I can't complain

I really can't complain. I delivered two babies without surgery and less than 15 hours of labor. The fear I've had my whole life of child birth was finally over, and I had two daughters.

I've wanted a c-section ever since I can remember. When I was told I was expecting twins, I lobbied for a c-section - begged even. My reasons were simple: I had two babies to deliver in one sitting and I was scared. Twin c-sections are extremely common due to incorrect fetal position and a myriad of other concerns that go along with multiple pregnancies. Much to my chagrin, when I met with the OB that partnered with my nurse midwife group to discuss birth options, she told me she also had twins - twins which she delivered vaginally...and assured me I could do the same. I left the appointment feeling angry - wasn't this my choice? Hadn't I been told throughout my pregnancy that I was high risk? (A label I fought tooth and nail before acquiescing)

After meeting with the OB and talking to friends about delivering vaginally vs. c-section, I decided a vaginal birth may be advantageous because I would no longer feel restricted in my movement, as I had felt so much as my pregnancy progressed. I was ready to have my body back and knew a c-section would involve a recovery time that I simply didn't have the patience for. However, births are complicated, whether its one or multiple babies and I knew I wouldn't have much choice anyway. So, I decided to accept my unknown fate for whichever would be the one I was meant to experience.

Doing a complete 180 from my previous thinking, when I arrived at the hospital in labor, I could have cared less about a c-section versus vaginal birth. My nurse midwife group convinced me to try to labor naturally and see how things progressed. Not until I spent almost an hour pushing out Baby A and lie there waiting for contractions to begin with Baby B did the fear hit me.

The one thing I did NOT want was to labor and deliver Baby A the conventional way, only to turn around and be cut open to deliver Baby B.

I could see the anesthesiologist in my peripheral vision hovering around me, waiting, waiting. As the minutes passed and the room grew tense, I craned my neck to see him and say "don't even think about it". Poor Baby B simply wasn't ready. Through 15 hours of labor and the stress of her womb mate being delivered, her water was still intact. (Oddly, she does this still - she'll linger in the bath long after her sister has evacuated).

See, Baby B has so much more room (womb - ha!) after his or her twin leaves that they sometimes turn. (shudder) She did. When I heard my midwife murmur something about a foot, I pushed with everything I had. She arrived 46 minutes after her sister, and was swept away to the NICU to join her twin.

I dodged the proverbial c-section bullet and was famous for a day amongst the nurses on the birthing floor.