Author: Skye Gardiner

At the age of 11 I was informed by my doctor that I could not have children due to being diagnosed with Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I grew up convinced I would never have children and learnt to deal with it, you know, the doctor told me so, so it must be true.

In August 2015 I met my other half, I was 24 and it was never anything too serious. In April I started to feel a bit off and thought “hmm get a pregnancy test just because why not rule that out first” it was a Monday afternoon when I did the test and I was terrified to look at the stick. Sure enough it read positive! Dumbfounded was the initial reaction followed by a “it can not be true!” The OH came over and I broke the news to him expecting him to run for the hills, we weren’t “official” (and we had both come out of long term relationships and we were having a ball living the “party” scene)

On the Tuesday we went to the Dr had a blood test, Wednesday we got the results “Skye you are pregnant, your HCG levels are extremely high though so I’d guess you’re about 16 weeks. Here is a referral for a dating scan. Get that done and we will go from there”.

Finding out I was pregnant with twins

Still in complete shock we went to dinner with my sister and her partner and told them the news and asked them to come to the scan the next morning.

Thursday morning and in we go for the scan still thinking I’m living in a dream. The sonographer starts and within 30 seconds both my partners and my sisters jaw hit the ground, I thought oh no what’s wrong with this baby! Thinking of all the worst case scenarios in my head for what felt like a lifetime before she looks at me and says “where are the twins in your family?”,

“I beg your pardon ? WHAT ?”,

“Oh! Didn’t you know?”,

“No. I found out I was pregnant yesterday! Twins ? Are you sure ? What ?”

It took quite some time to sink in that I was pregnant, but pregnant with twins was next level!

36 weeks pregnant with twins

I was going for scans every 4 weeks to start off with, due to the Endometriosis and PCOS, no real complications except for extremely low iron. I booked in and had an iron infusion at 36 weeks and Twin B was breech the whole pregnancy. The day I had the balloon was the day he flipped and was head down ready to go.

 Induction at 38 weeks pregnant with twins

We scheduled our induction at 38 weeks exactly. Had to have the balloon put in on the Wednesday with an overnight stay in hospital, Thursday afternoon it came out and home I went. On Friday 25th Nov 2016 at 5am in we went for the induction to begin. Swearing I wouldn’t touch any drugs my whole pregnancy I started off strong, but the contractions were coming in thick and fast and were so incredibly intense. I couldn’t sit down. Couldn’t stand up. Couldn’t lay down. Hated the shower.

 Epidural with twins

By 11:30am the back pain was so excruciating that I gave in and demanded an epidural.  This relieved the midwives and doctors was had told I should have one anyway.  “We highly recommend you have an epidural because after twin A is born we have to stick our hands up there and get twin B”.

The relief from the epidural was instant and I finally relaxed, BUT then, 12:30 came around and my back was in pain again. Crying and not being able to move the midwives couldn’t find anything wrong, the epidural was still in and the liquid was still pumping through, “it’s in your head” I was told. Finally by 3pm a midwife did the ice test and was shocked to find a kink. “No wonder you’re in pain again sweetie”.

Vaginal birth with twins born at 38 weeks

Few hours passed by and then twin A was crowning. It was go time. I did not say a word the whole time I was in labour, I didn’t look at my mum, I didn’t look at my partner. I was so focused on delivering these two miracle babies safely.

“Okay. Are you ready? It’s time to push!”

“I can’t feel anything. I don’t know if I’m pushing or not”

“You’re doing great. Just keep following our instructions. Her head is a little stuck and Twin B is starting to fret! We need to get them out NOW! We are going to use forceps and pull her out.”

Twins born at 38 weeks

7:59pm Twin A, a healthy little girl was born and taken to be cleaned while I pushed out Twin B.

The midwife reached in and Twin B had broken through his placenta and held her hand. The only body part she could grab was his leg, I had to deliver him breech. His heart rate jumped to over 200BPM all hands were needed on deck to get him out as soon as possible. Thinking she had dislocated his shoulder or broken his arm in how quickly he was pulled down, I delivered him, breech, at 7:05pm.

His colour will haunt me for the rest of my life, he was almost see through and I thought he hadn’t made it. He went straight on oxygen and straight to NICU with daddy by his side.

I was stitched back up and got to hold my baby girl. I couldn’t move until the epidural wore off and nobody was telling me anything.

Twin A was 6 pound 5

Twin B was 7 pound 1

I finally got to meet my little boy at 3am and had to BF them both in NICU.  They stayed until the next afternoon and when I was moved to my own suite on the ward the twins got to come with me. We stayed until Wednesday then it was home time.

 Twins born at 38 weeks – A reflection

The first year was hard. Breastfeeding twins was hard. No sleep was hard because their feeding patterns were an hour apart. Feed one to sleep the other wakes and repeat. We made it to 15 months though, then found out I was 26 weeks pregnant and had to cut them off.

#3 was also a twin but we lost his twin at 10 weeks. 6 months in with 3 kids and life is hectic but I would never change it. The bond the twins have is heart melting and they have their own little language that they speak to each other in.

Being a twin mum is demanding and hard work but it is as equally beautiful and rewarding.

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