Telling Secrets

Hi all!For those who haven't heard, our GIRLS are finally here!They were born on August 19th at 12:16a and 12:26a. Their names are Acacia Lynn (7lbs, 20 1/2" long) and Ameena Renee (7lbs 1oz, 20 1/2 " long). We're back in Colorado and sooooo glad to be home.We are so richly blessed by our birth experience and can hardly believe all that transpired to make it happen.Thanks to all who were part of our journey! After a month in Utah and 41 weeks of pregnancy, I had my midwife (Suzanne Smith) check me to find that I was walking around at 5cm. We had tried acupuncture, homeopathy, EPO with zinc, other fun techniques ;) and still no labor pattern. So, at 5:30p on 8/18 I had her strip my membranes to get things going.She went home and said, call me with the first contraction ;)So, we went for a walk and contractions started during the walk. They were familiar so I didn't get my hopes up right away. We came home and had dinner during which I started timing contractions that were 7 minutes apart.By 7p I was having contractions 5 min apart and was ready for the tub to be filled.Caleb suggested we call Suzanne if I was ready for the tub and I agreed since I was already so dilated, though I didn't think she needed to be there yet. It was hard to believe labor had started and I was afraid the team would come flying in and then end up staring at me for hours, which did kind of happen. Things did kick in though. I got out of the tub and hid out in my room for awhile until the contractions got intense enough to get back in. The team (3 midwives and a student) had retired to a back bedroom and Suzanne came out to check on me and listen to heart tones periodically. Baby B had turned so that both babies were head down (thanks to a great chiropractor Dr. Michelle Orchard in Aurora - we weren't trying to turn baby b, but Webster technique for intrauterine constraint proved to be helpful), confirmed by ultrasound at 37 weeks. But, we had been suspicious based on where we were hearing heart tones recently. However, in labor, it seemed they were both very low and Suzanne even suspected maybe A and B switched positions.Malachi was with us for most of the labor and was so very sweet. My mom helped him understand by telling him I was working very hard and having contractions. He would come over and comfort me with hugs and kisses and by telling me he was sorry I was upset, sorry it's ouchy and asking "having traction mommy?" We sent him and my mom out for a drive in the van when he started getting very tired just after 10p and labor was getting very intense for me. So, off they went and mom came back holding a sleeping Malachi about 30 minutes later. At 11:41p I started pushing on my knees leaning over the birth tub. At 12:16 a.m. Acacia was born in the water, in the caul. They broke her bag and passed her through to me. (Apgars 8/10) I checked to see if she was a boy or girl and announced to Caleb that we had a girl!I then held her while Suzanne held my belly so that Baby B wouldn't turn in any funky positions. She then checked and confirmed she was indeed head down and ready anytime I was ready to push. I said "are you serious? her head is down that far?" I held Acacia in my arms while I pushed in semi-sitting position and at 12:26 a.m. Ameena was born in the water, in the caul. It took 2 people to break her bag. (Apgars 6/7) We had to stimulate her some and cleared her mouth once with a bulb syringe and she began breathing and her heart rate began to climb from 100 up. (I am so thankful for my neonatal res. training as I was so much more calm and instinctually began rubbing her back. And, so glad that no one was taking her away from me to work on her in a french fry warmer across the room!)When she perked up, Caleb checked to see if we had a boy or a girl and announced that she too was a girl! What a surprise, as we had both determined in our minds that it was one of each (for no particular reason).So, there I sat, in my birth tub, in a double wide trailer in Provo, Utah, holding my 2 gorgeous girls, bawling my eyes out. So thankful to have had such a wonderful birth, that they were both healthy and safe and so thankful for my husband who never left my side through this journey. In the words of Grandpa Wilson “God is good and he does answer prayer”.Both girls began nursing as soon as I got in bed and haven't stopped since. I had no more bleeding with the twin birth than I did with Malachi (I was taking alfalfa, yellow dock and chlorophyll during pregnancy and as labor was starting because I was determined not to hemorrhage!) and am feeling great, especially with a couple nights of sleep with 4 hour stretches between feedings.Life is challenging with a 2 year old and twins, and will be more so in a week when Caleb is at work and Brigitte and Andrei move out. But, we are so thankful and ready for a life of joy with these wonderful kids.Thanks again for all your support and love! We couldn't have done this without it.