My birth story… by Claire
I had an uneventful twin pregnancy until I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes (GD) at 30 weeks – concerns were raised at my 28 week scan and a Glucose Tolerance test (GTT) confirmed the condition.
I was able to control my GD with a sugar free diet and stabbing my fingers 3 times a day (ouch) to check my blood sugar levels! At 33 weeks I developed severe oedema under my bump which was excrutiatingly painful and at 35 weeks I went to see the midwife as I was in so much pain – she checked a urine sample and blood pressure and immediately referred me to the maternity day unit at the James Cook University Hospital who decided that it was possible that I was in the early stages of pre-eclampsia.
I was admitted there and then and had to have regular BP checks as well as the 24 hour urine collection – great fun trotting off to the loo with a jug and a huge container……NOT!
The next morning the one of the midwive’s tried to get a trace on both heartbeats but could only find one. She wasn’t overly worried and said they’d have a try later – later turned out to be 7.30pm that night and still only one heartbeat to be found. They called in another midwife who could only find one heartbeat, then they called a doctor in from the delivery suite who couldn’t find a second heartbeat, they brought an old mobile ultrasound machine in – still no heartbeat and that’s when I started crying – I thought I’d lost one of my babies.
Eventually at 11.30pm a consultant arrived and opened up the Ultrasound Department and found 2 heartbeats straight away. I can’t tell you how relieved I was. Next morning, Saturday 22 December 2001, I woke up to snow outside, I showered and was back in my room drying my hair when I felt a trickle of water, then another. Suddenly the light dawned – my waters had broken! I stood at the door of my room and shouted over to the Nurse’s station opposite that my waters had gone. They weren’t having any of it and implied I’d wet myself until I got on the bed and there was a big gush of water. I resisted the urge to say “I told you so” and they hooked me up to the foetal monitor where by some miracle both heartbeats were found straight away! I asked them to ring Colin (my DH) and tell him the news and to get his backside to the hospital – James (our eldest) stayed with Nana & Grandad.
Colin arrived over an hour later after going into town to get me some more nighties! As soon as he arrived they made plans to get me to delivery suite so they could get the epidural set up straight away which I’d asked for in my birth plan. I could still ‘feel’ my contractions after the epidural – they weren’t painful but I was definitely aware of them. I was checked at about 1pm and was only 1cm dilated. The doctor told me they would check me again at 5pm so I spent the rest of the afternoon dozing in between BP checks.
My big sis called in to see us bringing the camcorder which we’d forgotten and the preemie sleepsuits and vests that we would now need for our early arrivals. A Paediatrician came from SCBU to talk to me about what to expect if either of the twins required help as being 5 weeks early there was a chance they might need Special Care – that was a bit worrying and all I could do was hope and pray that they would be okay. At a little after 5pm the doctor returned and examined me – he said I was 5cm dilated, which was great news but then he broke the bad news – Twin 1 was presenting shoulder first and wasn’t going anywhere!
He told me I would need to have a c-section which was the last thing I wanted. I went to pieces – I’d so wanted a natural delivery and was worried sick – make that terrified about the op itself and the aftermath. I blubbed all the way down to theatre and only stopped when they moved me onto the operating table and I nearly fell off! Well not quite, they tilt the bed to the left and there are stoppers in place to stop you falling off but being numb I didn’t know that and thought I was about to land on the floor!
The anaesthetist made sure my epidural was topped up and that I could feel nothing at all and then with Colin at my shoulder the op started. A Christmas album was playing in the background but it wasn’t calming my nerves so I instructed to Colin to talk to me about anything, I didn’t care what he was talking about but he had to talk to me and not stop whilst I was trying to avoid looking up at the theatre lights which had a partial mirror effect of my events other side of the screen if I looked closely!
I haven’t a clue what we talked about in all honesty but it didn’t take my mind off what was going on the other side of the screen and the eventual tugging and pulling from my tummy which I wasn’t prepared for. After one big tug we heard a cry and “It’s a Girl” – I was gobsmacked! I was convinced I was carrying 2 boys but no, at 6.04pm Eleanor Louise Baxter made her entrance to the world followed at 6.05pm by her twin brother Alexander Robert Baxter – both born as “A Fairytale of New York” by Kirsty Maccoll and The Pogues played in theatre.
Both babies were crying as they came out which was a great sign and they spent only a few minutes with the paediatricians who announced we had 2 healthy babies before leaving theatre. I couldn’t believe I had a girl AND a boy and was so totally preoccupied by my new babies that I didn’t think much about the rest of the operation as they closed me up.I asked the doctor if he’d do a tummy tuck whilst I was there but he declined! HUH!
Once the op was over I had to go into recovery, I sent Colin to ring my Mum & Dad to tell them the news and then with a baby cradled in each arm we were off for the journey back to the ward. I got my own room back which was great and I was no sooner in and settled than my Mum, Dad, sister and the proudest big brother, James arrived to see our new arrivals. Eleanor & Alexander needed to go into an incubator in my room to keep warm as they were finding it difficult controlling their temperatures and had to have frequent heel pricks to test their blood sugar levels on account of the GD, which was upsetting to watch as they really screamed.
I didn’t have any hands-on experience with them in the first 24 hours as I was laid completely flat hooked up to a drip and catheterised so had to watch as staff did the first feeds and nappy changes which is what I wanted to do which I found really difficult. I was allowed up after the 24 hours and was surprised that I could actually walk as I thought I’d be doubled up in agony – mind those Voltarol suppositories were WONDERFUL – with them I think I could have skipped up the ward! My hormones went through the floor on Christmas Eve as they do post-birth and I sat and sobbed as Colin left with James that night as I wouldn’t be there to see him open his presents and when Carol Singers arrived on the ward it just about finished me off – I don’t think I have ever cried so hard.
A lovely nursing auxillary, Helen spoke with one of the Midwives and then came and told me that she was taking me home at 6.30am on Christmas Morning so I could be there to see James for a few hours before coming back to the ward. She said the Midwives would look after Eleanor & Alexander for us while I was gone Helen kept to her word and just before 6.30am I was being wheeled to her waiting car. . I can’t tell you how much that one act meant to me and if I live to be a hundred I’ll never be able to thank her enough. She drove me to my Mum & Dad’s and I arrived just minutes before James woke up and the look on his face when he saw me was one I will treasure forever. I saw him open his pressies, had the traditional Christmas bacon buttie and then Colin drove me back to the hospital and our bubbas.
I had Christmas Lunch on my own in my room complete with cracker which prompted fresh tears as I had no one to pull it with (oh the joy of hormones). The whole family visited after their lunch which was great and we left hospital on 27 December – 5 days post delivery with 2 healthy bubbas and haven’t look back since.
Thanks for reading!
Claire Baxter