My birth story - delivering my twin boys

Firstly thank you all very much for your well wishes and words of congratulations. We finally got home today - i didn't want to leave the hospital without my second baby, especially as they started to let me hold him and try to nurse... Anyway, this is my story...

At 35 weeks (Friday) i started throwing up in the middle of the night and everyone was convinced - this is it! but nothing happened. On Tuesday I went to my appointment in the high risk ward at Al Wasl at 35.5 weeks and mentioned that i had a lot of pain 'down'. I wasnt sure if it was simply the weight of the babies. The doctor checked and told me i was 3cm and both were head down - boy was i excited! My doctor had told me that she was comfortable for me to deliver after 34 weeks as the babies were a good size already. After the internal i was spotting and the next day started passing the mucus plug in bits. By Sunday i was struggling to walk as the pain in my pelvis was so bad. My regular doctor checked me and said i was 2cm but could be stretched to 3cm but didnt want to as i was in pain. I was sooo upset. Then we saw that baby b had turned tranverse. My doctor, Dr Muna Tahlak reassured me that she would be confident attempting to deliver them naturally as baby A was head down...but she was going to be traveling from Thursday and advised that if i dont go into labour before that i opt for a csection since she doesnt know who would deliver me and if they'd be comfortable with delivering the baby in that position. I went back on Tuesday 28th, threw up in the car on the way there too which was vile as you can imagine! They did a CTG - all normal. Some contractions but not in labour. I waited for Dr Muna as she was supposed to check me to decide if they would give things a gentle 'nudge' but she couldnt be reached. Long story short she was tracked down, looked at me and said admit for induction. I was 36.5 weeks. They admitted me and started a CTG. 20 minutes in, and natural contractions started strong and regular! They gave me a pessary at 430pm and by 1030pm i was having contractions HARD and one minute apart. Internal exam - 4cm and advised me to have an epidural as i would get too tired to push two. I had already decided to have an epidural so that when the time came to turn Baby B if needed, i could lie back and let her do what needed to be done. I was also very at peace with the fact that i might need to deliver Baby B via emergency csection and didnt want to delay anything by needing anaethesia. (Anyone who is familar with my delivery of my DD would understand that i wanted to have the birth experience that Medcare took from me). I asked for a walking epidural and was not able to walk but could move my legs which was great. They checked me at 230am and nothing! Contractions were good and strong but my cervix was not anymore dialated and was still not ready for them to rupture my waters. Next check 630am. So DH finally agreed to go home and get some sleep at 3am and my mother and mother in law went out to find chairs to rest in. At around 445am another doctor came in and asked if she could examine me. I would normally have an issue with this but something told me to trust her. She said my cervix was all ready except one small area(probably due to a surgery i had had) and that she would rupture the water of Baby A. She said we'll call ur DH at 8cm, that she would go to pray fajr and be back in 10minutes. My mother then came in and i told her to call a nurse because my epidural wasnt working - i was having to breath through the contractions and they hurt! i told the nurses and they said unless there is pressure dont worry...THERE WAS PRESSURE. I kinda lost it at this point. I needed someone! The doctor came running in and checked. Very calmly she said "the head is there - when you are ready...". I needed my DH, my doctor..my mother was frantically calling them. Both were on their way. She ran to get my MIL... i couldn't wait for DH. I had to push. No one touched me. My mother and MIL held my hand and another doctor had an ultrasound machine to check Baby B's position - he had turned head down!!! She was holding him through my tummy to make sure he didnt move. My feet were on the bed - my knees bent in the position i put them in. The next thing i knew i pushed twice and his head was out and then pushed again, maybe twice and i felt his body come. The panic suddenly went - i remember putting my head back to breathe, they broke my second water, gave me baby A but then the contractions were too hard. They took him to the warmer and in two pushes Baby B was born. At this point my doctor runs in completely stunned and confused that both were there already. Then in dashes DH. They delivered 'the rest' almost without me realising and then gave me sometime with my family. Baby A was born at 5.16am weighing 2.59kg and Baby B at 5.22am weighing 2.94kg. Baby A was on my chest and crawled to my breast himself. It then became apparent that Baby B was struggling to breathe and was whisked off to Nicu (that needs another post). I had a small tear and the doctor asked if i'd like her to fix the episiotomy from Medcare.

I want to skim read this before posting but i have 2.5yr old DD downstairs asking for me to feed her and the boys are stirring so better run. In closing i have to say that it truly was the most incredible experience and i couldn't have done it without the Al Wasl team. This has made the excrutiatingly painful antenatal appointments all worth it :D