Twin birth story

Kyle and Tyler’s twin birth story

(Sean and I made video blogs throughout my labor so I was able to go back, watch the progression and note the timeline.  I won't be posting those but I am really glad I have them!)

39 weeks on March 26,
Right before going to the hospital.

I was nearing the end of my pregnancy and still feeling great, just really tired.  I was still teaching full time and going to Dr’s appointments non-stop it seemed.  The boys passed my weekly non-stress tests with flyers colors.  As of Feb 24’s ultrasound, both boys were head down which gave me hope of a vaginal birth. On March 19 (38 weeks), I was a 2-3 cm dilated and 70% effaced.  

I was pretty specific with my birth plan.  I educated myself a lot on childbirth and wanted to avoid interventions (unless medically necessary).  This is just what I wanted for myself and I'm not judging anyone else on their births.  

I really wanted to go into labor on my own but at my 38 week appt. my Dr. discussed our plan going forward and we scheduled my induction for Wed, March 26.  I was okay with that because I had a whole week to hopefully go into labor naturally.  Well, that didn’t happen.  I then tried to reschedule the induction to Friday to buy a little more time.  I knew the babies were fine but my Dr. called me Tuesday afternoon and really REALLY encouraged us to come in on Wed.  I was so upset and in tears because this wasn’t what I wanted.  I felt threatened and that if something bad happened to one of my babies, it would be my fault.  The Dr. said based on their last ultrasound - their weight had plateaued and we were gambling with their lives.  It didn’t matter how well my pregnancy had been going.  Sean and I took this decision very seriously.  We discussed it with our Dr., our doula, and with each other.  In the end, we decided to go in on Wed. March 26 to be induced.  I took a bath, finished packing my hospital bags and got a few things in order.  It was very hard to sleep that night!  

Wed morning, we arrived at Paoli Hospital at 8am.  There was a little snow on the ground that morning.  I was nervous on the way there, but once I was settled in my room, I felt comfortable and well taken care of.  They hooked me up to an IV with Pitocin and antibiotics (for GBS).  I also had fetal monitors on each baby and a blood pressure cuff so I was pretty tied down!  

At 11:30am, the contractions were regular but not painful.  At 12pm, I was still 2-3 cm dilated, no changes.  My Dr. then broke Baby A’s water and increased the Pitocin to try to get things going.  My doula, Mary Ann, was on her way to the hospital.  She was amazing!  I highly recommend hiring a doula.  (Check her out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-Strands-Doula-Mary-Ann-Stoltzfus/187829077963520) It made ALL the difference.  She diffused relaxing essential oils, massaged my feet and back, helped me labor in different positions, verbally encouraged me a ton, coached me and provided so much support to me and my husband.  I could not have done this without her and Sean!

Close to 4pm, my contractions were stronger, more intense.  I didn’t want to talk during them but I was still smiling between them.  As things got harder, Mary Ann and Sean were providing counter pressure on my hips and back and putting warm compresses on my belly.    

Around 6:15pm, we discussed the Epidural.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted it or not and what to base my decision on.  Originally I did not plan to get it but since I was getting Pitocin, I wasn't sure if that would change my mind.  Would I want it later?  My plan was to go natural but I was staying open minded.  The Dr. said to base it on how I was managing the contractions now.  I felt like I was managing the pain well.  I had gone from 4cm to 7cm in the previous hour, so we decided to give it another hour and reevaluate.  

Well, unfortunately, I was stuck there for the next few hours and we never discussed the epidural again.  Around 10:30pm, the contractions were getting really tough.  I was starting to wonder if I’d have these kids on March 26 or if they’d have two different birth days.  

I finally hit transition a little after midnight.  These boys were definitely coming March 27.  I was completely dilated and pushed in the labor room a few times.  Mary Ann helped coach me in how to push and counted out loud to 10 with each push.  

I was then wheeled into the Operating Room.  It’s required that twins are delivered there just in case of an emergency.  I had to move to the OR bed.  I remember commenting that Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” was playing.  Haha  The room was very bright and there were a lot of people in there.  I kept my eyes closed a lot and just stayed focused.  When Baby A was crowning, they said he had hair and I reached my hand down and felt his head.  

Sean told me later that the nurses were looking for my epidural and were shocked I didn’t have one.  They had never seen someone deliver twins without it.  They said I was so calm they couldn’t even tell I didn’t have it.  One nurse commented to me later how most women are yelling and cursing without pain meds.  My response was, "Well, I don't see how that would have helped me!"  

Kyle Benjamin was born vaginally at 1:21am weighing 6 lbs, 2 oz and 19” long.  They put him on my belly for a minute before taking him to get cleaned up, weighed, etc.  He was under the warmer in the OR as the rest of us focused on Baby B’s birth.

I thought Baby B would just follow Baby A pretty quickly but he was unpredictable.  I pushed for another hour.  Baby B was “not happy” as the Dr. put it.  I was pushing with all my might but felt I had no strength left.  People started putting masks on and getting ready for what may happen next.  Sean asked what was happening, why the masks?, and a nurse explained that because the sterile tools were being put out, they had to.  She was going to explain more but that was all Sean needed to hear to be okay.

The Dr. tried the vacuum twice (THAT was uncomfortable).  When that didn’t work she said we had to do an emergency c-section.  At that point, I didn’t care as long as they got him out safely.  I was ready to be knocked out.  Sean and Mary Ann had to leave the OR.  The anesthesiologist asked me a few questions and then told me to take 5 deep breathes and I was out.  I had to be completely put under with general anesthesia since I didn’t have the Epidural.  I knew that was the risk going into it and it stinks that neither Sean nor I got to see Tyler's birth.  At the same time, it was traumatic and it would have been very scary if I had been awake.  Blessing in disguise?

Tyler Owen was born via emergency c-section at 2:29am, weighing 5 lbs, 7 oz and 19” long.  

Meanwhile, Sean and Mary Ann were back in the labor room holding Kyle.  

The next few hours are blurry for me but the next thing I remember is waking up back in my labor room about an hour and a half later.  A Dr. from the NICU was talking to Sean and I about Tyler.  I was in such a fog.  Basically, Tyler’s heart rate had been dropping during contractions and he wasn’t breathing when he came out.  They had to resuscitate him with an oxygen mask for a minute.  His Apgar score was a 2 at first, but then an 8 at 5 minutes, and a 9 at 10 minutes.  Thank God he bounced back quickly.  They were concerned about his low PH level and the acidic level in his blood.  They were transferring him to Bryn Mawr NICU for a cooling treatment as a precaution.  If they waited to see if he really needed the treatment, it would be too late to give it.  So in order to prevent brain damage, they decided to go ahead with it.  Paoli Hospital has a level 2 NICU and this treatment was only done at a level 3 or higher NICU so he had to go to Bryn Mawr.  

Sean and I really wanted to see him and had to wait a little bit until they finally wheeled Tyler into my room.  He was in a plastic box but we managed a couple family photos.  The nurse even opened the little door on his plastic box so we could snap a couple of the boys next to each other.  Then he was taken away.  :(

By now it was around 5 or 6am.  Mary Ann went home.  We watched the nurse give Kyle his first bath in the room.  Then Sean and I were moved to my post-partum room.  Kyle was swaddled up and in his crib.  He was great at breastfeeding from the start.  What a blessing!

The next 3 days of recovery were hard.  My whole body hurt and I was recovering from 2 types of deliveries.  Physically it was really rough.  I could barely move the first couple days.  I almost fainted the 2nd time I got up.  I had to take it one hour at a time, one day at a time.  The second day I had to get a blood transfusion.  I was down to a 6 and afterwards was back to an 8 1/2.  (I don't really know what those numbers mean, but if you're a nurse, you get it!)

I had a lot of peace though and emotionally I was doing well.  In the end, I am just so thankful we are all alive and okay.  The nurses and Dr.’s were all amazing and took such good care of all of us.  The food was great too!  All the updates we were getting on Tyler were positive and optimistic.  I never worried about him although it made me sad to think of him being there, cold, and not bonding with me.  Atleast Sean was able to visit him as well as other family members.  I sent him breast milk.  

The cooling treatment is usually done for 72 hours but they shortened it to 36.  I was so glad they were warming him up!  The tests they did on his brain all came back normal.  The earliest he would be discharged was Monday March 31.  I could have been discharged Sunday but used my optional 4th day.  I wasn’t quite ready to go home and was hoping we could pick up Tyler.  I was so happy to get the call Monday morning that Tyler was being discharged that day!  We were getting ready to leave Paoli and were able to go straight to Bryn Mawr and all come home together.  What an answer to prayer!

Birthing my twin boys was the hardest, most painful, yet most rewarding experience of my life.  My greatest accomplishment!  I truly feel like I’m fulfilling my destiny becoming a mother. 

We are truly blessed and thank God for the miracle of new life!

One of our first days home, I was holding the boys and just cried tears of joy, reflecting on the hard journey that brought us these 2 precious miracles.  Maybe I’ll blog about that whole story some other time.  :)  It sure makes me appreciate them all the more.

Family photo at Bryn Mawr NICU & about to go home.