It's twins!
Earlier this year I had the excitement of teaching a couple expecting twins! Here is their story:
Hello Nicki,
Well well, our boys have arrived :)
The story was not your ideal hypnobirthing scenario, but breathing and visualizations were very helpful in the long and complicated process.
First I was told to come to the hospital for a check up after a scan, as the doctors noticed increased fluid flow into the babies' brains and hearts, and as they explained the placenta was slowly starting to wear out and support the two most important organs in the babies - a sign it was time to help the babies out before the placenta stopped working and supporting them. So the doctors recommended observing the babies' heart rates and suggested we come on Wednesday night to insert a balloon to induce labour.
The next day - Wednesday - I went to an acupuncturist, ate a lot of figs and chiilies and was hoping for the process to start more or less naturally. However the balloon needed to be inserted, and straightaway the opening (of the cervix) started and I started to have slight period pains and slowly developing contractions - surges. The whole night this continued and I slept in between.
The next day due to a busy day (four other births going on and all doctors needed somewhere else), I was kept under monitoring and allowed to fully open.
This continued the following night when my surges were 5 min apart and quite intense. I was allowed into the pool for 3 hours, which made it all so much more comfortable, and Ii really enjoyed the warmth and relaxing in between surges. I slept in the breaks and easily managed when the waves came.
In the morning, when back in bed for some more monitoring, I was checked and told that I am opening and soon will be fully opened. That happened around lunchtime (not sure about exact time, as was busy coping and managing what was happening - breathing, moving, changing positions, and was allowed to have a drink of water as my lips were increasingly dry.)
In the afternoon I was told that I was fully opened and could push if I wanted or felt like it.
Soon enough the feeling was just too powerful and my body was ready to push the baby as I was encouraged, even though I was also breathing as I could throughout the experience. Tobi was amazing and encouraged me throughout and helped me to change positions, use the ball, go on all fours, etc. My mum was very helpful with supplying me with drinks of water and ready to help if needed.
At some stage all the midwifes and doctors encouraged me to push, and even though the baby was just there just a push away, he stayed there for several hours, just there at the edge to be born.
When the doctor returned and checked he stated that I was not fully opened ... which surprised everyone. He explained that I might be swelling from the pushing and from the fact that the baby's face was facing upwards and his little nose was not to be moved and kept on pressing onto the cervix.
The doctor said that there were two options for us now - either rest and relax the cervix (by not responding to the urges to push the baby out, which I found by then physically impossible), or to have a c-section (which i did not want). Luckily Tobi was there to negotiate and find out what was the best option, so we decided to take the epidural to help me rest and relax the cervix, hoping it would stop swelling and open again, and then let the doctor move the baby into a more favourable position and deliver.
After 2 hours of resting, even being able to talk to others and joke about random stuff, I started to feel more contractions and I was told I was again fully dilated. The doctor tried to move the baby, but no matter what he tried the baby went back to his stubborn position :)
We were again told that we have two options - c-section or use of suction and/or forceps. With Tobi we decided for the tools. The suction did not work and so they tried the last option before c-section - the forceps.
Simon was born on Friday at 22:44 with some scratching on his forehead but healthy, and his little brother - Liam - followed 12 minutes later, also healthy and well, with much less help from the doctors (basically just moved him so he stayed head down). He did develop low blood sugar and had a low temperature the next morning, and had to be helped in an incubator, but after two nights could re-join us in our room. After that Simon developed jaundice and also went into an incubator, so we stayed at the SCBU unit for almost a week.
After a full week at the hospital and the boys well, gaining weight and a bit stronger we left for home where we have established our routines started at the hospital. The boys are gaining weight and seem stronger keeping their temperature easier and opening their eyes more often :)
We are very grateful for all who helped us on our journey throughout our pregnancy and delivery. Although this was not my ideal scenario, I have experienced an amazing time bringing our babies to this world and would do it all again! I used breathing techniques as much as I could and was able to and I am grateful for all the advice we also received from you.
Tobi was and continues being an amazing help and now daddy to our two precious treasures, and my mum is an amazing help in the house - running our household when I need to rest.
I wish you a lovely evening and many happy couples and parents to come! :)
Much love,
Danica, Tobi, Simon and Liam
