Author: Kara Lambert
When I found out I was pregnant with twins at my dating scan, I was both excited and terrified. My previous two babies were born early (at 34-35 weeks) following premature rupture of membranes and both required some weeks in NICU/special care, so I knew there would be even a higher risk of preterm birth with twins. My second baby in particular was a fast labour, and both times my waters broke spontaneously out of the blue, so I’d pretty much been waiting for this to happen with the twins at any time. I spent a lot of my twin pregnancy anxious, googling outcomes of babies born very preterm!
My preference was for a vaginal birth with twins
My first two babies were both born vaginally, and my private OB and I had previously had discussions about trying for a vaginal birth with the twins (which I wanted), but I was advised I would need an epidural in case twin 2 needed help birthing or moved around in my uterus after twin 1 was born. I was ok with that, given I wanted to avoid a c-section if possible. Luckily both twins were head down from about 28 weeks which made attempting a vaginal birth with twins possible.
Going into labour with twins at 36+5 weeks
It was early Sunday afternoon on Father’s Day and I was lying on the couch resting, with my 3yr old who was watching videos on his iPad. My almost 2yr old was napping at my in-laws, we’d been there for lunch and they only live a few minutes away.
My partner went out for a drive for half an hour or so. He got back and literally 5 mins later I felt this huge ‘kick’ that woke me up and I went ‘oooooh – that was big’. I lay there for a minute, and my partner told me he needed to pop out to Bunnings and went out to our garage.
I stood up and felt the tell-tale gush of fluid, and I called out to him. He came back inside and I said, ‘my waters just broke!’. That was at 3:15pm. I rang my hospital’s maternity ward who told me to come straight in, rang my OB (who is also one of my close friends of over 30 years) and my partner called his Mum to collect our 3yr old.
The drive to the hospital takes around 20 minutes, and I experienced 2-3 contractions on the way. I know my body well, and was a little concerned they were already occurring quickly, somewhat painfully and closeish together. We got to the hospital at around 3:45pm – 30 minutes after my waters broke at home.
Arriving at the hospital, while in labour with twins
My partner parked in a ‘no standing zone’ out the front of the hospital, we bypass the covid screening and he rushed me up to maternity. We present to the front desk, I give my name and the ward clerk is double checking our info and asking for my partner’s details such as confirming his phone number as ‘next of kin’ etc. all the while I’ve got my hands up on the desk, trying to breathe through the contractions – they were happening really close together now. It felt ludicrous to be asked these questions while I was clearly labouring! Partner leaves briefly to park the car properly and get my bags.
I expect a nurse or doctor to come and meet me straight away, but I can’t see many staff. I felt like no one was doing anything and I feel a bit deserted. My OB had explained earlier when I rang her that she would try and make it but that she was at a family function, and in this moment I wish she was here. Then the ward clerk and a midwife approach and tell me ‘oh we’re just getting a room ready’ (a monitoring room). I said to the ward clerk – ‘I need to go to the birth suite, not monitoring, this is happening quickly’. No one seemed to take me seriously.
By this stage I feel like I am ready to give birth to my twins
Maybe 5-10 minutes passes and my partner comes back shocked to find me still in the waiting area, although we’re taken around to a monitoring room shortly after. At this stage my contractions are 1-2 mins apart and strong. A doctor comes in (not my OB) and starts discussing about epidurals etc for a vaginal birth with twins, which I say has already been talked about with my private OB and I’m fine with it. I’m standing up, holding onto my partner for support and swaying. I can feel myself transitioning. She asks to complete a vaginal examination and her tone immediately changes ‘ok, right, we need to get you around to a birth suite right now’. Things finally start happening quickly with the medical staff. I was 10cm dilated already and they could see twin 1’s head right there.
Vaginal birth with twins with and no epidural
I manage to get into a wheelchair and am rushed around to the birth suite. The room fills with people all rushing to try and get things ready! Someone puts a cannula in my hand, monitors are put on my belly, and I somehow make it up onto the bed. There is no time for the epidural – which only worries me in case twin 2 rotates around and they need to manipulate them out. I’m also sad my own OB isn’t there because we have such a great friendship and I trust her with my life. But I just progressed too quickly!
I have regular strong contractions for a few minutes and then felt the urge to push – twin 1 is born at 4:33pm with just a few pushes and she’s a girl! I bring her up into my chest and start to cry – I have a daughter. The midwife present was amazing, coaching me through and being so supportive. My baby is healthy and breathing well and I feel her snuggle into my chest. But there is still a job to do.
The birth of the second twin when delivering vaginally
The doctor says they need to break twin 2’s waters and they want to put the skull clip monitoring on them just in case. I barely notice them rupturing the membranes. I have another contraction and when the doctor looks, the head is right there – no need for the skull clip because the baby is coming! Frantically I tell the doctor and the midwife I feel like I need to poo – nope, I realise that’s twin 2 ready to birth! The reflex to push takes over and again with just a few pushes, 9 minutes after her big sister, my second little girl is born at 4:42pm. I can’t believe after having had two boys I now have two little girls. My partner starts crying, and calls all our family to let them know our news.
Vaginal birth with twins at 36+5 weeks
From waters breaking at home, to both twins being born was only 90 minutes! I had my desired vaginal birth with twins, no tearing, no pain relief, minimal (15ml!) blood loss, and two healthy beautiful little girls born at 36+5 weeks gestation. They both weighed over 2.5kg (2.67kg and 2.58kg respectively), and I’m so grateful they don’t need the SCN.
This was a really healing birth for me, despite it being a higher risk pregnancy. Not only did I get my vaginal birth with twins, but I finally got to have my babies stay with me for prolonged skin to skin and that first feed, rather than being whisked away to special care like my first two singletons.
I am proud I was able to bring these babies to a good gestation, naturally birth twins with no pain relief, and am currently successfully breastfeeding them both (at 7mths old). I am grateful nothing went wrong during the birth, as I know it could have, being twins. It was difficult mentally to birth in front of a room full of people I’d never met, having to trust them with myself and my babies, but they did their jobs well which is all I can ask.
My only regret is that my amazing OB who supported me through all my pregnancies wasn’t there to witness and support me through this birth – as I would have loved to have shared this moment with her. She definitely made up for it afterwards with lots of cuddles!
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