Tell me your vaginal twin delivery stories.

marcellamitchell · September 2013

Hi MoMs! I had been scheduled for a csection on the 7th but it has now been changed to an induction due to the boys being head down and very low (MFM says I'm a really good candidate for a vaginal delivery). I know there are so many risks either way of birthing them...I just feel silly not going for it vaginally since they are head down. My MFM informed me that all the doctors will try and push me to have a csection anyways but they can't make me, unless of fetal distress etc. I'm just wanting to hear your stories... The good, the bad and everything. Please tell me how it went for you & your babies in the process of laboring & delivering. TIA!!!

pinkmickey24 · September 2013

I like you was originally scheduled for a csection, but A decided to flip head down around 35 weeks so we cancelled the csection. My water broke two days before my induction and we tried for a vaginal birth. After pushing for an hour and half and the doctor trying to turn A (he was sunny side up) it was decided a csection was needed due to A's position and head size. Good luck.

elampl · September 2013

My birth was not "normal" by any means. Baby A's water broke at 32 weeks. By the time I got to the hospital, my contractions were less than two minutes apart. There wasn't any time for an epidural. I pushed for three minutes for Baby A. Baby B took about ten minutes to move down with a few pushes. They had to break Baby B's water and she came out with three pushes. Keep in mind that they were small (3 lbs 12 oz and 3 lbs 11 oz). Good luck!

Gsk4874 · September 2013

I haven't had my babies yet but kind of in the same situation. I was all about the c section since I first found out it was twins. But they are both head down and baby A is very low so i think I really want to try it vaginally. My dr kind of scared me when she said I could have one vaginally then the other baby has so much room sometimes flips and I could end up having a c section to get baby B out. That's the only thing making me not fully commit to vaginally. Good luck!!

jennyshawn0808 · September 2013

Mine was pretty uneventful. I was induced at 39w. I was already 3cm & 75% thinned. Induction started at 7am. The Dr broke baby A's water at 2. She was born at 240, 6 lbs 4 ozs. B was born at 321, 7 lbs 11 ozs. 41 minutes apart. Good luck, you can do it!

ETA: spelling

Gibson824 · September 2013

I had a scheduled induction at 36 weeks and like you, was thrilled to have to head down babies. Once I was complete (after 13.5 hours of contractions) I started to push. I was determined to deliver vaginally because I was so worried about the recovery of a section. Four long, tiring, painful (my epidural wasn't working) hours later, they made me stop pushing. Baby A's head could be seen, but she wasn't low enough to move her. Turns out, her head was kinked and it was never going to happen. I burst into tears and was sent to the OR for surgery.

A c-section was not at all what I wanted, but the recovery is no where near as bad as I thought. The first two days were brutal, but by the third day I was fully mobile and was back to myself by the end of my hospital stay. Good luck!

eandk18 · September 2013

I was also a good candidate for a vaginal delivery. My girls were both head down the whole time. Everytime I mentioned the possibility of a c-section my OB dismissed me saying it was very unlikely. I had to be induced at 38 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. At the time i was 2 cm dialated. I labored for 16 hours and got to 8 cm and Baby A's head was stuck because she was sunnyside up. I also developed a fever so I had to have a c section right away. I ended up being put under general because I was having problems breathing (must have been a fluke thing).

Like pp said, my recovery was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I was up and moving around on the 2nd day. The only thing that was painful was turning over in bed while sleeping but again, not as bad as I thought.

I hope things work out for a vaginal delivery for you though! Just try to not be disappointed if you end up with a c section. I was really disappointed and I think it was because I had my heart set on a vaginal birth. I wish I would have prepared myself better (mentally) for the c section.

vegetablegardens · September 2013

I haven't had the babies yet, so who knows what we'll end up doing, but my doc and I just talked over the "plans" earlier this week, so I thought I'd share. He said that at the hospital where I am delivering, they encourage vaginal birth if possible because of how much easier the recovery is and because, under certain conditions, there is no more risk for the babies. The conditions include (a) baby A being head down AND (b) baby B not being too much bigger than baby A.

They will do this regardless of what position Baby B is in, which I thought was pretty unique!

LegallyBlonde217 · September 2013

My twins were both head down from about 24 weeks on so I was a great candidate for vaginal delivery. I was already on hospital bedrest by the time I went into labor because Baby A's sac had a slow leak. Water broke at 6:30am. Contractions were 5 minutes apart by 4:30pm. Got down to L&D at 6:30pm and contractions were 2 minutes apart and lasting almost 1 1/2 minutes each. I was dilated 3cm. Got the epidural ASAP! By 9:30pm I was 8cm. By midnight I was 10cm. Started pushing in the L&D room at 12:30am. Pushed for 3 hours, was moved to the OR and delivered Baby A at 3:27am. Then my contractions pretty much stopped.

They started me on Pitocin to start them back up, broke Baby B's water and let me rest for a few minutes. Pushed for 3 more hours and delivered Baby B at 6:33am.

I hemorrhaged after delivery, but that was because I had a retained placenta that had to be removed manually. My OB had already had a talk with me about the possibility of a hemorrhage with a twin delivery so I actually wasn't TOO freaked out. Well, that and all of the drugs the anesthesiologist gave me for pain and to relax me while they were removing the placentas.
; )

kari.sandall · September 2013

I went in to a routine doctor appointment at 32 weeks 3 days. My blood pressure had begun to creep up in the last week or so. My doctor decided to admit me for more test to rule out preeclampsia. Turns out I had developed preeclampsia and the decision was made to induce me. Baby a was head down while baby b was breech. I was prepared to do a breech extraction if needed. Induced at 2:30 pm, moved to the OR at 6am, stated to push at 6:30 am, and baby a was born vaginally at 7:18am. After she came out, I went back to a 5 so they started the Pitocin again. Baby b had flipped and was no longer breech. He had his arm up by his head so we waited a while for him to put it down. Finally he moved it and they broke his water, which pretty much exploded everywhere. His cord prolapsed and I had an emergency c section to get him out quickly. He was born at 8:18 am. Both went straight to the NICU due to their gestational age of 32 weeks 4 days. That being said, I would try for a vaginal birth again if given the option.

pillowass · September 2013

Like you, my babies got in position at the last minute so I was all geared up for a c-section and had to change course. My labor/delivery was awesome, though, and I am so thankful it worked out the way it did.

My water broke at home at 5:30am. I was 36 weeks 6 days. I got to the hospital around 8, got the epidural around noon (I was 6-7cm) and delivered them 20 minutes apart around 2pm. My nurse told me that they rarely have twin deliveries go so smoothly. Recovery-wise, I had a 2nd degree tear and was on vicodin for a couple of weeks afterwards, but a lot of my pain was more related to my ribs and pelvis adjusting to not being pregnant any more.

Don't be afraid to ask for pain meds - they probably won't offer them if you deliver vaginally but they really helped me feel better in those first few weeks.

Good luck!

LISAF1197 · September 2013

I was induced at 37w6d. Went in on a Friday morning at 5am, and they basically started me on Pitocin by 9am. ( I was 4cm dilated) My contractions were not strong at all but were 2-3 mins apart. I got the epidural around 11am or so. I was in labor for 12 hours, when they finally decided to break baby A's water. I started pushing around 5:30pm and then they wheeled me over to the OR. Baby A was born at 6:07pm, and Baby B was born 7 mins later! I would do it all over again!

I, like you, was very worried and unsure of what the right thing to do was. I was even going back and forth with the nurses and dr when I arrived at the hospital. I was so nervous about a double whammy! But the OB's I talked to all suggested that I should give it a try and that I was a good candidate, b/c both babies were head down, and I had my singleton successfully via vaginal birth. I guess my advice to you would be to be sure that there is a delivering doctor who is able to do a breech extraction. Some doctors do it, and some don't!

LottaLattes · September 2013

Had no issues but it was also my third birth. Had an induction at 38 weeks, babies born about 3 hours later, 15 minutes between. Baby B was a breech extraction, which my doctor was super comfortable with. No issues, though I would personally recommend getting the epidural for sure. If you do end up with a breech extraction, it is meant to hurt like hell, and you are less likely to need GA if you have to get a CS in the end (and can be awake for the birth!) Good luck, totally doable if the circumstances are right!

HisBelovedPrincess · September 2013

My boys had been vertex/vertex since 32 weeks, so when I was found to have protein +3 in my urine, swelling and inconsistent blood pressure at 37w6days, they admitted me to begin an induction. Friday at around 7pm we did cervadil (I had been dilated to a 1 for weeks with inconsistent labor contractions for a week), and at 7am Saturday there wasn't much change, so it was decided that at 8 they would start Pitocin. From 8amish-2 they upped the Pit by 2 every 30 minutes/1hr, and then at 2 broke baby A's water. From 3-7pm labor picked up and dilated to a 5, when I got the epidural, and rested until complete dilation at 11pm. They wheeled me into the OR and I started pushing around 11:30, Baby A was delivered at 1:41, weighing 6lb 14oz. Baby B stayed head down, but I began having a hard time focusing (I had just had another dose of the epidural right after A's delivery, as I felt.everything.during.delivery. lol) Then B's heartrate dropped and the OB did some stuff (don't really remember rbecause I was in and out of 'sleep'...craziest thing I have every done was 'push' when 'waking up' and then feeling like I passed out while pushing). Thankfully, my OB, gave me extra time and resorted to a vacuum assist of Baby B, rather than resorting to an Emergency C-section when his heartrate kept going up/down. He was born 3:20am, with the cord around his neck, and had to have cpr, but eventually did just fine in the NICU (for 2 days).

I was terrified of the "double whammy" but my OB was confident I could do both vaginally, and I'm grateful she was patient with my body.

katiebenes · September 2013

I was never scheduled for csection.

I went in at 38 weeks to start induction. So, I went in for induction on Monday night, they put in the Cervadil at 8:30 pm. By 3am I was cramping and crabby because my monitors would *not* stay in place on my stomach as I was sleeping, so I got no actual rest. By 5am I was having contractions, but the Cervadil stayed in until 7:30 when I was 3cm, then I took a shower and got ready for birth.

They placed my epidural at 8... I had edema so it was incredibly difficult- it took him 35 minutes and a call for backup. I was having contractions throughout and it sucked. it was only about 80% effective and left a window of pain that just so happened to overlap my pulled muscle (yay) they decided to supplement with fentonal instead of trying again.

We transferred to the OR at 1:35 PM when I had hit 9 3/4 cm dilated... They had me fight pushing for about 40 minutes, until they finally decided the anterior lip might not go away after all, so I started pushing. 5 sets of pushes later I was looking at my Little Man Caleb Christopher (2:25 pm 6 lb 1 oz)

My contractions stopped for about 15 minutes, then came back and I pushed for 15 minutes and they showed me my Big Boy John Marshall (2:55 pm 6 lb 11 oz)

DH followed them to the nursery while I got stitched up (small second degree tear. nothing too bad)

I was in my room by 4PM and my boys didn't need any NICU time!

Rynleigh · September 2013

Both my boys were head down. I was induced at 37w 1d due to pre-e. Induction was an all day process (started around 10A and didn't deliver early the next morning), and Simon's heartrate started to slow, so they had me start pushing at 9cm - but it was a quick and easy delivery. Boys were born 10min apart, no rips/stitches, etc. My only problem was nearly bleeding out during recovery due to the placenta detachments - but I came away without a transfusion. Just very faint and weak for a few months after (if they tell you that you're on the cusp of needing a transfusion and that it's up to you, be aware that it takes your body a full three months to replace the blood you've lost - my doctors made it out to be like it was no big deal...)

Of course my bleeding would have just been worse if I'd had a cesarean, since I'd still have had the placenta sites and an incision on top of it.

MrsCaseyK · September 2013

It was AWESOME. I loved every second of it (in hindsight!!). Happened in 3.5 hours. No drugs, no iv. Contractions started at 12.30. Went to the hospital and was at a 4. Contractions continued very sporadically but intense. I labored leaning on the side of the bed. At about 3 am my water broke and they checked me. I was at a 9. They wheeled me to OR. Pushed baby A out and the contractions stopped for a few minutes. Then they started again and baby B came out. Only about two contractions per baby. Contractions started again and out came the placentas (not sure if you have other kids, but it hurt basically just as much). I lost 600cc but I didn't have I get a transfusion. I did have pitocin AFTER they were born. Recovery was great. Everyone was very impressed at the hospital as I was the first to not have a section in like 3 years. If its a possibility, take it, it's a rare gift!!

Ps the nurse was awesome with the monitors and made sure we had both heart beats the whole time.

I delivered at 36 and 3. Babies apgars were done in our arms. We left 2 days later. Baby a was the smaller at 5.4 and baby b the boy was 5.10. I did have a second degree tear. Healed up super quickly and awesome.

tiffy81 · September 2013

Hi ladies, I've been following this thread because I found out last week that my twins are not mo/mo but mo/di. We were so excited to learn they were not in the same sac that we never asked about the possibility of delivering vaginally. Im only 13w6days but from the beginning it's been a planned csection. These stories have helped me realize that I can deliver vaginally...I'm just still fearful of an emergency csection. I guess if rather have it planned and do it than to have something go wrong. Ugh!!! I need to get out of my own head :)lol!!

MuseumMaven · September 2013

I was induced at 37w due to IUGR. My boys had been head down for weeks, so my doctor (I only saw an MFM) felt I was an excellent candidate. The induction started with misoprostil to ripen my cervix. After two doses of that my water broke and I went into active labor, so I never had to have pitocin.

I had an epidural around 4 cm and was just relaxing in my room waiting for something to happen, when the doctor and four nurses came rushing in. They checked me, said I was ready to go, and wheeled me off to the OR at top speed. Everyone was smiling and really calm, but I got the idea that we had a problem. Turns out Baby B was having decels with my contractions. Baby A was born after just a few pushes. Baby B tried to make a hands-first arrival (think superman) so the doctor reached in and pushed his hands back and pulled him down (I know this sounds awful, but I couldn't feel it at all). One push and Baby B was born, and 100% fine. The guess was that his cord was being compressed during contractions, so once he was outside he was good.

I would definitely opt for a vaginal delivery again.

Gsk4874 · September 2013

I was in the hospital for the past two days for PTL. I saw a MFM I've never saw before he was so nice! He asked if I was having a c section or vaginally I said I was unsure, he asked if I wanted his opinion and he said he would definitely recommend to do it vaginally. He said its better for the babies and less risk to me. Both of my babies are head down but he said only baby A needs to be head down. He definitely helped me make my decision to try it vaginally. Oddly enough im excited that I can do it vaginally!

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