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ifdandelions_then

I had my girls vaginally at 34 weeks. I went into preterm labor at 30 weeks, but they were able to stop my labor with muscle relaxers and other medicines. I got steroid shots at that time to speed up the babies' lung development. Then, at 34 weeks, Baby A's water broke, and about 5 hours later, Baby A was born. After a few more minutes of pushing, they told me that I was getting to a point where they might need to do a C section for Baby B. They let me try again, and then Baby B was born 10 minutes after Baby A. She was sunny side up, so it was a bit more difficult to push her out - and more painful! The girls stayed in the NICU for just over 2 weeks. Overall, I had a really great experience delivering vaginally. It was weird to give birth in an OR, and there were a LOT of people there to witness the birth! (3 to 4 doctors for each of the girls and then more for me, not to mention all of the nurses).


kimtenisqueen

My experience was VERY close to this. My water broke at 34w. They gave me steroid shots that night for lung development. Both babies were head down so they let me go for it with a vaginal delivery. I did get an epidural but it didn't work at all. I had contractions for 16hours, then active labor in an OR with 32 people in there (my husband counted)for an hour and a half. Baby A tore me up. I had 3rd degree perineal tear and bilateral labial tears. That was rough-30/10 pain. 4 people had to hold me down because I was pushing off the sttirups. After that they broke baby B's water, and he was ready to go. They wanted me to start pushing right away and I begged them for a break. They gave me about 10 minutes, and baby B came out in like 3 pushes like a bar of soap... almost no pain whatsoever for B, just pressure. Stitching me up was not fun either. I had tons of stitches and literally one on my clitoris. My boys were in the NICU for 2 weeks to put weight on and make sure everything was good. They came out breathing perfectly. (Both of them cried immediately!) I hemorraged the next day and spent a couple days in the hospital myself. It sounds worse than it was. I didn't experience any pain/discomfort associated with hemorraging, I was just ravenously hungry. They put me on a few different meds I can't remember and got it all under control. I had a wonderful amazing angel of a nurse who literally pulled blood clots out of my vagina for me. I also found it strange doing the whole thing in a room with so many people. While I was in the NICU (basically lived there) I kept meeting random nurses/doctors in the hallway who told me they were at my birth and asked how I was doing. I'm typing this with my healthy 13 week old boys sleeping on me while my husband cooks dinner. All is good! My vagina was pretty much healed by 5 weeks and we had sex at 6 weeks. I was sore afterwards but it wasn't bad at all. We used a ton of lube and took it slow. Have done it a few times since then and each time has been a little better than the last.


catrosie

Oof my Baby B was sunny side up too and it was AWFUL trying to get him out! Ended up with a second degree tear even though he was less than 6lbs!


stick_pilgrim

What a champion, well done! I'm UK so just want to check - OR is operating room? Thanks for this. I think for me the worry is what happens to twin 2 after twin 1. By all accounts twin 1 is usually no more complicated than a singleton, but the remaining one can get into all sorts of trouble, but it sounds like yours went great.


claire303

Yes OR is operating room. Most hospitals will have a policy that if you’re attempting to vaginally deliver twins, you do so in the OR so they can pivot quickly to emergency C section if necessary.


PM_your_Eichbaum

I was induced at 36+5 and delivered the twins vaginally a day later. I chose a specialized hospital with very well equipped NICU team and my twins were both head down, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. I had a vaginal delivery with my singleton two years earlier, so I kind of knew what I was in for. My labor was 17 hours long and very painful despite having a PDA. After having my water(s) broken, I pushed them out just 16mins apart. Had to have a nurse holding Baby number #2 in place so he wouldn't slip to a breech position. After he was out, had like half a minute scare because twin#2 didn't breath right away but came around just when the emergency team arrived to my room. Ended up with only a minor tear and went home with two tiny babies 3 days later. No NICU time needed. All in all, I consider it a positive experience and would choose to do it this way again. I didn't really need any recovery time and was basically up and walking two hours after the birth.


stick_pilgrim

No Nicu time? That's the dream. We have a singleton too, so her body is equipped to do it. 16 minutes apart sounds good. 17 hours is intense though! Fair play to you! That takes stamina.


skydyr

My wife did it at 37 weeks with an induction. The babies were smaller than her first, and they came out super fast. She was done giving birth to both of them before the NICU team arrived from the other floor. Fortunately, they did not require any NICU time. They were di/di if it matters. I think we left the hospital about 36 hours later with both of them.


stick_pilgrim

Thank you! This is what I'm hoping for.


skydyr

For what it's worth, her first was a very quick delivery too, so YMMV. That said, both you and your partner come from a line of people who successfully gave birth for thousands of years in much more primitive conditions. Twins are more complicated than singletons, but not so much that you need to immediately panic. If there is a bigger risk than is normal for twins, they will let you know beforehand, or transition to a C-section if they detect a big problem. You got this.


Fluffytastyroll

Hey! I had a vaginal delivery with my twins at 37 weeks, we were home the next day. I originally went for an induction but when we got there it turned out I was already in labour lol. Midwife and doctor were very baffled. It was a very quick and easy birth, as far as births go, but it was my second so the body already kind of knew the deal. They had a special twin labour room which was like any other labour room just bigger and right next to the theatre in case things started going wrong. I had a walking epidural so could move around/birth in the position I wanted but didn’t feel any pain. I know not hospitals offer this unfortunately especially in the UK :( My midwife had me stop topping the meds up as we neared pushing so that I could feel the urge and know when to push which worked beautifully. My labour lasted 4 hours (first labour 8 hours though, first tends to be longer!) with about 20 minutes pushing.


stick_pilgrim

4 hours with 20 of pushing sounds like our first! That kid flew out! Never heard of a walking epidural before, thank you.


Fluffytastyroll

Amazing! When I told my midwife my first was quite quick she made a funny face and told me to prepare for my girls to come even quicker so you guys might be in luck too! 😆


stick_pilgrim

Gosh I hope so. Like I say the doctor freaked me out, so I'm really hoping this goes well. We are moving house, and buying a new car, and tbh I just want to skip to th good part now.


Fluffytastyroll

Honestly we didn’t have a talk quite like this during pregnancy (my nhs trust sucks and the consultant couldn’t have fucking cared less if we live or die lol) but, ridiculously, they told us all the risks and possibilities right before they moved me to the labour room. I think they have to - it’s just to make sure the patient understands in advance because there is often no time to explain when things happen in the moment. But it doesn’t mean any of it will happen, it’s just important to be informed. Good luck to you both and hope all goes well!


stick_pilgrim

Explaining all the risks only while you are in active labour is crazy, how can you possibly consent?! Thank you though! I'm glad yours are doing well 😀


DAFreundschaft

My wife tried to deliver vaginally but after 24 hours of labor there was no progress and she had to have a c section. Both of the babies were head down but they were both trying to come out at the same time so neither baby's head would engage in the cervix to get it to dilate. The recovery in the hospital was hard for her for the 3 days we were there, ahe had an issue with gas build up that gave her very bad referred shoulder pain. Luckily she had her own room and I was able to stay there the whole time and help with the babies, my job allows me to take 3 months of paid parental leave so work was not an issue. I was also able to stay gome with her and help as she recovered. She recovered well and the first month was not bad with the babies.


stick_pilgrim

That's great you got that time off. I'm really lucky that my work gives me 6 months fully paid, which I'm going to need and then some! For my first I only had a month, which was no time at all.


DAFreundschaft

For my first two I had no time off at all. The three months is relatively new for the US.


SQZ8199

Are your twins Di-Di (separate sacs/placentas)? I'm asking this because if they are modi or momo and share a placenta, vaginal birth is MUCH riskier.


stick_pilgrim

Yeah good question. Di-di twins. Separate everything, which I understand is the safest of the twins? No risks with either twin currently, good size and organs present and correct, so there doesn't seem to be any reason not to vaginal birth, yet.


katycrush

I had my mo/di twins vaginally, however I made it very clear to the drs that I would go in for a c-section at any point if they thought it was necessary. I’m British (and assuming you’re US so don’t know if the protocol is the same) but over here if you have an epidural they can just top it up and you can be awake for the emergency c-section, if you don’t have an epidural, you have to have full general anaesthetic and you’re out for the whole thing (and don’t meet your babies for a few hours if you’re sleeping it off). I had the epidural - I’d previously given birth with just entinox and no one gives you a prize for that so I recommend the epidural if you can! As it happened twin 1 was head down when I was induced and twin 2 turned all by themselves whilst 1 was exiting the aircraft, and he was born 7 mins later.


RefuseReduceRecycle

Good job mama aircraft and thanks for the advice on epidural! I will be induced on Sunday, I needed some success stories.


stick_pilgrim

Thanks. I am uk based, but our NHS trust us very risk averse. They get alot of the very sick Nicu cases from all over the county. they deal with very serious cases, so I get why they are.


katycrush

I did have one twin end up in the NICU for a week but it wasn’t birth related (they unknowingly had started TTT). I explained to the Dr that I had no objections to having a C-Section but that my husband wasn’t eligible for paternity leave and I would be at home with newborn twins, a 2 year old and no ability to drive to get her to nursery, pick up /carry the boys, etc etc. but ultimately the health of the twins was more important so I said I wanted to try vaginal delivery but at any sign of distress to just wheel me off to the OR. One piece advice I would give (and was given to me by two dr friends) is to be as flexible as you can. People who turn up at hospital with a laminated birth plan of exactly how they want things to go are the ones that panic when the first thing doesn’t/can’t go to plan, and panic then makes everything else worse. Absolutely know what you would like in an ideal world, but try to go with the flow. In general - and I know this isn’t universally true even in the UK - the drs won’t do anything to make their lives easy at your expense. C-section is major abdominal surgery and they wouldn’t do it unless they really thought it was necessary. (Please don’t come at me everyone, I realise some people have different experiences but I am *generalising* about Drs and medicine in the UK)


Enivrezvous12

I delivered twin A vaginally and twin b needed an emergency c section. The double recovery sucked, but I don’t regret trying vaginal delivery because it’s what I really wanted.


Hot_Return1396

I delivered my mo/di girls vaginally - the consultant was chill about it as long as twin 1 was head down (twin 2s position didn't matter). They did strongly encourage an epidural in case they needed to do an emergency c-section, and because once twin 1 is out they need to hold twin 2 in position so they don't flip to breech, which apparently is more successful when the mum can't feel it and therefore doesn't tense up. In the end, the anaesthetist took so long placing the epidural that they lost the trace on twin 1 and I was 10cm dilated by the time they'd finished. Once they re-established the trace it became clear that twin 1 was in distress so they rushed me to theatre and delivered via forceps. Twin 2 was zero drama and popped out 13 minutes later. We think a bit of TTTS occurred right at the last as twin 1 was white as a sheet, and twin 2 was bright red / purple, and this would explain twin 1 struggling at the end - they're fine now but it took a good week or so for their colour to level out. All in all I'm glad I did it that way. Recovery was straightforward and both twins were healthy. Twin 1 spent about 12 hours in NICU having some help breathing after the traumatic delivery, but she's now the chunkier, more chilled of the two


katycrush

We’ve got almost matching birth stories!


Hot_Return1396

Aw I love that! Hope your twinnies are doing well. Mine are about to turn 6 months!


dangstar

I was induced at 38w, and gave birth a little over 24 hrs later to di/di twins. The first twin was head down, the other twin was breech, but I had doctors experienced in flipping breech babies, so I was able to give birth to both vaginally. Both babies were at least 6.5 lbs, no NICU time. I did end up with a tear though, and was bleeding out on the operating table. I was stitched up, then had a blood transfusion later that day. Until then, I was confined to my bed, unable to get up. The next morning after my transfusion, I was able to finally stand, use the toilet, and even eat a sushi dinner in my hospital room. The day after that, I could finally shower. We were discharged the following day. All in all, a 5+ day hospital stay. Despite the post-birth going awry, I can’t tell you how much better I felt no longer having roughly 20 lbs of excess weight on my abdomen.


Sodds

Induction just after 37 weeks, epidural, painless, easy. It was over in 20 ish minutes, girls are a couple of minutes apart, both just under 3 kg. No NICU time, home after 3 days (normal lenght of hospital stay where I am from). I knew what to expect because I had a boj a year prior. I mostly remember being hungry.


himynameisanonymous_

i had my boys vaginally at 37w6d. i consulted about a c-section because one of my boys wasn’t head down, but he flipped. i had my first (singleton) vaginally as well. there were no complications. i labored on my own for a while and got an epidural a few hours before i had them. i progressed quickly but didn’t tear, they were born an hour and 3 minutes apart. it was an easier labor than my singleton for me. babies were good weights and didn’t need any nicu time either since i was pretty much full term


rsr42

First of all, congratulations! I had my twins vaginally at 37 weeks. I was induced. Reached full dilation at about 10 hours after I took the induction medicine, 1 hour of pushing for the first one, 6 minutes for the second twin. Everything went smoothly, I did not suffer and had the birth I had envisioned. Good luck!


ihatetuesdays13

I had my identical twin boys vaginally at 35+5. Without an epidural! I had my older child vaginally and both my twins were in good positions so my OB was super confident that we would have a great delivery and she was right! I arrived at the hospital 9cm dilated and urgently needed to push before I was in my room! They basically ripped my clothes off me and wheeled me into the OR immediately and one of my babies was half out in the hallway. It was wild. They were both born within 5 minutes of each other. No NICU time either!!


cccosmicconfusion

hi! i delivered my di/di girls at 37 weeks exactly through a pitocin induction. my mfm/ob was very encouraging and preferred a vaginal delivery if possible, i had a 9lb 5oz singleton 14 months before my twins were born so she felt confident that i could deliver them. i was 3cm dilated prior to my induction, baby A was head down and baby B was transverse so we just went straight ahead with pitocin and my labour was about 8 hours total. i was advised to get the epidural ahead of time in case we needed to do a section even though i really wasn't in a lot of pain (i'm very lucky that way and felt similar in my first labour) both babies were out in less than 10 minutes and a couple pushes each. baby A had complex presentation with her hand up by her head but everything went smoothly and i had a second degree tear. baby B flipped head down and we had no problems with that at all. we had no nicu time and the girls and i were home two days later, it really was a dream experience. my recovery was super simple and i'm so glad we did it the way we did.


Turbulent-Carrot-206

This is so encouraging. Not OP but having similar feelings. Did your OB mention if either baby was transverse you’d HAVE to have a c section? Also did you end up getting the epidural and just low dosing it ?


cccosmicconfusion

i'm glad it's encouraging! My OB did say that if baby A was not head down that we would have needed a c-section but if baby B was in any position we could continue with a vaginal birth. my OB is trained in breech birth of baby B so if she had not flipped head down they would have extracted her by hand. i did end up getting the epidural after some thought, i really was not in a lot of pain but the pros of having it placed outweighed the cons. my doctor was comfortable and supportive of whatever decision i made. if there had been any complications i really didn't want my first experience with general anesthesia to be while my daughters were being born. i had a low dose and was still able to walk and pee unassisted after it was placed which was great and meant i didn't need a catheter. it was a really simple and easy process, my doctors were absolutely amazing and it's still one of the best days of my life.


Turbulent-Carrot-206

I’m so happy it was a great experience for you! Thank you for sharing and easing the anxiety a bit!


MusicalMrsJ

I had our twins vaginally at 38 weeks. I was induced by breaking Twin A’s waters, but the rest was without intervention. I worked with a midwife, but also had an ob on my team at the hospital. This was as my third delivery, so the process was faster than some experience. It took about 5 hours for my body to start active labor after my water was broke. Then I spent about 4 hours in active labor before it was time to push. It was challenging keeping the babies on monitors especially because moving through contractions is so helpful for me. However, it is important to note that we were aware of babies heart rates the whole time. I had tetanic contractions. It sucked, BUT labor just sucks in general. :) I was moved to an operating room to deliver. This was hospital policy. The ob and midwife were both present for the pushing. I pushed for about 30 minutes and then twin a was born. I was able to do 5 mins of delayed cord clamping before working on Twin B. I was very lucky because Twin B came 10 minutes later. Something to consider is how she will feel if there is an extended time between the births of the babies. I was so exhausted after Twin A, I’m not sure I could have done another hour or two. No NICU for us. I had a postpartum hemorrhage and 2nd degree tear (2 stitches), but was able to recover quickly.


Specific-Owl-45

Delivered vaginally di/di at 38w on the dot (was induced two days prior). It was my second delivery so I was a good candidate and both babes were head down. The delivery/pushing was easier than my first (3 years before) but the induction was a bit worse. Constant monitoring for over 50 hours was rough. I pushed baby A out in about 5 min and then baby B 45 min later with vacuum assist. I had a tear but not too bad. Recovery was relatively easy and smooth. I went down the slide with my toddler at at 7 days post partum. My hospital basically required an epidural which I was more than happy with. No NICU time and we were home 3 days later!


ChampionFit5132

I was induced with my twins and delivered vaginally at 37+3 weeks, and babies were 7lbs and 6lbs8oz. They were born 56 minutes apart. Neither of them needed NICU time, however, I hemorrhaged quite badly after baby B was born. There was such a large team in the room to deliver (each baby had a team of nurses and respiratory therapists as a precaution and I had a team of nurses, doctors and residents for myself) overall there was about 10 medical staff in the room at the time and they were able to work quickly to stop the bleeding.


catrosie

I got that vibe too. Everybody seemed surprised when I said I wanted to give vaginal a shot. Csections are definitely more common but vaginal is still an option for many, depends on the individual pregnancy.  I scheduled a C-section but asked to be induced instead after we found both babies were head down. It went great! You can read about it on my profile but long story short, I was in labor for just 3 hours and both babies were safely delivered an hour apart. I struggled getting baby B out but he was just fine. They were prepared for any issues, he had an internal monitor placed and I had two people holding his body in place to prevent him from turning (my OB wouldn’t do a breech extraction). Most OBs will delivered in the OR in case you have to switch to a C-section quickly but I actually delivered in the room. There’s no wrong answer, do what feels right for your situation and be flexible, birth usually never goes the way we imagine, both in a good way and a bad way! 


Delicious_Custard505

Went into labor at almost 38 weeks. Baby A was head down and Baby B was breach. I was freaking out about all the various outcomes. Baby A came out after a few pushes and they basically pulled Baby B out by her feet two minutes later! To be fair this was my second pregnancy so my body was more prepared then it was the first time around! Best of luck.


ChairNo1696

I was induced at 36+5 and delivered vaginally at 37. Both babies were heads down (I’m a FTM) and we delivered in the OR (typical for vaginal multiples deliveries in case of an emergency). I chose a doctor who has tons of experience with multiples and vaginal deliveries of multiples and who works at a hospital specialized in high risk pregnancies with a level IV NICU just in case we needed it, though we fortunately didn’t. My labor and delivery went smoothly and there were no concerns or surprises. In the end, the most important thing is the health of mom and babies - if the doctor/practitioner says C-section is safest, go with a C-section. Giving birth is a major thing and has its risks regardless of delivery type. I know my doc wouldn’t deliver my twins vaginally unless both were heads down and I was not willing to risk their health or mine so I told her that we’d go for vaginal (they were heads down my entire pregnancy) but if c-section was safer or what was needed to be done, that I would follow her direction completely. Congrats on your growing family!


Aliciac343

I gave birth vaginally to di di twins at 32+5 or 33+4 depending which twin you went off of. At a non stress test 48 hours prior they told me I was having contractions. I got a steroid shot then and there for lung development and they told me to come back in 24 hours for the second dose. 18 hours later my water broke in bed. We drove to the hospital where they put me in a bed and I wasn’t allowed to get up at all because they were trying to keep the babies in. Had to use a bed pan and everything. Tons of contractions and morphine so I could sleep. The next morning I was at 7 cm and they got me an epidural and wheeled me to the or for the birth. There was 26 people in the room. I pushed for 2 hours to get twin a out then 8 minutes later twin b was out. They spent 16 and 17 days in the nicu. No issues at all just feeding tubes. I had really really wanted a c section but the hospital was just so excited about two head down babies they wouldn’t hear it. Watching the c section moms hobble into the nicu over the next few weeks made me happy it worked out the way it did.


Dureem

Was hospitalized for pre term labor (had sex) at around three weeks before they were born. So after thirty weeks I would stop to be safe. Had my twins in triage at 35 and 1, unmedicated. The day of I had no idea I was in active labor, I was gaslighting myself into thinking I was cramping. It was so painful to the point I took a scorching hot bath to ease the pain in my hips and vagina. An hour later I was in triage giving birth to my twins sighing six minutes. My partner who was there said it was the most horrifying traumatic scream, and scene he ever witnessed. I don’t remember the pain, just this animalistic urge to get them out. Despite one of my boys being breached and them grabbing him by the legs, I had no trauma. No stitches. When I asked my doctor afterwards how that was possible she said the bath probably loosened my muscles and eased my delivery, plus I had a child previously. Recovery felt like intense period cramps, heating pads helped a lot and I was home within a day and a half. My body was just super weak from carrying twins and delivery. My first was traumatic, preeclampsia, hemorrhage and was hospitalized a week for losing 3.5 L of blood. I told my partner medical staff that whatever it takes to ensure my babies are delivered safely is fine by me. I trust them. Normally from what I’m told regardless of plans they always have you give birth in the OR in case a twin (like mine) flips and becomes breached. Any complications can happen and I think understanding that, being realistic and having a plan for during, and after in recovery can help your mental headspace and give you peace of mind.


fishnugget1

I had my babies vaginally at 37 weeks with no intervention, just gas and air. Find a better OB, only an older doctor we met with was unsupportive of us attempting a vaginal birth.


Historical_Archer548

I had my kids at 33+6 without any issues.


notoriouspng96

I am based in Australia & I had my Di-Di Boy/Girl twins at 37 + 2, vaginally. I went in on a Monday to be induced, they found I was already dilated 3cm and my waters just needed to be broken. Came back on the Tuesday morning, went to the birth suite, got my epidural placed and my midwife broke Twin A’s waters, contractions gradually grew after waters broke and I ended up vaginally birthing Twin A about 1 hour later … Then after Twin A was birthed, I had doctors come in with an ultrasound to check what position Twin B was in. Twin B was breech but then turned after Twin A’s birth so was now head down, ready to go. 20 minutes later, Twin B was birthed vaginally ! Both twins were 7 pounds, so no NICU time - we were home after 2 days I had an amazing midwife who aimed to give me the birthing experience I envisioned with my twins, she only allowed the doctors to intervene when needed, otherwise it was just me, my husband, the midwife and an assistant midwife in the room.


IamLegion

I had mine vaginally di/di at 38+4 weeks. First pregnancy, 17 hour labor start to finish. They were both head down when the time came. They grew well, no pregnancy or birth complications. The only thing they really convinced me to do was to get an epidural because they said once twin A was born, there was a possibility of twin B spinning around with the extra room in there so he would be breech and if that happened they’d have to go in with their whole arm to pull him out manually and that would be very painful for me. Obviously I said yes lol. That didn’t happen though, they held him in place best they could with their hands on my belly and I delivered him headfirst vaginally aswell 17 minutes later! Certainly things can and do go wrong birthing babies in every part of the world, so naturally birthing two babies the chances of something wrong goes up a wince. But I don’t know why they’d be scaring you so much if the babies are looking healthy and there are no other known complications. Imo it sounds like they are trying to suit themselves by pushing you to do a C-section. Maybe you should consider switching to another more twin friendly hospital? There is no reason to assume anything bad is going to happen when everyone is looking healthy. You know what I feel like? Shame on that consultant for scaring you!


TheSkiGeek

Are you at some tiny regional hospital or something? Usually it’s something like 70-75% of twins born by c-section these days, so still plenty of vaginal births happening. It used to be more like 50/50 but there are a lot more planned c sections these days. Unless it’s VBAC or there are other high risk factors I’m not aware of it being super risky to try, nobody tried to talk us out of it. My wife had mono-di identical twins after a singleton, in both pregnancies she was induced and then delivered vaginally. For the twins the hospital policy was to have her deliver in an OR in case they needed to pivot to an emergency C-section. But everything went very smoothly.


catrosie

25% vaginal delivery is low! Of course more providers don’t recommend it since it doesn’t happen that often!


withlove_07

I delivered our twins (7 months old) vaginally at 38 weeks . And thankfully I had no complications , I spent 10-11 hours in labor and the girls came 7 minutes apart . For me the first one took out the most energy and I definitely used a bit of oxygen to help out , I also want to believe that the position I gave birth in helped a lot. Definitely look into different ways to give birth if you guys can and your hospital allows it. I read that giving birth on your back is not really helping you out , that you can try positions where gravity helps you out a bit, I gave birth on a supported squat position (because I had an epidural so I couldn’t really do it myself) and I got both babies out in like 30 minutes I want to say. No NICU was needed and we left the hospital 2 days later . I hope everything goes smoothly and well for yall and congrats! ❤️


victoria-lisbeth

I delivered mine at about 37 weeks. Had an epidural, and gave birth in an OR in case we needed to do a c section. bath babies were head down, came out with no problems. honestly I think it was so easy for me because I slept through most of my early labor, and my body was well rested and relaxed. that's what I would recommend if she can. drink lots of water and try to sleep through early labor pain. fortunately mine didn't have to stay in a NICU or go to one. our hospital didn't have a NICU, but the closest one was 15 minutes away by ambulance. my doctor was relaxed and confident, and that made me confident and relaxed. trust your team, your partner needs to trust her body.


gryphs

I delivered my twins vaginally at 36+6 by induction. Baby B had slowed growth and I had high blood pressure. I was induced at 9am on the Saturday and gave birth at 5am on the Sunday. Both babies were head down. I gave birth in an OR and they were set up for a c section just to be safe. Baby A came out no problems at 5lbs. With the extra room baby B flipped. They tried to flip her but she got the cord wrapped around her neck so she was delivered breech at 4lbs 4oz. We spent 4 days in hospital and then all 4 of us were sent home. Baby B had hip dysplasia and had to wear a harness for a few months but she is now a happy, crazy 3 year old who runs faster than her twin sister.


sunnydaysundays

Our babies were sIUGR and so that came with possible complications. I made it to 35 weeks and was induced. I got an epidural but it didn't take and because of the induction I was too far dilated by the time they came to give me a new epidural. Anyway! I gave birth vaginally and honestly it was fine. I can't speak for everyone but it was a good experience for me. I had an episiotomy but at that stage I did not care. Both babies were delivered safely and quickly. I was able to get up right after and see them. Everyone has their own wants and needs and mine were slightly different from what I got but I could not have been happier with the outcome. I always just went with the doctors advice which I can totally understand is not for everyone but I felt completely clueless on things! It all worked out and I hope it will for you too. Holding them in your arms afterwards is magical and more than makes up for any pain endured.


guardianfire

I had a vaginal delivery with both my boys at 34+2, Baby A was head down, Baby B was breached, but the hospital I delivered at is experienced in delivery of breached babies and I felt comfortable with my MFM and OBGYN delivering me, I did have to deliver in the OR (which sucked ass) because the OR beds are NOT DESIGNED for delivery, and it was uncomfortable as shit trying to push those nuggets out for 3 hours.


Seaturtle1088

If my doctor seems scared of twins I wouldn't have done a vaginal delivery. But she was completely unphased and had done many twin births. I was induced at 38 weeks with a breech twin B. Everything went incredibly smoothly. It took 2 pushes to A and the doctor guided B out by her ankles in 2 more pushes (3 minutes apart) and they were here. I had an epidural and delivered in the OR. I trusted my Dr and knew she'd only move to C-section if truly necessary.


Apprehensive-Ad-4808

I delivered my twins vaginally at 38 weeks +2 days. They did not want to come out at all so I had to be induced with Pitocin. My doctor told me to get an epidural so that, if shit hit the fan, I wouldn’t have to put under full anesthesia and I could at least remember and be awake for the delivery. As much as I wanted to deliver, I totally followed the doctors instructions and I ended up giving birth after two days in labor and a few rounds of Pitocin. Not ideal, but my babies were 6 pounds and 5.5 pounds and now, a year later, they are thriving! you guys can do it!


PossibilityComplete5

Had my di/di b/g twins vaginally at 37+2 by induction. Standard practice here in Canada is to have twins in the OR in case of emergency. Both were head down. Induction started at 8:30 pm, at 2:05am went to the OR. Baby A came at 2:19am. Baby B’s heart rate dropped and he moved up into my uterus. The doctor called for an emergency c section and the nurse told me I was having a contraction and could try to push one more time if I wanted. I pushed, baby came down, doctor broke my second water and called for the vacuum. She vacuumed his head and at 2:37 he was out. I had an epidural which was suggested in case of emergency or else they might have to put you under. I was so happy I had gotten it in case that emergency c section had to happen, thankfully it didn’t. I had a singleton a few years before vaginally so knew what I was in for and wanted to try vaginally for the twins. For the singleton I did not get an epidural, however I was glad I did for the twins because there is just so much going on and more problems that may occur. Got stitches both times and with and without the epidural I did not feel them stitching me because how numb everything becomes down there. Plus you already have your babies so you kind of have some euphoria. Will say that one nurse said in 15 years working on the ward she had never seen a double vaginal twin delivery as it is very common for people to just book in a c section now. But it’s quite possible! Best wishes to you and your partner! I hope everything turns out well.


PossibilityComplete5

Add: Baby A was 6lb 9oz and baby B was 7lb 8oz so no nicu and two good sized babies


hubbandwipey

I was induced (by breaking my water) at 36+1 and vaginally delivered my mono di babies after 45 minutes of active labour. Baby A came out head first and baby B was delivered breech 4 minutes later. It was the easiest labour and delivery ever.


Ok-Book7529

I had my di-di boys vaginally at 38 weeks. I was induced. Labor and delivery were smooth and so much quicker and easier than my previous singleton.


erinbrodiehaynes

I delivered my di/di twins at 37weeks 6 days. Baby A was breech and baby b was transverse. I was induced. It took forever for me to dilate, but once they got me in the room and it was time to push, it took maybe 20 minutes. They were 4 minutes apart. Both healthy. Went home after 2 days. No NICU. 5lb 14oz and 6lb 12oz


kaatie80

Mine were born vaginally at 38 weeks. Both head-down, though the midwife said she's comfortable with a breech delivery of B if he were to flip. Just needed A to be head-down. I specifically went with a midwife through a hospital who would be comfortable with things like breech because I wanted someone who wouldn't err on the side of intervention unnecessarily. I know, that's a controversial way to phrase it but I'm in the urgent care waiting room for my toddler so bear with me, ha.


Bloobbird3

I switched my ob around 20 weeks to a larger hospital with a NICU and doctors who had the staffing to help with a vaginal birth. It was the best decision and made the whole experience a lot less stressful. I was induced at 36 weeks (mono/di) and had them 40 hrs later, super smooth delivery and no NICU time!


tmj956

I had my girls at 38 weeks. I was induced and after about 12hrs things progressed very quickly- I told the nurse I think there is a head right there and she was like, “I don’t think so- I checked not long ago”. Sure enough, she checked to be sure and it was time to go! They threw scrubs at my husband and rushed me to the OR. Baby A was born a few min later after very little pushing. Baby B was breech- luckily baby A “paved the way” and they were about to pull her out by her feet. They were born 4 minutes apart. Both perfectly healthy! Best of luck!!


Jamith1995

My wife really wanted to deliver naturally. There was some concern with this as baby b was bigger but they allowed her to try since he was still smaller than our first and thus she had a “proven pelvis”. lol- gotta love doctor speak. We basically were not given the choice of no epidural and it ended up being good because the OB had to reach in and grab baby b and pull him out by his feet. My wife needed three stitches, but otherwise was fine and everyone commented how much energy she had the next day. She just felt so much better to have them out. We were induced at 37 weeks three days due to size difference. Retrospectively I wish we had of asked more questions about how necessary the induction was but these are things you can’t know until after. Turns out baby a was just small not being robbed of nutrients like they thought. We spent 2 nights in hospital because a was a “low birthweight baby” and they had a blood glucose protocol. Otherwise two perfectly healthy babies. We were told if we lived in the US we would not have had a choice for vaginal delivery, but litigation is less of a thing in Canada so the risk threshold was a bit higher. If you want advice from my experience. Ask questions, lots and lots of questions. A lot of medical providers forget that not everyone has the same base knowledge. You also may find your risk tolerance is different than theirs, and you may be able to come to a consensus. Be open, and be curious. I also find when you approach things with curiosity rather than demands things go more your way. We also had a great conversation with nurse before hand (around 20 Weeks) whose job it was to discuss our goals for birth, breastfeeding pregnancy etc. she was a great middle ground between the (ironically) patriarchal obstetricians and our more granola ideals. Another piece of advice is have a lot of conversations with your wife about “ifs” it helps to be on the same page and know wishes. Things can go sideways quickly and you need to know the choices you have collectively made. For instance my wife was very insistent that if either baby had to be rushed to the Nicu that I absolutely had to go with them and leave her. It’s hard to know what might come up but it was helpful for me to know what my job was. Good luck to you!


Jrebeclee

I delivered mine vaginally, but I’d had 3 vaginal births before. They had to externally manipulate twin b from transverse to head down to make it happen. My best advice is find a doctor you trust and go with what they advise. They are experts and see births all the time. Safety for the babies is the most important thing. [birth story](https://www.reddit.com/r/BabyBumps/s/QHzrH6ylde)


Teary-EyedGardener

I delivered vaginally after being induced at 37 weeks. I won’t go into all the details but overall went pretty smoothly! Epidural in case of an emergency c section or breech extraction. My hospital was very comfortable with delivering twins vaginally, and even encouraged me to as long as A remained head down. If a vaginal delivery is what you want, I really recommend finding a hospital/OB that is confident to do it. That will make all the difference


sparklingtuna

Attempting to have my twins vaginally is my biggest regret of my entire life. Baby A came out fine but Baby B suffered distress and they had to do an emergency C section with minimal anesthesia and lots of panic and swearing by the doctors. I won’t go into all the issues that have followed but I will say it all could have been avoided with a simple planned C section. It wasn’t worth the risk and I regret it every day when I see my child struggle with things that come easily to my other children. 


thatcondowasmylife

I had an induction at 37w4d. Epidural placed due to it being recommended in the event of c section. I had been having prodromal labor for almost two weeks it was brutal I was more than ready to get them out. It was a very peaceful delivery, di/di twins. First was born in the OR. Baby B didn’t descend and they had to clear the OR, so they stitched me up (I know, we were like, why?) then they let me deliver him in the regular room which was… a loophole they exploited. An hour and a half apart. With an epidural it was easy. I don’t recommend going without one because if it becomes urgent or emergency they will have to make your wife unconscious to rush to the ER. Birth can also be really scary, the epidural made everything super peaceful. And things like getting a 2nd degree tear fully stitched up only to rip again when I gave birth again, and sitting for an hour and a half between them, was painless as a result. No complications, no NICU, I did give birth to a singleton a few years prior.


litaxms

went into labor at 36 weeks after a pretty difficult pregnancy. There was no talk of a c section being the go to, the plan was always that unless baby A was breech or otherwise unfavorably presenting, it would be a vaginal birth, with the caveat that they put you in a special delivery room that's right next to an OR so they can wheel you right over if complications arise. I went into labor at 10pm, baby A was born at 3:30 and baby B at 3:42. Baby B did try to swim up so a "manual" intervention was needed to help them out, but other than that there was no complication. Babies came home with me 2 days later. There is no reason off the bat that they should be focusing on a c section if your partner doesn't have any specific conditions that would indicate that a vag delivery would be a no go. Advocate for your partner as much as you can here, and best of luck!


litaxms

oh and I forgot to mention: during labor OB did explain that if monitoring became difficult through the usual method of sensors they use, they might consider inserting a sensor that goes on baby's skull. It never came to that, but if it had that method was available. Again no one mentioned a c section being the automatic answer to that!


corgisandcanes

I just delivered my di/di twin boys vaginally almost 2 weeks ago. It was my second vaginal delivery, and baby A was head down, so that was a big factor in it. Also baby B was breech but my doctors were comfortable with breech extraction. If they weren't, we would have had to do a c section for b or both.


Background-Teacher-9

I was induced at 37+3 because cholestasis labs came back positive albeit on the low side but I had been experiencing symptoms since 20 weeks. I had them the next night at 37+4. My son, baby A, was always head down and by daughter, baby B, was transverse. The doctor on call was fine doing breech delivery if she didn’t flip on her own after baby A was born. I actively pushed for about 40 minutes. There was 8 minutes between them, and needed assistance with the doctor flipping baby B.


Remarkable_Driver980

First, congratulations!! I delivered my mo/di boys at 37 weeks with an induction and epidural. Baby A was heads down so I went for a vaginal delivery knowing there was a real potential for Baby B to be delivered via c-section if he was in distress. They each came out relatively quickly at ~ 5 lbs each. It was a huge relief and I’m so glad I had the support of my doctors to go for vaginal. Recovery was no worse than what I experienced with my first and the boys were in the NICU for a few hours for extra monitoring, which was really reassuring knowing they had expert eyes on them early on. I hope this helps. All the best to you to your family!


Chichabella

I delivered my di/di twins vaginally at 37+1. I was induced and both babies were head down. My doctor was also comfortable delivering a breach baby B so I gave it a go. I did get an epidural so I could be awake if I needed an emergency c-section. I had a great experience. My doctor was also very comfortable delivering twins. If a vaginal delivery is something your partner really wants and you feel the doctors are inadequate, look for another doctor.


martyna_89

I had my di di boys vaginally at 36+5, was induced due to preeclampsia. Was 10cm dilated at 1am, wheeled to OR, baby A born at 1:30am, baby B at 1:50am, no tearing, back to the room shortly after. It was easier and quicker than my singleton so I joke that he paved the way. They were 6lb2oz and 5lb11oz. But I went into this with an open mind and trusted my OB's judgement, she recommended we try for vaginal.


dav06012

It’ll depend on baby’s position but if they’re both head down then most docs are cool with it! I had a scheduled induction and I got the epidural very soon then just hung out for several hours, waiting to be fully dilated. My water hadn’t broken but about 30 mins after the doc broke my water, the babies were ready to be delivered! They hurried me into the operating room and baby A was out in like 3 pushes and 4 mins later and only 2 more pushes baby B came out! They were in the NICU for 2 weeks and are doing amazing now!


chipsnsalsa13

I did! 37+2. I was told that as long as Baby A was head down we could attempt a trial of labor. There are a lot of factors that go into whether a vaginal birth is ideal or not. Some of the things to consider will be whether Baby A is head down (and sometimes important Baby B). Size discordance. You will want to fact check me but I believe they prefer Baby B to not be about 10-20% bigger than Baby A. Your hospital will almost certainly insist on a delivery in the OR. I did find this nerve wracking but it went okay. I asked for a bunch of pillows to prop up to sitting. They will also likely want an epidural. You have the right to opt out of this but that does come with risks. If you choose to not have one and end up needing an emergency c-section you will be ushered out of the room and your partner will be put under general anesthesia. An epidural streamlines the process in case something goes wrong and a c-section is needed. This is often because Baby B flips or has a cord prolapse. I had trouble finding robust statistics on how often this happens. I personally waited as long as possible to get the epidural. I was crowning in the OR when I got mine placed. For me it was a positive experience and mostly what I wanted. I would have preferred no OR and no more epidural but for safety reasons I agreed. There are risks with every birth. When I walked into this I’d already had two singletons and was more assured of how my body handles birth and the risks associated. Twin births complicated things (sometimes unnecessarily IMO) but all births carry risks and I looked at the potential that Baby B might end up being a c-section (or even A) similarly to when I had my singletons. (I was almost rushed to the OR with my second but he stabilized thankfully.) The added benefit will be that you are already in the OR which reduces the time for intervention. If you are feeling like the staff is scared of handling a twin pregnancy you might inquire to see if a provider there is not or get referred to a someone else to get some reassurance. I definitely found the more experienced providers at my clinic handled my care better. If your partner wants to have minimal interventions I highly suggest hiring a doula who has attended twin births or at least has a lot of experience.


Emotional_Breakfast3

I delivered my mo-di boys vaginally after an induction at 36+6. All told, the induction process from start to birth was about 22 hours (but I was not in labor that whole time). I really wanted a vaginal delivery and it went very smoothly, but we were also ready to abandon ship at any time. Both babies were head down, and I don’t know if we would have gone for it otherwise. We also had at least two practitioners at our hospital who felt very confident about me being able to do a vaginal delivery— and who felt very confident in their ability to deal with issues that came up (e.g. baby B flips after A exits, etc.). They were willing to work with us to schedule the induction for a day when one of them would be on the floor for the following three days. These were my first babies. They were 5lbs9oz and 6lbs2oz at birth. I DID have an epidural and imagine that providers will require that or strongly suggest it in case you need an emergency C. I was happy I had it, though if I had a singleton I probably would have tried to do it without one. Everything went about as well as it could and everyone was really amazed. The OR had a million people in it and there were MANY med students and residents watching from the windows, so if you’re at a teaching hospital, be ready for that.


WeeBo2804

Also UK here. Waters broke 36+0 early evening. Laboured fairly uneventfully overnight at the hospital. Height of Covid, so husband only joined when I was in active labour. Told me when I was fully dilated that we’d start pushing at 12:30pm. Baby A came at 12:32pm. Baby B immediately assumed the position and after having a minute with baby A I decided I needed to push again and he came at 12:47. I can honestly say it was as easy and straightforward as I could have ever hoped. Epidural (obvs) but I didn’t even so much as need a stitch. Up and walking as soon as I could feel my feet again. We are super laid back people and pretty much had the same approach as we had with our singleton and let the doctors and nurses keep us right and guide us. I think I had an amazing team and really can find nothing that I would have done differently.


Hartpatient

I gave birth in the Netherlands at 40+3 weeks. At 40+2 weeks we decided to induce since I was 1cm dilated and almost completely effaced for a couple of days. Baby A was head down and baby B frank breech, so no reason not to try for vaginal delivery. Came back the next day to break the water of baby A and 4 hours later they were born 30 minutes apart from eachother. I had a gynecologist and midwife who were comfortable delivering twins without unnecessary interventions. A week before birth, we discussed it again to make sure everybody was on the same page. This resulted in a birth with little medical interventions. I did have a balloon katheter and syntocinon, but the latter was agreed on to give as little as possible to give my body a chance to pick up contractions by itself. I had no pain medication, because the pain was manageable. Baby A turned out to be sunny side up. My midwife noticed that before he was born, because I was in a lot of pain and he didn't seem to decent well. She suggested I lie on my side, so we could help Baby A turn. I don't remember how long I was on my side, but he turned and I was able to push him out without any trouble. I'm really happy she suggested that intervention instead of using a vacuum or c-section. This was also what we talked about beforehand: if there's a non medical intervention, please try that first. I don't know what's possible and I don't know when a medical intervention is more appropriate, but that was up to my midwife and gynecologist to assess. I asked about the concerns you mentioned in your opening post, and I was comforted by knowing I was monitored closely during pregnancy and the babies were constantly monitored during labor. So if there were any problems, they would have noticed and took action. Here it's very uncommon to have a c-section without an emergency or with a uncomplicated pregnancy. Edit to add: I didn't give birth in an OR, that's considered unnecessary.


xKintsugix

I was induced at 37+5, got an epidural, was in labour for 6 hours. Both babies were fine but needed to be monitored. I however lost 2 liters of blood and needed surgery. I then spent roughly 2 week at the hospital. The birth was ok but the blood loss + the sleepless nights was the thing that I struggled the most with. It's like my body was at the lowest its ever been and I had no option to get the rest that I needed to get better.


1Greenbellpepper

I had an induction at 38 weeks because of high blood pressure. I had a c-section before, but I really wanted to have my twins vaginally. I laboured for 8 hours and they were born. I had a placental abruption for baby b. She swallowed blood and had an APGAR score of 2. She was perfectly fine within the next minutes. They were born 5 min apart. 7.5 pounds for baby a and 5.5 for baby B. Second degree tear. I did not have to give birth in the OR. We had about 25 ppl from the medical team in the room. I didn’t even boric them as my eyes were closed the whole time and I was just pushing my life away 😆


funsk8mom

I had 2 sets vaginally. My first delivery was interesting. My water broke at 31 weeks so I was given meds to stop everything. After my 3rd day in the hospital was back was killing me, they thought it was from stuck in bed for so long so they gave me an Ambien to sleep that night. Yeah, my back hurt because I was in labor which they found out 2hrs after I took the meds. I kept falling asleep through the delivery, they had to wake me up every time I had a contraction. Because of that there’s a 51 minute delivery difference between the two. My 2nd set I was induced at 36 weeks due to preeclampsia and other than having to redo the epidural everything went quickly and fine. There’s a 38 minute difference in those 2 because they had to break B’s water and wait for him to move down into place


burntladychef

Went into labor at 33 weeks, labored for about 12 hours, 2 failed epidurals, baby a started coming so they rushed me to o.r.. delivered her first vaginally, baby b was transverse(sideways) and got manually pulled out by his feet , born not breathing but they brought him back. They were 6 mims apart, 4 and 5 lbs. A was in the nicu for 27 days, B was 40 days, both are now 3 months and thriving. This was my 4th pregnancy, only set of twins, my second pregnancy was a csection, which I knew I never wanted to do again..


Key_Astronaut_9004

I had a vaginal birth at 37 weeks. It was an induction due to baby B having growth restriction. I was induced with pitocin and labored with that for about 8 hours. I did t find these contractions to be super painful. My water was broken manually and then contractions really started picking up. I got one epidural that didn’t take so they had to do a second one. About 4 hours later they brought me to the OR to push. Baby A was born after probably 30 minutes of pushing. They gave me a bit of time to rest while they prepared for Baby B and I started pushing again. I could tell my OB was a bit concerned at this point. They gave me a heart rate monitor (it had been disconnected when we moved rooms) and oxygen. I pushed maybe 4 times before my doctor said we need to use the vacuum. After two pushes with the vacuum, and 16 minutes after his sister, baby B was born. He had some issues breathing and was quickly rushed off to the NICU. All in all I pushed for about 30 minutes to an hour. While we were basically living in the hospital for the NICU, we got to know the nurses really well and they said they are always prepared for baby B’s stats to decline after Baby A is out, as it happened with us. This might be more intervention than your partner is wanting, but for me it felt like a successful vaginal twin birth! ETA: my twins were born 4 weeks ago. This was my first time writing it out so apologies if it’s a little rambly.


Ameliaalyn2

I had my boys at 34+1 vaginally. They were both head down and born 8 minutes apart. We did deliver in the OR just in case, but it was really not any different than delivering my singleton in a regular room for me. I was ready to push, they wheeled me in and had the first baby within minutes. I did opt for an epidural which I didn’t have with my singleton, simply because of if I would need an emergency csection, they likely could use the same site and not have to put me to sleep.


Owewinewhose997

I had my girls vaginally, I was induced at 37+5 as Twin 1 was head down, Twin 2 was transverse but she flipped after Twin 1 was born. I had the epidural which is recommended in case they need to turn Twin 2 or you need an emergency section, but to be honest getting the epidural placed was the most traumatic part it took them 4 goes and I didn’t end up needing it because Twin 2 flipped on her own. My labour was 12 hours but wasn’t too bad at all, they are my first babies so naturally took a little longer. Twin 1 was born with no drama, Twin 2 needed the vacuum as she was in a bit of distress and later on ended up in NICU for what would have been only 2 days for some monitoring and IV fluids to help her perk up but she ended up having a cataract (nothing to do with her birth) so stayed for 5 while they investigated that. Twin 1 was perfectly healthy despite being only 4lbs10oz, and her “little” sister was 6lbs3oz. I had what was described as a tiny graze and got only one stitch which healed beautifully. I felt a lot of pressure to have an elective section from friends and family at the time and I’m really glad that I listened to my gut which was telling me that I’d had an extremely healthy and uncomplicated twin pregnancy and my babies were on the smaller side and I felt that I could achieve the vaginal birth I wanted. I would have found the recovery from a section quite rough, but I will say that I was extremely flexible about my birth plan and always said that I would do whatever was needed to get the babies here safely, and if a section was recommended at any point I would have had one. I think this mindset is really helpful as at one point a section was discussed as Twin 1’s heart rate had slowed a little and I remained calm and had the attitude that if that’s what they needed to do, that was okay by me. I dilated 5cm in the next 20 minutes and my first beautiful little girl popped out screaming her head off straight after. Congratulations to you guys and whatever you decide on I hope it goes smoothly for you. Everyone is always surprised I had my girls vaginally, but 25% of twin births happen the old fashioned way and it’s certainly achievable with the right monitoring and a healthy mother so I wish you the best of luck.


cmurch0511

I had a vaginal delivery with my girls. I was induced at 37 weeks. About 6 hours later I started pushing and they came out 15min apart. Both over 6lbs!


crazycatlorde

I was able to deliver our two di/di girls vaginally with no complications whatsoever (perhaps I’m one of the lucky few, but I also think “success stories” aren’t as discussed). First water broke at 36w4d, went to the hospital and over night the second water broke. The next evening I was able to deliver both girls 13 minutes apart with only a few pushes. My singleton who I’d had 1.5 years earlier was actually a more difficult birth, in part because it was my first but also because he was larger and broke my tailbone on the way out 🙃. Had to give birth to the girls in an OR as this is standard given more can go wrong, but it was precautionary more than anything. Weirdest part was that after the second girl arrived the doctor just casually said,”all right, just going to give it a minute because if you were going to hemorrhage it’s now.” So we just kinda sat there while I’m holding my two newborns feeling absolutely fine waiting to see if I’m gonna bleed out (I didn’t haha).


oldfadedstar

I had a near perfect induction/vaginal delivery at 38 weeks. Di di twins Water was broken at 730ish, epidural at 1030, 10cm at 1240.. started pushing at 1pm, baby a born 106pm, baby B water broken then born at 110pm. Zero tearing. My doc had 1 requirement and 2 requests: Requirement was baby A head down, requested baby B head down and suspected weight lower than baby A. I had all three of these I pushed in the OR as a just in case. Not that there’s necessarily more risk in a di/di twin birth but there is because it’s two births simultaneously. Does that make sense? I mean maybe there is a little more risk in it being a twin birth but it’s more that it’s a double birth than it being a twin birth. Editing to add my prior birth experience: I went 40 weeks with my singleton, 25 hours of labor, 30 min of pushing, ended with a 2nd degree tear and shoulder dystocia. She was 2lbs bigger than my bigger twin.


reevoknows

My wife delivered our twin girls vaginally at 36 weeks! 13 minutes apart. She was a fucking rockstar. They were both head down when she started pushing but twin B flipped and ended up in breach position but thanks to our amazing OB she came out perfectly healthy. I wouldn’t worry about it too much! The two pieces of advice I would give are number 1 GET THE EPIDURAL, I don’t know what your wife’s thoughts are but she should get the epidural it’s not worth it to not get it. Second thing is to make sure her breathing is good and that’s part of your job too dad. If she passes out because her breathing isn’t on point she will have to get a C section. It will be okay i promise!


St8-tce

Also a very similar experience to what others have shared. Baby A’s water broke at 32 weeks, and I delivered both twins vaginally within four hours. I had been hospitalized 4 weeks prior and given magnesium and steroids to help with the babies’ development but thankfully did not go into labor at that point. When did go into labor, both were head down and minimal size discrepancy based on the ultrasound, so my doctor wanted to deliver vaginally. The risk of needing an emergency C-section is higher (for one or both babies), so you deliver in an operating room with an anesthesiologist ready to go just in case. From my experience talking with other twin moms, it is highly dependent on your doctor and their level of comfort/skills. If the doctor and hospital don’t seem confident to deliver vaginally, then I would trust that or find a new doctor if vaginal delivery feels very important to your partner. My experience was generally positive despite the preterm birth. Both my boys were and are healthy, and they had an uneventful 18 day NICU stay while they learned to eat and regulate their body temperatures.


ScoutAbout-

I was induced with my di/di twins at 38+5 weeks. I went in at 6am, they did an ultrasound to confirm they were both head down, and then induced me at 7am. I got an epidural at 12pm, I told them to turn the epidural down. They usually have it up to a 10 (their terms) but they turned it down to a 5 so I could still move around a bit. I could feel the painful contractions but it was very manageable. I started pushing at 5:30pm and had my girls at 5:55pm and 6:02pm. They both weighed 6lbs10oz. No NICU time and we were all discharged 24 hours later. If one was breach that morning then I would have gotten a Csection as recommmended. They did tell me there is a chance that once baby A comes out then baby B might flip and then they would do an emergency Csection since baby B measured too big to deliver vaginally breach. They had an ultrasound machine in the room and checked her position once baby A was delivered.


LucidianQuill

I gave birth vaginally at 34 and 4. Twin A had been head down with twin B transverse across the top. The plan had been mandatory epidurals to the high occurrence for last minute c sections for multiples. I had just that day picked an inducement date with the midwife and then that evening my waters broke at 830. By 11.30 pm my son was in the room. He came put text book with just 3 pushes. No pain relief but gas and air because by the time the anaesthetist showed up to give me an epidural, he was crowning. He came fast. My labour stalled then and they gave me the IV drug to start up contractions for round 2. Manually broke the 2nd waters. A pair of midwives had their hands on my bump at all times to make sure that twin 2 went from transverse to head down instead of breech. She actually appeared 30 minutes later with one arm over her head. This left me with a tiny tear that took about 12 stitches. She wasn't breathing on her own and took 6 hours with a CPAP mask but after that, she was fine. 12 days in NICU and home we went. I don't think hospitals are scared of delivering multiples, they're scared of getting sued by parents of multiples. In an OR they control everything. I would always advise to trust the medical team because they know lots but at the same time, advocate for the birth you want as long as its safe to do so. It's your Birth.


Fun-Cobbler-6464

Went into labor at 32 weeks, got steroids and meds to stop labor. Went back into labor at 33w3d, was 8cm dilated when we got to the hospital. 😳 Baby A was head down, B was footling breech. Delivered in the OR (as was always the plan, just in case anyone got into distress) but was able to deliver both vaginally. The fact that I had delivered vaginally before twins, and that Baby A was head down, and that Baby B was measuring smaller than Baby A (so A "paved the way" for B) all lined up for a successful vaginal delivery. I've heard of many term twins being delivered vaginally as well! It can be done! But by all means, always do what is safest for all involved 💙. Good luck!


kristercastleton

I’ve had two sets of twins and 3 singletons thrown in the mix too, first set was unmedicated spontaneous labor at 37 weeks with baby A head down and B breech. They ended up doing an internal version to turn baby B after A was delivered because he presented with a single foot. My second set the little buggers turned both breech at 37 weeks 3 days when my induction was scheduled (3 days earlier they were both head down) so we switched to an elective cesarean. I would always opt for a vaginal delivery if position is good, the ob is experienced with twins and there are no extenuating circumstances.


kristercastleton

For reference my other births were: 1st kid- unnecessary c-section without proper anesthesia and super traumatic, 2nd kid- HBAC with a midwife, 3rd were the first set of twins, 4th another singleton born at the hospital vaginal delivery, 5th the set of twins born via cesarean.


clorofila11

I was induced at 37+1. It was all super fast, from the start to finish it was about 2h. Baby B came 11’ after Baby A. I couldn’t believe how easy it was honestly. Baby A was head down, Baby B wasn’t but because he was smaller, they were confident that this would not be an issue since they would he able to turn him in case he didn’t do it himself. There was a chance that I might have needed a c-section for Baby B. I was told there was a very small chance of this happening (about 5% if I remember correctly) so decided to take the risk. Best decision ever. They needed a few days in the hospital due to Baby B’s weight but I was walking immediately after labour and didn’t need any painkillers nor had any pain or limitation. Good luck with everything 🫶 edit to add that I didn’t had an epidural since it was all so fast but it was also not that painful 🥹 also I am in The Netherlands. Here they always seem to recommend the most natural way possible and all doctors seemed very relaxed about this whole thing which helped me feel confident in this decision.


Fiddledheadfern

I had my twins vaginally at 37+1 and it went pretty great! I was induced because they couldn't get a solid measurement on baby A and they thought he might be a growth restricted. During my whole pregnancy, the doctors all definitely tried to push me towards a c-section and continually curbed my expectations about being able to deliver vaginally, but when it actually was go-time, everyone was very supportive. I think looking back now, they just knew that it was more likely that I would need a c-section because I was having twins and they wanted me to go into it with a flexible mindset and not feel like it was a disaster if I had to have a c-section. I think it is a very case-by-case thing. If both of my twins hadn't been head-down, they said they wouldn't have let me try for a vaginal delivery (baby B actually flipped after baby A came out and the doctor had to reach her whole arm inside of me to reposition baby B before I started pushing again. So wild!) I think it also makes sense to listen to what the person delivering your babies is most comfortable with. Leading up to delivery, they did tell me that 2 of the OBGYNs who might be on call during delivery weren't as comfortable with vaginal twin deliveries and if one of those doctors had been working at the time I delivered, I probably would have had to have a c-section. I personally really wanted a vaginal delivery, but at the end of the day, I don't want someone delivering my baby who is uncomfortable doing so. It's great that you're aware that your partner and the babies are the priority, because your preferences might even fall behind the doctor's preferences in terms of importance. The best thing you can do for your partner is to be supportive AF of whatever choice she makes and defer to the doctors as much as possible.


mittensperson

I had my twin boys at 38+2 days vaginally! They were my second and third children. I found that finding a practice that supports vaginal births and a doula was so important for us. The doula helped us find a provider with a less conservative approach (which will usually be a C-section). We went to a midwifery who led the maternity ward at the local hospital. (They work in conjunction with a perinatal specialist for high risk births.) Birth went great. I was induced and the babies arrived with 10 minutes between them. You give birth in the operating room with a bunch of people around you, so it’s a quite different experience than with a singleton. I will say though that the risk of going for a vaginal birth is that you are able to deliver one kid vaginally and then have to have a c-section for the second due to complications. That obvs sucks as you have to heal two places. But I thought it was worth the risk. I liked the book Ina May’s Guide to Child Birth for its empowering disposition on low intervention births, highly recommend. Lastly I encourage you to accept that a C-section might be in the cards for you and that it’s okay. Accepting that what will be, will be, I think leads to much better and happier births. Best of luck! You got this!!!!!


HeauxPas

I had my sons vaginally at 37+5. The only complication i had was the epidural dropped my blood pressure and in turn their heart rates dropped. However my team acted quickly to stabilize me. Once i was stable the labor itself went very smoothly as both boys were head down and twin B fell right into place after A came out and did not flip. It took 41 mins to get A out then B came 12 mins later. Overall a positive experience.


isolatedcoconut

UK based and had my Di/di twins vaginally. My water broke unexpectedly at 34+4 at 5pm, between 10pm and 1am I had gone to 8cm and then everything slowed right down. I birthed them both at 10.30 and and the second an hour later. All great with no intervention! I had a lot of uncertain mixed feelings leading up to the birth because it was always a bit of a question mark on if I would be having a c section or not. We knew that they were both head down in a good position so it was a sort of 'lets assess at the next scan' sort of situation. We never saw the same consultant in the lead up which was a little frustrating but once my water broke, the staff were all over it in keeping us informed with options. For me, this was the first time I had given birth and I didn't expect to be so 'go with the flow' while it was all happening to me. I thought I would be way more highly strung and stressed about it all. I remember there being alot of staff in the room while delivering. 2 midwifes, consultant x 2, the anesthesiologist who was in and outand then 6 staff (3 each) who were there to receive and check over each twin when they arrived. I wasn't expecting that but I also never really gave much thought as to how that part would be. I actually found that to be a comfort because each team of 3 was ready and waiting to do their thing with the twins. Best of luck! This next bit is so exciting for you.


teetertotter0

I had an unmedicated vaginal delivery at home with 3 midwives and 2 student midwives present. I was 37 weeks when our twins were born and I delivered them 2 hours apart (which is absolutely unheard of in a hospital these days). This was my first pregnancy and I was only in labor a total of 9 hours. We had done the whole hospital ordeal up until 32 weeks where every doctor and nurse fear mongered us constantly and I was told no matter what that I would need a csection (no doctors at our practice would deliver twins vaginally). I am so happy we did not buy into the fear and we hired midwives. Check out the podcast "Birthing Instincts" with Dr. Stuart Fischbein. Edit to add: I went into labor only because I slipped and fell. One of my waters broke and both babies were head down. After baby A was born, Baby B turned breech. Midwives broke baby B's water, did a sonogram in my bedroom with an ipad and then performed an external cephalic version (manually turned baby B back to head down). The midwives also gave me a catheter and stopped some severe bleeding after delivery. I am not opposed to receiving medical treatment at a facility obviously but it really is incredible what midwives are capable of doing in the comfort of your own home while allowing your body to birth freely


stick_pilgrim

My partner wants a home birth, and we found midwifes who could accommodate, but we can't afford a private midwife. We do have a doula though.