"Birth plan" for twin birth

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 6:12 pm

I am BH expecting twins and I'm trying to figure out my "birth plan". This will be my 6th delivery BH and I have never had an official plan before and don't feel I need one. My question really is about a doula/support person.

My first was a long story I was pretty much induced had an epidural failed to progress and ended up with a C-section. I didn't have a doula but my mother in law was there (my mother lives across the ocean so can't be there for my births) I love my mother in law but she was not the right fit for me in labor (she is great for her own daughters but just didn't sit well with me in the end)

My next 3 I had an amazing but very pricy doula and had natural births without epidurals.
The 5th she was not available plus frankly it was expensive and my last birth had been so quick I hadn't really needed her.... I used a free doula program in my area but it's you get whomever is on call I ended up with 2 they switched off bc it was taking a while. The first one was good but the second not as much I ended up getting an epidural bc it was taking so long and I needed to rest. It was the best decision and I didn't really need the doula after that...

The question is what to do this time I kinda figured I would maybe just do without this time. I know I'm going to have to labor and deliver in the OR and I'm going to have to have an epidural (which I want, no way I'm doing a twin birth without one!) So is there a point to getting a doula? On the other hand maybe I do want a support person next to me I know there will be lots of ppl at the time of delivery and my husband goes behind a curtain/ out the room during the actual delivery... So maybe someone there just for me is a good idea... Do I pay for a doula or use the free ones is the other question... I kinda would love to have the doula I had for my others but (if she available she doesn't take on so many anymore...) But she is so so expensive and I'm kinda thinking I should save the money for help once the babies are born IYH...

Any and all advice welcome...

amother

Chartreuse

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 6:27 pm

You will have more people with you than a regular delivery... In NY you labor at a regular room and then by the time baby a is ready to come they will take you to the or.
Since you will have an epidural, you won't be able to move around. Also, you have 2 babies in the monitor, not only 1... And sometimes both babies jump get off the monitor and the nurse has to find baby heartbeat again.But she has to make sure it's the right baby...so once they find it, you have to be very quiet to not go off again... I have delivered more than one set of twins (!!!!) and I don't see how a doula could help you.
Just please be very open minded that sometimes things don't go as you plan and the ultimate goal is to have a healthy mother and 2 healthy babies.

WhatFor

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 6:31 pm

amother Chartreuse wrote:

Not OP and never had twins but purely out of curiosity- did I understand correctly that if you are having twins in NY, they automatically take you to the OR once you need to push?

amother

Orchid

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 7:35 pm

In my hospital that I delivered I was only allowed one support person. So that was either a spouse or doula and I chose my husband. Yes, I could've used a doula because what my doctors didn't tell me was that an OR bed is different than a birthing bed! And I was stuck delivering vaginally flat on my back. Gravity does not help you with this position!Some ladies that I have spoken to said that they got transferred on the birthing bed to the OR and that's where they delivered. But my Dr transferred me from the birthing bed to OR bed. I seriously couldn't push in that position and everyone was watching me not helping me waiting until they can intervene medically. I gave birth naturally when a Dr who had just joined the group from a midwife group threw me a sheet and used it as a rope where I pulled it and out came my baby b! You mention that you've had a C-section before. Will your doctor's even attempt a twin birth vbac?

amother

Aubergine

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 7:39 pm

there is quite a bit going on in the OR during delivery with so many personal around. I was only transferred to the OR at the very last minute. I was really lucky that things proceeded nicely and both babies were in the right position. Labor was quite calm. As amother chartreuse mentioned that you're hooked up to monitors and quite limited in your movement. I never delivered with a doula so I wouldn't know. My Dh usually goes behind the curtain for the actual delivery, my OB made him get into the room with me however at that point nothing mattered anymore, things were just happening.... The thought of the delivery prior to was quite huge however once you're in just go with the flow let it happen!

Hatzlacha!!

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 7:50 pm

Thanks so much for all your input it's very helpful!

I'm not sure what the protocol here is about when you get transferred to the OR but I imagine it depends how dilated etc you are when you come in. I know I already have a short cervix and am dilated a couple cms already at almost 29 weeks (I'm on pelvic rest for that) so imagine that I won't be hanging out to long if at all before I get to go to the ER.
To answer the question if they will let me vbac seeing I had one c section already, yes they will it was my first birth 13 years ago and I have gone on to have all natural after BH including some pretty big ones the biggest being 9lbs 5ozs!

Yep I'm well aware there will be lots of ppl around my sister in law actually gave birth to twins in the same hospital (OOT) so I'm somewhat familiar with the process. Her second one was actually footling breech and they pretty much stuck their hand in turned her around after the first was born which is another reason they insist on an epidural so they can maneuver the second baby if they have too.

As of now my baby A is in the head down position and baby B is transverse on top of Baby A. I know this can change but this has been the position they have been in since they discovered it was a twin pregnancy at 23 weeks.

TwinsMommy

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:08 pm

My cervix was effaced VERY early, one twin was breech, one twin was transverse, and the twin with IUGR was going to need to be delivered at LEAST 5 weeks early so I was constantly monitored. I was on strict bedrest and my birth plan was---- do what the OB tells me to do (scheduled C section). Smile

You plan, HaShem laughs. I hope your delivery is how you want it, but if not, daven for healthy mom and healthy babies.

amother

DarkKhaki

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:14 pm

amother OP wrote:

OT but how did they not know it was twin till then? wouldn’t an early ultrasound show 2 heartbeats ? or at the very least the NT scan would!

amother

Daffodil

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:32 pm

I also had a c-section and then twins vbac BH. They brought me to the OR when I was 9.5 cm but my water still didn't break and the dr was not allowed to break my water outside the OR so he broke my water and I went straight to pushing. I had 6 people around my bed besides for the staff in the background. My husband sat next to my head and just encouraged me as I pushed but that was all. I had a nurse on each side holding my legs, 2 doctors at the foot of the bed and two other people (maybe residents?) The nurses were a huge help with the breathing and pushing, so no, I don't feel that a doula would've been an asset

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:58 pm

TwinsMommy wrote:

You plan, HaShem laughs. I hope your delivery is how you want it, but if not, daven for healthy mom and healthy babies.

Yep that's the aim IYH healthy mom and healthy baby I'm deff going in with an open mind.
BH no bed rest yet but being closely monitored I also have gestational diabetes (had it last time too so no surprise really with it being twins this time round...)

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 9:03 pm

amother DarkKhaki wrote:

OT but how did they not know it was twin till then? wouldn’t an early ultrasound show 2 heartbeats ? or at the very least the NT scan would!

No ultrasound until then, there wasn't a need before BH. This was at my anatomy scan ( a few weeks late bc that's when they had an opening) was quite the surprise baby B was also only discovered when the tech was finishing off the first baby when she looked around for the placenta and ovaries etc. Did explain why my first trimester was harder than my others and why I was so much tireder and feeling so much movement already! I was blaming it on older age (not that old 34) and 6th time etc...

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 9:04 pm

amother Daffodil wrote:

Thanks! That's what I'm feeling the consensus is and what I was kinda leaning towards anyways... Deff gonna be a different kind of birth but IYH it will go well!

amother

DarkKhaki

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 9:07 pm

amother Cobalt wrote:

Not everyone does routine ultrasound
My twin pregnancy was discovered in the 6th month, bc I was experiencing strange pain (unrelated to pregnancy) and we did an US, just to rule things out…

Not even to confirm the pregnancy? Why not? Ok forget ultrasound but my doc used a Doppler to listen to heartbeat every app. I can’t believe anyone would decline that!

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 9:20 pm

amother DarkKhaki wrote:

Not even to confirm the pregnancy? Why not? Ok forget ultrasound but my doc used a Doppler to listen to heartbeat every app. I can’t believe anyone would decline that!

Blood test was enough confirmation. Did hear the heartbeat on the Doppler at my appointments but yes if you don't know there is two then it's rarely found just by doppler, the babies are in diff locations once the Dr hears a heartbeat no reason to go looking for another... Even now knowing there is two it takes a couple mins to locate and confirm you are hearing two separate heartbeats on the Doppler!