A Birth Story of Twins {IVF}

My husband and I had to conceive our twins through IVF.

They are fraternal boys. I knew from the start I wanted a natural birth, with no epidural and every day just prayed they would stay in the right position to allow for it. I had smooth sailing until about 19 weeks and by 20 weeks was put on complete bed rest due to funneling, which means my cervix was thinning quick. I was dilated at 1-2 by 21 weeks.

The first week was hospital bed rest and I begged to go home. Around then is when my husband was able to feel the boys kick, so it was then more early tracking to be told that the hospital doubted I would be carrying them past 22 weeks. Well, they sent me home on strict bed rest and had to make appointments with my MFM to see him once a week. We lived 45-50 minutes from the MFM and the hospital we were planning on delivering at.

So off to home sweet home my husband and I went. While he worked, my mom stayed with me. It worked out well, but by the time I reached 28 weeks I was 3-4 centimeters dilated, and frankly, I astounded the doctors and nurses that I hadn’t gone into labor. They would give me the weekly tests to see if labor was imminent, and they always came back negative, so back to home we would go.

By 33 weeks I was put back in the hospital and given magnesium to stop active labor I was at 4-5 centimeters dilated by now. The magnesium worked and for two weeks I stayed in the hospital.

At 35 weeks the doctor allowed me to go back home and carry out bed rest and pregnancy. I think at this point he knew we would be okay. That night my husband and I were sitting on our back deck and as I went to get up I felt a pop… And then a gush of water I said, “Honey, I believe my water just broke,” he asked, “Are you sure?” And then he looked at me and boy I’ve never seen him move so fast.

We texted and called the people we needed to and headed to the hospital. He was going about 80 on the highway when we got pulled over. We had leather seats so I had wrapped myself up in a throw blanket to try to contain the intermittent gushes of water. The officer comes to the window, and my husband explained why we are going so fast, as I pull back the blanket so he can see my drenched yoga pants. Officer was not fazed, and proceeded to give my husband a lecture on why you don’t speed and tells him that he can send for an ambulance that will take me to a close hospital.

My husband said no her doctor is in Columbus you can give us an escort. Oh no he says. So off with a warning we go and sure enough he followed close to us just so my husband wouldn’t speed until we got to the interstate. We get to the hospital, he wheels me upstairs and now the contractions are close but bearable. I’m checked and sitting at 6-7 dilation. They tell me I will have to deliver in the OR even though the boys are in correct position because there is that small chance baby B could flip when baby A is delivered.

I refuse an epidural at this point, but because it’s done in the OR I was MADE (when I say I had no choice they gave me NO choice). I was so upset my mom and husband and sister were upset that they would not listen to my wishes. So in goes my epidural and guess what it – doesn’t work! I have a very messed up arthritic back and because of that, the epidural never went in right…did they take it out…NOPE!

So I have this catheter in my spine delivering medics to my left thigh and continually beeping a warning saying it’s not working. Did they care, not really. I went from 6-7 to 10 by 10pm, and off to the delivery room they take me to start pushing. Only my husband was allowed in so my mom and sister were upset about that.

I just wanted these babies out, lol! Baby A was always in such a hurry to enter the world that now he was like oh no way mama I’m staying in, hahaha. Let me tell ya, laying on an OR table is not comfortable when you are in hard labor and trying to push – it felt so archaic.

I went back there at 10pm 6/21and Liam was not born until 6:34 am 6/22. He was a perfectly healthy 4lb 10oz baby boy and Elijah was born 28 minutes later at 7:01am and was a healthy 5lb .04 oz baby! We all got to go home together two days later on my husband and I’s 5th wedding anniversary! I was able to breast feed Elijah and pump for Liam until 8 weeks when my supply (due to my fertility issues) decided not to supply anymore. It was devastating, but my babies still grew and grew and are now very active, very healthy, and very ornery 3 year olds.

I lost a natural baby (which was such a miracle that I even had a natural pregnancy) after they turned a year and I know if we are ever blessed with another natural healthy pregnancy my whole labor and delivery will be done how I want and I will be darned if I’m bullied by doctors and nurses!  I probably gave you guy’s waaaay more story then you wanted hahahaha! Here are some pictures of the babes and I before delivery, after and now 🙂

4 days before delivery (34 weeks 4days)