Twins due! C-section vs natural? Parents of twins what’s your advice?

I had mcda twins via planned c section 8 weeks early

@Ally was it a good experience or do you wish you could have waited longer if not a health risk, etc? Was it scary or did you know exactly everything they were doing step by step?

I have only given birth once and it was c section and I was naive about the procedure. After surgery I felt very drugged up, had extreme shakes which I guess is common from the meds, and was throwing up. I wasn't able to enjoy the fact I just had 2 babies because of all the side effects....not to mention the recovery from the c section was very difficult. To be fair I have never had a vaginal delivery so don't have anything to compare it to but I feel like being coherent after surgery would have made the process beautiful. Everyone told me to try vaginal and now I know why!

@Brooke so I had them early for medical reasons, I did want to wait as close as I could to the due date but they stopped growing. I was always having a c section with them as they shared a placenta the risk of delivering naturally was high. They told me I'd likely be able to deliver one but there was a good chance of placental abruption and that could've left the 2nd brain dead.

For my 2nd pregnancy it was just a single baby and I was booked in for a c section at 39+5 because I wanted to give natural labour a go first. He came 3 weeks early and I had complications during labour so was rushed for emergency c section. Now pregnant again and this time not taking any chances going straight for another c section😅

Planned c sections are much more relaxing than emergency ones. They did tell me everything that was happening, my emergency section I was put to sleep

My twins are 21 weeks now and I delivered naturally. My eldest who’s 2.5 was delivered by emergency c section. The consultants kept telling me to go c section but I really wanted to try a natural birth since my first didn’t go to plan and I ended up being the talk of the delivery/maternity wards because not only did I deliver both babies naturally, I did it with no pain relief. I’d say go for it, and if things don’t go to plan they will take you down for a section anyways. Xxxx

I was induced at 36 weeks and was in labour for 16hours before I had an emergency c section. It was not like anything I was hoping for because I had to have the fetal monitors on me the whole time so I was unable to go into water, unable to move around as I pleased - I wasn’t as mentally prepared as I should have been for the c section so it was rough and I keep saying if I ever have another baby I’m going to try natural!

I have 21 nieces and nephews, twins of my own, and I worked in OB.. I would never ever choose an abdominal surgery recovery unless it was absolutely medically necessary. Vaginal delivery with twins is still very very common and literally all that has to happen is Baby A needs to be head down and the same size or bigger than B and you're good to go. I pushed out both babies and both placentas in less than 30 minutes. A cooter recovery is nothing compared to your abdomen being cut open, 7 layers of skin being cut through, cutting into your organ to pull babes out, and all of that being stitched back up. My OB said of course it's possible and that's why we deliver in an OR just in case, but it's pretty rare to end up needing a section for one and not the other. Even if B is breech they can just reach in and pull them out by their feet, it's gotta be a pretty serious complication to require B to need a section 🫶🏻

I have just had twins at 30 weeks by emergency cesarean. My plan was to have a natural birth, but one of their waters broke early sending me into an early labour. In the end my contractions were not strong enough to push both babies out safely as baby number 2 had turned. I was also very naive about the recovery post c-section. It is a big opp like @Kylee said, with 7 layers of your skin being cut open. I am 6 days post opp and my twins are in NICU, so I have time to recover before they come home. I have no ideas how mums area able to have C-section and then come home and look after your new born along with other children if you have them. It is alot harder than I thought! Getting comfort sleeping, getting in and out of bed. Sitting and standing up, picking things up from the floor, getting in and out of the car, going to the toilet, getting changed They all use your abdominal muscles! The recovery of a natural if you can will be so much quicker, so you are able to care for your baby and other children. X

I’d ask what your OB recommends based on the health checkups closer to that time. There’s no wrong answer, if they think you have a good shot at vaginal then I’d try that but otherwise planned C section is perfect. Either way, I hope some family will come visit you to help you recover and take care of the babies

I had 3 natural labours and then I wanted to try natural with my twins but twin 1 was to small and they said that it would be to dangerous to deliver naturally. I didn’t even get as far as making a plan as I went into early labour which resulted in an emergency c section. But the risks are there for natural. Twin 2 can flip around once twin 1 is born which will result in a section anyway. Personally I would go for the section. I didnt find having a section bad atall and I recovered really fast and well I was home on day 3 and back doing the school runs on the busses and travelling back and forth to the twins in special care all on day 4. But if your consultant has no worries about a natural then deffo try if that’s that you want. Good luck with everything xxx

I had my twins naturally at 38 weeks. This was my plan the whole time, as I didn’t want a c section. I had a lovely birth, although very quick. Twin 2 did flip and ended up coming out breach so jt is possible that it doesn’t always end in a c section. They can also try and turn the baby during labour if twin 2 does turn mine was just unusually quick so they didn’t have time. Ask the midwives/ consultants all the questions you have and then make a decision from that. Just do what’s right for you x

Two sets of Di-Di twins. Both delivered vaginally. It’s very possible!

@Ebony hats off to you girl! Your twins are close in age too. I remember being so scared I was carrying twins a second time I don't know what I would've done🤣

I had a c section as I had 2 natural births before my twins. I really wanted to go natural but I was also scared, my doctor told me they wouldn't turn the second twin apparently they come out legs first which also scared me lol. He said as twin 1 comes out it gives the path way for twin 2 so it isn't so bad as twin one was head down. But the midwife said natural birth is a higher risk to the babies and the c section is lower to babies but higher to the mother. So I went with the c section and it all went well. Good luck what ever you choose x

I had my first born naturally and also my twins naturally. Twin A was head down and Twin B was much smaller and breach, the doctor just pulled baby B out out gently after baby A was born. It was all very smooth. I did have the epidural with my twins though , because my doctor advised that if he had to go in and reach baby B, it will be a lot more comfortable for me which it was. I barely remember baby b births as I was so engrossed with baby A on my chest 🥰