Birth Story

I ended up being induced on a Monday morning at 39 weeks and 1 day.  I had been somewhat nervous about being induced again because of my bad experience last time.  But, this time I planned to get an epidural, whereas, last time, I was trying not to get one.  If you have ever felt the difference between natural labor pains and those induced by pitocin, you know an epidural really is a must have.  Also, I wanted to be awake when the girls were born if I had to end up having a c-section.
We arrived at the hospital at 6 am, but didn't get pitocin actually started until around 9.  They started me on a lower level of pitocin and increased it more slowly than normal since I reacted so strongly to it last time, so it wasn't for a while before things got going.  Friends and family were wanting updates, but by lunchtime, there still wasn't a whole lot going on.  Finally, the contractions were getting strong enough that I decided I was ready for my epidural.  The nurse anesthesiologist had the hardest time placing it though.  I have never had anyone have trouble placing it before, so I wasn't expecting to have such a hard time with it.  It kept going to one side and she would have to take it out and replace the needle somewhere else.  And I was having strong "tingly feelings" down my right leg, so it wasn't going in correctly when she finally replaced it.  It was hurting more than my contractions at this point.  The nurses were all really nice though, which made a big difference.  I have had a bad nurse before, and that is one thing you don't want to have if you are about to give birth!  If you are a nurse, please know that your job is so important!  You really can make or break an experience for your patients.  My labor and delivery nurse was just so nice and had a great positive attitude.
As labor progressed, they kept trying to keep my pain manageable, but it was difficult.  I was already having a lot of abdominal pain that morning from my digestive problems, and later in labor, I was feeling a lot of pain in my lower right abdomen.  I still don't know if it was contractions only or my previous pain being exacerbated by my contractions.  My mom came to the room for a little while, but when they checked me, I was still only at a 6, and it had taken hours for me to get there.  Water still hadn't broken either.  She stayed for a while, and then we told her she could head home for a bit since I seemed to be progressing slowly.  Well, I feel bad we told her to leave because they ended up being born just 45 min. or so after she left!  After she left, the pain in my lower right side was really intensifying, and they kept trying to figure out what to do as far as medication in order to help me.  Finally, I was in so much pain that they decided to check my cervix again.  Within 30 minutes, I went from a 6 to complete!  I was ready to deliver!
So, they got me ready to move to the operating room.  With twins, at least at my hospital, you always deliver in the OR after laboring in a normal room just in case you have a c-section.  I got to the OR and at this point, I couldn't move my body at all from the waist down.  They moved me onto the "bed" in the OR, which looked so small to me!  I was thinking, "you want me to deliver my babies on this tiny narrow board you call a bed?"  They laid me flat on my back, which was SO uncomfortable.  Being so hugely pregnant, laying on my back made me feel like I was suffocating and that my inner organs were going to burst.  I asked them to elevate my bed, and they did, a little bit.  I was still pretty uncomfortable though.  They gave me more medicine so that I was prepped for a c-section (just in case), and I felt really groggy and so tired.  My doctor had been notified, but had still not arrived when Erin was delivered.  She basically just came out on her own.  They looked down and realized her head was coming out without me even pushing.  I had no idea either because I was so numb.  Shortly after, my doctor arrived.  He looked REALLY annoyed and said something like, "So, was anybody gonna tell me we were having some babies here?"  I know they called him when I was still in my first room, but maybe the communication wasn't so great.  Anyway, about 10 minutes later, I was ready to deliver Elise.  I pushed 3 times, and she was out!  It was, by far, the smoothest delivery of the three I have had.  They let me hold the babies, but I was so tired and weak, I couldn't hold them for long because I felt like I would drop them!  After a while, my medicine wore off, and I felt much more awake.  I was able to feed them, and they both did well for their first time.  They were so quiet and calm and hardly woke up for the first few days.  I didn't have any tearing, which was great.  Actually my tailbone was probably more sore than anything because I sat on the bed in one place as I was recovering and waiting for the epidural to wear off.  It took a long time, and for the next week or two, it really hurt to sit down and to get up from sitting.    We had a nice time staying in the hospital, pretending we were on vacation.  Funny, I know, but when neither of us are responsible for Sophie and Sally for a couple of days, and we get to sit in bed and watch tv while people bring us food, then it is a vacation!  I even sent the twins to the nursery for a stretch one night so I could get some sleep.  They kept wanting to eat or just wouldn't settle down, and I really needed some rest.  I haven't ever done that before because it just made me kind of nervous, but I guess after the third time, you start to let go of control a little more easily.  Or at least, that is the case for me (not saying you have control issues if you don't send your baby to the nursery!  I just know that I do.)  We were supposed to leave the next day, but ended up staying another night because our nurse got busy and didn't get some tests done for the twins until like 8pm.  Ryan really wanted to leave that night, and I guess if we had insisted, they would have made it happen, but we decided to stay.
When we got home, we were greeted by my mom and Ryan's mom and the girls.  Sophie and Sally were very interested in the babies.  Actually, I am now remembering that the girls and grandmas all visited us at the hospital, which was fun.  The girls didn't quite know what to think, and I really tried to make a point to give them lots of attention and let them sit in my lap without the babies there and such.

Well, I am glad I was able to remember that much and get it written down so I can go back and read it later.  We are doing well here at home.  The girls are 4 weeks old today!  I have had lots of help from family and friends, which has been such a blessing.  Next time I post, I will let you know what a typical day in our house looks like.  It can get kind of stressful, but hasn't been as bad as I anticipated yet.  The babies are just so sweet and cute, and have been good sleepers, which has helped a lot.  Actually, right now I am off to feed them one last time and hope for a good stretch of sleep :)