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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Twin Mums-C section or natural birth?

27 replies

Mummytomylittlegirl · 20/06/2021 10:06

Hi!

I was wondering if there is any twin Mums on here that can advise.

I’m almost 33 weeks, and while my hospital hasn’t even discussed a birth plan and I’ve barely even seen a doctor, I am starting to get a bit anxious about things that could go wrong.

Twin 2 is breach at the moment, and twin 1’s growth has slowed so is being monitored but otherwise it’s been a normal pregnancy.

Is it very risky to have a natural birth if your second twin is breach? I’m so scared to have a c section as I have a 3 year old little girl to look after. But I’m more scared of having a natural birth, and then a c section for the second twin.

It just seems like there are so many possibilities. I’m wondering if there’s anyone who would be able to share their experience? Or if you are pregnant with twins has the birth been discussed?

OP posts:

Chelyanne · 20/06/2021 10:19

I would always try for a vb if position of T1 is good, most T2's will turn or can be moved in to the correct position once T1 is delivered.

I had 3 good VB's before our twins.
T1 had a low lying placenta from 20wk but was head down, T2 was transverse throughout. By 32wk the placenta moved so I was all set to go natural delivery. Went back at 36wk and T1 had turned breech. They booked elcs for 9 days later, the hope was she'd turn again but scan on the day showed she hadn't so we went ahead with the elcs. I was terrified of having a cs but it was much better than I expected and no harder to recover from than my vb's.
Birth was discussed with all ours 28wk onwards so it is a bit odd they haven't brought it up yet. They keep asking me with this one but I've not committed to vbac or elcs atm, got until 36wk to decide. Coming up to 32wk now and this one is still doing somersaults and changing position, must have plenty of stretch after the twins.

Good luck whatever delivery you decide on.

Original poster

Mummytomylittlegirl · 20/06/2021 10:38

Thank you @Chelyanne I think you have posted on one of my other threads before about your twins.

So glad to hear that your c section went well. I can see the positives to a planned CS- you get a date, you know what to expect, I can plan childcare and I would also definitely get sterilised at the same time!

It does seem odd they haven’t really mentioned much, except me talking to the midwife- but the midwife doesn’t really know anything about twin birth and just seems to pass info from the doctor. I’ve had all the relevant scans/ appointments booked in but no real talk of birthing plans. I’m sure they mentioned 36 weeks but that seems way too late. Especially considering I’ve been having scans twice a week!

My first birth was okay.. DD was back to back
So it took a lot of time and drugs to progress labour but I had an epidural and no intervention. Although she was in nicu for the day. I’d say recovery wise it wasn’t too bad but almost 3 years now feels like a distant memory!

OP posts:

Trillio · 20/06/2021 10:47

I had VB with twins, twin 1 was head down and that was all they cared about when planning for my delivery. One doctor tried to persuade me to have c section, but I don't know why as there were no risk factors and I'd already had successful VB with my firstborn. I think some twin consultants just like to do C section as it's easier for them to plan for. However all the midwives I saw agreed that there was no obvious need for c section.
Anyway, my VB went fine. Twin 1 came head first and then twin 2 came breeched (footling breech). But twin 2 came easily and neither needed any special care despite being small (4lb and 5lb) (They were 36 weeks).

Original poster

Mummytomylittlegirl · 20/06/2021 10:51

@Trillio that’s really good to hear! Do you mind me asking if you had an epidural just incase they had to rush you for a c section? And did they have to intervene much to deliver the second twin?

My baby boy (twin 1) has been head down for a while now so hoping he says that way!

OP posts:

EssentialHummus · 20/06/2021 10:53

Just signing in to this thread - due twins later this year and really battling to understand what I'd want in an ideal scenario. Had a broadly uneventful first birth but I think a highly medicalised environment will work against me. Really don't fancy an epidural (interesting that you had one @Mummytomylittlegirl, I'm worried about the increased risk of intervention), so I'm wondering about asking for an elective. Both twins head down for now but they've got plenty of time (if not space!) to flip still.

Chelyanne · 20/06/2021 11:01

All decisions seem to be centred around the 36wk app. You would think they'd do it earlier due to increased risk of pre-term labour with multiples. If you've already had a successful vb they tend to worry about you less. They can book elcs at short notice, they only need a couple of days to do all tests and steroid injections. I was given the option of 3 or 9 days for mine, dh was in a cast (broken leg) so opting for 9 worked better for us as his cast came off the day after birth.
It is nice to have a date and it's less stressful than the unknown of a vb. Some do find recovery quite hard and you never know which side you'll be on with your 1st cs.

Trillio · 20/06/2021 11:05

No I didn't have epidural. It was discussed in advance and they said they would advise having one in case they had to manually rotate twin 2 (They said chance of emergency c section for twin 2 was less that 5%). But they had said that they would try and turn twin 2 into head down position after twin 1 birth and that the process could be very painful. However my labour went quickly and there wasn't really time for epidural. I'm not sure if that is why they didn't try and turn twin 2 in the end and just let him come breech. Or if he was just coming anyway and there wasn't time. Either way, twin 2 birth was much less trouble than twin 1 in the end and I'm lucky I got away without much intervention

Original poster

Mummytomylittlegirl · 20/06/2021 15:09

@Trillio wow that’s amazing, I do hope I will have a quick labour but DD was over 30 hours so not holding out much hope!

@EssentialHummus congratulations! What kind of twins are you having? I absolutely loved my epidural the first time around, with DD being back to back and labour being so long I definitely needed it. Didn’t feel medical, felt totally in control with the button you can push. Quiet dark room with midwife and DH. I loved the pushing stage and it all felt very calm. TMI but I got to reach and touch her like I wanted to so I was the first one. I think my ideal scenario would be to have a natural birth with an epidural but we will see! I think those who can do it without are amazing but going by the pain from my last experience I don’t think that will be me!

I get that they have to wait to see how things are and that’s at 36 weeks but I’m so anxious if I can’t plan! It’s going to be a long 3 weeks.

OP posts:

kerbearr · 20/06/2021 16:23

I'm booked in for my induction for 2 weeks today, all plans are in place. We're aiming for a VBAC twin 1 is head down and twin 2 is breach they've been like that for ages now so there happy for me to try a VBAC. I'm meeting the anestiast this Friday, to make sure I can have an epidural as I've requested one. They said it's better to have one as there's a small chance twin 2 might have to be born via c section. They've told me I will be in theatre to deliver and there will be a monitor on twin 1s head and a monitor around my bump for twin 2, so I won't be able to move off the bed. Hope this gives you an idea of what to expect.

Original poster

Mummytomylittlegirl · 21/06/2021 07:45

Thanks @kerbearr that’s so exciting that it’s all booked in for you. That’s really reassuring . It sounds similar to my singleton birth DD was monitored so I just stayed on the bed. It was quite nice actually to just wait for her and rest!

Hope it all goes well for you. How many weeks will you be when you have your induction?

OP posts:

kerbearr · 21/06/2021 10:22

@Mummytomylittlegirl thanks 😊 I will be 37 +2, first babies they told me I'll be taking in on the Sunday evening and giving the first pessary but not to expect to labour untill the Monday. I'm so excited now, it won't be long 🤩🤩

kerbearr · 24/06/2021 07:56

Hey just a wee update, if your still thinking of this, I'm now in for a c section tomorrow at 36 weeks due to twin 1 loosing fluid, you never know with these twin pregnancies. Had first injection of sterioids yesterday and second one today, they admitted me yesterday to keep an eye on the twin. I'll keep you updated once everything's done and dusted and let you know how it went if you like 😊

ivfgottwins · 24/06/2021 08:13

I had a c section for 4 year old daughter so basically it was a given that I would have a c section for my twins. To be honest my doctors very much considered it the safest way for twins. One of my twins was breach up till 33 weeks and then did turn. I also had slow growth with the other twin. I ended up haemorrhaging at 34 weeks. I was home after 2 nights, driving within 2 weeks but twins stayed in NICU for 3 weeks

Honesty with twins I would prepare for them to come anytime from now....which means also preparing for a lengthy NICU stay so your partner/family need to be on hand to have your oldest full time to enable you to be at the hospital all day/all night especially if you can get a bed in a transitions clinic for 2-3 weeks

Sunshine4you · 24/06/2021 08:15

I had identical twins. They shared a placenta but each has their own sacs. I opted for a c section because there could have been a risk to either twin if natural birth didn't go to plan. Also I would of hated to give birth to one naturally and then needed a c section for the next one!

ivfgottwins · 24/06/2021 08:16

@kerbearr

Ooh exciting! Just to warn you though my little slow growing twin started to lose fluid and within 12 hours she had broken her waters and I haemorrhaged so they had to come out straight away (so DH missed the birth as it was that quick and he was at home!) so be prepared that you could end up having them before tomorrow!

Sunshine4you · 24/06/2021 08:16

Oh and mine were born at 36.5 weeks which is when they scheduled for, any later is risky for identical twins. They were healthy as can be and had no NICU.

kerbearr · 24/06/2021 08:43

@ivfgottwins thanks for that, they did think we were going to have to have them yesterday but then they were happy to keep us in for monitoring untill Friday as they couldn't find any trace of the fluid leaking when they done the internal exam. I'm getting my next steroid injection after 9, so at least we have them on board, and we will be ready to go if needs to be. I do panic about DP we're 45 mins away from the hospital and I told him to go to work today, hopefully we will be ok.

RoseWineandCake · 24/06/2021 08:57

I had a c section for my twins. twin 1 was in the correct position but twin 2 was breech. I really wanted a VB and discussed it with my DH a lot. I decided that there was a risk I would need a c-section for twin 2 and at that point it would be an emergency/stressful situation so I thought if I would have a csection anyway it was better to have an elected one, which was really calm.

ellesbellesxxx · 24/06/2021 09:01

I had a VB for my twins. Twin 1 was head down throughout and twin 2 was breech for ages (which like you I was concerned about) however they reassured me that they are used to delivering the second twin breech so it wasn’t a biggie. As it was, twin 2 went head down at 33w and I had them at 36. They held him in place after twin 1 was delivered!
There seems to be an even split out of the twin mums I know as to whether they had cs or VB… I know two people who had to deliver second twin by CS however I know a LOT of twin mums so as a percentage it’s very very low. They were both in quite unique circumstances too.

EssentialHummus · 24/06/2021 09:06

@ellesbellesxxx if I can ask, how "active" was your labour? Were you moving around a lot / on a bed / something else? I'm just second trimester now and (for now...) both head down and I'd quite like to aim for a VB as I had with DD. But I feel like if I'm tied to a bed for monitoring things are more likely to stall for me. Just wondering how others managed.

ellesbellesxxx · 24/06/2021 09:16

@EssentialHummus for the first few hours I was able to move around quite a bit but I asked for an epidural as I was struggling with the pain (I had been induced and the contractions were coming every minute!) I had that from about 6-7cm then things did slow down and I did need forceps/ventouse. I was exhausted by then though which I think was a lot of it too x

Twinsagain21 · 24/06/2021 12:35

Had a VB with my first set of twins and expecting that again with the second set currently on board. With my first set, T1 was head down and T2 had to be turned. Looks like they are positioned same again this time.

ivfgottwins · 24/06/2021 13:36

@Twinsagain21

Twinsagain21 · 25/06/2021 00:10

[quote ivfgottwins]@Twinsagain21

Out of interest how are you finding pregnancy with another set of twins? Were these natural
Or IVF? I have 2 more embryos left and in time would be open to transferring them together but I'm not sure my clinic will agree due to me having a haemorrhage and placental abruption with my first twins? [/quote]
Second time around a bit easier because I know what to expect. Both pregnancies are natural as twins run in the family.

kerbearr · 26/06/2021 13:09

Hi all, a wee update on elective c section yesterday couldn't of went better, we ended up with a wee girl Sarah 5lb 6 oz and and a boy Eoin 4lb 13 oz! Sarah has to spend some time in nicu but she's already off all the machines and should be reunited with her brother tomorrow. Eoin has already been discharged but is hanging around waiting on his sister. I'm not in an awful lot of pain I've been walking around up and downstairs to the nicu clinic, hopefully the rest of the recovery goes as smooth. But I honestly thought I was going to be a hole lot worse.

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