need to labor in the OR for twin birth??

[verycozy]

I'm in Florida where it's (apparently) against the law for a midwife to attend an out-of-hospital twin birth. The hospitals around here will require me to birth both babies in the OR. I believe that I am "allowed" to labor in a normal room, however.

My question is this: what do you think will happen if I refuse to move to the OR? Can they drag me there by force? Refuse to attend me?

I already plan to refuse the epidural catheter and an IV. My goal is to make it as hard as possible for them to bully me into a c-section.

(This is cross-posted from the parenting multiples thread--I hope that's ok.)

[Kidzaplenty]

If you are in the hospital, I think they CAN force you into the OR, especially if you have an epidural (really, how are you going to stop them at that point, you can't even walk?). However, you can refuse the c/s.

I don't have any real advice, other than to say, I would likely UC.

[kcparker]

Do you have a good enough, trusting enough relationship with your HCP that you can discuss this with them ahead of time in a reasonable manner? It sucks that you would have to go into a situation thinking only of how to escape it, like an animal trying to evade capture. That's no way to birth.

[mamatolevi]

my understanding of why they have mothers push in the OR is b/c they need more space to work in than is available in the ldr rooms. I've heard this from several hospitals where I used to live (atlanta) and from my vbac happy dr in Atlanta. given his reputation (and his c/s rate is in the single digits) I trust that that's the reason. He also has is breech mothers push in the OR as well b/c he has more room to maneuver in the OR.

If you aren't incapacitated by an epidural it sure would be hard to get you to move if you didn't want to be moved.

[verycozy]

Thanks for the wisdom, mamas. I have an appointment with my OB later today and I'll ask her what the exact hospital policy is, and for what reasons, and what will happen if I refuse to go to the OR.

The twins are fraternal, which is great, but the bottom one is vertex but the top one is breech, so I'm not feeling good about UC. I really wish I knew of a local midwife who would be willing to attend me (unofficially), but so far I'm not having any luck.

[nashvillemidwife]

I think it's reaching to assume the reason they do twins and breeches in the OR to make it easier to bully you into a c-section. Have you considered the practical aspects that would make it a legitimate decision? In addition to having immediate access to surgery if you need it, you've got to make room for 2 birth teams.

[Gena 22]

I doubt the "more space" argument. Hospital policy and standard of care seem more reasonable to me. There's no way all the people involved in a hospital twin birth are needed. I birthed my twins at home with a MW, 2 assistants, a doula, my mother and my husband in our 12' x 15' bedroom. It was tight, and we had more people than we needed, just in case, but I definitely didn't need or want any more. Hospitals do what hospitals do. The one hospital I considered birthing in had an "All Multiple Births in the OR" policy and an 80% twin c/s rate. It sent me running.

Paraphrasing Ina Mae Gaskin - twin births are just a normal birth, followed by another normal birth! No big deal!

Fraternal twins are great too. It means they are definitely di-di, and it sounds like their positions are good. Hope you either have an open minded OB or can find a good HB MW.

Good luck!