Twin C-Section - Positive Birth Story
This mum decided to have an elective c-section to give birth to her twins, and had a really calm and wonderful experience, and felt entirely supported and looked after by her medical team. We are so grateful for her sharing her twin c-section birth story with us!
I gave birth to twins at the beginning of August 2023, via an elective c-section.
I had considered a c-section very early on in my pregnancy, before I even knew we were having twins. Once we found out it was twins, we confirmed that a c-section was the best and safest option for us. Throughout the pregnancy the midwife and consultancy teams were supportive of our decision, and even towards the end when both babies were head down, I never felt pressured to try for a vaginal delivery.
A multiple pregnancy is considered high risk so we were under consultant care and had scans every 4 weeks. Our c-section was scheduled at 37+1 weeks, which is full term for twins. I opted to have steroid injections 24-48hrs before delivery to help with the babies’ lung development and to minimise risk of breathing difficulties. To be honest those 2 injections were far more painful than the epidural and surgery!
We made it to the scheduled delivery date and our c-section went incredibly smoothly. I did have to have 2 epidural injections, but these were nowhere near as scary as I thought they’d be - more uncomfortable than painful.
The birth was a surreal experience - very relaxed! We had music playing and the surgical team made us feel comfortable and at ease. I didn’t feel anything at all, it just felt like someone was tugging on the bed. The babies were born within minutes of each other and the whole process took no more than an hour. After the surgery my blood pressure spiked which meant I needed extra monitoring and medication.
Due to a lack of beds we were moved around quite a bit for the first 24hrs, before being allocated a private room (which was definitely needed as there wasn’t space on the ward bays for 2 babies and 2 bassinets!)
I do feel that because we moved around a lot I wasn’t as mobile as I possibly should have been, and it was some time before I actually tried to stand up and walk.
We were in the hospital for 2 days after delivery and I knew I’d be restricted in terms of what I could do, but I found it really hard and felt a bit useless that I couldn’t get up to change nappies or comfort the babies. We chose to be discharged as soon as possible, but I didn’t feel pressured to leave at all. I was torn between wanting to get home and not knowing how I was going to make it out of the hospital and into the car!
Once we were home I made sure to take it easy for at least the first week. I was incredibly lucky that my partner and parents were there and so hands on. It meant I was able to focus on resting and recovering. And I do feel that not rushing into things meant my recovery went as smoothly as possible. I definitely noticed that if I overdid things that my scar would open up slightly, but luckily it didn’t get infected.
Overall the recovery was more difficult than I’d been expecting, but I found it was manageable with rest and pain relief, and 12 weeks on I’m feeling great and it already feels like a distant memory!
If I could pass on one tip, it would be to not rush into activity and exercise. I met with a physiotherapist who specialises in postpartum recovery, and I’m following a fitness plan from her to ease back into exercise, with a focus on rebuilding core strength.
I definitely feel that a c-section was the right decision for us and I’m a huge advocate for women being able to choose a c-section delivery, whether it’s for personal choice or medically advised.
Have you had a positive c-section birth that you’d like to submit to our Positive Birth Stories page to help other parents feel more confident? We’d absolutely love to hear from you!
Please click here for info on how to send us your story (and photos from your birth if you're happy to do so!).