Hi there, I had non-id twins in May this year. Had VB with just gas and air. Both twins were head down. My consultant wanted me to have an epidural but I said no cos was worried it would increase chances of c-section.
My birth was an amazing experience. This is my birth plan (long!!) - it will give you loads of ideas about the sort of birth you want and how to get it.
My top tip is talk to as many different midwives, obstetricians and consultants at your hospital as you can (go on a ward tour as well as regualr appts), tell them all what you want, then when you go into labour you have a chance of being attended by someone you have already met and spoken to about your preferences. I was adament I didn;t want an epi, didn;t want continuous monitoring and didn't want to have to go for C-section if twin 2 turned breech (some obs won't deliver breech at all). Speak to as many people as you can. Get the hospital's twins birth protocol too. Good luck!
BIRTH PLAN
To all midwives and other health professionals who may attend my twins? birth,
I fully understand that a twin birth is different to a singleton birth and can throw up complications not encountered with just one baby. I have read the twins protocol for the hospital and have spoken to parents of multiples who have delivered naturally and to various professionals at the hospital about the various risks and options re. pain relief.
I am keen to have as little medical intervention as possible during labour and delivery and I would like to have skin to skin contact and to nurse the babies immediately after birth. I would also like to leave the hospital as soon as we are deemed fit to do so. My named birth partners will be at home with me and I am confident they can look after me there as well as I could be looked after in hospital where there may be many demands on the time of the midwives.
We will trust the medical judgement of all who attend the birth but ask please that any intervention or procedure is properly explained, including options for refusing.
I do not wish to be induced. As long as the babies and I are fit and well I want them to come in their own time.
I wish to be attended primarily by my husband Peter, and possibly also by my mum.
If all is going well with the labour I wish to be attended by midwives only, with at least one experienced in twin birth.
I wish for there to be as few people in the labour room as possible to give me privacy, but I understand that a twin birth is an excellent teaching opportunity for student midwives. I am happy to consider allowing students to attend the birth on the day on a case by case basis.
I would like there to be as little noise as possible in the room, I would like those attending the birth to speak in low voices and for the lights to be dimmed if possible at the time of delivery.
I do not wish my labour to be started or speeded up using drugs or rupture of membranes. If labour stops I wish for it to be allowed to restart naturally as long as the babies are not distressed.
I do not wish to have an IV drip or any other line put in ?just in case?.
I wish to be able to eat and drink during labour.
I am happy to use the EFM belts for 20 minutes or so to initially record a baseline of the babies? heartbeats when labour starts, but I want to be free to move around so I would like the heartbeats to be monitored using a hand-held device thereafter. I do not want a scalp electrode used to monitor the heartbeat of (twin 1).
I do not wish to be confined to the bed.
I do not wish to have an epidural just because this is a twin birth or just ?in case? there are complications with the second twin. However, if I do decide to have an epidural, I may request that the epidural be sited but that the drug is not administered unless necessary for the turning/delivery of (twin 2) (as agreed with Mr Jones). I understand that turning a baby or delivering a breech baby without an epidural can be very painful. If Esther is breech after Theo?s birth then I would like all options of pain relief discussed with me.
There must be somebody on the ward who can deliver a breech baby. If there is no one, I would like someone to be called well before the birth of the first twin. I do not want to have to have a ceasarean for the second twin just because there is no one there who is experienced in a breech delivery.
I wish to take up whatever position feels best during delivery, including squatting, kneeling, standing or being on all fours - for both babies.
When twin 1 is born, I want him to be handed straight to me for skin to skin contact and nursing and I do not wish the cord to be cut until it stops pulsating. If for any reason it is not possible for me to take the baby, I want him to be handed to Peter for skin to skin contact and for the cord to be cut after it stops pulsating. I do not want the baby to be cleaned in any way before being handed to us.
If twin 2 takes more than the guidelines of 30 minutes to deliver and her heart rate is normal, I want the labour to progress without intervention past 30 minutes. I do not wish to have drugs to restart labour unless medically necessary.
After the birth of twin 2 I would like her to be handed to me immediately for skin to skin contact and nursing and for the cord to stop pulsating before it is cut. I do not wish for her to be cleaned in any way.
I would like the third stage of labour to occur without drugs to speed it up - unless agreed by me.
If both twins are healthy I want them to stay with me and not taken to SCBU.
If an episiotomy is deemed necessary I want that to be discussed with me prior to it being performed.
In the event of a caesarean, I would like Peter to be in theatre with me and to for me and him to hold the babies immediately after their birth if possible.
If the babies have to go to special care, I want to hold or at least touch them before they go.
I want the babies to have breast milk that I pump, no formula, and I would like to nurse them as soon as they are able.
I would prefer vitamin K to be administered orally rather than by injection.
I feel a bit reading that now!!! Lights dimmed at time of delivery? ffs!! You will not care by that time I promise you In the end, I was induced and had a forceps delivery with twins 1 so had an episiotomy. It was all fine and they didn't need to go to scbu.