Advise needed! Cesarean for twins - what can I expect?

[Nervousandexcitedd]

Hi. I've been booked in for a cesarean in a few days time as Twin 1 is now suddenly breach at 37 weeks. I was hoping to do it vaginally (mostly for the sake of recovery, don't really have much help at home with the babies so will need all the strength I can muster) so haven't really been prepared for a cesarean (as both babies were in a good position till now too). I like to be as prepared as possible so is there anything worth knowing?

Like how many days minimum do they tend to keep you in hospital if best case scenario everything goes fine? What your recovery/ experience was like? Extra things I should consider taking for myself for extra comfort? How many clothes I should take for the babies? At 37 weeks I'm assuming they won't be in incubators? Will I need a lot of nappies? I'll try and prepare as many backups as possible so someone can drop it off to me if needed but I stress and overthink when things aren't planned so honestly any extra bit of advise or information would be really appreciated. No matter how small.

Thank you x

Our twin 1did the same thing, found out she was breech at 36+5. I had elcs at 38wk giving her chance to turn again but she stayed put.
I was only in 1 night, they did want me to stay longer but I just wanted to get home. I took 3 sets of clothes for each of them, bodysuits, sleepsuits & 2 hats, 2 blankets each. One pack of 24 nappies was plenty.
I felt pretty well the day after surgery, didn't need painkillers at all. Was back doing most things straight away, just avoided heavy lifting and didn't drive while dh was off work. Pay close attention to your wound, clean and dry it often to prevent infection. Any redness or odd smells or oozing get it checked immediately.
If you do suffer with pain just keep on top of your painkillers.

Good luck

I'm having my 2nd elcs next week, was terrified the 1st time but pretty happy going in for the 2nd after how well it went last time.

Oooh, how very exciting!

I had my DTs at 36+5. We were in for 2 nights after the elcs to monitor the babies blood sugars, but I was a late in the day section. They didn’t get admitted to scbu (DD had difficulty breathing after she was born but was never admitted to scbu, she just went there for a bit before joining us in the recovery room), and were normal healthy baby sizes.

Recovery afterwards was fine, I was out shopping when they were 5 days old and back to driving at 2 weeks. It definitely hurt, but it was manageable.

Snacks and change for the vending machine would be a good idea, and a dressing gown for you. I can’t remember how many changes of clothes they got through, but I know DH had to bring extra in. I had a pack of nappies, he might’ve brought more in too - it is really a blur!

Lots and lots of maternity pads and giant knickers - pop a pad on the knickers over the scar but under your trousers, it’s utter bliss for moving around. Oh, and also get some stuff in to help you go for the first poo afterwards. That was not something I knew

If I’m being honest, I found it much easier having two newborns than being pregnant with them. I actually got more sleep and my body felt great albeit still looked about 8 months pregnant with a singleton!

Don’t push yourself, but keep active - basically listen to your body after the section and don’t overdo it.

Also, try and take as many pictures as you can do. I didn’t during mine, and I really wish I had had more pictures.

Good luck!

I had a section with mine at 36+4. I had gestational diabetes so was admitted for 48 hours before for steroids. All went fine, no nicu, blood sugars were ok too. We chose to stay in 2 nights to help establish feeding but they were happy for us to leave after one night if we'd wanted to. I'd packed my bag prepared to stay for about 5 nights at first, just in case anything was wrong. Seems to be an absolute lottery with twins whether they need a bit of extra help or not.
Recovery from my section was fine, much easier than from the 3rd degree year I got with my eldest.

Just in case you don't know, there are a few good twin groups on fb where this sort of question comes up often, they are a brilliant support for parenting twins. I'll look them up and post them for you

Twins uk support group
Twin mums in the uk
Mummies of multiples
Breastfeeding twins and triplets uk

Hope it goes well! Mine is on Monday (only one baby) and I have spent literally years watching and reading things about sections to prepare myself 😂 the main things I’m taking that are maybe different to a vaginal birth are:

• slip on sandals/sliders - if your feet swell you can still get them on and don’t have to bend down to fasten them
• colparmin capsules (same as peppermint tea for trapped wind which is meant to be bad)
• loose dress in case I don’t want to pull up trousers going home
• nighties in case the catheter is still in
• dressing gown to wear over gown on the way to theatre with slippers
• high waisted cotton pants
• water bottle with straw to save sitting up all the time for a drink
• pillow left in the car to put over stomach and put seatbelt over it for the way home

37w is really good for twins!

So I have not had a CS but in terms of newborn twins -

Buy different small baby clothing sizes incl premie as one or other may be small

Ditto nappies - Pampers do a Size 0

Also hats - mine needed hats for ages!

Be prepared they might need ICU - DT2 was apparently perfectly healthy but then her blood sugar went haywire and she went to NICU

We had ours in one cot when they were little

Mine were tube fed at first and standing up doing the feeding was hard after a vaginal delivery - imagine it would be after CS too

Just some thoughts!

Aw thank guys. Really helps reading about other people's experiences. It's my first pregnancy so I'm really going in completely blind. And hospitals really do not provide enough (or any) information. Barely answer when I ask and keep fobbing me off to others.

Thank you for the links you've provided Jessica Peach. I'll look into those with a fresh mind in the morning.

I've been keeping as active as possible my entire pregnancy but my God the twins can wear a person down. My belly and feet are suddenly twice the size and the pain has multiplied by 10! But, still a blessing so I'm smiling through the pain and discomfort lol. Really nice to hear things went to positively for all of you though.

I had an emergency c section for my twins at 34 weeks. I was out within 2 nights (twins stayed in NICU)

Best advice I can give is to get on your feet as soon as possible - I had to be up within 6 hours of the c section if I wanted to see my babies - lots of little walks and standing etc - I didn't need morphine just paracetamol and ibruprofen

I was driving within 2 weeks. Recovery much better with this c section compared to first and I put that down to being active as soon as possible and not just lying down trying not to move for a several days 🤣

@Nervousandexcitedd

Aw thank guys. Really helps reading about other people's experiences. It's my first pregnancy so I'm really going in completely blind. And hospitals really do not provide enough (or any) information. Barely answer when I ask and keep fobbing me off to others.

Thank you for the links you've provided Jessica Peach. I'll look into those with a fresh mind in the morning.

I've been keeping as active as possible my entire pregnancy but my God the twins can wear a person down. My belly and feet are suddenly twice the size and the pain has multiplied by 10! But, still a blessing so I'm smiling through the pain and discomfort lol. Really nice to hear things went to positively for all of you though.

Having newborn twins is nowhere near as hard as those last few weeks of a twin pregnancy. I read on here I think someone saying that when they got up after their section with twins they felt as light as a feather, even through the pain and I found the same. I felt amazing really after all that time of feeling so rough!

Good luck