Unexpectedly given the opportunity to have a vaginal delivery rather than a section with my twins (on behalf of ZIPPYSMUM who is in hospital and without copy/paste)

[curiositykilled]

From multiples thread:

By ZippysMum Fri 11-Sep-09 12:47:50 Add a message | Report post | Contact poster
morning my lovelies,
thanks so much for your birth stories which had me weeping gently into my double chins last night. saw the registrar this morning and really need to talk things through - Mars you don't do telephone Doula-ing, do you? i am so tangled up and i just don't know what to do for the best. basically i have to choose between an induction and 'actively managed' labour or a section.
my 'choices' for labour would be an active 1st stage and waterbirth, with gas and air. BUT it seems like recently i have become a total wimp around my nether regions and i don't know if i am being totally unrealistic about my ability to deal with the pain.
i have been told i will be constantly monitored through 2nd stage and on the bed. interventions are more common here than average. they will give me an epidural in case i need an emergency section.
i am scared of tearing, of being cut and of being out of control. i am scared of one of the babies lacking oxygen or being hurt. on the other hand, a section would mean a much longer recovery, maybe more chance of breathing probs for babies and perhaps a longer hospital stay and more trouble establishing breastfeeding.
also, these will probably be our only dcs.would i regret not having a vaginal delivery, i wonder.
i feel such an idiot for being so scared/indecisive/pathetic about it all.
what would you do? i have to make a decision one way or the other.

also, would someone mind copying and pasting this post into a new thread on childbirth on my behalf, please, in case anyone on there has had both induction and a section? (copy/paste does not exist on this tv thing and it's taken about 30 mins to type out).
many, many thanks in advance,
zippy x

[ZippysMum]

bump

[EldonAve]

bumping for you

sorry I don't have any advice to offer

[ChopsTheDuck]

I can't really advise you on what's best for you, but I had dts and faced pretty much the same decision.

In my case one was thought to be breech, and the other head down. I'd had a lot of pain and didn't feel up to coping wiht the birth. I was scared for the dts safety, and I felt they were both breech.

I opted for the section and it was the right choice for me, and I don't regret it. I didn't have any problems with it, everything was straightforward.

Good luck with whatever choice you make.

I will text mars, and ask her to have a look on here, but I'm not sure I do still have the right number for her.

[ChopsTheDuck]

do you have mars' number? Just now wondered if you have tried to contact her yourself?

[cheerfulvicky]

Hello!
Not much advice, and no experience of twins. But I had an induced birth with epi, constant monitoring etc. It was alright, needed a ventouse delivery in the end with episiotomy, but I was glad I'd had him naturally even though it was very medicalised. Recovery was quicker and I didn't envy the woman opposite who had her baby by C section, she couldn't pick him up, put him down without asking for help.

Basically it's up to you, we can offer loads of advice but you have to go with your gut feeling. I know its hard when you're feeling conflicted. How long have you got before you have to decide either way?
send happy birth vibes Remember that whichever you choose, you'll be meeting your babies soon! yay!

[EldonAve]

link to mars' website if you want to contact her direct

[MarsLady]

Please DO contact me direct. Am running out the door to do the school run. Yes I really am called Mars

[beautifulgirls]

My friend had a natural delivery of twins and all went well for her - She already had one daughter before the twins however. She was very keen to avoid a c/sect if possible and was pleased she did. They were born about an hour apart from each other if I recall correctly and she said it was a relatively easy birth for both of them. No need for an epidural, just gas and air + tens for her. I'm not sure why the hospital would insist on an epidural without letting you try first and see what happens? If they are monitoring you then they should be able to act accordingly if there are any concerns for you or the babies before things get out of hand.
Good luck with your choices.

[MarsLady]

Hi Zippi. I'm home now.

[ZippysMum]

wow thanks so much everyone. am feeling a bit better after reading your posts and talking things through with dh this afternoon. Mars your website is blocked from here but dh is going to look it up when he gets home and tell me the number later so i may not call till tomorrow - would that still be ok?

i think i am getting my head around the idea of at least trying for a 'natural' delivery - though i know i need to be flexible. also think i need to sleep on it as i am rather tired and emotional.
must go as i have a splitting headache. thanks so much again for the reassurance and advice.
zippy x

[MarsLady]

You can email me on lovelymars at aol dot com. I'll give it to you then.

[MarsLady]

Zippi, post to let me know you're here and I'll give you the number. It's not private really as it's on my website, but I'll ask MNHQ to remove it once you've seen it.

[MarsLady]

sorry zippi it's lovelymarslady at aol dot com.

Sorry, tired!

[8oreighty]

Wish I could have a big chat with you. sorry not concentrating probably as kids climbing all over me...Really dont' want to give you another horror story...but if I can help at all...
I had twins, supposed to be natural birth, but they induced me and it all turned quite nasty. I now wish I'd opted for a schedule c-section, as an emergency one is really a bit dangerous/frightening

when they induced me - nothing happened they put me on a drip - I was having enormous contractions for about 12 or 18 hours or something, they gave me an epidural so wasn't painful, but by the time they went to do the c-section my womb - already having been stretched like crazy (they were 7lbs and 6.6) - and then having gone through huge contractions, basically wouldn't contract so I was bleeding out of two placentas...nearly bled to death...all very scary. They bound it with dissolvable stitches in the end but were just about to remove it.

If I could choose again I would go for a scheduled c-section where you know you and the kids will be ok...I felt sad I'd missed a natural birth of course...but it was horrendous for my husband, nearly saw me bleed to death...a lot of twin mums gave me this advice too as they all seemed to end up needing c-sections...

then again some have totally fine births! Hope didn't scare you. But don't feel bad if you don't go for the natural. there are more important things...

[MarsLady]

sadly 8oreighty that isn't always the case. I'm sorry that you had such a horrendous time.

[8oreighty]

I know, I don't want to be scare mongering...I just wish I had made a different choice...as it was terrifying...I know twin mums who have had natural births, but many more who had emergency c-sections.

[MarsLady]

Me too. Most of my twin mums go on to have vaginal births. A lot is to do with the information that you have and how your care is managed. I know that people have unexpected circumstances that happen but that's the same, singleton or twin.

My own pair were supposed to be a vb, but they decided to lie sideways, not even upside down but sideways. Sigh... so it was a scheduled c-birth for me.

[MarsLady]

and whilst I'm here... why haven't we seen you on the d'ya ever threads?

[8oreighty]

what's that?

[8oreighty]

the hospital where I was was totally pro natural birth, both mine were head down, so I didn't really even get the option for a c-section...
I think I was just too big, I was really quite unnaturally huge, don't know if womb just got too stretched...also it was 38.5 weeks, so although I was technically overdue, babies weren't ready to come out...
If it were between being induced and c-section I would pick c-section...
then again my friend was induced with twins and totally fine... I always regret posting as want to help, but end up feeling like I've said something contraversial or even silly...

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Zippi don't fear a natural birth, if things are not going well they will move to plan B. I understand your fear, I was booked for a section as I was so scared, but things happened very fast and I had a super birth. Tearing sounds so much worse than the reality, the tearing of your layers of tummy will be far worse! Don't let tearing scare you. The pain of birth can be very well magaged. Go with things and if your don't happy during labour go for plan B, but see how you go. Good luck!

[LouLovesAeroplaneJelly]

If it makes you feel any better my sister delivered her twins naturally Thursday after being induced. One was breech too. She had a epidural just in case they had to do an emergency c section.

[l39]

I was induced with twins (37 and a half weeks).

The labour was quick and bearable (an hour and a quarter after the drip was put in, when contractions started). I refused an epidural because it wasn't that bad.

Twin1 was born easily but twin 2 didn't turn as we'd hoped ( she was transverse) and so the registrar tried to turn her from the inside (internal version). I only had gas and air and it wasn't very painful (in fact external version seems worse from what I've read).

I had a caesarean for twin 2 under general anaesthetic when it was clear she wasn't going to turn. Everyone was calm and I didn't feel panicked at all. Twin2 was not distressed, and didn't need any special care.

I am glad not to have gone for a caesarean in the first place. Some people thought going through labour only to end up with a section was the worst of both worlds, but I am glad to have the memory of twin1's birth and even gladder that the technology was there to prevent anything happening to twin2.

To my surprise I ended up without any stitches in the perineum even though the registrar 'had both arms in up to the elbow' according to DH! There were no medical problems in the postnatal period for either the babies or me.

[MarsLady]

the d'ya ever threads for any who want to join us. Honestly we're not ALL crazy or anything... lol

[eightisseventoomany]

Hiya Zippys xxxx
hope all is well tonight...

Just caught your thread...

I think that being in hospital for a while tends to worry you more...I found it did with me anyways....

as not only are you surrounded by so many other mums with different dilemas going on.....but also....there is nothing to distract your mind from labour.....esp. if near a ward where so many women are just going into labour.

Dont let the thought of what pain threshold you can manage in natural birth, or being out of control etc ... detract you from opting for it......

the closer you get......the more scared you get.....thats just natural....I'm exactly the same.
I am assuming your in hospital now still????
Whats going on ????

Why is it you have to choose between induction or c-sec anyways ????