On January 4, 2014, (1/4/14) James and I welcomed two baby girls at: Baby A, Alexandra James Crocket, 9:04 a.,. 4 lbs, 15 oz, and Baby B, Josephine Hiver Crocket, 9:05 a.m., 5 lbs, 2 oz.
All the details for those who like that sort of thing (I wrote this for my twin club, and am copying it here word for word, there is no exam at the end):
On January 2, I started feeling like my braxton hicks were just a bit different than before, kind of like cramping going down my legs. I tried to delay labor by taking a hot bath and relaxing. On the 3rd, things were a bit stronger but not consistent, and I could ease the contractions with cold water and walking or a bath. A friend came over and it distracted me a bit and slowed the contractions. That night, James and I watched a movie (Jack Reacher) and I timed the contractions every 30 - 40 minutes apart. We finished packing our hospital bags, just in case, but decided to get some good sleep at home since things were not strong, and the doctor told us to wait until we were having 5 contractions in one hour before going to the hospital. I woke up Saturday, the 4th, with even stronger, but still weak, contractions. It was 4 a.m. so I took a shower, straightened my hair, put on make up, and finished packing my bag. I woke James up at 5 a.m. and he went and got ready, while I watched tv and timed the contractions. Between 5 and 6 a.m., the contractions, still very light, like cramps going down the backs of my legs, were 7 minutes apart. We waited until 6 a.m., when the hospital would be open and we wouldn't have to go through the Emergency Entrance, then headed over. We got there at 6:15 a.m. and I got hooked up to monitors.
The nurse told us that I was not in active labor, just pre-laboring. I was still only 1 cm dilated (as I had been two weeks earlier) and my cervix was still high. She said I could go home. We decided we would rather just proceed, since going home and coming back the next day or the day after, seemed like just a pain in the butt when all of our stuff was already ready and, even through weak, the contractions were making me nervous and uncomfortable. And, frankly, I was done carrying babies. Both babies were breech so we knew it was going to be a c-section anyway, so no need to labor and put anyone in an emergency situation.
The nurse came back 20 minutes later after calling my doctor (who had been antsy to take the babies out a few days earlier!) and said we were staying, and a c-section was scheduled for 8 a.m. The next hour or so was preparation for the c-section. We spoke to the anesthesiologist and the nurses, got an I.V. and blood work, then got wheeled to the O.R. The spinal took a while to get put in, as the Dr. kept hitting nerves and I would feel warmth in random places, like on my leg and not in my back. But, finally he got it in the perfect spot and it ultimately was not too painful at all. The I.V. frankly was the worst needle I got. The whole process was scary but not as bad as I had imagined it would be. My legs went numb, I was laid back, and the sheet was put up and James was called in. It was so good to see him!!
Surgery began and minutes later Baby A was born, and another minute later, Baby B was born. Their cries were SO CUTE!!! Just a little light high pitch squeaks that were not offensive at all, ha ha. James went over and called out "Baby A is a girl!!!" then I thought, of course, so baby B is a boy, then I heard James say "Baby B is another girl!!!" :D James had a huge grin on his face and I said "I am so sorry" and he just looked teared up and so so so happy, I teared up and I knew all was good. The babies were totally great and loud and healthy. They brought A over and put her to my chest, but I am far sighted and was feeling dizzy so it was actually making me feel very nauseous to have her so close in my field of vision (Sorry A!!!) but she was so beautiful!! Like a little doll. Let me say - the MINUTE the girls were born, my whole body felt amazing, like the weight had come off my lungs, spine, hips, everywhere. Such a relief. My doctor showed James my guts, uterus and ovaries, it really freaked him out seeing all of my guts out while I was smiling on the other side of the curtain, LOL LOL!!!
The girls and James left, all smiles, as I got stitched up. The anesthesiologist gave me some good stuff for pain, nerves, dizziness, and the shakes that had started. He was really good and attentive. I was brought to recovery for about an hour, the shakes went away after five minutes, and the dizziness slowly disappeared. Everyone was great and the nurses made me feel ok about being there without the girls. We even laughed about how I had been to Thunder Down Under a few months ago. The WORST PART of the process, and the whole day, was during this hour of recovery when the nurses had to push on my belly to get the excess blood out, as I was starting to get my feeling back. That was really really painful and felt wrong. One nurse finally put my hand under hers as she pushed and that helped.
James and the girls came in about an hour after I was brought to recovery and we breast fed and got to meet them. This is when I was told that Baby B has a dimple on her lower spine that worried the doctors and she was taken for ultrasound to check for spinal abnormalities (possibly spina bifida). We got the results on Monday morning and learned she was just fine, which was a relief. We didn't want to share our news until we knew for sure what was going on with her, as we had already received some "congratulations on your healthy babies" texts and it was just a bit confusing how to respond to that when we didn't know if all was well with B. We stayed in the hospital till Monday (yeah, TWO nights only, seemed a little quick). Other than checking for some low blood sugar and bilirubin, the girls were both great, they passed all of the tests and were fantastic.
We had originally decided that, if we had two girls, Baby A would be Josie and baby B would be Alex but when I met A, she was my Alex. So we did not announce or decide on names until late Sunday, when we finally realized after two days, the baby I had been calling Alex couldn't now be Josephine. I really do believe in getting to know a baby before naming them.
Lexie looks just like daddy, and has daddy's dimpled chin and ears, Josie looks like my side of the family and has the little pucker heart shaped lips and my ears! :)
My cut was painful and I felt a little dizzy day one, but now, day 5, I am doing ok. I have to say a c-section cut is NOTHING compared to being 37 weeks pregnant. Much easier to bend and walk around. I honestly think I haven't felt this good in about 4+ months, so yeah, nothing to worry about with a section if you've been pregnant with twins.
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