Author: Charmie Lyng
Our fraternal twins (although, I’m convinced they’re actually identical!) are now 2.
We had all but given up on having another baby, when lo-and-behold, I was a few days late, usually it’s like clockwork! When I took the first pregnancy test it showed two faint lines, the following day another test revealed two very obvious lines. We couldn’t believe our luck! The morning sickness was next level, although manageable. The tiredness was out of this world. Particularly as I was running around after a very energetic 4 year old and juggling full-time work.
Finding out I was pregnant with twins at 12 weeks
As this was my second time around, I thought I’d just wait for my first scan around 12 weeks. Saying to my other half “Come if you like but I’ll be ok to go on my own, not much to see but a jellybean”. So off I went with 4y.o in tow. The sonographer began the routine questions if there were any previous complications, do twins run in the family etc. Then BAM she flicks the screen around and points, saying “one, two”. If I didn’t have my son with me, boy, the words would not have been PG!
Placenta issues with twins
Everything was going well until we went for the morphology scan, which revealed a low risk placenta previa. The sonographer was hopeful it would shift as the pregnancy progressed. This meant not being any further than 40 minutes from a hospital should labour present. With fortnightly scans we watched as the placenta moved away. However a new concern emerged. The umbilical cord of twin A was slowly moved toward the edge of the placenta and beginning to partially attach to the cervix. This brought with it the terrifying knowledge that any signs of labour could risk twin A’s cord rupturing. It now meant the trip to the hospital could only be 10 minutes at best. And we lived 20 minutes away. The obstetrician was initially keen for me to carry up until 38 weeks but now with the problem of twin A’s cord the date was moved to 36 weeks.
Everything was progressing fine, although the cord was not shifting, it still remained uneventful. That was, until a scan at around 34 weeks the sonographer asked me if I was in pain. I said to her “no, should I be?” with that, she said she needed to contact the hospital. She returned to tell me I had to get straight to the hospital, my braxton hicks contractions were causing the cervix to open. Trying not to panic, off I went to hospital where they began the series of steroid injections to help the twins lungs. And we began the waiting game to get into surgery. My other half was beside himself with a mixture of excitement, worry and fear. As was I. I think I’d only mentally prepared for this day to happen when it was scheduled, this threw me.
Twins born at 34 weeks and 2 days
I’d never had an operation or an epidural. Ao having the caesarean was quite daunting but the hospital staff were amazing. Twin A was born, I only got a quick look to see it was a boy, and off he went to be examined. Four minutes later twin B arrived, also a boy, he wasn’t breathing, it took them about a few minutes (felt like a lifetime) to get him going, hearing his cry came such an overwhelming relief.
Finally, after hours in recovery, my bed was wheeled to meet my babies. To hold them both was such an indescribable feeling; I just couldn’t believe there were two!! We spent a further ten days in special care whilst they learned to feed – gastric tubes assisted as feeding was too tiring. My attempts at breastfeeding were on the improve and the first tandem feed had me over the moon. Finally their weight was at the required level for them to be discharged, feeding well and healthy bubbas, we were going home!
Explore more on placenta issues and click HERE to read about placental abruption for additional insights!
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