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Multiples
Twin MoMs--Will you talk to me about delivery?
I had my almost 34w appt. at the MFM today. Babies are both doing well.
Baby A (boy) is now head down (yay!) and is estimated to weigh 4lbs.15oz. Baby B (girl) was transverse 4 weeks ago and is now breech, she is estimated at 5 lbs. even. The MFM said the 1 oz. difference in size is "insignificant" and that they look great--growing like singletons still.
The MFM said at this point it's up to my OB team how we want to handle delivery, if they are comfortable doing a vaginal delivery or not.
So, would any of you care to share your birth experiences, if you had babies positioned like this? I would much prefer a vaginal delivery, as it went so well for me w/ DS. A c/s is fine if I end up needing it. What I fear though is the "double whammy". I really, really don't want to deliver 1 vaginally and then end up needing a C for the other.
I have my OB appt. next week on Tuesday along w/ an NST. So, I'll discuss this with her then. But I just wanted to get your thoughts. WWYD--go w/ vaginal and hope Baby B flips/can be flipped in labor? Or schedule a c/s?
Thanks ladies!! I can't believe I'm getting so close now! The MFM said, "If you're still pregnant in 4 weeks, I want you to come in for another appt." I'll be 37w and change in 4 weeks, so we'll see how it goes!
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Re: Twin MoMs--Will you talk to me about delivery?
I havent delivered yet, but I've been wondering the same thing, glad you asked this. Hopefully you will get lots of responses regarding vaginal delivery of Twins!
Hope everything goes well for you and the Little One's!!
My girls were in the same positions as yours. M was head down and K was transverse and switched to breech at the end so I had to make the same choice. My doctors told me if B was bigger they would not even LET me choose, they would do a C because of the fear that one would come out and B would get stuck.
In the end I chose a c-section and Im very glad I did. Once they delivered M they found that K was twisted up in her cord 5 times and that is why she flipped at the end. NOT to say that is why your B is flipped but that is my experience.
GL ladies.
Mine were positioned just like you....A -boy- was head down, B -girl- was breech.I had delivered two 8.5 lb singletons vaginally prior and was pretty determined to have another vaginal. There was typically 8-16 ounce diff in their size (A always bigger - esp his head) until that week - it was 2 oz diff 3 days before I delivered. I delivered at 35w6d due to A's fluid being lower than desirable - I was induced. I delivered A with 2 pushes and as soon as he was out, my OB broke B's water, reached in and grabbed her feet and delivered her footling breech with 1 push. When all was said and done, A was 6lb11oz, B was 5lb10oz, so a full lb difference.
What I think is more important than your desire for a vag. delivery is your dr's willingness and confidence in doing a breech delivery. My dr never entertained the idea of doing a version. She was beyond comfortable doing the breech extraction and that confidence just really put me at peace. I was sure of her, her ability to do a breech extraction, and trusted her to make the right call at the right moment. I also really embraced the fact that I just MIGHT need a c-sect after A was out. Once I became okay with that, I knew I absolutely wanted to try for the vag delivery. My OB said that only about 5% of vag twin deliveries become "double whammys." Everyone is terrified of the idea, but that is really good odds. I ended up with a perfect delivery, and I'm just elated with my decision. It's not right for everyone....so feel out your OB, his/her experience with breech extraction, and ability to make the right call.
As a side not, I delivered in the OR (which is pretty standard for multiple births), and I had to at least have the line for an epidural placed just in case the c-sect was needed. Anesthesia was in the room for delivery.
Good luck with your decision.
Thanks girls.
Jettagirl--that 5% stat makes me feel better
.
I do realize I need to talk w/ my OB about it. At this point, I haven't even brought it up with her (my last MFM visit A was breech and B was transverse, so I was thinking c/s).
So, we'll see what she says about that and move forward. I do know that I'll delivery in the OR one way or the other just in case, and I planned on the epi anyway
, so I guess I'll be set there, LOL!
My MFM thinks their position won't change at this point and I've read that 33w is typically the latest twins will flip. But, I have heard of it happening later on in some cases and even Baby B flipping during labor once Baby A is born. So...we'll see. I think though that at this point I could pretty much count on their positions staying the same going forward.
I was lucky enough to have a vaginal delivery and have both babies head down. B was slightly bigger (4 oz.) than A, and it caused me no problems whatsoever - it was actually my A baby that didn't want to come out (I pushed for 4 hours for her and needed vacuum extraction for her).
I agree with the pp who said that it would depend on my doctor. I saw a peri exclusively and he was extremely comfortable with vaginal delivery as long as Baby A was head down. He very much encouraged vaginal delivery whenever possible. I think if my Baby B had been breech, I probably would have tried for a vaginal delivery due to my peri.
But there are doctors out there who are less comfortable/less experienced with delivering a breech Baby B. If I got the sense that my doctor was among that crowd, I would have a c/s.
Good luck with your decision!
***Twin fraternal girls born at 35w6d in 12/2008***
you'll always have the chance for one each way if you go for vaginal- because baby B can flip at the last minute, etc... always a risk.
I had a c/s and it was great - i had no problems caring for the babies, felt great ,etc. I did have a horrible healing with my vaginal birth of my singleton - so just goes to show- you never know
I delivered my twins vaginally. Both of my boys were head down. My OB was fine with doing a breech delivery if we needed to. She did say that some of the other OB's in her practice wouldn't do a breech delivery, but she was very comfortable doing one. Baby A was 4 lbs 6 oz and Baby B was 5 lbs 9oz. The last ultrasound we had didn't have that much of a difference between them, so it shows just how accurate ultrasounds can be sometimes.
My older boys were in the same position as your twins. I delivered vaginally. They didn't have time to flip B as he was already in the canal and headed for the exit when they went to try to flip him. However, my ob said that a basically opened up the path and he wasn't concerned about delivering b even if he was breech. With my girls they were both breech however if a had been head down we would have tried to deliver vaginally again. My c section with the girls wasn't bad, but i would have prefered to deliver vaginally if i could have.
Good Luck
Jen
Didn't read all the responses but my OB decided at the time of delivery (my water broke). Baby B was somewhat transverse & he wasn't crazy about her position for vaginal delivery so we went w/ c/s. Plus I was not dilated & had no contractions 2 hrs after my water broke so it was probably going to be not a great situation all around anyway...
GL!
YAY for being so close and having two healthy babies!
My Baby A was vertex the whole third tri; Baby B kept flipping back and forth between vertex and breech. I actually switched OBs at 31w to have one who was experienced and comfortable with breech extractions (after researching the safest options in some high-risk pregnancy textbooks and other reliable sources). B was actually vertex at the start of my induction but when the OB did a u/s after Baby A came out (after about 12 hrs of labor including 3 hrs of pushing!), B was breech again, so the dr did a breech extraction and B was out 7 minutes after his brother! I ended up with a 2nd-degree tear and a prolapsed urethra (not sure if that was related to the breech extraction or not) but overall I healed well and am very happy with my decision. They're both very healthy, no complications, no breathing problems which can sometimes result from C-sections; I was able to hold Baby A on my chest while the dr delivered Baby B, was able to breastfeed both right away, etc.
And honestly, while I wasn't thrilled with the prospect of a double whammy I was OK with it. To me that would still be better than an unnecessary C-section; that way at least one baby gets the health benefits of a vaginal delivery even if the other doesn't.
When my Baby B was breech at 30w, the OB I was seeing at the time wanted me to go ahead and schedule a C-section ... and Baby B flipped 5 more times after that!! So based on my own experience, I wouldn't count out the possibility of Baby B changing positions!
Btw I did get an epidural and I'm really glad I did because from what I've heard, the breech extraction could have been pretty painful without it. As it was, I really didn't feel it. (Plus I was distracted by taking in Baby A on my chest.
) My OB let me deliver in the LDR room but there was an OR team prepped and ready to go waiting in the hallway in case I needed it; they would have wheeled me to the OR right down the hall if I'd needed an emergency C-section.