Author: Meg Roberts
I saw an ad once for a new birthing centre on the Sunshine Coast. It said if you have experienced any of these situations, then we are the birthing centre for your next child:
- High risk pregnancy
- Low birth weight baby
- High birth weight baby
- Pre-eclampsia
- Caesarian Section
- VBAC
Wow, I didn’t live on the Sunshine Coast and I was done having babies, but I could tick all those boxes. And I think many of us can. Having babies is risky business. But we are very blessed in Australia to have excellent medical care and great health practitioners to help us on the journey.
I grew up in a family of 5 kids
I grew up in a family of 5 kids, one was a late addition when the rest of us were young teens. For reasons beyond his fault, he was a bit of a spoiled kid. Mum was very sick after she had him (and before for that matter), so his care was left largely to us bigger kids and we often gave in to his shenanigans because it kept him quiet and mum could rest. Just the way it was. But I told mum at the time that I thought I would be having twins to finish my family so I wouldn’t have time to spoil them. She thought I was pretty clever that I managed to do it.
My first girl was emergency CS due to pre-eclampsia, long story but successful delivery of a 3 lb 15 oz girl (5 weeks until she came home). More long story later, 2nd girl was born when her sister was 10. Dream pregnancy, no dramas – just a big girl. Successful VBAC, 9lb 7 little darling. 2 days until we went home! Such a different experience.
Finding out we were having twins – 31 years ago
When baby girl was about 2 we thought we would have one more baby to finish off the team – BINGO. Twins diagnosed at about 5 weeks. All the obstetricians in Townsville had mini ultrasound machines in their rooms at the time, it was the new thing. So when the doctor said, hey look at this – what a surprise. I was there on my own as hubby was away for the week. It was great news, but very early days so we didn’t share the news far and wide for a little while.
The last scan was a bit like a trip to the movies, there were so many people there. We took the older girl (13), MIL was staying to help and she had never seen a scan so we took her, and a very dear friend also had her children before there were scans so we took her along too. It was quite an outing. Wouldn’t happen these days.
Being pregnant with twins – 31 years ago
My pregnancy went well, very few dramas, very little sickness. I was very lucky. But I did get very tired. Sometimes by tea time I would nearly be asleep at the table. When I found out I was pregnant I told my boss I would work to about 30 weeks, all being well. Then I found out it was twins I thought I might stop a bit sooner. In the end I think I stopped at about 24 or 25 weeks.
At 37 weeks we had an important dinner function to attend for the Chamber of Commerce. I was happy to go but pretty uncomfortable sitting for long. The staff were amazing, even finding a pillow to put behind me on my chair. Every time I went to the bathroom I would return to the whole room watching the door for my return! We went home about midnight (I drove) and straight to bed. Action stations about 2am, hubby was not ready to be awake so soon! But he rallied.
Giving birth to twins – 31 years ago
We pottered around at home for a while, then MIL told us in no uncertain terms that she was not prepared to deliver twins on the lounge room floor so we should make our way to the hospital. We arrived about 5am.
The three obstetricians in Townsville at the time used to rotate their weekends so the ob who turned up to deliver the boys had never seen me before. He walked in and the first thing he asked was if I was sure I was having twins as I looked too small to have two in there!
Twin A was head down and Twin B was feet down. They had been that way for some time. Poor Twin A was squashed right down near my pelvis and had no room to move. Twin B had all the space and I’m sure he played footy every afternoon. Twin A was born with everything squashed.
I don’t know all the medical terms but they put up the inducing drug about 7am to get things moving, and Twin A was born about 8.10am. It was a pretty intense hour. The doctor said he appreciated that I would like a rest now, but he thought it better that I keep pushing and get Twin B out. Hubby said the doc put his snorkel on and went in and got Twin B, but I think he just reached in and caught hold of his feet to help him out. He was only about 3 minutes behind his brother, so it was pretty straightforward.
We were allowed to stay in hospital for a week to rest, as I had two others at home already. I used that resting time to its maximum advantage.
You can read more multiple birth birth stories HERE.