Delivery X 2

Warning...kind of graphic..its delivery!!!



Of course there was a full moon out, and the labor and delivery emergency room was packed. My mom made it there before I was even brought in to be seen. Once the doctor came in, she looked familiar. It was the scary doctor who gave me the second twin diagnosis! But she had also had twins and was very receptive to me wanting to deliver vaginally. She did a quick ultra sound to make sure of their positions, and what did you know! Baby A was now Baby B and breach while Baby B was now Baby A....down in the pelvis....ready to go! The doctor asked if I wanted an epideral at all during deliver and I told said, "Yes. I am not trying to be a hero as I already am one carrying these babies this far!" She laughed and I was set up in a labor room.


Time seemed to go by really fast. It was now 10pm and both moms were in the room with me, along with my husband. They broke baby b's water, started an iv and pitocin was going to jump start my labor. I had told the nurse that my other pregnancies were fast just in case these two decided to do the same. The contractions were getting stronger and stronger, and I was breathing through them. I was pretty proud of myself as the other two deliveries I screamed in pain the whole time. I wanted to do it differently. As the contractions started getting stronger, the nurse had asked if I wanted my epidural. I had asked "Isn't it to early?" and she said "No way! You can get one whenever you want!" I asked for because if I didn't get one now, I wouldn't be able to get one for another hour (aka two hours in hospital time). So I said "Yes!". By the time the anesthesiologist had come in (30 minutes after I said yes) my contractions were horrible. I even dropped the F bomb and apologized to the nurse. She told me I can cuss any time I wanted. When the epidural was in, I laid back down on the bed. A huge contraction just happened at that time, and I was stuck on my side with my head hitting the headboard. The nurses pulled me down and laid me on my back. I started to see white light, like I was going to pass out. My husband later told me my heart rate dropped to 64 and he was really worried. I seemed to be out of it and I remember the epidural not working at all. She kept giving me doses in my epidural line but the contractions were still coming on strong. Then all of the sudden I felt this huge urge to push. And then again...I told the nurse that I think the baby wants to come out. She thought I was lying but she checked me and sure enough, Baby A was ready to go! I remember the bed dropping, things being unplugged, gowns being thrown and them rushing me (and Mike) to the operating room (where you have to deliver when you have twins, just in case of an emergency c section). I remember them telling me not to push and me saying "I'm trying! He wants to come out!" and trying to hold back Baby A from being born in the hallway. My moms were still in the waiting room, thinking I was just getting my epidural. They had no idea I was about to deliver!

The doctors gave me the ok to push. With two pushes, Austin Ray Dallas was born at 1:38 am, 5 lbs 9 oz, 18 inches long. My little Baby B was still waiting to be born. The doctor tried to reach in and grab his feet, but he had moved and she grabbed his hand instead. She had to put his hand back and asked for a midwife to help deliver him feet first (let me add that this was the weirdest feeling ever). She was able to and at 1:42 am, William Alan Dallas was born, 5lbs 7 oz, 18 1/2 inches long. It was truly amazing to meet these two new creatures face to face, as well as see two babies in the room.

I was in shock for a good 6 hours after delivery, both mentally and physically. It seemed like the fastest delivery ever! It was amazing to seeing these two babies moving, kicking, crying..I was just stunned! Austin had to go to the NICU for a few hours because of his breathing. Mike went with him like a good daddy. The nurses watched Austin for a few hours and he was able to join us in the recovery room. Austin and William were both healthy and big boys for being 5 weeks early! I was still just looking at them both, recovering from a slightly traumatic delivery and recovery (other things went on but I don't think you want to read about it...). They got their first baths, first pictures, and first loves from the grandparents.

We stayed in the hospital for three days, monitoring their jaundice and weight loss. They had a hard time eating anything more than 15ml (half of an ounce). William weighed in at 4lbs 15 oz by the time we left. We had to get an ounce in them every 3-4 hours. This was very hard when they would choke every time they ate half an ounce. The nurses just thought they were spitting up like regular babies but I thought their tummies were too tiny to hold all of that milk. I decided to feed them 15 ml every 2 hours. This worked! We were both relieved.

Their feedings and diaper changes became our lives. I had a chart that we had to write down which baby ate, when they ate, how much they ate, when they went to the bathroom, what they did when they went to the bathroom. Willy had problems keeping warm so I did the skin to skin, which was nice to bond with him. It was crazy how much these tiny creatures needed us.

Both Austin and William had jaundice really bad (just like their older brothers) but we were released to go home on Christmas eve, if we promised to take them into the doctors after Christmas. I was so happy to be able to go home, I hugged the nurse and began to cry! I wanted to be home with my all of my children for Christmas (not to mention I had some interesting roommates). I was ready to go home and turn our family of 4 into a family of 6!