I always thought I would be one of those bloggers who could stay “current” and up-to-date on my posts. But here I am…seven weeks later…finally putting that amazing BIRTHday to paper...or I mean...computer screen. I wanted to write this all down sooner so I didn't forget any detail of that wonderful day, but let’s just say I have been a little busy the past few weeks…so sorry for the delay!
Since both boys were breech (both their heads were in my ribs) we knew we were going to have a c-section. Originally, my c-section was scheduled for February 27th, but our perinatologist (high-risk doctor) decided the boys should arrive a week earlier than scheduled because she believed there was a big difference in their size. Little A just wasn’t growing as much as they would like to see so they decided to take the boys at 37 weeks…which is full-term for twins!
(note: They thought Baby A was 5lbs. 1 oz. and he was actually 5lbs. 7oz at birth AND they thought Baby B was 6lbs. 12oz. but he was actually around 6lbs. 5oz. Big difference between what the perinatologist measured! The boys probably didn’t need to be born a week early after all. We don’t know for sure how much Calvin weighed because they messed up his weight at birth. We were told he was 6lbs @ birth, then 6lbs. 10oz. in the NICU and then 6lbs. 5oz. the day he was released. There is NO WAY his weight fluctuated that much. A little frustrating since now all his medical records say he was born at 6lbs...his weight gain since birth is now skewed).
MONDAY
We had to be at the hospital at 6:30AM for our c-section scheduled at 8:30. I was extremely nervous upon arrival to the hospital...but excited to meet our baby boys. Our nurse was wonderful and moved very quickly to get us ready for surgery. I got in my gown and Andrew in his fancy scrubs. She got my IV started, paperwork done and prepped us for what was to come. Then we just waited…and waited. Finally, around 8:45 we walked back to the operating room. Andrew had to wait outside the door while the anesthesiologist gave me the spinal block. There were about 15 people in the operating room prepping for our surgery. They were all calm, relaxed and having a good time. I, on the other hand, was extremely nervous and wanted the whole procedure over with!
I sat on the cold, hard table and had to lean over as far as I could (which is really difficult with a big ol’ belly in the way) while the anesthesiologist gave me the spinal block. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Bending over was the hardest part! Almost immediately I went numb from the chest down. Strange feeling! The nurse had to help lift my legs onto the table and then everyone jumped into action. The curtain was put up, my catheter was put in (painless) and they told Andrew he could come into the operating room.
Everything happened SO quickly. The actual cutting of my abdomen and pulling the babies out was a very weird feeling…something that is difficult to describe. It wasn’t painful…but there was tons of tugging and pulling. Within minutes I heard little Miles cry. What a wonderful sound! And then a minute later they pulled out his bigger “little” brother, Calvin. They whisked both babies away and Andrew went to go check them out. Soon, Andrew returned to show me Miles. Then, a few seconds later the NICU doctor came to tell me that Calvin was having some difficulty breathing and his head looked big so they were going to take him to the NICU. My heart sank…this NICU doctor didn’t know ANY of my ultrasound history which showed that Calvin might have fluid on his brain. How big was my baby's head?? Is there something wrong with him? Is he going to be okay? I just lay there…helpless.
Once the surgical team started sewing me back up I started to get queasy so they gave me some anti-nausea drugs to help. I was so nervous about throwing up during the surgery…but I didn’t! They wheeled me back to my hospital room to recover while Andrew went to go tell my parents the good news. The nurse checked me out to make sure everything was okay, but I knew something was wrong when she called for back-up. Apparently I was bleeding A LOT more than normal (sometimes this happens with twins because your uterus can’t contract back to normal as quickly). They wouldn’t let Andrew or my parents in the room so Andrew decided to run over to the NICU to check on Calvin while they got my bleeding under control. They hooked up some pitocin through my IV to get my uterus to contract and slow down the bleeding. Finally, after two bags of pitocin the bleeding was finally tamed.
I don’t remember a whole lot after this because I was exhausted and in and out of it. I remember Andrew wheeling Miles into our room after getting checked out by the pediatrician in the regular infant nursery. My parents were able to come in the room and then I was finally able to hold Miles—although I was nervous to hold him because I was so weak from the blood loss and c-section. Soon after he was born I tried breastfeeding, but Miles wouldn’t latch on since he was still a few weeks premature and still pretty tiny. We decided to try a bottle with him,but he didn’t take that either so eventually they had to put a tube in his nose to feed him (later that evening around 8:45 he finally decided to latch onto a bottle so Andrew was able to feed him).
Andrew took my parents and sister to go see Calvin in the NICU. Broke my heart that I couldn’t go see him too. Andrew had to update me on Calvin’s condition. Calvin was on oxygen since he was having difficulty breathing on his own and they were going to do an ultrasound of his brain to check for fluid. Poor Andrew was torn in so many different directions while dealing with Miles, Calvin and I in three different places. I can’t really remember what happened that afternoon, but I know later that evening I attempted to get out of bed so I could go see Calvin for the first time. They got me moved from the bed to a wheelchair, but once I was there I was too nauseous and sick for them to move me. I was heartbroken…I just wanted to see and touch my baby boy.
TUESDAY
Early on Tuesday morning I had a blood test done that revealed my hemoglobin was extremely low. I had less than half the amount of blood I was supposed to have in my body. The doctor asked me if I wanted a blood transfusion (Well…I don’t know…do I need a blood transfusion? I hate when doctors ask me questions like that! You are the expert!) He told me that I would feel much better, be less tired and have more energy in the next few weeks if I got a blood transfusion so I decided to go ahead and get one although I hated the idea of it.
That morning we also received a phone call from the NICU doctor telling us that Calvin did well overnight, but then this morning around 6AM he took a turn and started having troubles while breathing on the ventilator. They did a chest x-ray that revealed he had a pneumothorax. Since Calvin wasn’t breathing at birth (his lungs just weren’t developed enough since he was premature) they had to pump oxygen into his tiny body. Once he started breathing it was extremely fast and labored, causing his entire chest to retract when he gasped for air. The extra pressure on his lungs from oxygen being forced into his body (from the ventilator) caused the tiny air sacs in his lungs to burst and leak oxygen into the space between the lungs and chest (called a pneumothorax). He had to be put into a “bubble” (oxyhood) with 100% oxygen to equalize the pressure and get rid of the air pockets.
Around noon I was finally able to be wheeled up to the NICU to see Calvin for the first time. It was difficult to see his tiny body hooked up to so many machines and wires. He looked so tiny and fragile. Broke my heart that I couldn’t hold my little guy and soothe him. The only thing I could do is touch his little toes, talk to him and give him a pacifier for comfort. Every time I looked at him I would tear up because I just wanted to hold him and make everything better!
After spending a short amount of time with Calvin I had to head back to my room for my blood transfusion. They were going to give me two units of blood and it was going to take about two hours. About 15 minutes into the first bag of blood Andrew decides to go check on Calvin in the NICU. I was alone for the first time and of course had my first complication. I was just lying in bed and all of a sudden I started feeling a burning sensation in my arm. I thought it was just the tape pulling the hair off my arm or the cold blood going into my body too fast (which they warned me could sting if the flow was too fast), but then it started hurting more and more. Soon my arm was BURNING up and I started developing a huge lump on my arm.
The pain was SO bad…it hurt worse than having the c-section! I decided it was time to call the nurse. She came in and turned off the blood flow to my arm. Apparently the IV had slipped out of my vein and blood was pooling in my arm. OUCH! Then, of course we had to start an IV in my other arm (yuck) because the blood needs to be in my body within an hour of starting the procedure. The blood made me feel better almost instantly and my color returned to my face. I felt a lot more comfortable and had more strength to hold Miles. 
WEDNESDAY
On Wednesday around 4:30PM we were called up to the NICU because Calvin was going to try taking his first bottle. Andrew and I hurried up there so we could be there with him. He was out of the oxyhood at this time and was finally breathing room air. And the ultrasound on his head turned out to be normal. He just has a big ol' noggin to hold his smart brain! This was the first time I was able to hold my baby boy. What a feeling!
On Thursday we went to the NICU around noon so we could feed him his bottle again. It was difficult to see him this day because his IV was in his head (they kept having to move his IV to different locations…poor kid had it in both hands, both feet and head at different times).
We drove home with Miles in a snowstorm (one of the very few storms this mild winter). We made it a few blocks away from the hospital and we had to pull over and check to make sure he was still breathing J Must be a first time parent thing! He looked like such a peanut in his huge car seat…made me so nervous! Finally we made it home after the LONGEST car ride ever and settled in for the night.
Miles did a great job sleeping. In fact…I am sure he would’ve slept through the night if we didn’t have to wake him up to eat every three hours. We got ready for the day and then around noon the NICU called and told us that they were going to release Calvin today and that we could come get him! WHAT? You said he would have to stay through the weekend and now you are sending him home today?? We aren’t ready yet! What if he stops breathing at home? We barely know how to feed him. I have barely held him!
We loaded up Miles and headed back to the hospital. We spent the afternoon there because it took us a while to get “trained” on all of Calvin’s procedures and finish up paperwork. He was finally released that night around 7PM. What a great feeling to have our whole family finally together!
hurt and of course you are going to be tired for a while (even a vaginal delivery would be painful and tiring!) A week after my surgery I almost felt back to 100% and didn't need pain meds anymore. Now…keep in mind…pain is relative! I carried twins for 8 ½ months and was pretty miserable near the end so not being pregnant was the best feeling ever (I could touch my toes again, put on shoes and sleep!). Also, I have had so many procedures and treatments over the past four years so I have a pretty high pain tolerance. Even with having a blood transfusion and lots of bleeding (I am still bleeding 7 weeks postpartum!)….it wasn’t that bad and totally worth it!I would do it ALL over again in a heartbeat for these two little guys! It was the best BIRTH-day EVER!
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