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Twin Birth Story - Part 2

By Thursday evening, things were going well. Labor was staying away, even though I had a contraction every now and then. I had gotten two steroid shots into my system by this time, one on Wednesday morning when I was admitted and the second Thursday morning. I was taken off IV fluids and monitors and cleared to get out of bed to use the bathroom by Thursday afternoon.

Tom and Phoebe came to visit me Thursday evening and I sent them home at 8:30 PM for her to go to bed as she had school the next day. Myself, I went to bed around 10 PM. I was getting sick of watching House reruns on TV and getting tired too. I woke up at 11:30 PM out of a sound sleep with the worst contraction ever, but this feeling that I had to go to the bathroom. This will be TMI, but I knew I was constipated since I had been admitted to the hospital and that is very unlike me when I'm on my normal diet from home. I went into the bathroom and tried to use the facilities but I quickly became aware that I was concerned I'd be pushing out my first baby as his head was so low in my pelvis for the past few days. The new nurse that just came on shift came to check on me and do my vital signs. I told her I'd be done in a few minutes and she asked me to ring for her when I came back to bed. Well, considering how I was feeling about the first of our babies being ready to come out and then I started having more strong contractions, I decided to quickly get back to bed. I rang for the nurse while I tried to continue breathing through my contractions and explained to the nurse that I'm not a wuss and that I knew this was "the real deal" of labor. She got me on my side, started the IV fluids again and hooked me up to the monitors. When she realized this was not stopping she called for the rotational OB doctor to come look at me. She examined my cervix and we were all shocked for her to say I was fully dilated and that the baby's head was at station 2 and did I feel like I wanted to push??? I confirmed that I did, but she asked me not to until we could get me to Labor and Delivery and get my doctor to the hospital.

Before the doctor even examined me, I started trying to call Leo and tell him to get himself to the hospital immediately!!! My SIL was at our house, so I knew Phoebe would be OK staying at home. No one at the house was answering any of their phones. I tried the house line and cell phones. Finally I broke down and called our neighbor across the street to wake up my family and send my husband to the hospital. I owe my neighbors big time.

After I got through to Leo, I was moved to a gurney, to an operating room in Labor and Delivery, moved to the table in the OR and everyone in the room started introducing themselves to me. BTW, I had an anesthesiologist at my head. They didn't have time to give me an epidural and I'm thinking that if anything went wrong, they were going to put me out directly. My OB (or really another doctor from her practice that I know really well) and Leo came in at the same time. This was exactly when they were starting to have me push. I remember Leo grabbing my hand really hard and saying "I'm here. I'm here." I was so worried he wouldn't make it. I remember working on pushing but having a hard time, as my mind was mentally telling myself, "It's not time yet. This is too soon." But I pushed through and Thomas was born at 2:09 AM on 5/29/09. I heard Thomas cry right away and they whisked him over to the baby cribs to check him out. Dr. B immediately had me get back to work pushing and Liam was born 11 minutes later at 2:20 AM. She placed him directly on my stomach and I remember grabbing at him with my hands. He wasn't crying until later, but I knew he'd be OK and I just wanted my hands all over one of my babies at that moment. I thought if you're going to put Liam on my belly, I'm going to hold him for all my worth. A minute later he was taken over to be looked at as well and Dr. B cleaned me up. I had some tearing that needed to be repaired, but not that bad.

Leo and I got a good look at our babies before they left for the NICU. They asked us to give them an hour or two to get them admitted to the NICU and setup for us to visit. I wasn't sent to the Maternity Ward until that afternoon as they were very full at the hospital. I was in quite a bit of pain from the postpartum contractions, which were really bad. The nurses gave me some serious meds that made me sleepy and woozy, so I sent Leo to check on "the boys" and let me know how they were. He came back to let me know that Liam was on a respirator, but that Thomas was not needing any respiratory help at all.

Fast forward to a month later, and hopefully they will be going home in a week or two. All we have left to work on is for them to be nursing for all their feeds and gaining weight. Liam moved to an open crib this weekend and both he and his brother are doing great keeping their temperatures better than great when they are together. They are both doing well with nursing when they are not too tired. And both Leo and I each bathed a baby yesterday!!! We've been forgetting to bring the camera to the hospital the past two days, but we have it packed for today and plan on taking lots of new pictures.

Comments

The boys are making fabulous progress, that's Wonderful. I am so glad Leo made it to the hospital to be there to welcome his beautiful sons.
On My Mind 24/7 said…
Glad everything worked out and Daddy made it in time. All that matters is that they are here and healthy! Can't wait to see more pics of the precious boys!
Anonymous said…
You birthed twins vaginally, naturally, unmedicated? You are a ROCKSTAR and an inspiration!!!!!
nancy said…
that is just awesome. AWESOME. Yay to you and to all your babies. Wow.
Meg said…
Congrats on making it without a c-section for twins! That is so awesome!!!
Billie Mercer said…
So, what are their weights now. I wish I could see these little guys.
CONGRATS Heather!! You are amazing. I'm so excited that your babies are healthy and almost home. Love the birth story. I'm so excited for you.
~~HUGS~~

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