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Multiple births

When do you start showing with twins? What is life with twins like? Join the conversation on our Multiple Births forum.

What happens at twin birth?

35 replies

MumofthreeandBean · 12/03/2017 07:52

29weeks now and want to go for natural birth if possible but I want to know what will happen when the time comes?
Will I be allowed to move around? Be on all fours? How many people will be in the room?
Is it possible to have a water birth??

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MumofthreeandBean · 17/03/2017 04:21

Twin 2 is breech at present, the consultant wants to discuss delivery at 36 weeks but I don't want to go into labour not knowing what's going to happen

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TwinsPlusAnotherTwo · 18/03/2017 09:21

I was induced, but didn't have an epidural. So had a drip and constant monitoring, but still managed to move around a bit.

Mostly I had one midwife, but when things got going there were 3 midwives, 3 obstetricians in the room and a paediatrician outside the door in case they were needed.

The bit that came as a surprise to me was that as I was delivering twin 1, they did an ultrasound to 'locate' twin 2 and then stabilised (midwife externally held in place on my bump) the baby to keep twin2 head down. Apparently when twin 2 suddenly gets all the space to themselves, they can go wandering around and change position!

Oh and labour totally stopped after twin 1 was delivered, so after a while the drip was started again.

Good luck with your delivery!

MumofthreeandBean · 18/03/2017 10:59

I suppose my twin 2 could swap from breech once twin one is delivered then - that's interesting

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Kingofthestupids · 18/03/2017 11:37

If twin 2 is breech at the point of labour they would probable hold them in that position for their birth once twin 1 has vacated. They wouldn't want twin 2 to wriggle into a transverse position as that would then need a c-section.

April241 · 19/03/2017 21:45

I had my twins 6 months ago and panicked for the majority of my pregnancy about delivery! Was adamant I wanted a section as I was terrified when my first was out my second would change position and get stuck or something.

In the end my waters broke spontaneously at 35 weeks and I delivered them 11 hours later (epidural after 9 hours, episiotomy and forceps).

When I first went to the hospital it was just me and OH after the initial checks with a student MW popping in. I had monitoring but was able to walk about and get onto all fours/bend over etc to get comfortable.

When the ward round came round and I had a second check they sent me to the labour suite where it was me, OH and two midwives and I was on the bed on monitoring (as was twin 1) the rest of the time. Once the pushing started though it got pretty busy in the room and then I was transferred to theatre for forceps after 30 mins, I didn't see everyone in the theatre but my OH counted about 16/17 people.

MumofthreeandBean · 20/03/2017 15:41

Thanks april that's helpful x

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terrylene · 20/03/2017 16:34

At my twins group, 20yrs ago, most of the first time mums ended up with a normal delivery, with an epidural and with assistance for T2. A few more than with singletons had caesareans, but usually earlier on in the proceedings than those I knew with singlestons. One I knew had no epidural as she had a 3 hr labour and the anaesthetist was elsewhere, and that went fine and she had not stitches either (she also had many years of treatment for endo and then ivf so deserved some luck Grin )

Those who had twins later tended to have fairly straightforward births and usually without the epidural. One was on DC5&6 and very worried about intervention as she had a bad time with DC1, but they let her have them naturally and it was fine. Another had ventouse, forceps and James Heriot jobbie, all with gas and air, and said it was absolutely fine. She is an amazing stoical person and had similar with DC1 - shape of pelvis problem. Another, on DC3&4 (DC2 was quick) was expecting things to be fine, but DTs turned breech at 36 weeks, then transverse - she was booked in for a CS at 39wks Angry and made it to the day before when her waters went and she had to go in by ambulance - she was met with the same inexplicable policy as me, of trying to keep her for the day staff Confused but she fortunately had a midwife with a bit more backbone than mine, and emergency CS was performed tout suite.

I think the number of people around depends on the time of day and what is needed. There should be the midwives, a registrar and extra person for extra baby and maybe a paediatrician, but all the extras can stay out unless needed if you ask.

DTD2 was breach, but she turned sometime between the registrar assessing her and her quick delivery. I have no idea about how often this happens, but there is a lot of room in there when the T1 has been delivered, and I don't think anyone had any control over it. I was given an injection to restart the contractions - also had this x2 with DC1 as the placenta was a bit slow.

Our hospital had some sort of protocol, which they did not seem to want to share with us but they are supposed to be better at communicating these things. It seemed to involve breaking waters and putting a drip in for future use and head clip at 4cm, an epidural (at some point though they seemed to be a bit slow and missed a lot) and birth in a delivery room handy for the theatre.

If you can find out what your hospital tend to do, you might be able to get a birth plan together - I gave up.

After that, it is a bit like a toboggan ride - you get on at the start and hope to get off at the other end in one piece (at least it has always been like that for me with fast deliveries Grin )

MumofthreeandBean · 21/03/2017 16:43

Wow, everyone different, it's awful not knowing! Just hoping all is well on the day

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terrylene · 21/03/2017 21:47

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best Grin

I am a great believer in chilling out and letting it take its course, then going for the epidural/emcs asap if it isn't turning out ok.

The SCBU bit is hard - having them away from you and not knowing properly what is going on. Still, on the plus side, you get a few good nights' sleep before the onslaught of sleepless ones Wink

MumofthreeandBean · 23/04/2017 09:16

Sleep??!! Not sure I've had any of that for months!!

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