Twin Home Birth Story: Frank and Footling Breech

Please research your options, risks and benefits, interview different care providers and choose what is best for your birth. This story is Melissa’s and her family’s…and theirs only. {BWF}

January 26th, a Thursday, I laid in bed with my Hypnobabies CD on like every night. Hubby laid with me and quietly played games on his phone. Everything felt normal and I was just 2 hours from being 38 weeks.

At 10:30pm I got up to pee and with a giant gush there went my waters. I was a little nervous and knew it was time and my babies would be here soon. Holding back tears I called my midwife, doula, and best friend. I was a little nervous, because the waters were pink and I never had that before, but was reassured by my midwife.

An hour later, contractions started at about 10 minutes apart and irregular. So hubby and I started setting up the pool while we waited for the midwife assistant to come. She arrived around 2:30am, monitored the babies and they were doing great. The midwife lives about 4 hours away so we expected her around 4am. By this time we had a full house. It was reassuring and comfortable, but I was still waiting for something dramatic to happen.

I never felt out of control or scared. I felt the exact opposite. It was great! I was encouraged to rest because knowing baby A was breech, I would need my strength to push. I was able to rest, eat, shower…whatever I wanted without the restrictions of monitors and hospital rules.

After many hours of a boring labor without chaos, I was awakened by my first “Whoa” type of contraction around 6am. About this time my kids started waking up for school. These continued for the next hour as I calmly worked through them with breathing. My 3 kids ages 7,6,and 4 calmly went about business as usual as I worked. A few times they checked on me and asked when the babies would be here and I could only respond with soon.

At 7am it was time to get in the birthing pool that was set up in the middle of the dining room. It felt amazing and just what I needed at that point. My midwife seemed to know what I needed before I did. My 4 year old daughter was present the entire time. She loved rubbing my back with frequent costume changes so her brothers could see all her pretty outfits.

Finally around Noon, it was time to push. It took a lot of work to get baby A down in his complete breech position. The midwife tickled his feet and he was able to switch to a more favorable frank breech position scrotum presenting first.

Liam arrived at 2pm weighing in at 6lbs 10oz. He was beautiful. Very short time of cuddling him and I had to hand him of to Daddy. It was time to push again.

To everyone’s surprise Baby B was coming bag intact and also breech. I quickly pushed and Noah was born a footling breech at 2:49pm and weighing 6lbs 5oz. It was amazing I did it and I was grateful! My babies were here healthy, full term and I was without pain, medication, or tears.

After learning to juggle 2 babies at 1 time in the tub, it was time to move to the couch wrapped in blankets to cuddle, nurse, and eat a grand meal prepared by my wonderful husband. The kids came home from school to meet their new brothers still naked on the couch.

After a few hours we were ready for a warm herbal bath, clean jammies and tucked into our own bed where we stayed for the first week. It was wonderful no one rushed us. It was completely on our schedule.