If you had your twins vaginally ...

I'm curious: I kept hearing on this board and another multiples board that it's standard for twin moms to deliver in the OR. I ended up switching OBs around week 31 to an OB who was more "natural-friendly" and a lot more flexible, and he was fine with me delivering in my labor/delivery/recovery room. The OR team was prepped and waiting in the hallway during my whole 3-hour pushing stage, and apparently they were pressuring my doc to move me into the OR, but he told them things were going fine and this was what I wanted so he saw no reason to move me.

Just wondering if many others of you had the same experience or if it's unusual that I was "allowed" to deliver my twins in a regular hospital room. (Also curious if it's the same in Canada, England, or other countries.)

I enabled "multiple choice" for those of you who have had more than one set of twins.

 

I ended up with a section after an unsuccessful induction but I was told that I'd labor up until the pushing stage in a jumbo delivery room and then they'd move me to the OR and finally to a regular room for the remainder of my stay. This was presented as hospital policy and I was informed that I could only have one person with me in the OR. This was OK with me so I didn't make any effort to get an exception.

 

I looked at three hospitals in my area; all had the policy that twins needed to be born in the OR, whether vaginal or C-section. I've been told by a lot of people that it's the recommendation of a bunch of medical organizations too (AMA, American Pediatrics, or whomever, I haven't paid attention to the labels).

 

I was induced and kept in a antepartum room until I was ready to push. At that time, I was wheeled into the OR. They took half an hour to set up in there with tons of people, all for me to have delivered both babies 12 minutes after they finished :lol: . Everyone was great there. I felt very comfortable laboring in the OR. I'm sure the constantly fed epidural helped with that .

 

QUOTE(idril @ Jan 23 2009, 09:16 AM) [snapback]1158685[/snapback]
I looked at three hospitals in my area; all had the policy that twins needed to be born in the OR, whether vaginal or C-section. I've been told by a lot of people that it's the recommendation of a bunch of medical organizations too (AMA, American Pediatrics, or whomever, I haven't paid attention to the labels).


I can understand wanting to be ready for an emergency C-section but since my pushing stage was so long, it was great that I could be in a comfortable, adjustable bed with just DH and a nurse in the room and the OB and others just checking in from time to time (until Baby A crowned and then the room filled up!). I'm not sure if doing it the way we did was "risky" ... the OR team was prepped and standing by right outside the room, they gave DH scrubs in case they'd be needed, and it would've taken just a few minutes to wheel my bed down the hall to the OR and transfer me to the operating table if necessary ...

 

we delivered in an L&D room. my OB told me that we had to deliver in an OR, "just in case", but the OB on call at the hospital when i went into labour was fine with us delivering in the L&D room. he said if we needed to move to the OR, we would, otherwise there was no reason to be in there. the only reason i didn't want to deliver in the OR was that my OB also told me that i could only have one support person which meant that my doula wouldn't have been able to be there - and that, frankly, would have sucked arse. however, the OB on call said that as long as i wasn't in need of a section that having two support people in the OR was fine. frankly, my OB was just a control freak & kept telling me about all of these "policies" that had "no exceptions" which later turned out to just be her personal preference. i'm so glad she wasn't the doc on call when i was in labour. we really didn't like each other by the end of my pregnancy. alas!

 

They had the OR ready for us to deliver vaginally, but after my water breaking many hours previously (close to 24), and being maxed out on pitocin, I ended up in the OR with a C-section

 

I had my girls in the OR. What really bugged me about it - even though my girls were full term and fine, b/c of the fact I delivered in the OR they were taken from me and I had to go sit in the recovery room for an hour, because that is standard procedure. I'd not had an operation so I just sat there eating ice chips and wondering what my babies were doing for an hour.

 

I labored in a regular room, but had to quickly be moved to an OR when Baby A started to come. I was glad because I had to then have an emergency c-section for Baby B.

 

I had to deliver in the OR because of the prematurity of my twins. The rescusitation room was right off the OR. I lived in the hospital for 11 weeks before they were born though so I felt like I was delivering at home I knew all the staff in the room when I was delivering and they allowed both my mom and DH to be there. It was pretty special to be delivering in that kind of atmosphere. The whole room was in tears and I trusted everything that was happening so much. It took a lot of the fear out of a very scary birth.

 

Wow, you are lucky! I wish I would have had that option. I had to be in the OR and they made it sound like it was illegal for me to be anywhere else. I guess I didn't care super much by that point, but still it was definitely NOT how I envisioned birthing to be before I found out I was having twins. I'm still really glad that I was able to have them vaginally though.

 

I was told OR but ended up in a regular jumbo sized L&D room. Both babies were head down and had Baby B flipped the Dr was OK with delivering breech...as was I....I wanted to avoid a C-sec at all cost! I'm sure had it headed in that direction I was right down the hallway from the OR.

 

OR here too....it was/is the hospital's protocol...that and mine were 9 weeks early.

My husband was so happy when we moved to the OR because it was so much cooler in there....he gets grumpy when he's hot and we don't want a grumpy daddy now do we??

 

Interesting results! Thanks to all who participated.

My OB was also willing to do a breech extraction for Baby B ... which we thought wouldn't be necessary when B was head-down the night before, but when A came out and he did the u/s, B had flipped yet again so the doctor did a breech extraction after all. I'd done research on breech extractions and was delighted to have an OB who was up for the challenge. SO glad I avoided a double whammy as well.

 

I chose "other" because I didn't deliver in the OR, but in a special "high risk" delivery room across from the OR (it also had a special "resuscitation room" adjacent that doctors could access from the outside without coming through the room). It was plain (not fancy like the hospital's regular delivery rooms) and located in a different area of the hospital than the regular delivery rooms, but it wasn't the OR either.

edit: spelling

 

Hospital's policy is OR delivery for multiples... not necessarily my OB's policy. I labored in a regular birthing room and when it was time, was moved to OR. Delivered one son with the plan of breech extraction for the other. However, he flipped and my cervix closed. I was moved back into the birthing suite to labor some more and delivered my other son in there.

 

I am only 30 weeks - Dr has been telling me all through out that it was likely going to be C-section but now babies are both head down I am told we will try vaginal birth. I was super shocked b/c I was sure it was going to be c-section. Dr said that if I did try vaginal it would have to be in the OR and I would have to have an epidural. (I do not have a high pain thresh hold so I'm okay with that). I am terrified I'll get one out and have a c-section for the 2nd!

 

I delivered in the OR with 18 people in the room, yes 18!!! Since it was my 2nd time giving birth it really didn't bother me but my husband was freaked out by it, he didn't make a sound the whole entire birth.

 

I laboured in a comfortable L&D room and that's where most people have their singletons. But I moved to the OR in time to push. James (twin B) was breech so there was always the chance it could turn into a C section after I had Evan vaginally (if James didn't flip or didn't easily come breech - he was the bigger twin so I guess they worried twin A wouldn't clear enough of a "path" for him to come breech - just a potential problem, I guess). Both boys were born vaginally without incident and just 23 minutes of pushing. I didn't mind giving birth in the OR. I wasn't on an operating table, I stayed on a bed (they just wheeled me in there) and the operating table was sort of beside me, just in case. It was just myself, a nurse and my husband in there until Evan was ready to pop out and then there were three doctors, 2 respiratory therapists, 2 pediatric nurses, and who else knows who - just in case they were needed. But everything went fine. It was reassuring to know that everything was in place if necessary. Everyone was respectful of the birthing process and they left as soon as it was realized that I wasn't going to need any special intervention. I had the babes in my arms within minutes.

I think birthing multiples in the OR is very common at Mt. Sinai where I had my twins (in Toronto). But, honestly, they were so kind and accommodating I bet they would have let me have them in any room. But I didn't want to put my babies at any risk just because the L&D suite was prettier! An OR was fine with me.

 

QUOTE(CHJH @ Jan 23 2009, 07:12 PM) [snapback]1159603[/snapback]
But I didn't want to put my babies at any risk just because the L&D suite was prettier! An OR was fine with me.


Just to clear up any possible misunderstanding of my posts ... I did not do it because the LDR room was "prettier," and the OB did not think we were putting my babies at any risk. Both the OB and I had the approach that we wanted to do whatever it took to have healthy babies and a healthy mom, without any *unnecessary* interventions. Not everything that's "standard" is necessary, and the world of obstetrics is a bit infamous for continuing to do things that are "standard" even when they are not evidence-based (e.g. a "standard" C-section for a breech Baby B when the research actually supports a breech extraction in those cases).

 

I laboured in a regular labour and delivery room, but as soon as Twin A was crowing they rushed me to the OR where they had a staff of 14 (may I say holy crap!) waiting should something go wrong. This was standard procedure for twins. I was only in there about half an hour while delivering them, and then I was wheeled back to the labour room. A team of nurses for each baby (and for me) also came, and they bathed the babies etc right in front of me. My only regret is that I didn't get to hold either of them as soon as they were born, although I did get to see where they were the whole time.

 

My peri always delivered twins in the O.R., vaginally or c-section. They wanted to be in the operating room in case a c-section became necessary.

 

I had my in a L&D suite. It was cool, and quite the audience, I think there was 11 or 12 medical people.

 

I was in a standard L&D room until it was time to push. Then they moved me to the OR for the actual birth. All told I was in the OR for about 35 minutes. 10 to deliver both babies and the placentas. The rest for stictching (level II tear) and clean up.

The drugs made me very loopy so I have no clue how many people were in the room other than the people in the immediate vacinity who were talking to me - the doctor, backup doctor, two nurses and my husband. And to be honest I never even saw my husband in the room until he asked if he could go with the babies.

 

I gave birth in a Labour and Delivery room. They were delivered by a student midwife, under the supervision of an experienced midwife. No one asked me if I minded if the student delivered them. I knew she was there, but I didn't know she'd play such an active roll. There were a total of about 10 people in the room. Midwives, student midwife, 2 residents and 2 pediatricians.

 

QUOTE(SC_Amy @ Jan 23 2009, 07:28 PM) [snapback]1159621[/snapback]
Just to clear up any possible misunderstanding of my posts ... I did not do it because the LDR room was "prettier," and the OB did not think we were putting my babies at any risk. Both the OB and I had the approach that we wanted to do whatever it took to have healthy babies and a healthy mom, without any *unnecessary* interventions. Not everything that's "standard" is necessary, and the world of obstetrics is a bit infamous for continuing to do things that are "standard" even when they are not evidence-based (e.g. a "standard" C-section for a breech Baby B when the research actually supports a breech extraction in those cases).


Just to clear up any possible misunderstanding of MY post, I was actually talking about MY experience and it really did run through my head that the L&D room was not only prettier, but more comfortable with a soft chair for my husband, a bath tub and shower, and a TV among other things. It really did cross my mind that it would be nicer to stay in there. But since this was my first pregnancy and delivery, I went to the OR, since that seemed to be protocol. I am assuming that your example of a standard C section for breech baby B was also directed at ME (am I right?) - in which case I would like to point out that the OB was fine with attempting a breech delivery so long as the baby seemed willing. Luckily he turned and I avoid both a breech extraction and a C-section. Sorry if I touched on a nerve for you. I really was just sharing my story.

 

My girls were born vaginally. My doctor had said we would be in the OR it was hospital policy or some jazz. It was so lame though I entered the hospital in full labor and progressed quickly. I labored in my room for about an hour and they had to quickly get me to the OR. They expected me to hop over to the other bed it was a jke and two nurses (male) had to move me. So uncomfortable with your feet above your head in stirrups and no leverage. But all was fine and over in 2 1/2 hours.

 

QUOTE(CHJH @ Jan 23 2009, 11:25 PM) [snapback]1159991[/snapback]
I am assuming that your example of a standard C section for breech baby B was also directed at ME (am I right?) - in which case I would like to point out that the OB was fine with attempting a breech delivery so long as the baby seemed willing. Luckily he turned and I avoid both a breech extraction and a C-section. Sorry if I touched on a nerve for you. I really was just sharing my story.


Nope, it was just an example that came to mind of something I came across during my pregnancy where I kept hearing something was "standard" but then I'd hear about very experienced MFMs who did things differently and I'd do research to try to figure out whether the "standard" or protocol was really what was best or not--whether it was based on the latest research or just what the OB knew and was comfortable with, etc. It seemed tough to find good twin-specific research on the more natural, low-intervention childbirth options. The breech thing was a big issue in my pregnancy because my Baby B kept flipping between vertex and breech during the third trimester--including right before delivery--which is why I thought of that as an example. [Since it seemed like you might have been implying--I said might, which is why I said I wanted to clear up a "possible" misunderstanding; I wasn't jumping to conclusions--that if a mom asks for something other than the standard she's probably putting her babies at risk ... since I've found a lot of people do assume that, that it must be standard/protocol for a good reason. But I found that in some cases the reason is just liability or even medical convenience even if it's not always what's really best for the mom and baby/ies.] Anyhow thanks for clarifying you weren't assuming anything about other moms' decisions.

 

i think i am very lucky to live where i do. it does depend on which hospital and the exp of the consultant. i had a very experienced consultant who was confident enough in the midwives to let them lead. i only had a doc at the start to break my waters. after that i had 1 midwife until i had delivered oran, then another midwife came in to help with delivering brook. very lucky to be in a room with a birthing pool and an ensuite shower, so about half an hour after delivering the placenta i was up and having a shower. it was an amazing exp for my husband who was completely involved all the way through.

 

In the OR, just in case something went wrong and a section had to be done. Never asked to have them in a regular room so don't know if it would have been allowed, my doc said that is how they did it with twins and that was fine by me.

Dianna

 

I labored in an antepartum room and moved into the OR to push- and lucky I did! DS was born vaginally, pretty quickly and easily, 10 minutes/3 contractions. While he was on my chest and we were admiring him, DD decided to push her arm out, then her umbilical cord- no head first for her! They kicked DP and our friend out of the OR and had me under and DD out via c-section within 3 minutes.

Both babies were vertex, DD was just impatient, I guess. We were all back in out comfy postpartum room right after delivery, before I was really aware of what was going on.

Best wishes for your healthy babies!

 

Also delivered in the OR, hospital procedure. When I was complete, they just wheeled me with my bed and everything to the OR. Baby A was out in 4 pushes and B 4 minutes later by breech extraction. It was a fairly small OR and I was able to hold them quickly (and see them all the time), although they were being checked out. Then I went to recovery, while holding the babies (checking my ds's blood sugar levels, since he scored 5/9), getting cleaned, etc. And then they put me in a wheelchair, held 2 babies and they brought me to my room.