How the Twins Arrived - Mommy's Story

Yesterday seemed to be more like a dream than reality. Everything happened so quickly that it was hard for me to realize what was going on. Even though I knew they would be born sooner than later, I just didn't think it would be that much on the sooner side.


I started having contractions at around midnight - not too strong but definitely real contractions. Then they slowed down quite a bit but got stronger. They continued all throughout the night but weren't getting any closer together. I figured they would go away since they weren't very consistent and really wasn't thinking I was in real labor.

At around 7:45am I went headed to my usual Friday ultrasound session to check on the babies' fluid levels and dopplers. Since I was having the contractions, they wanted to do a cervix check by ultrasound too. By the end of the check, the sonographer didn't tell me anything but I could definitely tell I had dilated from the images I could see.

I got back to the room starving and very thirsty. The nurse came in and announced that my doctor wanted to do an exam and for me not to eat or drink anything. I asked if my cervix had changed and all she said to me was yes. At that time, I knew I was in true labor and that they would need to deliver the babies that day. The doctor came in and did a check very quickly as she was on her way to another delivery. She told me that I needed to get ready for the O.R. because I was going to have these babies very soon.


I started panicking because David hadn't even left work yet and I knew I couldn't go through the delivery without him. The doctor wasn't sure if he would make it in time though since things were happening so quickly. She rushed out and I just bawled as I called David. I told him that he had to hurry here because they were going to start the c-section as soon as they could. He had carpooled with his friend Brad to work that morning so his carpool buddy let David drive his hummer into Seattle, knowing David would need to drive a little quickly. Good friend, huh? Luckily, the O.R. had backed up and they couldn't get me in as quickly as they had wanted to. David arrived safely (despite a bit of brake problems) with even a little time to spare. I couldn't have been more relieved to see him!

We headed to the O.R. and got situated. There were at least five people in there already telling us who they were and what they were going to do. I have no idea what any of their names were or frankly, what most of them did. David got "suited" up in this trendy white jumpsuit , blue hairnet and face mask. I only got to wear this boring old hospital gown. The anaesthesiologist started numbing my back for the spinal. There was a lot of pinching and really thought I should be feeling a lot less. He then moved on to placing the spinal needle in the right spot. However, after 15 minutes or so of sharp, shooting pains down my back (not to mention the contractions hitting me ever few minutes by now) he gave up being able to find the right place and had the other assistant give it a try. I'm not sure what it was but she was able to find the spot on the first try - Thank Goodness! It was like torture and had to be the worst part of the surgery.


The boys popped out so quickly and I was so happy to see that the doctors didn't have to pull them much at all. Elijah was first and then pulled over to his "bed." David was able to cut his cord and watch them clean him off. Emren was out only 35 seconds later and moved over to his "bed" right away. I'm not sure if David was able to see as much of him. After just a few minutes, they got them both cleaned and wrapped in blankets with their little hats on, placed on a transporting bed together and got wheeled by me so that I could peek at them. Then, David followed them up to the NICU.


I stayed there and got all stitched up. It took a little while, it seems. They did a lot of scraping and cleaning out because old membrane separating the boys that had torn and started disintegrating left a big mess. I could see them do some stitching and then use this pen-looking thing that I think was cauterizing tissues together. It made things smell yucky so I'm assuming some burning had to be taking place. Lastly they stapled my skin closed. It was like I was watching a show on TV rather than being the one who the doctors were working on. A very strange feeling!

After all of the surgery was complete, the nurses wheeled me into a recovery room. They started giving me some medicine through an IV that I did not like at all. It took everything for me just to keep my eyes open and my head from swimming. A couple of times I thought I was going to black out. I could barely talk a couple of times. Finally that started wearing off a little and I asked them to cut the dosage in half. The next time I got some of it, it wasn't as bad. I still didn't like it though. I was so groggy and felt completely disconnected from reality. The nurses said that it kind of made you feel like you had taken some kind of street drug that makes you feel "good" but I don't know why anyone would want to feel like that. I felt anything but good.

Once the babies were settled and I was more stable, they took me up to see the boys. They wheeled me on the bed so that was kind of strange. I was glad to at least be able to see them though. They looked so small and helpless but they were alive and wiggling around so I was happy. I wanted to do more for them than just leave them in the hands of the doctors and nurses but there really wasn't much else I could do. I cried on the way back to the room feeling so grateful that they were ok and here but so sad I couldn't be with them.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty blurry for me. Just getting the feeling back into my legs and lower body was a long process. I kept getting so nauseated from the medicine - I felt awful! I couldn't imagine if I was feeling like that but having to take care of them all at the same time. They finally started giving me perkaset and ibuprofen later on that night and took me off of the IV meds. That made my stomach and whole sense of well being much better. I was able to move my legs and body more so I got up to go to the bathroom for the first time I think around 11pm. Everything was painful but I felt so happy to be able to get up and use my body again. By early next morning, they even gave me permission to get up and go all on my own. I was very happy about that! I felt so independent!

I really don't know why anyone would choose to have a c-section over pushing out their baby. I know that every woman has to do what they have to do to get their baby here safely but I just don't know why someone would choose it just to have one. I am so grateful everything went so well and that I'm healing so well. I guess I'm just a big baby but I am hoping that is the last time I have to go through that. Hats off to the many women who have done it a number of times. You are so brave! Now that I know what it's like, I have a new respect for them.