Helllooooo. Ok. So, as you may know I changed my induction date to Friday 21st December because my wee boy Alex was starring in his school Nativity play on the Thursday and I didn't want to miss that. I'd spent most of the start of the week with my feet up as I desperately wanted to see him! On Wednesday 19th at ohhh around 1.45pm I was just about to make myself some soup at lunchtime, planning to go to a couple of shops after my lunch. I had bent down to get the tin, straightened up again and.... POP. Lovely warm amniotic fluid oozed down my leg. I'd never had my waters breaking before- so, as you do, I immediately panicked! luckily hubby was working from home. In tears I shouted on him thinking "Oh my God, I'm going to give birth any minute/ I'm not going to see Alex's school show/ I was just about to pop to Woolworths too!" Forgetting my history of long, lingering labours I hysterically called the Maternity ward from my toilet seat asking "My waters have gone- Is it OK to be sitting on the toilet? Will I give birth here?" The midwife was lovely, kept in her laughter and just told me to calmly get some towels and come down to the ward. Stewart seemed to take the bumpiest route and narrowly missed us being squished by another car in the carpark on our journey to the hospital. Then we parked at the wrong entrance and had to plead that I could feel a baby's head to be let past security to get into the maternity! (I couldn't by the way!) And then, when we were safely on the ward... nothing. I was examined and was- woohoo wait for it- 1 cm! They didn't want to let me go though as it was a twin pregnancy (and- to tell the truth, I didn't want to be sent away) so I was given a lovely room and told to rest up for the night, and that they would start the pessaries and the likes in the morning if I didn't go into established labour alone. So, I got on my PJs, popped on the TV and sent away Stewart for a lovely night's sleep. He was away 10 minutes when the first contraction hit. Oh, hello that old familiar feeling that we soon forget after the birth! Then after another 10 minutes I had another. I called the midwife and monitors were set up. Sure enough the contractions were starting, and soon they were quite regular, so Stewart was called (poor mite was only 20 minutes into his night sleep) at 11pmish. So he arrived and I was moved to the high risk pregnancy ward, where they routinely deliver twins. And.... the contractions slowed down! By this time though I was absolutely exhausted. The night before my 5 year old and two year olds had been up with bad colds and sickness so we hadn't slept much. And, although I was being told that I wasn't in fully established labour, each contraction was so sore. I was using gas and air to get through them at this point, but just felt that I couldn't do the birth thing, feeling too old/ tired/ scared to death. I've had a feeling the whole pregnancy that there might be a problem delivering twin 2; they had been lying in a transverse position, so I'd been looking into epidurals as an option for pain relief. I asked the midwife about it and she wasn't keen, she told me it would probably slow everything down further, but I was insistent. She went and spoke to the anestheitist (sp) and came back, and again said she didn't want me to go down that route- but it was my decision. She said I could have a spinal block if there was a problem with twin 2. Then WHOOAH, another two almighty contractions came and I said "please just get me an epidural!" So, my wish was their command and within minutes of the epidural being set up I couldn't believe how effective it was. I didn't feel a thing! Not a sausage! A wee student midwife was reading my monitor and saying things like "oh that's a big contraction" and I was just like "was it????" It was AMAZING! (I've since been told not to share this information as lots of epidurals don't work or are very patchy- so there's the disclaimer- but mine was WONDERFUL). Oh, this was all happening in the wee small hours of the 20th of December- Stewart had crashed out on a recliner chair beside my bed and missed the action. His snoring was monumental. At 5.30 am (why do these things not happen during regular office hours?) I was told I was fully dilated and would be getting ready for the pushing stage (really? - did I tell you I LOVE epidurals?) So I gently tried to wake Stewart with a "your babies will be here soon" and he said sleepily "oh, I don't think so" and rolled on to his other side. I then gave a gentle "HAW YOU GET UP" and he woke with a start. Heheh! Pushing commenced around 6.45, and at 7am wee baby Sophie, who was supposed to be a boy, was born (6lbs 11oz)! All the scans had said twin 1 was a boy! I was relieved that she was safe, Stewart was relieved but thinking "OH my goodness, if twin 2 is a girl too Alex and I are outnumbered!" And then the mood in the room changed. The cord of twin 2 prolapsed so loads of folk flooded into the room, legs were put in stirrups and forceps were wheeked out. THANK GOD FOR EPIDURALS!!!! My wee boy Euan (6lbs 10oz) was born looking very blue and lifeless at 7.28am. My heart stopped- and then he gave a wee gurgle and the most amazing cry I'd ever heard. So I'm tired but feeling like I've just been given the best Christmas present in the world. I love my wee family so much. Alex, Emilie, Sophie and Euan. It's going to be crazy at my house- and not at all what I ever expected- but it's going to be the best too. God love those wee ones with me as their mum, but I'll try to do my bestest for them all. http://www.hisbest.eclipse.co.uk/wee_Euan.jpg http://www.hisbest.eclipse.co.uk/wee_Sophie.jpg
Amazing that they messed up the gender on the u/s!! how nice for your dd and ds to each get a baby for themselves!!
Congrats! They are adorable!!! (and, I am crying a little bit...man I get weepy reading these birth stories!)
What a precious birth story! Congratulations! That's amazing that you had a little gender surprise!! Enjoy your family!
Awesome birth story! Make sure to save it and print it up for their baby books! awesome pictures! Congrats!
Congrats!! What a great story!! Your kids are the same age mine were when my kids were born. Its gonna be crazy but wonderful!
:birthday: babies! Congratulations momma! What a great story, and they are gorgeous. Now, enjoy those new babies. I had to giggle about dh sleeping in the chair. During each of my deliveries, that was so my dh! I tried to wake him and once even threw a shoe at him, but he continued to sleep through the entire thing, each time. He only ever got up when the doctor was actually in there to deliver!
What a fantastic story -thanks for taking the time to tell us - your babies are BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!! and I too thank God for epidurals every day - I'd take one now if they'd let me...........
Great birth story! I am so glad everything went so well-and what great birth weights!!! They are very big beautiful babies!!
OMGosh, Lynie, you are so funny! So did you think all this time you were having 2 boys? Wow, that's amazing! I'm glad everything turned out so well. And good thing DH got in that last nap -- it'll be awhile before he gets another
Congratulations! :Clap: How amazing to end up with a boy and a girl after the many u/s told you differently. I'm glad everything went relatively well for you and the labor was quick. Congrats again!
