Author: Kristie Miller
The day we found out I was having twins, I wasn’t really that surprised. After my two Singleton pregnancy so close together (15 months) I thought I got this. It seemed breezy until I hit 18 weeks and had my first small unexplained bleed. I had never had a bleed before during pregnancy so the panic really set in.
The scans seemed normal then at 22 weeks a passed a large clot in the toilet followed by bleeding. I was hospitalised for a week on bed rest as I was still not considered a viable stage in my pregnancy. I was discharged and told to take it easy as the bleeding was still unexplained, and this is where it started to get Tricky. Twin B wasn’t putting on weight over the next few weeks and was diagnosed with IUGR. His cord Doppler’s where low and soon his sister Twin A was almost a kilo heavier. I was on twice weekly ultrasounds and was allocated a twin specialist to scan me to keep a close eye. Our aim was 32 weeks for delivery.
The delivery of fraternal girl/boy twins
On the evening of 29 weeks & 6 days I passed a very large clot in the toilet followed by a large amount of blood & was rushed to my hospital. I tried not to panic but I knew it was time. Having only moved to the Gold Coast 1 year prior with no family made it tricky with or older 2 children, but we had to do what we had too. They decided it was time to deliver immediately because Twin B was in distress. Because I was at a private hospital they decided to ambulance me to Gold Coast University where there is a NICU. I was wheeled straight into theatre, it was a stressful time. I got to hear both babies cry then I blacked out.
As it turned out during delivery I had placenta acreeta (Tysons placenta grew into the uterine wall). I haemorrhaged and my lungs collapsed. Life saving surgery followed, including a hysterectomy. I was in ICU for four days. I first saw my twins on day 3 via FaceTime, followed by wheel chair to meet them on day 4. It was a hard time healing myself as well as my being able to hold my two new babies.
Tyson was intubated and Chanel was on CPAP
Laying tiny in there isolates they were in two separate rooms, Tyson was intubated and Chanel was on CPAP. All the wires and tubes made me burst into a million tears every time I would enter the room. Chanel also had hip dysplasia so they prepared a cast for her hips. I had my first kangaroo cuddle at 5 days old. Tyson had 2 brain bleeds and was a lot more fragile so I had my first skin to skin at 2 weeks old. He also developed ROP in his eyes and NEC in his bowels which resulted in 3 surgeries.
The words CPAP, Brady, desat, naso gastric tube where all new words to me but became our home for 10 weeks. We spent 5 weeks in NICU and 5 weeks in special care.
Having had 2 full term Singleton pregnancy’s with natural labours it was a different start to life for my twins and our bond. It is something you could never imagine unless been through it. Still to this day I have triggers and burst into tears. But I have my beautiful 2 year old twins, as well as my own life, so I am grateful for that.
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