[1stTimeMomOf2]

This is my first pregnancy and I am 22 weeks 3 days pregnant with Twins. I feel pretty horrible today because I just got chewed out by my doctor's office. I need some support from women who've been there and done that.
Just a little background first. I have been taking classes on the Bradley Method and have myself set on going as far as I can (hopefully all the way) naturally, meaning vaginally and with no medication. I have been studying techniques and positions and pain management and relaxation, and I fully believe that I can handle this. A lot of people that I have spoken to believe that I am crazy. My opinion is: God didn't give me this blessing if I couldn't handle it. My body can do what it was made to do without any help. Please don't get me wrong, I understand that there are possible risks and things could go wrong and I may end up having to have an epidural or c-section. As long as my babies are healthy I am fine with that, their health is my #1 priority.
Now onto why I'm upset. Where I live, midwives are not allowed to birth babies in the hospitals. I don't understand it but that's their rules. So, I tried going with the doctors office I've been using for my gynecological care because they are also obstetricians. I have been told since I found out I was having twins that I am at risk for having complications (duh, everyone is) and that all of the doctors in that practice don't even try to deliver twins vaginally because of the risk. RED FLAG! I talked to the one doctor I had been seeing 98% of the time and told her my plans of having them naturally and avoiding c-sections. She said that I HAD to have an epidural for safety reasons. I was furious. I questioned her and she couldn't give me a good reason, other than the fact that something may happen between the first baby and the second baby and they may have to do a c-section. When did doctor's become psychic? No one knows if I will have complications or not, but to be told that I would have to have an epidural and more than likely have to have a c-section because nobody was willing to let me try to birth my children like God intended just doesn't fly with me. I will not stand by and let someone in a white coat with a fancy title tell me what I am going to do. It is not their choice and I do have the right to refuse. So, I hooked up with my sister-in-law who had 4 of her 5 children using a midwife just across the river. She had birthed twins using this midwife so I felt confident that this woman would know her stuff. I called my doctor's office and requested my records so I can take them to my upcoming appointment with the midwife. This is where I recieved the riot act. I was told that my doctor didn't feel I was making a good decision and that because of my past complications (That apparently I WASN'T informed of and DON'T appear anywhere on my records) it was not a good idea. Yada yada whatever.
My opinion is that this practice of doctor's is ignorant and stubborn. Plenty of women have had healthy children naturally using a midwife. Maybe they don't know the function of a midwife? The particular midwife I am going to actually delivers in a hospital and works in an obstetrics office with doctors and a doctor will be at the hospital when I give birth, therefore if anything does come up I will be fine and my children will be safe. I feel they are ignorant because they practice by assumptions, they assume I'm going to have complications, they assume that I'm going to need a c-section, they assume that I can't birth two babies...you know what they say about assuming.
So...my main question is...is there any hope for me? Are there mom's out there who have done the twin thing naturally and everyone came out okay? Please help me figure this out.

[twinzplus3]

Are you ranting or looking for advice? (giggling) You're completely allowed to do both. I'm actually going to PM you some information but I will say this:

Twins deliver by c/s about 50% of the time. The risk of something happening btwn 1 & 2 is pretty high but there are plenty of women who deliver twins vaginally. If you can get with a midwife who has experience delivering twins--that's great and probably your best chance for a vaginal birth of both babies.

However, I would really encourage you to consider contingency plans for a c/s and other possible emergencies. That doesn't mean you have to do them and neither does it mean you are succombing to pressure. . .I just find that it helps to be prepared. Twins are not like singleton births. I'm going to PM you w/ more specifics but here is an example regarding pain relief during labor:

Women who birth twins naturally or attempted to at least are also okay with the possibility of going under general should the need for a c/s arise. Other women I know (including me) who birthed or attempted to birth naturally had the epidural placed just in case. (I didn't want general.) Another possible complication to consider is the chance that they could be premature. How does the midwife monitor for signs of preterm labor?

You might have said this in your post but there is some version of Star Wars happening in my lr right now. For twins I would strongly recommend going with a midwife who practices with an OB/GYN to help manage some of those risks.

As far as the office--you're right--your baby, your body and their answers should be backed by research that they can explain to you.

[oweirdo]

Val I am glad we have you around!!!
I hope you are able to get with this mid-wife, and have the birth you want.

[twinzplus3]

Thanks!

[mcmama]

In my area, there is a childbirth center which is affiliated with the local hospital and ob/gyns. They are prepared for everything.

I am not a mom of twins, but I think it is a red flag when you ask questions and prepare and they tell you that well, of course, it is going to be THIS way. You might do well to find a midwife who practices with an ob/gyn, or to find an obstetrician who supports vaginal deliveries where possible.

Just remember, you can plan all the things you want, and the babies don't realize this - things can be very unpredictable, you may need a c section or medical procedures you would rather not have, but you need and deserve to be informed of these and prepare for them in advance.

[twinzplus3]

Many hospitals will not allow for the vaginal delivery of twins under normal circumstances. I am sure that's why they said it had to be that way bc for them. . .it does. It is a pretty big liability.

[mcmama]

I had no idea!!!

[deedee1231]

Hello and congratulations on your twins! It looks like you are getting some excellent advice already, but I will throw my two cents in as a fellow mother of twins.

I wanted nothing more than to deliver my twins the same way I had delivered my other two: vaginally and without an epidural. My babies, however, had other ideas. My doctor was willing to work with me as much as possible to deliver vaginally, she said that she would attempt it even if only one baby was "head down" although she insisted that I change the venue for the birth from the hospital where I had my other two to the hospital that she claimed had the best neo-natal ICU in our city. She also encouraged me to agree to have an epidural placed because if anything unexpected were to occur once labor was well under way, it may be necessary to perform an emergency c-section and if no epidural was in place that would mean going under general and we both agreed that it would be best to avoid that, if possible.

As it turned out, my daughters were born by c-section, with an epi placed due to one twin suffering stress in the womb. We would have liked to induce, but she and her sister were both breach and it was not an option. Given more time, they may have turned, or they may have stayed right where they were ! The smaller baby was very well served by the excellent neo-natal ICU at the hospital that my OBGYN insisted on, she was so tiny, but she is great now at 5 years old.

Every pregnancy is different, and I think it is entirely possible to deliver twins naturally, but it really depends on many factors. My best advice is to find an OB who respects your wishes and plan on delivering vaginally if at all possible, but be prepared for c-section just in case. Also, try not to be too disappointed if the birth doesn't follow your plans. This will not be the first time your little ones have their own ideas on how things should be done! . Best of luck to you!

[1stTimeMomOf2]

Thanks for the advice ladies. I was kind of ranting and asking for advice.
The midwife that I am going to see does work with an o/b so I will be in good hands medically should anything go wrong. The whole point that my o/b couldn't see is that I am not against interventions if they are completely necessary but I want to be given a chance to at least try to have them vaginally. My doctor just couldn't agree to that and so I just couldn't stay with her. This midwife is fabulous.
I know every birth is different and I may end up having a c-section and that's fine with me. I just don't want to be slapped on the table and cut open without being allowed to let nature try to run it's course. In my last ultrasound our boy was breech and our girl was transverse, they've got some time to move around but they may not.
And, on a side note. My sister-in-law had her twins at the same hospital using the same midwife I'm going to use. The first son was born over the toilet because she got the urge to pee and was allowed to go because it had been 3 hours and she wasn't progressing or even feeling contractions (lucky). But every doctor and nurse in that place ran in her room when that happened. Then the second son was breech, they did some manuevers and turned him around and he came right on out. What a story! Hopefully mine will be less eventful.

[twinzplus3]

With twins I wouldn't count on it! But that's great. . .it sounds like you have the best of both worlds. I really can't understand with all of the research showing that even laboring is better for the baby if possible, why doctors won't allow a woman to do it if she so chooses.

When I was telling my pedi (who generally is fabulous) about the birth at their first weigh in. . .she said, "Why on earth would the doctor let you push one out only to cut you open." To her it was common sense that you'd just get it over with if you couldn't do both vaginally.

In any case, you definitely won't have a vaginal birth if you don't try. . .so trying to do so makes sense.

Oh and btw, twins rotate all the time. . .even at the end of a pg. Depending on their position it is hard for Twin A to fully engage in the pelvis or he is engaged and pushes himself out of there bc his twin is bothering him!