Jenna’s Story: A first time mom’s vaginal twin birth.

Hey Jenna, tell us your twin story!

I was at Women’s First for my OB in Royal Oak and delivered at Beaumont in RO. We had a natural twin conception. They were Di-Di twins, so separate sacs and placentas, but their placentas ended up being fused. We found out at birth. We didn’t do any gender testing or anything, so we had no idea what we were having. They turned out to be identical boys!

Being a high risk pregnancy, I felt like I didn’t have many options. Also it being my first pregnancy, I didn’t know what my options could/should have been. I knew I wanted an epidural if I was going to push two babies out, but that was all the interventions I planned on.

All through my pregnancy, people expected me to have a very rough pregnancy and journey. They kept making comments on how big I was, and some even on how small I was. I just chuckled and said yup to all of the comments because everyone’s opinion is different. So those didn’t bother me. What was difficult was people saying it wasn’t going to be easy and that I was going to have to have a c-section. I feel like I did good overriding those projections on me, but it still was unnecessary and not our journey at all.

I had a beautiful pregnancy with pelvic pain only the last 5 weeks. Both babies were head out and not C-section needed.

My water broke at 34+6. I was not progressing though! Long story short, I was finally talked into induction after 15 hours of trying to progress in my own, after they kept me on continuous monitoring with a 4ft long cord attached to the wall. So I was unable to walk around and move like I wanted to - going back to feeling like I didn’t have any options.

I got my epidural and Pitocin, got my first nap after being up for almost 36 hours.l and started progressing. There were SO MANY people in the OR with us for delivery. We had to deliver there just in case a baby flipped and we needed C-section for second birth. I remember them all telling me to hold my breath and push like I’m pooping. I said no thank you and pushed with an open mouth, focusing on my breath. They kept telling me to push and breathe their way and it was discouraging and annoying. But my husband was great and kept telling me to push my way. The way I had been taught in my course. The boys came out at 35 weeks and 1 hrs so we avoided the mandatory NICU time! They were healthy and didn’t need any intervention or NICU time at all. Well one needed some jaundice treatment but that was it.

What surprised you most about your conception, pregnancy, and/or birth journey?

What surprised me was all the expectations people put on me as a twin mom during pregnancy. Even how I was going to deliver. Few people thought I could actually deliver both vaginally. More reason to “prove them all wrong” I guess!

What tips or advice would you like to give other mamas?

If insurance allows it, shop around to different drs until you find one that matches your energy and desires.

What 3 words best describe birth for you?

Empowering, strength, and gratitude.

Are there any classes, courses, books, or other resources you'd like to recommend that helped you with your experience?

I took the Belle Methods Push Prep course online and it was amazing!! Highly highly recommend it!

What does being a mother mean to you?

It’s testing me in ways I don’t understand to allow me to grow in ways I didn’t know were possible. It’s changed me for the better and made me a take a hard look at myself and the person I want to be as a whole.

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