Mono Di Twins - Worried about delivery!

HeatedGoods

I'm 21 weeks with my first pregnancy and have mono di twins (Girls!). 

I asked my Dr. the other day for a natural delivery how long you have to deliver baby B after baby A is out, and he said "no time. It needs to be instant." I just read on another board, however, that someone said they had their mono di twins 12 minutes apart. 

I'm terrified of delivery and will do whatever the doctors want, but if there really isn't much time between the two, it's stressful to think about delivering naturally. I just want my babies to be okay and want to do whatever is safest. Selfishly, I also don't like the idea of delivering one and having a c-section for the other. I just don't want to have to heal both ways since I know I'm going to need to recover quickly...

Does anyone have experience with this?  I'm wondering how much time you really have before you need an emergency c-section to delivery baby B? Also, am I overly concerned about delivering both ways? 

persephonerose

I think I would freak out a little if I had to worry about doing a vaginal delivery followed by a c-section, however, I learned with my singleton, babies do what ever they want and we just have to go along for the ride.

I don't have mono/di twins. We are di/di but my OB said if we were in a position to try VBAC that as long as the twins are not in distress he would let them come out at their own pace.  But that might be different based on the type of twin. 

A c-section takes time, so I think I would specifically ask your OB how long is he willing to wait for twin B to come out before he moves to a c-section. With my singleton c-section from start to baby coming out took about 40 minutes.

4legsRbest

C-sections don't always take time. I tried an unmedicated vaginal birth with my DS and had a placental abruption at 7cms so from the time they got in me in the OR to his first APGAR test was under 5 minutes and that includes putting me out cold. If they have to get B out quickly, it can be done in minutes, literally. I don't think your dr will let you choose something that would endanger your babies.

As for your specific question your dr is really going to be the one deciding, with your input, of course. If he only give mo/di twins 5 minutes before he goes to a c-section, you just need to be prepared for that - just as some drs won't do vbacs, period. You can't plan anything to do with their delivery, just have plan A, B, C, etc. and roll with the punches as they come. Also you have lots of time to talk it over, just be thinking about what is most important to you. It will be different for everyone. I obivously have my own ideas based on my singleton birth but do some research and soul searching and you will know the answer by the time the day arrives.

GL to you momma!

twinlove314

My mo-di boys were born 22 minutes apart. Baby a was vaginal, and after breaking baby b's water and pushing once or twice, I was rushed to the OR for an emergency c-section (baby b's cord prolapsed). I was a bit concerned about the possibility of having both deliveries, but, the second my doc said we were going to the OR, it was perfectly fine with me, I just wanted my baby to be ok. Good luck My ob has delivered a lot of twins vaginally, and even told me the day after mine were born that it was the first time in 20 years he'd had to do a double whammy with twins.

ballygirl

They will be monitoring both babies constantly the entire time you are in the hospital, and if you successfully deliver baby A, they probably won't rush you into the OR unless there is a medical need for it - like if they see Baby B's heartrate dropping or there is some other issue.  Honestly, try not to worry about it.  You really have very little control over what happens once its time.  The best thing you can do is just try to stay calm and trust that your doctors will take care of you and your babies.  I had mo-di girls and they were both head down for most of my pregnancy so my doctors thought I'd be a good candidate for vaginal delivery.  We induced at 38 weeks because they were concerned about placental degradation after that point, but the induction did not work and after 4 days, Baby A's heartrate began to drop so I went in for an unplanned C-section. 

 

Before going in I really had not wanted a section and was a little unprepared for it but  when you are in the moment, all you are thinking about is that you want those babies out and you want them out safely. Your mindset will be in a completely different place by that point than it is now and once you see your healthy little babies, you won't care how they came out!

 

Good luck!

TREDgirl

A lot depends on if you'll even be able to deliver baby A vaginally. Definitely ask your dr any questions you have so there are no unexpected surprises. 

I know our hospital delivers twins in the OR, and they put the epidural tube in no matter. (You don't have to get the meds but its there in case you need it.) 

My birth plan was to have the babies be born whatever way they needed to be. That's it. 

HeatedGoods

Thanks everyone! It's just really scary to think about. I just want to do whatever is safest for my girlies. 

Docs have told me already that I'll be delivering in the OR just in case. He also said at my 20 week appt that he won't want me to go longer than 36 weeks even though so far, everything is perfect. And if baby A is breech, a vaginal birth won't be an option. 

He just really scared me when he said baby B would need to be pushed out immediately, no time between. But, there are 5 doctors in the office I see, so after everything everyone's said, I'll just ask all of them what their opinion is. 

I just need to trust and relax...but I'm a bit of a control freak and that makes it hard!

HeatedGoods

For anyone who might read this later, it really is amazing how your feelings change in the face of your baby's health and safety.

My girls were born at 24 weeks and when it came time for delivery, no scenario sounded safe. I literally ended up asking if they would break my bones to ensure their heads wouldn't get stuck in the birth canal. They said they don't do that to women and that a C-section would be best. Fortunately, they came out just fine and have been in the NICU ever since.

But I just wanted to follow up for anyone who might ask this later...even for someone like me who was terrified of delivery...nothing else mattered when it came down to their health.

kcloyal

I am having the same concerns as you. I am having mo-di boys. My singleton labor went quickly so I was unable to get drugs. I was shaking uncontrollable and vomiting. By the time I pushed him out I was so tired I couldn't even move! And I only had to push 3 times. So I can't imagine pushing a second baby. I think when it comes time for you to have your girls you will know what's best. I think it's a great idea to try to have a plan but I think that's simply harder with twins especially when they share a placenta.