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Multiples
Your Delivery Details Requested...
I have an appointment Monday to go over our birth plan, or the beginnings of it, with the doc. I've been talking to some MoMs as I am trying to get an idea of what to expect but am wondering if you'd share:
1) How many weeks you were at delivery?
2) Was delivery induced?
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both?
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long?
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!)
TIA 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Your Delivery Details Requested...
Ewww...that's all I've gotten...didn't expect much more at this point and I was shocked to have them bring it up and, honestly, I think they were annoyed b/c I was asking so many questions last appt lol. We're delivering at a military medical facility so our options are limited but I will be insistent if I get some good, solid advice from MoMs. When's your next appt?
1. 35, almost 36 weeks.
2. No, my water broke on it's own.
3. C-section
4. Both went to the NICU for a little bit of time. Ashleigh was able to get out after 2 days. She was able to hold her own temperature and was eating. Anthony was in for 10 days.
5. Expect the unexpected. That's the best advice I can give.
Callan George and Bennett Charles born and died 11/7/10
FET #1 April 2011= BFN
FET #2 July 2011= no transfer because my lining sucked
FET #3 February 2012= BFP! 1st beta 9dp5dt=314 2nd beta 11dp5dt=977 1st U/S 3/20 Twins- Heart rates of 111 and 138
Living After Losing
I'll be blunt.....
I can't believe your doctor is taking the time out of her busy day to even humor you with a birth plan.
If you're seriously taking the time to write a birth plan with multiples, let me tell you that it will never go the way that you plan it to.
It's a waste of everyone's time.
ETA-Cookie has the right idea. Everyone just needs to be okay and it doesn't matter how that happens. The end result is all that matters.
It's the military, things are done a certain way. Period.
ETA: I don't expect things to go any certain way...but I also don't believe having a preference is a bad thing. And yes, everyone is breathing at the end of the day is the only thing that matters lol...I'm pretty sure that's a given though.
I think it is important to discuss what you would like to happen and how that fits with your OB and the hospital's requirements/options/preferences.
Like PP mentioned, a formally documented birth plan may not be the best route with multiples.
I plan on coming up with a list of 'wants' for a best and worst case scenario. That being a natural vaginal birth at 37+ weeks with no NICU time needed, to PTL with an emergency C/S and both in the NICU. If I were you, I think I would try to think through what is important to you and understand what options you have - if that ends up in a written document, great, if not I think the discussion and understanding between you and your OB is the most important.
For example, my GYN that I went to pre-pregnancy and called once I was pregnant told me they would induce no later than 38 weeks just because it is twins, whereas my CNM practice that I switched to told me that just having babies inside me at 38 weeks is not a reason to induce.
This is my mindset and it is hard because I'm dealing with a military medical facility so if I get to have any say in anything, I'm taking the opportunity whether or not it actually happens.
I appreciate your helpful insight.
I have just never heard of a birth plan with multiples. Honestly, the plan is to get as far as you can into your pregnancy.
I guess, as MoM's, the goal is to get to 37/38 wks.
2) Was delivery induced? yes
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both? vaginally (B by breech extraction)
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long? Nope; no special care.
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!) I guess just figure out what's important to you and ask your dr what's possible. Some of the things I was hoping for, which I talked through with my OB and all of which he OKed, were:
* waiting till 7cm to get the epidural (my hospital didn't have walking epidurals) so I could walk around and labor in different positions during the earlier phases to help things progress
* holding each baby on my chest skin-to-skin immediately after birth (it was awesome getting to hold Baby A while Baby B was delivered!). Obviously this was if everyone was doing well/healthy
* delayed cord clamping (waiting till the cord stops pulsing before cutting it)
* delaying non-essential newborn procedures an hour or two to allow time for nursing and bonding. Of course they suctioned and weighed them right away, APGARs, etc., but they came back a couple hours later to do first baths and such.
Heck yes! I am hoping and praying to make it to 38 weeks. I had a friend who carried her twins to 39 weeks...that'd be even better but I don't think the MTF will let that happen. Find out Monday!
Were you able to do all of the things listed in 5) ? Thank you for the interesting info...don't know what cord clamping is but I'm going to google it.
GL sweetie....Watch you go to 40 weeks. Lets hope so. : )
I believe it's so that they can get all the last bit of good nutrients from the placenta.
My OB & Peri both want me to make a birth plan, specifically for information regarding what I want if I have to be put under general and cannot make decisions... i.e. do I want my babies circ'd if they are boys... do I want them to be in the room with me for recovery if they don't have to be in the NICU, or do I want them in the nursery.... do I want them bathed or do I want them to just be wiped down and swaddled... do I want staples or stitches if I have a CS.... do I want visitors to be allowed into my room or not... do I want postpartum pain killers or not... if the babies don't need NICU do I want them to be given formula or wait until I'm capable of breastfeeding.... do I want a priest/rabbi/shaman to bless my babies in NICU....
There is a TON of stuff that goes into a birthing plan that has little to no bearing on whether you get to dictate the birth, it's self.
Right ovary removed 09.04.2012 via vertical laparotomy
Essure implant placed on remaining tube 06.13.2013; successful followup scan 09.30.2013
Thursday. I told them that I am a project planner and need to tailor my projects to have people replace me while on leave. She said " we will talk Thursday." My MFM is the *only* MFM is the city. so even the 2 week appts are actually pushed to 3 weeks because of her busy schedule.
This is true. I discussed these points with my doctor during office visits so, I didn't think of all these points. I guess I took all this for granted b/c my doctor and I were always discussing these things and she "just knew what I wanted" and it wasn't an issue.
Yep, it all worked out and a lot more.
I had a birth plan and I did revise it a little it once I knew for sure I was getting induced, but honestly, I was really glad I had one and we were very lucky that I made it to full-term and the babies and I were healthy so things did work out according to the plan. I talked it through with my OB at 31w to know what was realistic and what wasn't, which was helpful so I'd know what to expect and what was safe/realistic.
Birth plans were pretty common at my hospital; when I went in for my induction, I mentioned it to the first nurse and after that the staff all found, read and followed it without me having to say anything. I think we all know multiples are high-risk and many things can go wrong, but there's nothing wrong with discussing preferences with your dr if you have them, as long as you're open-minded, realistic and flexible about all the possibilities. There have been other MoMs on this board who have made birth plans, some asked for a copy of mine for reference, and I don't know how all their stories played out but it's definitely not unheard of.
Delayed cord clamping was something a nurse friend of mine had been researching and recommended to me when I was talking through birth plan with her. Honestly, 3.5 years later I forget the details and can't find the emails anymore but it has some benefits for the babies. It wasn't the most important part of my birth plan but the OB said it was fine. Sorry I don't have more info for you at hand at the moment!
Those are good points. I guess people have different ideas about what goes into a birth plan, but my plan and the ones I've seen are largely made up of preferences on those sorts of things, and there's usually a list of "if it's a vaginal delivery then ..." "If it's a C-section then ..." "If general anesthesia is necessary then ..." etc. It's nice to have it all written and ready for reference both in case you get put under, in case your dr's not available for some reason and you have a new one you've never met, if you're not feeling up to having to answer a bunch of questions, etc.
at my very first OB appointment at 10 weeks, my Dr asked if I had a birth plan. I said yes.
1. Go to hospital
2. Get drugs.
3. Leave with babies.
She said "Good, that's my plan for you too."
Mine is in the FAQs.
No birth plan.
1) How many weeks you were at delivery?
36w1d
2) Was delivery induced?
Semi-scheduled c-section after 4w on hospital br for pre-e
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both?
C-section
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long?
Yes. Baby A-2.5w Baby B 1.5w
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!)
I agree with expect the unexpected. We thought with 36 weekers that they'd be able to be discharged with me. Baby A had a PDA came home on oxygen. Baby B was strictly feeder/grower. Our birth/NICU experience wasn't common, so please don't let it scare you.
1) I delivered at 37w2d
2) No, it was not
3) I had a c-section scheduled for 37w5d but our little girl had other plans and her bag of water ruptured late on the night of 37w1d. I delivered at 6:36 and 6:37 the following morning.
4) Neither of my twins spent any time in the NICU
5) If you would like to have a vaginal delivery, find out what, if any, requirements your OB has. Will he/she do a breech extraction? Will they attempt to turn a breech baby? Does Baby A have to be bigger than Baby B? Do they both have to be head down? My OB's rule was both babies head down in order to attempt a vaginal birth and you must deliver in an operating room, just in case an emergency c-section is needed. My Baby A was stubborn - she chose her spot early and she stayed there, breech, up until delivery. My husband told me that our Baby B actually had flipped to head down by delivery day.
Good luck and I hope the remainder of your pregnancy is long and uneventful.
Christian Alexander - 11/13/06
Amelia Rose & Owen Thomas - 3/29/11
2 Was delivery induced? No, I went into labor on my own
3 Did you deliver vaginally or csection or both? CSection we had one scheduled for 38 weeks 4 days because my husband was in Europe, but the girls wouldn't wait that long, so we just went ahead and did one once I went into labor
4 Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long? No NICU time for us, both were doing well at 6lb 2oz and 5lb 4oz.
5 Any other important details I'm still learning!. There is no need to pack a curling iron. :. I learned the hard way.
I belong to a multiples group on a very "crunchy" website and this birthplan was recently posted. I am going to use it as a guideline and only because I was specifically asked by my midwives to write a birth plan.
https://www.mothering.com/community/t/1358537/can-anyone-critique-my-birth-plan
Emerson Lily 6 lbs 13 oz & Ellis Willow 6 lbs 9 oz
Yeah... and what Cookie said. The only plan I had was that. Sorry if I sound bitter, it's because I am. However the most important thing was the end result: two babies at home. I ended up delivering by urgent c-section at 28w4d. I hope you are able to have the birth experience you desire.
Peanut Butter and Jelly!
<a href="http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss122/AliceNP/?action=view
I did one, but it is more generic and mostly deals with after the birth of the babies, since the actual birth of them is truly a crap shoot. Here is most of mine:
Jessie does have gestational diabetes that is being treated with diet and insulin. We know that a delivery with twins is hard to plan for and we intend to be as flexible as possible and would like to be included in all discussions and decisions made. We are hoping for a vaginal delivery and hope that the position of the babies help facilitate that.
Regardless of the type of delivery, the following is most important to us:
-We would like immediate skin to skin contact with the babies and to delay all non-vital medical procedures until 2 hours after birth. If Jessie is unable to hold the babies immediately after birth, Pat will provide the skin to skin contact until she is able.-We would like all procedures to be done in our presence. If the babies need to leave the room, Pat will accompany them.-Pat does not want to be asked to cut the cord.-No visitors until we are moved upstairs to our room.-We are hoping to breastfeed and we prefer no bottles or pacifiers be given to the babies without our advance knowledge and consent. If we are able to have a vaginal delivery, we would prefer the following:-Intermittent monitoring with portable monitors so we can walk around during labor.-Low lighting and noise-Jessie would prefer to labor in her own clothing.-We are not opposed to family visitors during labor up until a certain point; we will let staff know when we no longer want people in the room. After that point, we would like only Pat and medical staff present.-We do not want to be offered medication; we will request it if we decide we would like it.-We realize that placement of an epidural is necessary and would prefer it is placed, tested, and turned off until we are in the operating room for delivery or we request it.-Jessie would prefer not to have an episiotomy and be allowed to tear naturally.This!
I was sent to L&D a couple of times for high blood pressure and they asked me if I had a birth plan. I said "yes, get the babies out it the safest way possible for all of us."
I had a c section at 35.6 weeks. No NICU you but we had to stay the full 4 days and they almost didn't release the girls because one didn't finish her full 45 Mil on the last feed. I find that quite funny because she is now in the 96 % for weight.
Agreed. Completely, but I'm also slightly bitter. My urgent c-section was at 32w 6d. My only care then was that all 3 of us lived. That was my birth plan. I hope you get the birth you want
We filled out a birth preferences/birth plan form at our first appointment with our MFM - at a practice that only delivers 1) multiples or 2) singletons where either the mother or the child has a complex medical situation. He doesn't believe that it is a waste of time to learn about the mother's preferences, and I'm so glad for that!
1) How many weeks you were at delivery?
37w3d
2) Was delivery induced?
No, it was a c-section.
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both?
C-section.
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long?
No NICU time.
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!)
Jessibel, your plan looks good! Your preferences were similar to mine. (My plan was longer; in retrospect I could've made it shorter/more concise!)
Leapgirl, I love that your MFM takes that approach.
1) How many weeks you were at delivery? 35 weeks 2 days
2) Was delivery induced? no
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both? c-section
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long?
our boy was in for about a week and our girl almost 2 weeks.
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!) I brought a white noise machine to the hospital and it was awesome. it drowned out all the alarms and announcements going off in the hallway.
1) How many weeks you were at delivery? 35w1d
2) Was delivery induced? Nope. Went in for my regular appt and told my doc I was crampy. Turned out I was 4 cm with a bulging bag. I was in the O.R. 2 hours later!
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both? C-section. Baby A was breech.
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long? Baby A:18 days and Baby B: 20 days
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!) I agree with everyone who said expect the unexpected. My hubby swore I'd make it to my scheduled c/s at 38 weeks. I had no pre-term labor or complications of any kind prior. You just never know! And I had no birth plan since for me, I just felt like so many things could happen I just needed to be ready for anything.
Having JUST been there, happy to share...
1) How many weeks you were at delivery? 38 weeks, 1 day.
2) Was delivery induced? They tried. 24 or so hours into it, I hadn't dilated at all. They called it.
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both? c section.
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long? Thank God, no.
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!) Be aware of food/eating restrictions ... my birth class teacher warned us about liquid diet restrictions in advance, so I knew enough to pack popsicles so I'd have something to nosh on. Be sure the hospt. has comfy pillows... ours didn't and I was SO glad I brought my own. Ditto on a towel. Be ready to go with the flow and ask as many questions as it takes to know what you want to/feel comfortable.
GOOD LUCK!
TIA
Earlier m/c. DX (finally) 10/10: abnormal acrosome.
ICSI #1 3dt 11/20/11 HPT BFP 11/30 Our beautiful daughters were born July 28, 2012.
38w3d at delivery
Planned repeat csection
No NICU time, 6 lbs and 5 lbs 14 oz.
1) How many weeks you were at delivery? 37 weeks 6 days
2) Was delivery induced? Scheduled csection both were breech
3) Did you deliver vaginally or c-section or both? Csection
4) Did your babies have to go to the NICU and if so, for how long? No
5) Any other important details (I'm still learning!)
1. i was 32 weeks 2 days
2. no! they tried everything they could to stop my labor but they could only delay it 3 days
3. i had a c section
4. my boys were in the nicu 18 days
5. just remember that even tho EVERYONE wants to come and see the babies that you need to keep as many germs away as possible (obviously). both my boys were put back in the picu when they were 6 weeks because they caught colds and their lungs were too premature to handle it. (very scary) GOOD LUCK