Twins

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by another midwife if I was able to help her attend the homebirth of a woman who was having twins. This woman has 5 other children all born in a small country hospital. The reason that she has decided on a homebirth was that the local hospital would not let her birth twins and she would have to travel to a hospital over 100km away. So yesterday I met this woman for the first time. I had previously spoken to her on the phone but this was our first face to face meeting. We got on so well that our first meeting lasted for over 3 hours. Last night a little before midnight I get a phone call from this woman, she wants to know what it feels like when your waters break. She said that she turned over in bed and all this fluid came out, she was not sure if she had just wet herself. After a brief discussion it was obvious to me that it was her waters. She also tells that she is getting some slight pain in her lower back, these pains are not there all the time but come and go every 5 mins or so. I told her that she is in labour but as it is a little too early for her to birth at home(she is not yet 35 weeks) and she should go to the hospital and I would meet her there. This she agreed to and said that she would get a few things together and give me another ring when she is leaving home. A few minutes later the phone rings again, it?s her husband, he tells me that just as they were going out the front door his wife said that she needs to push. I told him to phone an ambulance and I would also come to the house (I was about 20 minutes drive away). My wife is driving and I am on the phone to the woman?s sister who was at the house. About 5 Minutes before I get to the house I hear a baby cry, number 1 is out and sounds healthy. I arrive at the house to find mum on hands and knees with baby number 1 wrapped in a towel laying on the floor he is very healthy, pink occasionally crying. Dad is waiting for baby number 2, he asks if I want to take over, I told him he is doing a great job and if he is happy then he can also catch this baby. Dad tells me that he can feel an arm I look and see a hand and the head crowning. A couple of pushes from mum and the baby is out. He is flat, not breathing not moving, face is blue/black. Thankfully I notice that the crown of the head is nice and pink and realise that this blue/black is bruising. 10 mins of bag and mask O2 and the baby starts to respond, still not breathing but making some slight effort to do so. Ambo?s arrive. I continue with bag and mask in the back of the ambulance. When we arrive at the hospital the baby is slowly improving but still not breathing without assistance. 1 hour later the baby is breathing on his own. I stay with them until a little after 0500 when they are flown to a larger hospital for observation and further tests. This afternoon I get a phone call from the husband, he tells me that the babies are doing well, continuing to improve and breathing on their own. He also tells me that they are expected to be discharged home in the next couple of days.

This was my first twins homebirth and although I was on my own, (the other midwife lives 4 hours away) and things did not quite go to plan, I would not hesitate to accept another twin homebirth.

well done alan!!!!
that gave me goosebumps.
the dad did an awesome job, he must have felt elated helping his babies been born!
glad there doing well

wow thanks for sharing, that gave me goosebumps! glad they are all well!

Wow, what a great job you did Alan and also her wonderful DH.

I am so happy that their babies are healthy and soon to be going home.

I have tears in my eyes.

Thankyou for sharing.

Wow Alan, thankyou so much for sharing this lovely story, im glad that both the twins are doing well.
U must feel proud to be able to share in there experiance.

Congratulations Alan, sounds like an eventfull evening with many emotions. well done for the support and assistance of sound advice and comfort that you offered and for growing in your own development..

Your post kept me on tender hooks! Best regards to family

O.M.FLIPPN.GOODNESS..

WOW WOW WOW to that woman and her DH!!!!!

Huge congratulation's to you Alan... HUGE CONGRATS!

What a first twin home birth experience... un-forgettable!

xo

Wow!!! Well done to all involved!!! It is so nice to hear a birth story from a MW perspective too!!

that's amazing Alan!!

now, where do i order me a nice easy labour like that??

Wow, great job Alan. I am so happy that the babies are healthy. Congrats to mum, dad and family. Thanks for sharing with us.

Wow Alan what a great experience.

What a great dad as well to deliver his little boys.

hugs xoxo

one word WOW!
That is truley amazing. How lucky the husband was a fast thinker :)
Gave me goosebumps :)
Thanks so much for sharing in the success :)

Good on your Alan!

Its amazing how quickly things can progress for some women!

Glad Mum got her homebirth!

I think: "Three cheers for ALAN!" Great job mate

and lets not forget "six cheers (they did birth twins) for Mummy and daddy! Glad it had a happy ending...

wow thats awesome! Congrats all round

Oh my goodness, I was on the edge of my seat trying to read so fast to see what happened next! Well done on assisting the little ones and well done to mum and dad too. So glad the babies are doing well.

Wow! So lucky you were close by :)
Amazing :)

that is amazing!
my eyes were reading too fast for my brain that was so intense.
congrats on such an awesome experience

Amazing Alan!!!
it is beautiful that she wasnt to fazed about it! i love it!!!
i know if i were to have twins i would also stay home for them!!

How amazing, I am sure it was a scary experience for the parents while the 2nd one wasn't breathing properly. Well done for staying calm in that situation and for your quick thinking in what to do i.e call the ambo, I am sure it could have turned out differently otherwise. So glad to hear both twins are doing well.

That sounds like such an awesome experience!!

Well done to the Dad and to you :D

And Congratulations to them :D

Alan you are such a wonderful midwife, how awesome you could be there for them and let dad catch the babies..... thankyou for sharing!!!

What a great birth story! Thanks Alan :)

:clap: Well Done Alan,

I think that is the first time I have literally held my breath while reading a Birth Story. What an amazing experience for you.

COngratulations again on a job well done.

That was a fantastic birth story Alan, thanks for sharing!
And congratulations on a job well done for your first twin home birth!

A quick update
I had a phone call from mum today. Both babies are breastfeeding and doingg well. She is hoping to be discharged home with her babies in the next couple of days

Wowee.. what an experience! Well done to everyone! My DD came out all blue & swollen from bruising too.. OB said it was due to the fast birth (well.. the last stage was fast lol - not the entire day beforehand!)

Must say I'm a little surprised that she didn't recognise signs of labour and waters breaking - this being her 6th birth and all ;)

Wonderful to hear everyone is doing well, and hooray for her breastfeeding too. Good on her :)

Hi Liz
I think that she did know what was happening but was hoping that she was wrong. She knew that I would tell her go go to the hospital being that she is not yet 35 weeks and she really wanted to birth at home. Oh by the way, her last labour was only 2 hours, the one prior to that was 3 hours this one was less than 1 hour. I think that if she has any more children she will give brth before she goes into labour!!!!

lol:lol:give birth before she goes into labour.....I don't think it would matter how many babies I had, I would never give birth that fast!!!!
Congrats on a job well done, you must have been holding your breath for a while there, nice to hear the bubs are doing so well, did Alan make it into any name???

Babies names are Caden and Reeve. so Alan did not make it. However they do not yet have a middle name.

WOw Alan...that is such a fantastic story!!!!! Thankyou for sharing and you never know....Alan could make it as a middle name!!! And if not, I am sure you will always have a special place in their hearts.

You are an amaing man Alan, thank god there are wonderful people out there like you that are willing to let women birth the way they want! The baby being born flat would have happened at the hospital and they would still have been airlifted to the bigger hospital, but i just bet that mother gets many a look for "risking the life of her babies, by having them at home"!

What a women, congratulate her for me please!

The twins came home late this afternoon. I am going to see then tomorrow morning :dance:

Thats great news Alan.
I bet ur excited.

Aw wow Alan! Well done mama and daddy and well done you!! What a rush eh? :D

That is fantastic!! I'm expecting twins too and I only hope that the birth of mine are going to be as easy as this one. I'm afraid I'm not brave enough to go the home birth route, but hats of to this lady.:clap:

Congrats to her and her family and well done you Allan! :clap:

Congrats Alan on your first twin home birth. It must have been a fantastic feeling. A huge well done to the daddy too. Glad both are ok and coming home soon.

wow - thats a cool story! thanks for sharing. I got goosebumps reading it too and a bit teary ;)
Pleased they are all well .