My Birth Story...by Chelle Shooter

All through my pregnancy I pleaded for a c-section, as I was terrified of tearing. My midwives were no help, just kept fobbing me off with things like "you'll be straight on an epidural with twins, it'll be pain free, its better for the babies etc etc...". I wasn't convinced though, and I eventually persuaded my male consultant that I wouldn't be able to relax about the pregnancy or birth until I knew I could have a cs. My consultant agreed I could have one at 38.5 weeks, and the date was set. phew!..

.However, at 36 weeks my waters broke, I called the midwife who told us to go straight to the maternity unit and she would meet us there. When we got there, I was put straight onto a monitor to find I was already having contractions. I couldn't feel a thing though, and a strange calm came over me then as I got to thinking maybe I would be one of the lucky ones who sail through childbirth. So I decided to give the vaginal birth a go. They examined me & I was already 3-4cm & still pain free so I thought it would be a doddle!

WRONG!! 30 mins later I was screaming for an epidural but was told I was progressing nicely, and an epidural would mean I'd have to stay in bed. I went for a walk to help gravity along, then I went back to bed and asked again for pain relief. "Try gas & air" they said. I did, to no avail. Eventually, they gave me pethidin, which made me sick then put me to sleep.

I woke up in terrible pain, had another internal, and found out I hadn't progressed in 2 hours!! So they put me on a drip - OUCH!! That's when it all started really speeding up. I still had not had the promised epidural, I was in pain, had had several uncomfortable exams, and had been there for 6 hours, and still no babies. Why hadnt I gone along with the section? !! aarrgghh!! I eventually dilated to 10cms after 7.5 hours, and I started to push, but nothing happened. Kieran wouldn't descend. After lots of me pushing, midwives timing the heartbeats and looking at each other and mumbling, dh began to panic.

They decided to do emergency c-section because twin 1 was in distress. I finally got my epidural, but oh god it was painful! At least I was awake to see Kieran being delivered safely. The reason for his distress? Nothing wrong with him, he was fine, but Kayleigh was delivered with the cord round her neck & under her arm like a handbag, if she had been born "naturally" she would' ve been strangled and probably would have died.

The doctors and midwives were stunned - hey said it was as if Kieran refused to come down the birth canal because he knew something was wrong with his sister, and by not descending he had probably saved her life! Needless to say I'm a strong believer in twin telepathy now!

Chelle, Mum to Kieran and Kayleigh

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Page last updated: 29-Jan-2008

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