Twin HB... tell me it can be done!

[TwoSets]

Okay... I desperately want to have a HB with my next set of twins.
With my first set (yes, this is the second. No, I was not on fertility drugs) I had a hospital birth and hated it. I was young, ill informed, and scared. Plus I was on medicaid at the time and a hospital was my only choice, there was no way we could have afforded a midwife.
I had a vaginal birth, but I had to fight like heck to keep that doc's scalpel away from me. Pushing me for a section hour after hour... it was really hard not to give in. Plus I was strapped to the bed and dehydrated and hungry... it sucked! But, I did have a vaginal birth with twins (which I was told was not possible... I was told ALL twins MUST be a c-section) which I am thankful for. I did tear, and I was in a lot of pain for a while, but all is well now.
I want to avoid that this time. I would love to have a BC birth but nowhere will take twins. I am on my own in terms of where to birth them. I can't get a CNM either and I am hoping to find a direct entry midwife who won't run from me!
Is it safe to HB twins? We DO live fairly far from the nearest hospital, which scares me. But, I did it once before, and as long as everything is system's go, I don't see where I would have a problem. I'll be seeing my OB until the very end, even if I have to lie about planning on delivering at a hospital.
I would LOVE to talk to someone who has done it... I know I can do it, I just need encouragement and to hear a successful story or two!
Thanks!

[MamaTaraX]

Twins can definately be boirn safely at home. finding a midwife who will attend it might be harder, but they're out there. I hope you can find one! If I find out I'm having twins,I'll still be staying home :)

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (7), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)

[alegna]

:hug

It can be done! My midwife had twins unassisted.

-Angela

[Noelia430]

It can be done! There are several ladies here that have had twins at home. I also like to read this story from time to time...http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/twinsmore/l/aaweisstwins.htm. Good luck to you! :love

[Levatrice]

It can be done! Where are you and what are the laws in your state regarding midwives? That would be a good place to start.

We have a client right now planning to HB her twins and several midwives I know have delivered twins at home.

Congrats!

[applejuice]

My grandmother was a twin, and she was born at home in 1905. She and her sister lived a long time.

The Dionne Quintuplets were born at home, and they survived; they wer a bit premature, but three of them are still alive today at age 70.

My home birth doctor delivered girl twins on Labor Day 1980 for a friend of mine a month before my DD was born. Four years later she was pregnant with twins again...boy twins!!

I know of a midwife who went out to deliver twins and it ended up being triplets - at home!

[applejuice]

I think Mamacita here on these MDC forums had twins at home, both breech, I think and they have their own birthdays as the second one waited until after midnight to be born!

:)

Mamacita?

[applejuice]

The reason doctors like to do twins by caesarean section is because even if both twins are head down, the first one can come out head first, and the second may turn breech, or the placentas may detach, the mother may hemorrhage with one placenta out with a fraternal set of twins and the other twin still in there, or the twins may be premature which is a problem with multiple births...

In a nutshell, the usual problem with twin deliveries is the delivery of the second twin.

[ZeldasMom]

http://69.20.14.30/discussions/showthread.php?t=342111

[applejuice]

*

[soulsistah]

Here is a DVD of UC homebirth twinies Psalm & Zoya....

http://www.earthbirthproductions.com/

And a cool story about a homebirth of twins....

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/twinsmore/l/aaweisstwins.htm

on top of all of that..You Can Do It!!! :love :love :love :love

[Rach]

My midwife has attended twin homebirths. She said she's even had a couple of surprise twins!
It is very possible! Best of luck in your decisions!!

[Hemiola]

I don't have any birth advice, but wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS on 2 sets of twins! What a ride! :)

Laura

[indie]

I think Mamacita here on these MDC forums had twins at home, both breech, I think and they have their own birthdays as the second one waited until after midnight to be born!

:)

Mamacita?

I think that was hotmamacita.

Also, someone in the September due date club just had her twins at home. They totaled 16 pounds together!

[2+twins]

I've seen a good number of mamas on MDC who had twins at home. I'm pg now and praying it's twins, who I would absolutley plan to have at home. Good luck! :hug

[applejuice]

I think that was hotmamacita.

Sorry I erred. Mea Culpa.

[kote80]

Hi :) We are in a similar boat. I am pregnant w/ twins too and decided once it got a point in my pregnancy were reaching FT seemed possible we started to look into HB and decided as long as we get to 36 wks and my cercalge is out(I have a history of PTL and IC) then we would go for the homebirth. So we currently have an arrangement w/ a MW that if i Dont go ft she will come to the hospital as my doula, and if we do then its home for us. Finding a MW to do wasn't hard, everyone I talked to seemed willing to do it, and I even found a CNM that did hb that would do it, tho i couldn't find a BC to do it. The mw we choose isn't the CNM tho. There will be at least two maybe three mw there plus an assistant, I am very excited, but nervous all the same, mostly about the second twin. he is now breech on top of it. We are close to a hospital if things go bad, but I am same as you and my peri does not know of our plan to HB. He was very unsupportive of a natural hospital birth and wanted me in the OR all numbed up and whole works. Anyways keep me updated and Ill let you know how things go for me :) My cercalge is due to come out on Oct 12th! Tkae care!

[Barcino]

My close friends (they are like my parents) had their twins at home. The twins are now 20 yrs old and they did and keep on doing great :thumb Congrats!!

[cathicog]

If you google "homebirth twins" you should find quite a number of stories, especially on Laura Kaplan Shanley's site, and on the Unassisted Childbirth Forum, (www.birthjunkie.com) there are a couple mama's out there who have had UC twin births. Most of the twins were born at home, however.

[aprilushka]

Get the DVD of the birth of Psalm and Zoya. :) I also was at a homebirth meeting just the other day and we watched one of the members of the group's video of her giving birth to her twins at home in water (both head down, one posterior). It was really cool.

[hotmamacita]

Yep, it can be done. Mine went to term and were both breech. I felt Led to have a midwife and I am glad I trusted my instincts on having a homebirth with a certain midwife. It was the birth my twins needed. :thumb

[alisaterry]

My midwife averages one set of twins a year, including one twin waterbirth VBAC that was featured in Midwifery Today.

[*Devon*]

My grandmother and her twin sister were born at home in 1927. It's a little family anecdote that after the baby was born, my great-grandfather went out to call relatives (they didn't have a phone then) and when he came back, there were two babies! Back out to the phone... Meanwhile, my great grandmother's sister had delivered twins only a month before. So it is definitely doable!

[Taedareth]

I had a vaginal birth, but I had to fight like heck to keep that doc's scalpel away from me. Pushing me for a section hour after hour... it was really hard not to give in. Plus I was strapped to the bed and dehydrated and hungry... it sucked! But, I did have a vaginal birth with twins (which I was told was not possible... I was told ALL twins MUST be a c-section)

*utterly horrified*

They told you WHAT?!?!? You are a complete ***HERO*** for what you went through and being able to put up with all the pressure but still stick by your wish to birth naturally!

You live in BC? If you're in the lower mainland then I recommend my midwife, Leslie Gesner!! We're just barely south of the border - in Blaine (well she's in Everson, actually, but close enough). She happily delivers twins at home. :)

[~lioneyes~]

I don't have personal advise to share, but I saw a program on TV the other day about homebirth twins. It was really amazing, the midwife was like three hours away, so the mom delivered them unassisted! She had the first, then the second was breech. It really struck me how calm she was, the father was asking if he should help, and she said to just keep filming. Anyway, it was amazing, and unassisted!

[zimmee]

I saw that one! If it was the same one, the breech one was actually footling breech and for a few minutes there was this one leg hanging out of her. Which was amazing to watch! The mom was so calm. It was truely wonderful to see.

[2+twins]

I saw that one! If it was the same one, the breech one was actually footling breech and for a few minutes there was this one leg hanging out of her. Which was amazing to watch! The mom was so calm. It was truely wonderful to see.

That's from the Psalm & Zoya video. You can get the full thing here (http://earthbirthproductions.com/). It's very good.

[Gunter]

I saw that HB twin mom in my birthing class. I think my MW had her twins at home, too...not sure though.

It can be done! And, YOU can do it!

[simonesays]

My grandmother was one of 3 surviving quads born at home in 1901, my mother had 2 sets of twins at home and my twins were born at home also.

With my boys we had planned on having them at home with just DH and my mother to help if I went to at least 36 weeks. At 36 weeks 1 day my labor started. Malachi was born first. He was vertex and weighed 8lbs 5 oz. Elijah was born 53 minutes later and he was a frank breech, born in his sack & weighed 8 lbs even. I was a billion times more comfortable at home than I would have been at a hospital or even a birthing center & I think that being relaxed and feeling secure makes birth much easier.

[MamaSpruce]

Yes, yes! I just got an e-mail today from a good college friend who homebirthed her twins 5 days ago (at 38 1/2 weeks, one was 7 lbs 4 oz the other 7 lbs 12 oz. the first was breech and the second head first). I'm so in awe of her!

I talked with my midwife about it. She has helped 2 clients birth twins at home. The keys she said were:

1. Mama's positive attitude and belief in her body to birth her twins naturally.
2. Lots of help, i.e. extra midwives on hand.
3. Eating well and eating a lot. She believes not enough calories and protein are the reason many twins are born early (and of course, making it to term is a qualification for most midwives to do a homebirth).

Good luck!

[Cerri]

One of my friends was present to what she describes as the most amazing and awe-inspiring twin birth ever... it was in Amish country, and the mothers and friends sang while the mother delivered her little ones.
Completely unassisted, completely natural... beautiful and simple and powerful, as such things were meant to be.
My friend said it changed her to be a witness to that.

So you go, mama!
Love,
Cerri

PS: And of course, I used to live in the room where my great-grandmother gave birth to her five children, before the depression. The doctor would come to peek in, and she'd nod and keep doing her thing. I think the doc was there mostly for my great-granddad, lol, because Kate beat him to it just about every time. :P

[Ellie'sMom]

nak

my guys were born at 40w3d. they weighed 7#2 and 8#. it was an amazing birth. much easier than my singleton! you can do it!!

[gemelos]

Hey, I am due with twins around the same time you are-December 30th!! I found a midwife willing to do my home water birth and I wouldn't want it any other way. I have LOVED reading this thread!

[sarahloughmiller]

My twins were born at home 5 weeks ago. I was 40 weeks 3 days and they weighed 8lb 2oz and 7lb 15oz. They were born after only 1.5 hours of labor and I was sooo glad I planned a home birth. It was such a great experience, I can not imagine what it would have been like at the hospital. If it is really what you want, don't give up on finding a midwife that will do it, it is so worth it.

[sarahloughmiller]

Also, if you post in the parenting multiples forum there are several other home birthin twin mamas there.

[alisaterry]

They were born after only 1.5 hours of labor

1.5 hours of labor for twins???? What an inspiration for those of us who are just waiting to gie birth to one, let alone two!! I tip my hat to you! :bow

[alegna]

Interesting- my midwife also only had about 1.5 hours of labor with her twins (UC.) I wonder if maybe left alone many twin births would go fast...

-Angela

[mamaverdi]

I think birth will go the way it goes depending on your psychological readiness, the readiness of the baby, and four million other factors. I would say, birth with twins CAN go quickly, just like with a singleton, if everything is ready. Just like homebirths without reservations can take a while.

But that's another post...

To the OP, you CAN have twins at home. All twins used to be born at home.

mv