Scheduling a csection...

awalton3

Does anyone know...do they always schedule a csection with multiples?  I notice that many of you have it scheduled fairly early on but was curious how this works.  What if the babies are doing well and can keep cooking longer than when the csection is scheduled?  And what if you don't actually need to have a cs and you are a candidate for vaginall delivery?   I'm just curious.  I'll ask my doctor next week but just wanted to know what your experience was.  TIA

Temp159135562506975

no- not all twin pgs will be a c/s - on here it's about 50/50 vaginal and c/s.  You need to ask your doc- some OBs will not attempt a vaginal delivery with twins as it has higher risks - and can end up with one baby vag and one c/s - though that isn't THAT common.

most OBs will not let you go past 38w - no matter what.  39 is the absolute longest you should go with twins - and IMO, that is too long... much of what i have read and heard from doctors is that past 38w presents more risks than benefits.  My OB scheduled my c/s at 38w1d, and i did make it to then.

the avg twin birth is 35-36w, so often you don't even get to your scheduled c/s or induction - but it can happen.

sometimes docs will schedule a c/s earlier than 38w because of some other risk to babies or mother - every situation is different.

PMBridetobe

My doctor said that I can ask for a C Section due to the twins.  We are going to play it by ear though and make the decision once it gets a lot closer.  If both babies are head down, then we will go vaginal. If one is and one isnt, we will make that decision then and if they both are not, then C Section here we come.

sunnybrook.

Ditto Goldie. It depends on the doctor. The policy at my OB's clinic is twins are delivered no later than the end of the 38th week. C-sections only happen when necessary.

I am one who as an early c-section scheduled (36w6d). I had major uterine surgery and the docs are afraid my uterus will rupture if I go into labor or if it gets stretched much bigger. Its extremely dangerous for me and the babies to carry them past 36 weeks. I'd have to have a c-section even if it wasn't twins...although they'd probably let me carry it longer. 

atc282

To answer your Qs, yes, you can go past your scheduled C date. Mine was for 38 wks on Oct. 29th but after close monitoring, my peri thought it was best to keep them cooking for another week max (twin A was supposedly IUGR but that wasn't the case upon delivery). So, I went 38 wks & 5 days, and had them on Nov. 3.

We opted to induce (I was 100% effaced) but failed to dilate. Both babies were heads down so I really wanted a vaginal delivery. But...b/c of my failure to get past 2 cm, and plus my Baby B was blocking A from descending further down my birth canal, my peri converted it to a C.

You will get a mix of opinions here about a C v. vag. Personally, I  wanted a vag. since both babies were in position. I had a bad recovery from the C (the C itself was painless and a wonderful birthing experience)--I had major clotting and pp bleeding issues--my uterus was retaining blood for over a month. Not fun, but def. not a typical C recovery! Many women prefer a C b/c they heal so much better than what I experienced.

My peri aims to deliver twins by 38 wks, but as explained, I was in a rare situation and was glad I got to go as long as i did since both girls came out at great birth weights and we had zero NICU time.

GL and HTH

DESXF

I have a tentative date scheduled for 2/5 (I'll be 39 weeks)  We just set the date at my last appt on Tuesday.

I am hoping for a v-bac, and so far both babies are doing well, so we set it for 39 weeks.  If I go into labor before then, I'll try to deliver them vaginally.  They generally don't like twins going to (or past) 40 weeks, for several reasons.

Rinnie

I had no choice and had to have a c/s.  I fought it the entire way, but when it comes down to it, it is really what is best for the babies.

I wanted to deliver vaginally because well that is what I did with my DD and what I knew.  I was scared to have a C.  In the end for me I did much better with the C/S then with the vaginal delivery.  With my DD I had a 3rd degree tear & 27 stiches and at 6 weeks PP I still wasn't healed right and they had to correct some issue in the OB office.  For me by the time I came home from the C/S I felt much better and was completely off pain meds.  I can't say the same for when my DD was born.  But that was just me!

My baby A was breech and he never moved. I knew that he wasn't - just a feeling.  In addition he was the smaller of the 2 babies and my OB & peri want the bigger baby born first.  Well that wasn't going to happen since A was in position first.

My OB's office said that they normally schedule c/s about 34 weeks or so, I got lucky and was able to schedule mine well in advance because for me 38 weeks was 12/16.  They wanted to make sure about coverage and such since it was close to the hospital.

jalaiaa

I really wanted to deliver vaginally but Baby A is breech and Baby B is transverse, so I have to have a c-section. It is scheduled for 38 weeks. The morbidity/mortality for twins starts to increase after 38 weeks, which is why most OBs recommend having them delivered right around that gestational age. 

ttchach

My hospital and a few others in the area all agree, I have no choice but to have a c-section at 38 weeks. They said the risk of carrying identical twins sharing a placenta is too great, and I tend to agree with them.

eileenm21

My dr. doesn't schedule anything until a month in advance.  so we have a tentative date which would be 38 weeks 2 days (he does his inductions on Saturdays believe it or not)  either way I go it will start that day.  My dr will not do a vaginal delivery if both babies are not head down, so we are waiting to see what the deal is - I have my next u/s monday, so I will know more than.  I can't honestly decide which i would want to do more, I am kinda hoping fate will decide for me.  i really thought I wanted to go vaginally, but now I am worried about the things that can go wrong and needed one of each (even though the risk of that is like 10%)