The twins Early arrival - 36 weeks pregnant

The twins Early arrival

Time started to go real fast from 32 weeks. I was very uncomfortable, my bump felt enormous and at this point it was difficult just doing daily tasks.

I was seen by my midwife fortnightly due to carrying twins. At my appointment around 34 weeks , they found protein in my urine. I was then being monitored every couple days.

I was sent to my local hospital for repeat bloods as a routine appointment and I remember an ‘on call duty doctor telling me that I now had confirmed Preeclampsia and the safest option is to be admitted into hospital.

I didn’t still really know the risks of this condition ( I have spent my whole pregnancy, not reading into too much that might make my anxious mind worse). I was straight away put on a EFM machine to monitor both twins, which proved very difficult!

Several doctors and midwives spent time trying to track two separate heart beats to produce a cardiotocograph with no luck.

This then continued for the next couple of days. I remember being told to rest! Well.. I couldn’t, because all night I was being prodded about to get this important EFM machine to monitor the fetal hearts!

By the third day and some persistence, they managed to get the print out which showed one twin was in distress (they were unable to detect which one at this point).

My twin consultant sent me for an ultrasound scan and this showed that the placenta and cord was no longer working as efficiently. Later that afternoon, I was told I would be delivering our twins by c-section by the weekend.

I rang the husband to tell him this information, and within the hour, the consultant on duty decided that I’d be going in within 2 hours for an emergency c-section delivery.

I frantically called the husband back to tell him to get to the hospital now! The whole time, I felt cared for and I trusted the consultants who were in and out monitoring me.

Being my first pregnancy meant I had no expectations and didn’t know what to expect, I was relieved to hear the wait was over and our twins would arrive tonight. Everything happened so fast, my husband arrived and we were gowned up and into the theatre within the hour!

The theatre was very busy, and when I

entered, what I can only describe as a ‘disco’ loud music was on, bright dazzling lights, darkness and lots of socialising and laughter!

I had two midwives and two paediatricians, one for each baby, alongside an anethestist and surgeons.

Things progressed quickly and I was given an epidural and lifted on to the theatre bed. I do recall not being able to move my legs or feel them at all but I could feel the sensation of ‘cutting and ‘tugging’ as each baby was pulled out of me!

As many mothers will also say, it did absolutely ‘feel like a washing machine’ and at times made me jittery.

I remember my husband telling me what he could see over the curtains as I asked what that heavy tugging was!

Being my first pregnancy meant I had no expectations and didn’t know what to expect, I was relieved to hear the wait was over and our twins would arrive tonight. Everything happened so fast, my husband arrived and we were gowned up and into the theatre within the hour!

The theatre was very busy, and when I

entered, what I can only describe as a ‘disco’ loud music was on, bright dazzling lights, darkness and lots of socialising and laughter!

I had two midwives and two paediatricians, one for each baby, alongside an anethestist and surgeons.

Things progressed quickly and I was given an epidural and lifted on to the theatre bed. I do recall not being able to move my legs or feel them at all but I could feel the sensation of ‘cutting and ‘tugging’ as each baby was pulled out of me!

As many mothers will also say, it did absolutely ‘feel like a washing machine’ and at times made me jittery.

I remember my husband telling me what he could see over the curtains as I asked what that heavy tugging was!

We had lots of cheer from the amazing staff when Posie arrived into the world at 20:00pm and Artie arrived at 20:03pm, it was the most special moment I will remember forever!

We both had skin to skin with them once the paediatricians had done their checks! Artie entered the world needing some oxygen and shortly after meeting him, he was taken to NICU along with Daddy due to his breathing distress. Later that evening, Posie spent some time in NICU also.

My recovery was tougher than I expected. I struggled to get out of bed and walk the first two days (the catheter definitely didn’t help).

Posie was able to return to us in our hospital room the next day while Artie continued to need NICU support to maintain his blood sugar levels.

We spent over a week in hospital, we went and spent time in NICU daily with Artie while he was getting stronger ( they were 5 weeks premature and so he just wasn’t quite ready to be out of the womb just yet).

Artie had to have a feeding tube to ensure he was getting his full feeds as he wasn’t yet able to latch onto a bottle and as a result, his blood sugar levels were unstable (preemie babies have to work so hard to latch and it can tire them out quickly).

Artie also had Jaundice which required the blue light therapy, poor boy, he didn’t have the easiest of starts.

It was emotionally draining knowing Posie was with us but her poorly brother was still in NICU.

The week felt long, at this point, I’d been in hospital for 2 weeks and had enough of the four walls and the lack of air in our room ( we were very grateful for the side room).

Within a week, Artie was moved in with us with his feeding tube, we had the support of the transitional care team 24/7, who were always so helpful. Myself and the husband had to have training on how to tube feed Artie to be able to bring him home safely as he still wasn’t taking feeds by the bottle.

Discharge day happened and then it was a whole new set of worries. The house is cold? The feeding tube may not work? The unknown of not having transitional care team around us 24/7 in the event something goes wrong and then the worry of being first time parents and not knowing what to do!

However, once we got home and unpacked and set up our baby changing station, the cot and feeding station, we soon found our own routine and Artie quickly settled taking more and more of his bottles.

I believe coming home really helped Artie thrive and his feeding drastically improved within the first few days. I also believe, that it’s true what people say ‘mother instinct’ gets you through the early days of motherhood.

And I can truly say, that being a twin mum (along with its challenges) has made me a better version of myself, and I am whole heartedly the happiest I’ve ever been

I hope you enjoyed Annabel’s last blog on her twins early arrival – you can ready all my guest blogs here.