The Power in me~ My Twin Birth Experience

My journey with my twin pregnancy ended on 7/26/2012 with the birth of my boys. The journey was incredible and some what of a challenge, but in the end I would have not changed a single thing. I hope my story will empower women to not fear childbirth, but to embrace it.
With this last pregnancy experience I wanted to experience birth my way, when we found out we were pregnant our plan was to have a home-birth. Little did we know we were expecting twins and with the "so-called risk" of a twins no midwives in the state of Tennessee would agree to handle my prenatal care and home- birth. This was very heartbreaking to me because I feared having my twins in a hospital because I did not want a c-section nor did I want a fight on my hands in choosing to have a natural, intervention free birth in a hospital. So I decided to LET IT ALL GO! I chose to focus on having healthy babies my way no matter where my pregnancy ended. I trusted the Great Spirit to guide me and give me strength to handle whatever challenges were be set before me. The only thing I knew to do was to continue eating healthy, keeping my mind clear and set on positive results and I communicated with my babies everyday telling them how happy I was to have them and how much I wanted to see them healthy and strong when their born.


Recall of the birth...

Wednesday July 16th
Prenatal Vist:
 I went to my monthly prenantal visit and found out I was already 2 centimeters dilated at 35 weeks and 7 days pregant. The babies and my health were in excellent condition, From my last ultra-sound taken the month before Baby A was in a Vertex (head down position) and Baby B was Breech. The babies position and our great health made me a good candidate for a natural  delivery.

I gave my doctors our birth plan they already knew I wanted a natural birth, but when they saw my birth plan eyebrows raised. I made it very clear that I wanted to be in charge of my birth with only doctors assistance in case of an emergency. No medicine, No constant monitoring, No interventions No Delivery in the OR(operating room). Plain and simple, I made it clear I did not want to be looked at as a "high risk"  patients just because I was having twins. Everything leading up to the pregnancy has been healthy and normal so why shouldn't birth.

We chose to have our babies at Vanderbilt University a "teaching hospital", 9 times out of 10 the doctor who would assist me in delivering my babies would be doctors I never met before who knew nothing about me except that I was pregnant and considered "high risk" because I was caring twins.  Why we chose this hospital? I do not know it just felt right, and I figured the purpose behind it will reveal itself soon.

Prior to this appointment I had to do alot of research on hospital policy on twin births to make sure my tracks were covered. I searched the internet, hospital policy and found not one thing on the hospitals policy on twin birth, so I decided to call the hospital just to make sure, and I spoke with the hospital manager who was in charge of the maternity wing. She assured me that their no policy and that my wishes on my birth plan could be honored even my wish not to have my twins in the OR (Operating Room).  I felt major relief  I didn't want to have my babies in the operating room because I knew if I did I would loose control of my birth and the doctors would have a home court advantage. Instead I wanted to labor and birth in a Labor & Delivery room like every other woman.

Wednesday 7/25/2012
37 weeks and 1 day
 I woke up at 6:02 am I felt restless , so I got out of bed and decided to do a little grocery shopping. By the time I got home I noticed my pants being very moist in between my legs, I changed my pants and kept it moving with my daily duties of being a mother, wife and running a business. A few hours later I noticed more moisture and decided to call my doctor to see if I could be check to make sure my water was not leaking. They suggested I go to the hospital to get checked out.
When we made it to the hospital I found out my water had not broke, but I was 5cm dilated with contractions coming 3 minutes apart. I did not feel a thing (Thank you Hypno-babies NO PAIN!!!), so they decided to admitted me in the hospital after they see how I progressed after about a hour. A hour passed and I was 6 cm dilated 50% effaced and baby B in a -1 station.

I was finally in labor, once we were admitted and into a room I made sure all the staff and my nurse had copies of my birth plan making it very clear what kind of birth I wanted. And to my surprise everyone on the team respected my wishes and didn't give me a hard time. I was amazed I remember thinking to myself          " wow that was easy!" Then the waiting began....

My contractions were coming regular, I felt no pain only a lots of pressure I continued with my baby hypnosis, I walked, sat on my birthing ball, nipple stimulation, and laughed with my family for the next few hours. By 10pm that evening I was still the same no change, this didn't concern me I knew my babies knew when they wanted to be born and this halt in my laboring was very normal, labor shouldn't have a time frame and I trusted my body.
After hours have gone passed with no progression the doctors suggested I use some pitocin to speed things up, I declined their offer. They then suggested I be moved to another room to let me rest and eat and whenever my labor decided to pick back up they would bring me back to labor and delivery. Once in the new room my labor had completely stopped, no more contraction so I took the time to relax and sleep.

Thursday 7/26/2012
37 weeks 2 days
The next morning I woke up at 4 in the morning and I meditated and talked to my babies. Spirit told me today would be the day, but it would not be easy. After a good meditation session and breakfast  I was checked again, this time by a new team of doctors who knew nothing about my birth plan and did not want to honor it. After being check with no progress more doctors came in trying to persuaded me to change my mind about the pitocin still holding my ground I declined with a smile on my face. Next even more staff decided to pay me a visit trying to talk me out of my descicion to not have my babies in the Operating Room. This crowd of doctors we definitely different then the last crowd. They came in with all kinds of excuses and horror stories on why I couldn't have the normal birth I wanted because Baby B was breech. I held strong and continued to give lots of No's with a smile nothing they could say or do moved me. As more and more tension decided to build my contractions picked back up and labor began once again. I was moved back into L&D to be greeted by more and more unhappy doctors who were totally against me having a natural birth my way with only their minimal assistance.

Things really heated up in that room the ironic thing was my labor got even stronger. After a long and some what hostile talk with the doctors and other hospital staff we were left  in the room with a lot of things to think about. Luckily for me I had a great team by my side my husband and my mother. We had to regroup and have a plan in place before the doctors decided to come back in. I knew I couldn't deal with anymore arguing now that my labor picked back up, that wouldn't be good for me or my babies. So I began to meditate listening to my Chakra sounds and I started to visualize my birthing my babies the way I wanted, I told my boys to be born nice, fast , and easy. I continued to visualize baby B head down and being born easy.This moment was powerful I felt strong and that I was protected, I remember hearing my ancestors speak to me telling me "you can do this its almost over" I was so overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions that I began to cry, this cry was so refreshing all of my fears, came out through my tears and the power of the Universe  flooded my body and I felt that I could do anything.

Recharged me and my team came up with our plan to request a ultra-sound to see baby B's position and made it clear we would accept medical intervention if it was necessary. Then my mother began to remove all the negative energy out the room a anointed it with lavender oil. My husband placed my crystals around the room to create a peaceful environment.  We brought back peace and calmness. We were ready to handle what ever came our way.

The doctors returned and to our surprise  they had completely transformed they agreed to our plan, their attitudes had changed. Our magic changed the entire wing, they agreed to let me birth in L&D in the position I chose. I was closer to birthing my way.

We had another ultrasound done and it showed that baby B had already turned head down and that threw all the so-called "risk" out the door. Everything was in place everyone's negative attitudes changed we were all on the same page.

  My labor really started to pick up, but I was still at 6 cm with my bag of water bulging, I knew my water had to break because the fluid prevented Baby A to move down so I had my water broken. That was all we needed I instantly went from 6cm to 9 cm in a mater of minutes. 20 minutes had passed and I was ready to push, the staff had everything prepped and ready they position my bed to I could squat they even gave me a squatting bar.

Ready yo push

 I squatted there listening to Alicia Keys "Super Woman" holding my Snowflake Obsidian and Quartz Crystal, everyone in the room waited on my call and watched as I pushed with each contraction after the 3rd push Zion Amire' was born at 6:45p.m. into my arms very alert and crying 100% healthy Baby B was right behind him all it took was for me to push 1 more time and Zavion Kamray was born at 6:49p.m. into my arms just as healthy as his big brother.

Both boys were 5lbs and 13oz a piece and 18 inches long. They were healthy everyone in the delivery room were amazed. They never saw nothing like it, I was the first woman to ever birth twins in that hospital without the OR room.

The next morning I was greeted by all kinds of staff who congratulated me and even thanked me for showing them that there was another way to birth. They said I taught them. It was a very proud moment.

Zavion & Zion

Zavion 12 hours old

Zion 12 hours old

To wrap it all I up I was cleared to go home with my babies perineum still intact ( NO TEARS!!!)  that Saturday morning.
I got everything I wanted and more I left feeling empowered, and happy to have my boys in each arm.
I hope this story will encourage every woman who wants to make their birth the way they want it. No matter what the setting is you have rights and if you stand your ground nothing can go wrong Trust Your body. I knew my body and I trusted my body to do exactly what it was created to do. Having a positive mind gives positive results.

Please spread this story to anyone you think it may help.

Thanks for reading!