My Birth Story - Caleb and Mackenzie are here!

Hi all!
It has taken me this long to get back to the site and tell you about my birth story. My babies are now nearly 7 weeks old. Today is their 40 week due date but they were born 7 weeks early at 33 weeks and two days. I was on bedrest at home for 1.5 weeks and then in the hospital for 8 weeks and thankfully I was able to make it far enough along so the babies were in good shape when they were born. I was originally put on bedrest because of a shortened cervix but I developed preeclampsia around week 29 and it kicked into overdrive at week 33. Because I had to be on mag sulfate until after the delivery we decided that a c-section was the best delivery mode. This was disappointing to me because both of the babies were vertex and I was really hoping to try a vaginal delivery.
Mackenzie Elizabeth (aka Baby A) was born one minute before her brother and weighed 4lbs, 4oz and was 17 3/4 inches long, her brother Caleb Leslie (aka Baby B) weighed 4lbs, 7oz and was 17.5 inches long.
Both babies came out screaming and were very healthy. Although the babies were healthy they needed to learn to feed and grow. Caleb and Mackenzie spent 3 weeks in the NICU and came home one day apart (Caleb was first) just in time for my 32nd birthday on July 11.
The c-section went ok for me but was definately harder because I was so weak from the bedrest and mag sulfate. We had our doula attend the c-section and she was wonderful! She was able to be with me the whole time, even when I was getting my spinal and getting prepped. She took video and photos during the surgery so that my husband could focus on me and the babies. I stayed in the hospital to recover for 5 days and then (FINALLY!!!) was able to go home!!! My blood pressure was still quite high so I was put on meds to keep that under control. I spent the next weeks trying to rest and recover while pumping breast milk and visiting the twins in the NICU. Despite the fact that the babies were healthy, they had jaundice and needed to spend a few days under the billi lights. The nurses and docs in the NICU were amazing but it was very difficult to not be able to take our babies home with us. It felt as though they were not our children because we were not with them and caring for them like normal parents do when their babies are born.
The babies have been home a month now. We love having our family all together and are enjoying getting to know Caleb and Mackenzie. We are not sleeping much at all and feel like we have entered an alternative universe but....
I must say as hard as it has been it was all worth it!!! As cliche as it sounds the babies are the lights of our lives, our dreams come true!!

 

congrats!

 

:birthday: Babies Congrats mom! :drinks:

 

That's wonderful! I"m so glad everyone is home and healthy! Congrats!

 

Congrats!! I am so happy to hear that you are all home together now. And although it is certainly an adjustment, it is worth every sleepless moment. I wish you the best!

 

Congratulations!! x

 

Congratulations! So glad that you are all at home and healthy! Happy belated Birthday! Join us in the FY forum!

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

Wow, glad to hear you are finally back home and everyone is doing well! Congratulations!!

 

congratulations! post pics when you can!

congratulations! post pics when you can!

 

Congratulations on your babies' births! :sign0016: to FY!