Perpetual Unexpected Twists

Okay -- the birth story:

...continued from my last post...

On Sunday afternoon, I felt like the contractions had gotten stronger, so I headed over to the hospital again. When I got there, they checked me and I was 5cm, 80% effaced and -1 station. The doctor decided to admit me as an outpatient (rather than a delivery patient) and observe my labor overnight. So, I spent the night. I was checked a few times in the night and my cervix wasn't changing, so the doctor gave me a choice to stay or go home. I chose to go home (because sitting at the hospital is incredibly boring.) The doctor said to make sure that I came back if the contractions changed at all. Incredibly, it wasn't until Tuesday afternoon that the contractions seemed to get more frequent.

On Tuesday at about 5pm, I called my sister and my mom. My sister took me to the hospital and my mom stayed at my house with the kids. I got checked again - still 5cm and 80% effaced. I honestly expected to be sent home again. The doctor came in to talk to me, and said, "We have a few options at this point. I worry about a precipitous delivery, especially with twins. I can break your water..." I cut him off (LOL) and said "you can stop there, that's my choice." He laughed and said, "Wipe that grin off your face. This doesn't make us friends. Ha ha." I thought that was pretty funny.

Because I hadn't been tested yet for Group B Strep, I had to have 3 hours of antibiotics before they would break my water. So I was admitted and hooked up with an IV at 8:30pm. At 11:00 the anesthesia tech came in and gave me an epidural, and then the doctor came in around 11:40 and broke my water. About 2 hours after they broke my water, I started being able to feel the contractions on my right side, so the anesthesia tech came in and fixed that up for me (bless his heart). Then about 40 minutes later, I thought I could feel them again. Turns out I was actually feeling babie's head crowning. I was complete and she wasn't waiting. I was wheeled into the OR (where they deliver twins just in case of an emergency) and the doctor said, "Let's try a practice push." I pushed and out popped Baby A (Keira). "Guess that wasn't a practice." Then I pushed 3 more times (or 9 times depending on how you count it) and out came Baby B (Ketera). Keira was a little blue, so they took her over to the special care nursery and gave her some oxygen, and Ketera was breathing a little too fast, so they took her over for some IV fluids. Keira was born at 2:40am, 4lbs 11oz and 16 inches long. Ketera was born at 2:49am, 6lbs 2oz and 18 inches long. They were born on Wednesday, May 18, 2005.

We can't tell yet if they are identical - they are still a little swollen from birth, and also their weight difference makes it hard to tell. HOWEVER - they both have the same folds in their ears, the same dimple in their chin, the same baby toes that fold under their foot, and the same swirl on the back of their head, so.... maybe. The nurse said to wait a week, and see how they look then. They are doing AWESOME! Both nursing perfectly, and neither has needed any breathing assistance (other than Keira right at the first). The pediatrician has high hopes that they will be able to come home with me tomorrow. They are currently being weaned from the IV fluids, and the warmer. YAY!