Twin Mommies -- will she have a choice?

Liz051405

My former coworker's wife is pregnant with twins. They have two older kids and she went completely drug free and was very adamant about no epidural. I joked with him that she was insane but really I admire her for doing it. One was an induction and I know for me that pitocin induced contractions hurt more than my natural ones.

Anyway, will she even have the option this time around? I only know two women with twins in real life. Both delivered vaginally but one had to deliver in an OR "just in case" and one had to have an epidural (that she didn't want) "just in case". Is that that standard? To force an epidural?

Just curious.

BeachBaby07

I know 3 women who had twins and all had C/S actually

I get not wanting drugs (well not really) BUT, in this situation I would be scared sh!t less of my #2 going into distress and I wouldnt want them to have to waste time doing a spinal so they could cut me open.  As a Dr I could see how insisting on an epi would make the Dr more comfortable, then the wishes of the mom which while important, the health of the baby would come first

Katethegreat10

Not a twin mommy but I'll answer from what I know. It will depend on the position of the babies. If they are both head down they will probably let her try to go vaginally. If A is head down they may let her try as well. I would think they might encourage her to get an epidural and have her deliver in the OR just in case. So they could quickly dose her before the c/s through her epidural instead of having to put her under general or something in an emergency. Probably all depends on her OB. But the vaginal twins we've had are usually delivered in the OR just in case of a c/s. I think they usually had an epidural, but I am not positive. 

laurenpetro

sure it's possible.  my stepbrother's wife had their twins naturally.  she had meds but the epidural rarely has anything to do with it.

my guess is they'll DO the epidural but not administer any meds unless they have to do an emergency c/s if she's really adamant about not having any drugs.

penguingrrl

I would imagine it will depend both on the doc she chooses and hospital policies. I know for my VBAC I was required to get the epidural catheter placed, it was up to me whether they put meds through it. This was a hospital regulation and is pretty standard VBAC protocol from what I understand. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a similar rule for multiples.

If there was an emergency and they needed to move quickly and did not have an epidural port ready to go she would risk needing general anesthesia (this happened to my SIL with her second birth) and would not be awake for the procedure. But this is a slim risk with any birth, not just multiples.

junebug1

It will probably come down to her physician/midwife and the hospital where she delivers.

hookersbabe

my cousin's wife went naturally with her twins...she was at her ob's office for a check up, and was sent to the hospital bc she was in labor...by the time they got there, there really wasn't much time for an epi...

that said, she is one of those women that was made to have babies...

cookiemonster03

Well, unless Baby A is vertex, its really unlikely she'll even have the option to deliver vaginally unless she does a homebirth (crazy with twins) or something (neither of our babies was ever vertex, and we had weekly u/s's from 30w on...they were breech from 16w actually). Even if they're both vertex, she probably will be asked to have a line placed (even if she doesn't use it) as its common for B to flip after A leaves space.  If the OB is skilled/comfortable with breech extraction, that'd be an option in lieu of a c-secion/double whammy (which she'd need the line for anyway so as to not be put under), but I sure wouldn't want a breech extraction without an epi...

MrsDonnelly2007

Depends on the OB/hospital. Mine pretty much said I was getting a c/s. a lot of vaginal birth MoMs had to deliver in the OR, like Lauren said, and would have the epi in place but no meds unless a c/s was required. 

MrsDonnelly2007

Oh and there is a risk of the "double whammy," baby A is delivered vaginally then baby B turns bc there is now more room and a c/s is necessary

Chatty76

My cousin has 2 sets of twins 5 years apart and all 4 were delivered with no epi.  I know one set baby A was head down and B was breach but turned after A was out. 

A friend delivered 1 vaginally and then had to have a C for the second. The rest of the twins I know have all been delivered via c-section. 

I just realized I know ALOT of twins. lol

laurenpetro

Chatty76:

My cousin has 2 sets of twins 5 years apart and all 4 were delivered with no epi.  I know one set baby A was head down and B was breach but turned after A was out. 

A friend delivered 1 vaginally and then had to have a C for the second. The rest of the twins I know have all been delivered via c-section. 

I just realized I know ALOT of twins. lol

that is the most horrific sentence i've ever read.

ladies, if any of you ever considered me a badass i can tell you straight up that this is the stuff of my nightmares. 

Chatty76

laurenpetro:

Chatty76:

My cousin has 2 sets of twins 5 years apart and all 4 were delivered with no epi.  I know one set baby A was head down and B was breach but turned after A was out. 

A friend delivered 1 vaginally and then had to have a C for the second. The rest of the twins I know have all been delivered via c-section. 

I just realized I know ALOT of twins. lol

that is the most horrific sentence i've ever read.

ladies, if any of you ever considered me a badass i can tell you straight up that this is the stuff of my nightmares. 

I think she was batshitcrazy!  But what do I know.  I wanted a C-section.  lol

rbytsdy

Sure, it's possible.  They can't force an epidural but they can really put the pressure on.  However, if she has delivered vaginally twice, she obviously has the ability to deliver vaginally so she should be given the option. Some doctors want both babies to be head down and some will just want baby A to be head down.  There are a few doctors out there that will consider 2 breech twins.  She may have to look for a doctor that is willing to assist her but they are out there.