[LONG birth story to follow- skip down for pictures]
The move to Alabama was difficult so late in this pregnancy. My ankles were very swollen and the heat/humidity zapped any energy that wasn't allocated for baby growing power. During the first week after the move I felt contractions (still not sure if I should call them that because they felt so different than the other single pregnancy contractions I experienced) starting one evening and continuing for hours until they were happening consistently, five minutes apart. I had yet to see my doctor in Alabama and for insurance reasons, had to call the insurance nurse and she told me to go to an emergency room close by. After driving myself there at midnight and AFTER they had admitted me, they let me know I would be transferred via ambulance to an actual hospital that had maternal care abilities. The ER did diagnose a urinary tract infection and gave me a dose of antibiotics. At the hospital they put the babies on the fetal monitors and saw that they were doing just fine! My "contractions" or false labor had slowed way down and I stayed there hooked up to fluids and IV antibiotics until morning. Apparently a UTI can cause labor-like contractions. Even though it was so weird to be transported by ambulance (and have to take a taxi back to my car), and everything turned out to be fine and not me going into labor, I was glad I could get the UTI taken care of and Tyler and I could get our game plan for who would watch the kids next time I needed to go into the hospital, potentially at night.
BUT after all that drama and worry for weeks that I would go into pre-term labor we walked into the hospital bright and early Friday, September 1st, for our babies delivery. I had a few other scares in the middle of night- waking up from pain- but it was just the babies flipping. Why they both flipped into breech position (head up) so late in the pregnancy is a mystery, especially since they had been head down the whole time. My doctor said even if one was in the breech position they would do a c-section because it is dangerous due to the risk of the babies getting stuck on each other. We were surprised, my doctor included, and I was thrilled to make it to 38 weeks!
Grandma Carson arrived that week and was able to be with the big kids while Tyler and I went to the hospital at 5 am. They admitted me, hooked me up to an IV and gave me a couple bags of fluids. Here I am excited for the big day! It was crazy to be well rested and in no pain.
At 7 am they brought me back to the operating room and gave me a spinal for anesthesia. This meant I was awake for the c-section but could not feel anything. It was an extremely weird sensation- the powerful numbing, but not paralyzing, feeling started creeping up my body and by the time they were stitching me up it felt like it was up to my chest, neck, and face and it was harder to breathe.
They brought Tyler in with his surgical garb after they had started the surgery but before they got the babies out. The whole process went smoothly and quickly, we were in awe as they pulled the babies out one after the other- just one minute apart- Melody first and then Christian. The nurses took a look at the babies first thing but they all reassured us that everybody looked great. I even got to look at my placentas (some may think that's weird but I think science is cool). They handed Tyler the babies and this is the first moment of us meeting our bundles of joy- captured by the anesthesiologist.
It was a beautiful moment.
Our TWO babies! It's amazing they were both in there!
I wanted to hold them but I was kind of strapped down so I just could give them little kisses before Tyler went with the babies and nurses to the newborn nursery.
We had known for awhile we wanted to name them Christian and Melody but we waited to see their faces before deciding for sure. We think the names suit them well.
Melody Elise born at 7:18 am 6 lbs. 2 oz. and 19 in. and Christian James born at 7:19 am 6 lbs. 1 oz. and 19 in.
They eventually brought the babies to me after I was moved to a recovery room- it took a while because they were waiting for the babies core temperatures to get back up. The spinal began to wear off in the next couple of hours but they had me on morphine at that point and I still felt no pain. The heavy medication made me dry heave a few times, but then they lowered my dosage. They continued to give me IV fluids also and I was only able to eat a liquid diet for the first day, I remember being hungry and anxious to eat solid food.
Newborn twin snuggles.
Tyler went home after that to get Grandma and the kids. They were all so excited to meet their new brother and sister. Andrew and Sylvia were so in love with the new babies.
The big kids were so good with the babies and so very sweet. They would talk quietly and sweetly telling them how adorable and cute they are.
Grandma holding both babies, we are so happy she could be there to take care of Andrew and Sylvia!
I included this picture to show how immobilized I was... I had the leg pumps on the whole first day while I was stuck in bed to prevent blog clots and by the end I was so itchy and sweaty from all the stuff hooked up to me, I was excited to be able to get out of bed and take a shower. BUT I did not anticipate the pain level I experienced the first time I got out of bed. I felt 1,000 years old because I could not stand up straight and I could only move excruciatingly slowly. The first few times getting in and out of bed and walking around made up for the pain free birth experience.
After the first day they got me off morphine and were giving me Oxycontin for pain. That is also a very heavy drug. As soon as I got home from the hospital I stopped taking the heavy stuff and after one week I felt mostly recovered and didn't take any medication after that. It felt good to get all those intense drugs out of my system. I knew I needed them at the time but I really don't like how fuzzy they made my head feel. I am grateful to live in a time were surgery is an option and that the babies were able to make their entrance into the world safely.
The babies are so precious! As with all our children, we are honored to be their parents.
Melody shortly after delivery
Christian swaddled and sleeping peacefully
Everyone came to visit Mommy and the babies in the hospital after church for a second time. Mommy and her girls.
Daddy holding little Melody. They are so tiny! During our stay in the hospital she dropped down to 5 lbs. 6 oz. She may have weighed one ounce more at birth but throughout the pregnancy and after delivery she has been and is the smaller twin,
Big brother and big sister
The pregnancy progression for the twins... I got way bigger at the end then ever before and gained a few more stretch marks but it was worth any struggle I went through for Christian and Melody.
