Thank you everyone for your thoughts over the past few weeks. Its been very interesting to say the least! I was admitted to L&D on Monday 9/3. I only progressed to 4 cm and 70% over the next 3 days so I was moved to Guest Housing on the 6th, which is a part of the hospital where they keep you close but there is no medical intervention. I waited and waited. On the 7th I saw my doctor and had an NST, no change. On the 10th Kurt and Noah came with me to see my doctor, but the wait was longer than expected and they had to leave to pick up Ethan at school. I got hooked up for my NST and during one of my contractions (that did nothing but annoy me and put an incline on the NST paper) the babies heartbeats went down to the 60's and then the 50's! I got scared because I could hear how slow they became, and because I was in a room by myself, and because I couldnt get up by myself. I started poking my belly trying to probe the babies hearts into accelerating. They finally went up about 2 1/2 minutes later, thank goodness! A nurse came in a few minutes later and after seeing the strip she went to get my doctor. My doctor came in, looked at the NST strip and had me brought to the ER then to L&D to have a "pitocin drip test, and then either induction or c-section". I asked them to let me call Kurt while they were wheeling me out of the office. Lets say Kurt was shocked, and I was so afraid to have another contraction! My Aunt Debbie hurried over to our house to watch the kids and Kurt hurried back to the hospital. I was nervous, but I was trying my hardest to stay relaxed. I got into a Labor room and monitors and IV were placed, blood taken, blah blah. The first contraction showed another bad decel from Baby B, but then for the next couple of hours it was good so we went along with the induction. My contractions came on really fast and very strong so the pitocin was removed, but the contractions didnt slow down. Around midnight the contractions got stronger and the epidural did well to numb my butt and my legs, but not my back or stomach, so I was getting different pain injections to compensate. Because of these meds I can only assume it was around 3:30am when they said I was fully dilated and was brought to the OR. Multiples are always delivered in the OR here, and I not only got the (very good) OB on-call from my doctors office, but my real OB happened to be #2 on-call, and multiple deliveries also get 2 OB's. Getting the good Dr combination was comforting. Delivering in the OR was very weird though. As soon as my doctors were ready and my next contraction came I pushed the typical three times. Baby A was born during the second contraction, on the fifth push. He cried hard, and was given 9/9 Apgars. He was to wait with a Nurse in a warmer in the OR until Baby B arrives. The plan had always been to deliver Baby B as soon as possible (3-10 min after Baby A) so that my cervix doesnt close. Otherwise I could have to labor all over again. I never knew that happened until this pregnancy! As soon as Baby A was born, my doctor used the ultrasound's Transducer to help push Baby B down, and to make sure he stayed head down. Well, my cervix didnt close, but over 3 hours later he was still at -3 station, I was exhausted from pushing, and the baby's heartbeat was going down to 45 beats per minute during and after contractions and was taking longer and longer to recover. Not to mention my contractions had slowed down. The fear was that when my contractions came back fast enough that the baby wouldnt be able to handle it.

I was finally told "if the heart decelerates with the next contraction I'm not sure the baby will be able to recover fast enough, if at all. It may mean brain damage or worse. In that case were going to have to do an emergency c-section". I couldnt believe my original wish to avoid c-sec if possible was being taken this far. I told them that "this (the heart deceleration) is obviously going to happen again, and Id rather not wait that long, or have an emergency c-section, so just do it now". My epidural was pumped up, but I could feel all the pokes on my stomach so it was a General Anesthesia for me. Kurt had to leave the room with Baby A.

Lights out for me.

I woke up in the Recovery room, and I really wish they would automatically tell you how things went when they see youre awake since its hard to talk. I finally asked if it was over and was told yes, I asked if the baby was ok, and was told yes. I dont remember the first time I got to see Baby B, or hold either one of my babies. Im glad that Kurt was with them the whole time though. Around noon I was brought to my room with my two very healthy babies. They both had Apgar scores of 9 and 9. Neither had to be in the NICU at all. Their temperatures went down a couple of times which required time in a warmer, blood sugar and CBC tests, but they were fine. A bit of typical Jaundice that didnt require treatment. Their body weights went down to a height of 8-9% which I supplemented two bottles of formula for. Other than that they are 100% breastfed and sleep very well. I didnt get out of bed for 2 days. My muscles are slowly recovering. A month of bedrest, carrying two babies, a vaginal delivery, pushing for another delivery, then a cesarean finished me off for awhile. I think I'm done using a Walker (that was embarrassing!), but I still need help getting up sometimes. Baby A is Gabriel Jayson, born at 3:46am on 9/11/07, weighing 5lbs, 13oz, 18 inches long Baby B is Nicholas Jeremiah, born at 6:53am on 9/11/07, weighing 6lbs, 10oz, 19 3/4 inches long. They are just precious!!