Beautiful Birth: A Stress-Free Vaginal Twin Delivery

My birth story begins at my 12 week ultrasound for my second pregnancy. We brought our 15-month-old with us to see her brother or sister for the first time. Imagine our UTTER surprise when the ultrasound tech said, “Looks like you’ve got two in there!” In a few short months, we would be welcoming our sweet TWINS into the world! We were in shock and pretty freaked out, to be honest. The following months included lots of planning, purchasing, and ultrasounds. We learned that we were expecting a boy and a girl and discussed delivery options with my OB. He was very open to attempting a vaginal delivery if baby A (the baby closest to the birth canal) was head down but explained the risks if baby B was in a different position. I visited the horrible, awful, miserable assessment center several times and stayed overnight in the hospital once.

Ultimately, I was on bedrest by 34 weeks. At my final ultrasound, we discovered that both babies were head down and my doctor was planning to induce the next week (at 37.5 weeks). The next night I began to feel some contractions and convinced myself I was in labor. We set up someone to watch our daughter and headed to the hospital around 8:30 PM. This HAD to be it; I was so, so ready! Sure enough, after another hour in the lovely assessment center, it was determined that I was indeed in labor. At this point we started calling parents & friends to let them know THIS IS IT!!! The nurses called my OB (who said he would absolutely deliver the twins) and I was wheeled up to labor and delivery.

With my daughter, I remember being so anxious and nervous about labor. I don’t know what it was about this labor – the weeks of bed rest or the excitement of twins – but I wasn’t nervous at all. I was elated, thrilled, and so very pumped to be hours away from meeting my baby twins! I settled into L & D around 11:00 PM. My mom arrived along with a talented friend who was going to take pictures of the twins’ birth. My OB arrived and checked me. My contractions were uncomfortable, but I honestly don’t remember being in horrible pain. The screen showing my contractions and the babies’ heartbeats riveted me. The anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist came in to give me my epidural just a bit before midnight. Let me interject here that, even with both babies being head down, there was the risk of a C-section if baby B flipped. With this risk, we decided to do a spinal epidural just in case a C-section became necessary. Those next few hours continued to fly. My water broke, I texted with some friends, and I remember being very itchy from the epidural. It wasn’t long before I felt the pressure on my bottom. I’m always amazed that, even with an epidural where I couldn’t feel pain, I could feel the pressure when it was time to push. The nurse checked me, and sure enough, it was time!!!!

Another interjection: since I had the risk of C-section, we delivered the babies in the operating room. This meant I could only have two visitors with me, and they had to be suited up. Everyone moved very quickly; my husband and photographer friend suited up, my OB was paged, mom kissed me goodbye, and the nurse pleaded with me to try to keep those babies in!

I was wheeled from the delivery room to the operating room with my husband and friend close behind. The only thing I remember from these moments was the SHEER excitement that coursed through my body. I entered the operating room – and let me tell you it was BRIGHT and WHITE! My husband and friend had to wait outside while I was prepped. My feet were strapped in these amazing boots and the nurse anesthetist checked my epidural to make sure I wasn’t feeling anything. My doctor, husband, and friend entered and it was GO time. At this point, my nurse, and another nurse who had joined her, explained that after baby A was born, they would lay him on my stomach to keep baby B from turning. Between the room full of people (probably close to double the staff of a normal birth) and my friend taking delivery pictures, there was no thought of modesty. But who cares about modesty when I’m about to deliver twins!

Just after 1:40 AM, it was time to push. I knew that baby A was pretty far into the birth canal based on previous doctor visits, so one big push, and at 1:46 AM sweet Major was born! He was whisked away to be measured and checked. My husband left me briefly to check on him, and the nurses placed basically their entire weight on me to keep Harper head down and move her into the birth canal. Her water sack broke, and I pushed several times. At 1:51 AM, squishy Harper made her way into the world. She was taken to be measured and needed some oxygen for a couple of minutes.

While I was cleaned up and the babies were attended to, all I thought about was the thrill of those quick minutes. I felt like a rock star! I think I told everyone I saw over the next couple of days about the immeasurable experience of delivering twins. I’m so in awe that our bodies can grow precious people and deliver them so quickly and naturally. I realize there can often be controversy and stress revolving around birth stories, but I loved every moment of this experience. Those were truly the most satisfying and thrilling moments of my life!

Amy was born and raised in Baton Rouge. She is wife to Mitch and mom to three year old Maddex and one year old twins Harper and Major. She teaches middle school English and lives in Prairieville.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Woman’s Hospital.  Woman’s did not have any influence on the posts that were approved for this series.