I apologize in advance for how long this post is- I just couldn’t leave any detail out because I am certain in a year or 2 this will all be a fuzzy memory.

This birth story is so absolutely, completely different than the birth of Colbie. Colbie was my all natural baby- no medicine, no inducing and while I strongly debated going un-medicated for this birth as well, several factors convinced me otherwise.

First of all, my OBGYN, who was VERY supportive of my un-medicated delivery, did tell me she would support me if I wanted to go un-medicated with twins, but
A. there was a much higher risk of needing to go in for an emergency C section in which case they would have to put me completely under if I had no epidural in place
and B. (these were her words exactly) “I have a colleague or two who have delivered twins un-medicated, but none of my patients have ever done it”. It wasn’t the fact that she couldn’t or wouldn’t do it (my Dr was a rock star and I totally love her!), but the fact that she had literally never had a patient do it that was somewhat scary to me for some reason. With the many turns a twin delivery can take (really any delivery, but this was a little unique with 2), I started to get used to the idea that I might get an epidural (although getting an epidural scared me a little). I was also worried that by the time it was Baby B’s turn I would be too tired to effectively push. I remember with Colbie thinking there is no way I can push one more time (which of course I did) so the thought of having an entirely new baby to push out AFTER that was daunting. Later I found out its QUITE different with your 2nd (and 3rd), but more on that later.

The plan was if by 38 weeks babies hadn’t made their appearance yet we would induce. I wasn’t thrilled with getting induced because I feel like it will just happen when it is supposed to, but I also decided to fully trust my doctor and know that she was making decisions based on what was best for me and my babies. She knew I wanted as little intervention as possible, but above all we wanted healthy babies. I was convinced we wouldn’t make it all the way to 38 weeks so it wouldn’t be an issue anyway. I didn’t see how TWO babies could fit that long inside me and the doctors kept reminding me how normal it was for twins to come as early as 34 weeks so be ready!

Sure enough we made it to 38 weeks and I swear they were just going to stay in there forever. By this time I was so miserable I decided to not fight her on inducing me. She said they would start with something mild before going straight to Pitocin so we were scheduled to go in on Wednesday, April 6 early in the morning. (This put me at exactly 38 weeks and 1 day and there were NO signs of the babies coming anytime soon). It was the weirdest feeling to KNOW when it was coming. Oddly enough, even though I am such a planner and like to know things in advance, I think it was MUCH more nerve wracking knowing when it was coming versus baby just coming on its own as a surprise. On Tuesday, April 5 I went into work early so I could tie up some loose ends and get fully prepared for being out for a while. I was hoping to finish early so I could go by the grocery store to stock up our house and then just have a relaxing evening. I got a call that morning that they moved my induction up to Tuesday evening at 8pm! This totally threw a wrench in my whole “mental plan”. I remember dropping Colbie off at Crystal’s house (our sweet friend who watched Colbie a large part of her whole first year of life) and bursting into tears when I told her the change of plans. If you don’t know me well- I DO NOT like a change of plans.

Here is the timeline of the craziest, most life changing 12 hours of my life:

8:00pm- check in to the hospital- the last time I walked down this hall I almost collapsed on the floor due to intense contractions and the the biggest flood of hormonal emotions (excitement, fear, anxiety, happiness, stress) I had ever had. And now I was walking in totally fine (other than feeling utterly enormous) and knowing we would be going home with 2 more babies. I can’t put those feelings into words, but I will never forget both walks down this hall.

9:00 pm- after checking in and getting situated they started me on Cytotec, a pill that doesn’t necessarily induce labor, but helps encourage the body to be ready for labor. The doctors were telling me not to expect this to do much of anything for a while and they would continue to give me additional pills at certain increments of time. I was actually able to sleep a little, knowing I needed all the energy possible for the labor, whenever that may be. I was getting the feeling from nurses and doctors that they had no expectations of me going into labor until late the next day. Colbie was staying with my Dad, while my mom came up to the hospital that night to be there with me/us. She couldn’t stand going home and going to sleep even though I told her it might be a long boring night (ended up being so wonderful she came as you’ll see when this timeline starts speeding up). I even brought work to do from the hospital to keep me occupied because I fully thought this was going to be a very long process.

12:30 am- after waking up and getting another dose of Cytotec, I was definitely having contractions and while they weren’t bad, I was having to mentally keep myself calm. I was freaking out a little more this time around because I knew what was coming. Whereas the first time I didn’t know how hard it was really going to get! Every time I had a contraction I remember saying “I don’t know if I can do this all again” “I don’t know if I want to do this” (as if I had a choice). Both Trey & my mom were awesome supporters. I was trying to hold off on the epidural as long as possible because I did not want it to slow down my labor, but I verbally said out loud “when this gets too bad I’m just getting the epidural”. We hadn’t ever actually decided on a plan so it felt nice to just proclaim this.

3:45 am- contractions were now feeling like what I remembered from my first delivery, but I was now able to do things that helped and remembered how I coped the first time. I was 2cm (seriously!? Only 2 cm?)  which was still too early for me to want an epidural, but I was ready to move this labor along so we started walking. I could almost control how fast my contractions came. If I stayed still they would space out to more than 2 minutes apart. When I would walk and pick up the pace a bit they would get down to less than a minute apart. I felt like if I could just suck it up and walk several laps without much stopping these babies would be here pretty soon. Trey, my mom and I were walking the halls of the labor and delivery ward and they were carrying on conversation to try to distract me and I have no idea what they were talking about. I remember telling Trey “I think this is gonna happen pretty soon”. He half believed me, but we also knew I was only 2cm. But I kept saying “no really, this is not going to take long”

5:00 am- After several laps I had to get checked again- 5 cm! Now that is the kind of progress I like to hear! At this point I was not interested in walking anymore and I was honestly getting back to my almost panic mode. I decided it was time to get the epidural. I felt comfortable with 5 cm that an epidural would most likely not slow things down and I was ready to not be hurting so much.

5:25 am- The anesthesiologist came in and I guess the look on my face gave away how much pain I was in because as he was setting up he kept asking the nurse “how long has she been like this?” I was no longer really talking to anyone. I was in my zone and focusing- not even making eye contact with anyone. I was scared about the epidural and as he started administering it I think I was more still than I have ever been in my life (ya know so he didn’t paralyze me! ha!) He said it should start working pretty soon, but would fully be in effect in 10-20 minutes. I noted the time and counted down the 20 minutes.
What I did not tell anyone (not even Trey) at the time was that between the time I said I wanted the epidural and the time he got there I started having the urge to push. I definitely remember this feeling well. I almost wondered if it was bad to get an epidural when you felt like it was time to push. But I was afraid if I told anyone they would make me push. So mum’s the word.

5:45 am- After 20 minutes I was a little numb in my feet and a tiny bit more relaxed, but not numb anywhere else. The anesthesiologist thought I should be feeling close to nothing at this point so he decided to up my dosage (sorry if these medical terms are not accurate). Within 10 minutes I felt like a warm heated blanket was pulled over my legs and lower body. I was able to talk and laugh with Trey & my mom. THIS is labor with an epidural? I couldn’t stop giggling because an epidural is THE WEIRDEST feeling. I just felt warm and literally NO sensations from the waist down.

6:10 am- At the next check the nurse said my bag was bulging and that Baby A’s heart rate dropped a little. It was go time. They started prepping the OR (when delivering twins protocol is to deliver in the OR in case something goes wrong with Baby B. They will be ready to go in for an emergency c-section). Trey was given scrubs (that were way too short in the legs) and told to “suit up”. Hearing that Baby A’s heart rate was down concerned me a little, but nobody seemed too worried. They gave me an oxygen mask as LOTS of nurses came in to move things down to the OR. I had previously been prepared that with a twin delivery there will be A LOT A LOT of people in the room. Sure, whatever, I don’t really care. I just want to get these babies out.

6:30 am- During all their preparations I was told to NOT push at all. They had paged my doctor and wanted to wait for her to get there. Um, I can’t feel anything, how would I push? The doctors kept saying “oh you’ll know how to push”.

6:42 am- Most things were prepped, but we hadn’t moved to the OR yet. Everyone had left the room, including my mom (I think to get a drink of water or make a call?) and it was Trey, myself and 1 nurse. All of the sudden a felt something. I wasn’t sure what, it was almost like when your ankle pops (except it wasn’t my ankle). Definitely no pain, but weird. I almost didn’t say anything, but decided I should. I told the nurse “I think something shifted”. And I will never forget this scene:
Trey is across the room from me and the nurse quickly looks under the sheet. Her head pops back into view and her eyes are HUGE (deer in headlights style). She pushes the call button and says into the microphone “we have a head, I need delivery team in here NOW”. We have A HEAD? As in a babies head? Trey says when she looked under the sheet he turned around and Baby A was just looking straight at him. “Hi Dad! I couldn’t wait to meet you!” My mom happened to walk in just about that time and when she realized what was happening she turned to leave and then turned to stay maybe 2 or 3 times until I told her to get in the room.

6:46 am- A load of nurses and the on call doctor rushed in. They just pulled Baby A out and there he was! We were not in the OR, my Doctor was still not there, they didn’t have 2 baby warming beds (I have no idea what those are actually called) set up and I hadn’t even really pushed. (I know, moms who pushed for hours I’m sorry, you are hating me right now). They were ready to cut the umbelical cord. I was wanting to delay cord cutting, but everything was happening so fast I looked at Trey and he knew what I was thinking. He just said “we need to just cut it”. They cut the cord and Trey stayed with Baby A as they took him across the room to weigh him and do whatever it is they do over there.

6:55 am- 9 minutes later (but what literally felt like 45 seconds later) Baby B was ready to come out. Trey was still with Baby A because I did not want that baby to be without a parent during his first few minutes in this world, so he told my mom to go hold my hand and be with me for round 2. We didn’t really have any of this planned, but what a blessing to have her by my side for this truly amazing experience. The doctor said she would tell me when it was time to push as I kept protesting “I really don’t think I will know how to push- I can’t feel ANYTHING”. When it was time they said just think about pushing. I thought it and Baby B’s head came out. The doctor then said ok I just need one very very tiny push. I thought it again and Baby B was born. This cannot be real. What just happened? I got to cut Baby B’s umbilical cord and they took him to weigh him and lay next to his brother (because there was only 1 bed in the room).

Baby A was 6 lbs. 10 ounces and absolutely perfect.
Baby B was 6 lbs. 8 ounces and absolutely perfect.

Trey & I knew the names, but didn’t yet know which baby had which name. Baby A was very clearly a Hudson to me so it became official- Hudson Ryan. And Baby B is Asher James.

Baby A is on the left, Baby B is on the right.

They were both as healthy as could be and were pretty quickly laid on my chest so I could start feeding them. Yes 2 babies were put on my chest. This all happened right at shift change time so funny enough the staff said it worked out great- they had double the nurses they normally would and since my doctor didn’t get there until shortly after they were born, they had lots of hands to come help. The nurse that was with me to help me start breastfeeding and get me up to recovery was a twin mom herself! It was so perfect! I had heard that many times you start feeding twins separately so you could learn how each of them feeds and get the hang of each one. This twin mama/nurse said “well you’re gonna have to feed them at the same time soon enough so might as well do it now”. Well, ok! I am so thankful for her! She just put them both up there like it was no big deal and gave me lots of tips and advice. And from then on out I fed these boys at the same time almost always.

If you remember, we didn’t know for sure if they were identical or fraternal and after looking at them we were confident they were fraternal. Look how different they look! (little did we know they were going to change a lot over the next few weeks and then we wouldn’t be quite so sure).

Although this may be the end of my birth story, this is actually the beginning of a new life for us. We now had THREE kids all under the age of 1 1/2 that we were solely responsible for, we loved more than anything in the world, were a little scared of and were just so proud of. Party of 5- here we come!