Mono Di Twin Delivery
For those of you had that mono di twins or are pregnant w/ mono di twins how did/are you delivering.
Let me preface this by saying the most important thing to me is that my babies arrive safely.
I see a group of ob's and a group of peri's they all have differing opinions on how I should deliver. Both of my girls have been head down for several weeks. I would love a vaginal delivery as I had one w/ my daughter so I know what to expect and the recovery will be much easier. Some of the doctors are totally for this. Some of the doctors think I should go w/ a c-section as they've seen too many problems w/ baby B in mono di twins. The one I talked to yesterday says he recommends a c-section, but if I go into labor on my own and progress quickly he thinks I should try that way. If an NST shows a baby in stress or I get to 38 weeks and have to be induced he would definitely do a c-section as he doesn't think I should labor naturally if I don't go into labor on my own. He also told me there is no right answer and no doctors are going to agree w/ each other as it all depends on their personal comfort level, experience and what they have/haven't seen.
Its just so hard when I have so many professional opinions telling me different things. And the doctor I see one week might not be the doctor on call when I go in to deliver so I just feel so up in the air about the entire thing. What should I do?
Re: Mono Di Twin Delivery
I'm curious about this too. I'm (obviously) very early in my preg. but already have heard some drs. just assume I'll be a c/s and others say there's no reason not to try vag.
Curious to hear what others say.
When we had our consult with our peri, he talked about delivery that day. He said if both babies were head down I could try for vaginal. If Baby A is head down and Baby B is another position, it would depend on the experience of the Dr. handling possible breech deliveries (but also mentioned that since I've already had 2 babies the chances of vaginal working out were better). And, of course, if Baby A was breech then c-section.
I also go to an OB practice with almost 10 different doctors who rotate me. No matter who tells me what, I'd like to try for vaginal in all cases unless Baby A is breech. There are other reasons (i.e. previous 3rd and 4th degree tears, possible endometriosis) that I may consider c-section, but if those weren't present, I'd definitely try for vaginal without a 2nd thought.
A vaginal birth just wasn't an option for us. My kids were double footling breech and born at 30 weeks, and one of them just wasn't strong enough to survive a vaginal birth.
I have also heard conflicting information about which is safest with mono-di twins. I really don't know what the answer is. But I can say that before we went into the OR, both of my babies were doing okay (according to the fetal HR monitors), but baby B went into distress when baby A's cord was cut, and his initial APGAR was 2. I hate to think what would have happened to him if I hadn't already been open and the doctors weren't able to pull him out so quickly.
My appointments went well- the OB that I seen is pro-vag delivery if it's possible and in my case as I mentionned before both boys are still head down- she did say that as long that it's the case when I go into labour or am being induced (if I was 38 weeks) that we would try to go naturally.
I did mention that they share a placenta and she mentionned that if a complication were to arise such as Baby A's detachement of the placenta or any other complications they would intervene with a section- basically they will do what is best for the baby's situation so it seems as though I will be going natural for one or both of them
I wanted a vaginal delivery also. I had one with my DD and was scared of the c-section. Actually terrified. I also knew the benefits of delivering vaginally over C-section.
By 20 weeks baby A was in breech position. He was presenting first. I knew in my heart he wasn't going to move - it was just a feeling I had. Especially since this was his favorite postion - he had been in it several times leading up to 20 weeks.
I still talked about possibly delivering vaginally, but I was told absolutly not because U/S was showing that baby B was the bigger of the 2 babies.
Our hospital/doctors stated that if vaginal delivery they want the bigger of the 2 babies to be deliveried first.
So I had 2 strikes against me, but I was still pushing for a vaginal delivery.
I was also afraid of delivering 1 vaginally and 1 via c-section - it does happen.
I talked in depth to the doctor at my practice who delivered my DD. I trusted her and she told me it wasn't worth the risk to my babies to go vaginally. She knew I was still pushing it. She asked how would I feel if I pushed it and something happened to 1 of the babies. She gave me several examples and explained what could happen. My DH was with me at that appointment. On the way home we had a really long discusion and came to the decision that we would do the C-section.
For me the C-section was a much better recovery then my vaginal. I had a 3rd degree tear which still wasn't healed by my 6 weeks PP check up. It hurt to get up and sit down etc... I had none of the pain with the c-section.
All that to say here is what I would do - since you are getting so many different recommendations. Talk in depth to the 1 doctor you trust. There has to be one either at your practice or at the hospital. Talk open and honest with them and get your answers and then go from there.
I'm having Mono/Di twins too. I'm desperately hoping for a vaginal delivery. I have a midwife so I'm hoping that helps me out. At 20 weeks both babies are breech but we'll see. There's still time. My DD was transverse until late in the pregnancy.
I hate the scare tactics they try to use. Obviously I want my babies to be safe, but under most circumstances I'd rather the vaginal birth. They'd have to work really hard to convince me otherwise. I'm not having a c-section just because it's safer for the doctor. Everything is risk. I can't find any good unbiased risk assessments of mono/di twin births, but I'd really like to see some. I'm a scientist. I need numbers.
I had a c-section, but that was because my baby B was breech and measuring bigger than baby A. I wanted to attempt a vaginal delivery and my OB was all for it- as long as baby A was head down and baby B was smaller or the same size as baby A, and preferably head down.
I ended up delivering via c-section without ever even going into labor because I was developing pre-e and my OB wanted to get them out.
Just so you know at my 33 week 5 day u/s both of my babies were head down, but at my 35 week 5 day u/s baby B had flipped to breech. I felt her do it, just didn't know what was going in at the time. I had my girls at 35 weeks 6 days. And as soon as they pulled baby A out, baby B flipped, so I probably could have gone vaginal after all. Oh well.