Can I Join You? (Birth Story -- Long)

Jbromberg1985 · April 2013

Hi all! Can I finally join you? I'm so excited to be able to post over here... Looking back, it seems like my pregnancy (and our whole journey for that matter) just flew by! Now that our girls are here, all I can do is smile and think about how lucky and blessed DH and I are to have two such wonderful miracles! Here is our birth story (and some pics of course):

As planned, we went to the hospital on Wednesday evening, April 17th, for our scheduled induction. After the initial exam, they determined I was still about 70% effaced and only a fingertip dilated so we began with a foley balloon to get dilation going. Wednesday night was pretty uneventful as the balloon did it's job, and Thursday morning when they came to do my next exam at about 6:45am, the balloon fell out and I was 4cm dilated so the next step was to move me down to L&D and start me on pitocin. I asked if I could have breakfast first since I knew I wouldn't be eating until after the girls were born, and they were very accommodating, thank goodness! We moved down to L&D around 8:30am and around 9am they got me started on pitocin.

Labor was pretty uneventful at first. I was having some contractions, but nothing bad at all so I held off on getting the epidural. Everything was progressing slowly and around 1pm I had progressed to about 5-6cm. The contractions were picking up a bit, but still nothing terrible so my nurse suggested sitting in the rocking chair for a bit. After about 5 minute of that, my water broke (very awkward feeling btw). She said the contractions would probably start picking up now and man was she right... it was as if someone flipped a switch! I finally asked for my epidural, and I felt like it couldn't come quick enough. When the anesthesiologist came, I was so relieved but even after administering the epidural, I had a sharp pain in my right hip and upper thigh. She ended up having to come back 30 mins later and add something (I can't remember what) but that did the trick. At this point I was able to relax a bit and try to find some energy for later on.

They checked me again around 5:30pm and I was now dilated 8cm! I was so happy that things were progressing quicker now as I was starting to get a little uncomfortable again. By 7:30pm I was fully dilated and ready to start pushing. Since Baby A still had to come down a little bit, they asked if I wanted to labor down for a bit, but I just felt the need to push so we decided to start. At first, things were going well, but I was surprised at how much I still felt for having an epidural. I pushed for about an hour and a half in my room before moving to the OR (a precaution they take when delivering twins vaginally, just in case). By the time I got to the OR, I was in so much pain (and pretty delirious), I just couldn't wait for it to be over. Finally at 9:59pm, Baby A decided to make her debut. After she was born, baby B flipped and my perinatologist said we would have to do a c-section. As bad as my pain was, this news hurt more because it was my biggest fear with attempting a vaginal delivery. I was hysterical and just kept saying "No!". The other doctor (aka my savior) said she would try to flip her and was successful right away... I was beyond grateful and so relieved.

In the meantime, because they had to do an episiotomy already, I was now completely numb from the lidocaine so when it came time to push Baby B, they had to tell me when I was having a contraction so I was able to push, and even then I didn't know if I was actually doing anything (combination of the numbness and exhaustion). Shortly after at 10:42pm, Baby B decided to join her sister in the outside world, and since we decided to wait to see them before naming them, I was so excited to finally have that moment with DH!

Now I am happy to share the arrival of our girls on April 18, 2013:

Skylar Elena, born at 9:59pm

5lbs 8oz, 18in long

Hollyn Isabella, born at 10:42pm

6lbs 9oz, 20in long

Both girls are doing absolutely amazing. They are both BF-ing like champs, and DH and I couldn't be any happier!

Skylar

Hollyn

Going home!!

mnj05 · April 2013

Congratulations!! Your girls are adorable! I'm glad you didn't end up with a csection on top of everything else! I can't imagine recovering from both with an episiotomy/stitches. I was swollen from pushing not successfully I ended up the c/s and that was enough for me!

TJ1979 · April 2013

Congrats and welcome! What an amazing birth story, way to go. Your girls are precious and you look great!

Saraevh · April 2013

Congrats on your GORGEOUS girls. Love the names too

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Mrs.AmyDylan · April 2013

Congrats! Welcome to you, mama! So glad the doc was able to flip your baby girl so you were able to birth both vaginally.

Robeano · April 2013

Congrats and welcome!! Your girls are adorable!

ccam · April 2013

Wow - congratulations!! The girls are beautiful and you look great

ELF4321 · April 2013

Congrats on your beautiful baby girls!

mrskitton · April 2013

Congratulations! They are beautiful!

Dragonfly1226 · April 2013

Congratulations and welcome! I am expecting twin girls by June 5th.

Baba A is still stubbornly breech though so I am starting to think my dreams of a vaginal delivery won't be my reality. Awesome job delivering both vaginally! Your girls are beautiful! Glad everyone is safe and healthy at home!

Jbromberg1985 · April 2013

Dragonfly1226:
Congratulations and welcome! I am expecting twin girls by June 5th. : Baba A is still stubbornly breech though so I am starting to think my dreams of a vaginal delivery won't be my reality. Awesome job delivering both vaginally! Your girls are beautiful! Glad everyone is safe and healthy at home!

Don't lose hope... My Baby B was breech until 36 1/2 weeks and managed to flip herself... and she was the bigger of the two!! There's still time!