeks. 

LittleLady77

If I have a choice I will absolutely chose vaginally. It's slightly better for you and the babies but I don't think there is anything wrong with opting for a c section either. Best of luck in whatever you chose!

Jess63085

I wanted to deliver vaginally, but wasn't given a choice. My OB said it was too risky with twins, and insisted on a c-section. I went into labor at 35 wks,4 days and was progressing quickly when we got to the hospital. I actually had to finish my admission papers after they were delivered, otherwise my son would have been born vaginally and my daughter by c-section. Good luck whatever you decide!

CaliCarly77

My closest girlfriend in my local twin club just did a vaginal / c-section birth (The double whammy). The first baby came out in one push, the other was stuck transverse and needed the C/S - the whole process, from start to finish, took 5 hours. She said she is recovering really well and is actually impressed with how easy recovering from the C Section has been (she had a vaginal with her first child). (For those fearing the double whammy) 

I myself, who dreamed of a med free vaginal birth for one, have opted for a C Section. 

JesseKhloe&Me

From someone who lived through it..

I chose to try natural and Baby A was born natural, then Baby B was by c-section. It wasn't the end of the world. I feel like the recovery was about the same, minus having the dumb scar & healing from that. *If I had chose to just go with a c-section from the beginning, I would have regretted the "what if's" and would have still had the c-section recovery. I love that I got to delivery baby A vaginally, it was worth it. I had DD naturally & that recovery was way easier than a c-section, but I had a baby in NICU and I was walking down the hall to see him 6 hours after the surgery weather the doctors liked it or not. I took my time & it wasn't fun, but mommy instinct kicked in & I needed to check on my baby. Whatever decision you make, what is supposed to happen will happen, it will be ok. Good luck momma. 

Wishing35

I had an emergacny c section due to pre eclampsia. The recovery was not as bad as I thought, maybe because I hadn't labored at all. The worst thing was the exhaustion , but you will have that either way! I was afraid of the double whammy too, but I realize now it really doesn't matter what I had planned for ,things are going to go the way they are meant too.

kari.sandall

I had both. Baby a was born vaginally. Baby b was breech but turned after baby a came out. His cord prolapsed and I had an emergency csection to get him out quickly. If I had to do it all over again, I would still try for a vaginal birth. You need to do what works best for you and your family.

gault530

I've had both and hands down I'd have a vaginal birth if possible.  I had a vaginal birth with DD1 and honestly felt "normal" after 3-4 days.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be.  With the twins, I had a C-section and it took 2-3 weeks to feel normal again.  I also still had pain at the incision site for weeks after. 

I would be scared of having both with twins, but I would risk it and go for vaginal.

elliotandnicole

I have done both, and so far, I'd say the recoveries have been different but no better or worse, but I had complications. With my first child, I had him vaginally. It took a lot of pushing, and the dr eventually used a vacuum because DS was not totally transverse, but he was kind of diagonal. I ended up getting lots of stitches and I got an epidural headache that lasted over a week. With the twins, I had a c section and had my tubes tied. Baby a was head down, baby b was transverse. Half of the drs in my group suggested c section, half suggested that I try vaginal, I opted for the c section. I told the anesthesiologist about my epidural headache the first time. He was glad to know so he could be prepared and he told me that if by chance I got a headache from the block, it would be much shorter and much less intense than if I had had an epidural. I didn't get one, thank The Lord. I'm still recovering, but each day gets easier. At this point with my son, I still couldn't get out of bed with the headache. A week post partum with the c section, and I can get out of bed on my own, and accomplish much more. I think you should go with your intuition. It's your body, and you are in control of it. Based on my experiences, I am glad I chose a c. But if I hadn't had the complications the first time, I may have chosen differently.