Twin Birth Story

Our twins were supposed to be born around March 17th which would have been when I was about 37 weeks pregnant. They did not cooperate with this plan. They must have run out of room and they came quite a bit earlier, at 34 weeks, on March 1st. They were almost Leap Year babies but missed it by exactly one hour since they were born at almost exactly 100am.

Our first family photo in the NICU, a few days after being born

Everything started on Sunday February 28th. We spent the day at my in-laws' house where we had lunch and spent time relaxing. I had quite a bit of pain in my lower left groin, enough that going over speed bumps was pretty uncomfortable and walking was next to impossible. Since the pain was constant and only on one side of my stomach I didn't think much of it until it started to get worse as the night went on and we were back home in our apartment. It got to the point around 100am that we decided to go to the emergency room at our hospital to see if I had pulled a muscle (what I had assumed at the time) or something similar since I couldn't get comfortable and knew there was no sleeping in my future. We arrived at the hospital and I was given an ultrasound and then put on monitors. The ultrasound was normal, the girls looked good, there was no dialation but the monitors showed irregular contractions. I had no idea that I was having them and they decided to keep us overnight for observation.

Jose's first time holding Vera when she got out of the incubator

The next morning (Monday February 29th) happened to be a holiday for Jose and he didn't have to work. We woke up at the hospital and I was given another ultrasound. Nothing had changed since the night before and since the contractions were still irregular and there was no dilation we were sent home. I was told to rest and to watch things. I jokingly sent a message to my family back home about how the girls wanted to be born on the 29th but that they changed their mind and would wait. Ha! We spent the day around the apartment. Since I had been surprised by the overnight hospital stay I got my bag ready for whenever the big day came (I had always assumed my delivery would be either a planned induction or c-section and thought I would have time to plan). My girls' bag had been ready and packed in the car for about a week already but I didn't want to be caught off guard again. It turned out to be a good thing since...

Exhausted but happy

That night we went to bed quite early because we hadn't slept well the night before in the hospital. At around 11:30pm I woke thinking I had to go to the bathroom. Instead I was surprised by my water breaking. There was no mistaking it. I quickly took a shower and it was off to the hospital again. This time we knew that things were in motion and that there was no stopping labor. I was of course upset because I knew it was still very early for the girls to be born. We had planned on them coming around 37 weeks and still had 3 to go before that date.

The first time the girls were put back together after being born

When we arrived at the hospital I was given another ultrasound which showed that Vera was transverse which meant an immediate c-section. I was freaking out a bit because it was all happening so fast and I had never wanted a c-section (major surgery after all). They called my doctor who arrived within minutes to the hospital, I signed some forms and was wheeled into the OR. My girls were born within a half hour and though the experience of the surgery was gross, I had no complications or problems. Jose wasn't able to be in the OR with me but the anaesthesiologist was awesome and kept me calm.

Vera meeting her abuelo for the first time at home

The hardest part of the whole c-section was how little time I got to see my girls before they were whisked away to the NICU. I was shown each girl over the sheet and watched intently as they were cleaned, weighed and taken care of off to the side by the midwife and pediatrician. I was able to give them a kiss and then they were taken away while I was sewn up and taken into recovery. I wasn't able to see them again until the next day in the afternoon after I had gotten up out of bed and had my catheter taken out. I am really thankful for the nurses who took care of me before I was brought up to my room for the night. They were so sweet and understanding that I was upset with the whole situation. Jose got to briefly visit the girls in the NICU and then we basically went to bed.

Vera and Laura snuggling

All in all, from the time my water broke until the girls were born only about an hour and a half passed. It was all very fast which is probably good because I didn't have time to overthink things (especially the idea of a c-section). The first night in the hospital I didn't sleep well since nurses were coming in and out to change out my IV medications and to push on my stomach (ouch!!). Plus I was counting down the hours until they would let me go downstairs to the NICU. It turned out I had to wait until the next afternoon but I didn't know that at the time.

Laura out of the incubator too after a week in the NICU

While we were still in the hospital we were able to go see our girls four times a day during the designated visiting hours. I tried to get up and moving around as soon as possible even though it hurt a lot since I knew they wouldn't let me see my babies until I did. Besides the first day which was pretty awful, the pain got easier as the days went on until I was sent home from the hospital on Friday afternoon. It was certainly tough to know that we were leaving without our girls. I cried on the way home. The next day started our back and forth trips from our apartment to the hospital (luckily we only live about 10 minutes away).

Vera at home after 7 days

Vera did surprisingly well in the NICU. She was quickly eating on her own from a bottle and was moved out into a crib in no time. In fact, after only a week she was ready to come home with us. We were of course excited but also sad that Laura would still be in the NICU for the foreseeable future. Vera has been doing great at home as well. She eats and sleeps like a champ. Her sister Laura has been having some more difficulties. She is out of the incubator but hasn't been eating like she should so we are still making daily trips to the hospital. It is certainly more complicated now to have one baby at home and the other still in the NICU but we are trying to make it work. I have a lot of guilt right now that I am not totally devoted to either girl since I am splitting time between them but I am sure that will continue from now on even when they are both home. We know that Laura is where she needs to be right now but we pray that each day she gets stronger and can come home with us soon. It has been almost two weeks now since she was born and we hope that she will keep gaining weight and start taking her bottles like her big sister.  In any case the NICU nurses are amazing and we couldn't ask for better care for her. We will keep everyone updated!!