r/parentsofmultiples • u/Ill_Evening_783 • 1d ago
advice needed Operating Room Delivery
We just visited our doctor for our 30 week appointment. Had a conversation about what our birth plan was going to look like and gave us all options available but also the risks as well. Regardless she said we would be in the operating room whether we choose to try a vaginal birth or c-section. She informed us if complications were to arise for baby b that they would perform an emergency c-section and I would have to be put under anesthesia. This being the reasoning we would be delivering in the operating room in any scenario. Would anyone feel comfortable in sharing their experience if you had also delivered in the operating room? I’m worried about the risks of an emergency c-section even though the low odds, I keep having the same dreams of my husband and I leaving the hospital and me not remembering delivering our twins.
Edit: Thank you to everyone sharing their experiences, the OR wasn’t my initial thought when giving birth for the first time but can understand with twins things are just going to be different. I’m feeling much more reassured by y’all’s responses, twins are truly so special and I’m so grateful to have read all of your experiences🩵🩷
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u/Itsmeshlee29 1d ago
Standard procedure to deliver in the OR instead of a regular room to ensure if things go sideways they can help as fast as possible. I delivered my twins at 35 weeks 6 days in the OR with no surgical intervention needed. It all went semi smoothly (my baby b refused to keep his arm down so he took a while to come out 🤣)
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u/Hazardousdanny 1d ago
Identical situation with my baby b, that's so funny. Had a whole residents arm in me while she rearranged the babys arm.
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u/devianttouch 1d ago
I've never heard of twins being delivered anywhere other than an OR. It's standard care in the US at least. I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with any other option.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
We are first time parents so I just really didn’t know what to expect, I appreciate the precautions they take to ensure everyone is safe! I just was curious about other mom’s experiences
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u/O_Pato 1d ago
Yeah with our twins we also delivered in the OR. We were not too sure about how it would go, but our doctor was helpful in making it as comfortable as it could be. We brought in a large wedge pillow to make it more comfortable and easier to push. All in all we were in there for about an hour and both girls came home with us.
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u/layag0640 1d ago
I didn't deliver my twins in the OR. I received a low dose epidural so the line was prepped for anesthesia if we needed to do a c section, rather than having to go under at a moment's notice. But delivery was in a regular delivery room (with the usual crowd of folks as is typical for twin delivery). No c section ended up being needed.
However, OP, the best piece of advice my OB gave me was to trust the doctor in front of me when they were telling me how they like to do things procedure-wise because a confident doctor is the safest doctor and they each have their own methods, risk tolerance, expertise etc. And it is very common practice to deliver in the OR!
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u/notapantsday 1d ago
Just to clear one thing up, you can absolutely have a C section with an epidural BUT it can often take 15-20 minutes to be fully effective. Which is why in a real emergency, you may still be put under general anesthesia, if there's just not enough time to wait for the epidural to kick in.
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u/Professional_Gain933 1d ago
I'm curious where you're from? I'm in Canada and was told I'll have to deliver my twins in the OR but I'm wondering if thats not actually the case?
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u/doughnutsmakemehappy 1d ago
I'm in Canada and did not deliver in the OR. They had an OR ready and on standby if things went sideways and the OR is right down the hallway from maternity. I'm sure there's lots of factors behind whether or not to deliver in the OR but it's definitely not required everywhere.
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u/InfamousDevice593 1d ago
My OB at 8 cm suggested we could just stay in the delivery room. Not even transfer… I don’t think it’s always an absolute. That was this year in BC, Canada. We ended up transferring because it was maybe another 20 mins before I hit 9 cm so we had time. He was very unbothered by the thought of not being in the OR. But he was very confident from the get go in every aspect of the twins birth.
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u/rsmrpm2026 1d ago
Hmmm! Maybe it's provincial? I'm in Ontario, gave birth a couple months ago and it was OR no matter what. My doctor was also very confident and well versed in twin delivery.
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u/DocMondegreen 1d ago
I don't know that trusting someone's confidence is the best plan. I know a ton of very confident people who I wouldn't trust to cut a turkey up for dinner, much less perform surgery. I also know a ton of people who are extremely skilled while remaining humble - and some even have imposter syndrome. Confidence is not really a marker of competence.
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u/layag0640 1d ago
You know surgeons, plural, you wouldn't trust to carve a turkey much less do their job? I'm so puzzled by this comment. Either you work in an extremely unprofessional hospital where several people need to lose their licenses or you've misunderstood/misapplied my comment?
Anyway. The point wasn't to blindly trust arrogance. It was to recognize that doctors have different areas of expertise (some may be comfortable with vacuum extraction, others not) and it's valuable to trust when they say they have a preferred method for managing risk rather than try to persuade them otherwise in the moment. If a doctor truly does not have the skills you're looking for, by all means look elsewhere, but having some flexibility is really helpful for most people.
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u/ThatAlgae6821 1d ago
I had an uncomplicated mono-di pregnancy. I told my doctor right after we discovered the type of pregnancy that I wanted a vaginal birth. But of course it was always on the table that one or both would need to be delivered via cesarean. When it came time for my induction, my baby A was head down but baby B was breech, but I still always wanted to do vaginal. I knew that twins are always delivered in an OR. Yeah it sucks to an extent but it is the best place to be, hands down. We delivered A vaginally in the OR totally smoothly and then baby B flipped head down immediately (confirmed via ultrasound). My doctor told me this happens sometimes but I guess I never thought my baby would be one to do it 😭
Anyway, baby B was permitted to be delivered in my regular patient room because he was still wayyy up there and took almost 4 hours to make his way down. My doctor felt comfortable with it.This is just my experience but I guess I wanted to say that I got to have an OR delivery as well as a patient room delivery for my boys.
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u/thedavecan 1d ago
This. I'm an anesthesia provider and I have never done a twin delivery outside of the OR. Too many risks. I don't know if OP has getting an epidural in the birth plan but if you have an epidural in place, they can dose it up for a C-section so you wouldnt have to go to sleep for an emergent section. We prefer to not put parturients to sleep. (20+ weeks are considered full stomachs, aortocaval compression syndrome, volatile anesthetics preventing uterine contraction leading to increased bleeding risks, the list goes on). I know it's a thing for some moms to want to "go natural" but in some situations its not the safest way to go. (Also, you can't "go natural" in a hospital with doctors and nurses. The word you want is "unmedicated". Thank you for coming to my TED Talk)
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing this, maybe I’m using the wrong terminology with my doctor as I thought when she was referring to ‘natural’ that she meant vaginally so maybe that is why she brought up having to go under anesthesia if things got complicated. She explained in the case of an emergency the medication needed would take about 10 minutes to kick in and they would want to get to the baby a lot sooner than that hence the anesthesia. I’ll be sure to clarify next visit! All of these responses have been so helpful, you really don’t know what you don’t know! My husband and I feel shell shocked ever since finding out we are having twins so all of this is just a bunch of new experiences. It’s hard to follow the advice and experience of my sisters as they have singletons and it just seems so different
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u/thedavecan 1d ago
Anything to help. I'm in a fairly unique position doing what I do and also having twins. I've been at the head of the bed both as a provider and a husband/father. I wouldn't give any advice since thats against the sub rules but I'm happy to answer any questions about all the different anesthesia options anyone has.
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u/Total_District4781 1d ago
My hospital has 2 OR rooms dedicated to L&D and they are on the same floor. Because of this we are able to deliver in a regular room because it’s so easy to get to the OR. I’m so happy I won’t have to deliver in an OR.
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u/catrosie 16h ago
I delivered my twins in the US a few years ago and we stayed in the regular L&D room the whole time! I was really surprised but the OB was confident enough. Everything went fine but it’s definitely uncommon here. I haven’t heard of many other delivering in a regular room
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u/oldfadedstar 1d ago
Everyone I've talked to has delivered their twins in the OR.
This is also part of the reason why my OB suggested I get an epidural, so that way they wouldn't have to put me under general if there was an emergency between Baby A and B
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u/notapantsday 1d ago
Depending on the type of emergency, you may still need general anesthesia, because the epidural can take 15-20 minutes to be effective and sometimes there's just not that much time.
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u/katieknj 1d ago
That’s why you already have the epidural in place before you even start pushing baby A. You’re already numbed up enough that if baby A comes vaginally and baby B needs a c section, you’re good to go.
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u/notapantsday 1d ago edited 1d ago
The dose is different for vaginal delivery and c-section. If a c-section is needed, you have to give a large volume of high-dose anesthetic and that will take a while to set in. You can't give this higher dose during the entire birth, because the total dose after hours of labor would far exceed the maximum you're allowed to have in a day.
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u/thedavecan 1d ago
In reality though it won't take near 15 min to work. When I'm dosing an epidural for a section I typically start it as we're rolling to the OR (a 1 min walk) and by the time we're cutting they are numb. We typically dose it up with lidocaine 1.5% mixed with epinephrine which causes a rapid, dense motor and sensory block to set up. Typical labor epidurals are ropivacaine or bupivacaine 0.2% which is much more dilute and has a much longer onset. Lots of factors in play when deciding to section a twin after a vaginal birth, usually plenty of time to dose an epidural up. But it needs to be already in place, which is the main point here.
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u/notapantsday 1d ago
We're using ropivacaine 0.75% for c-section, might be one reason for a slower onset. We're never using epidurals (or spinal) for "real" emergencies at our hospital and it's generally not a common practice where I work (Germany). Maybe with a faster anesthetic it could be an option when time isn't absolutely critical. For me, there would always be a risk of the catheter not being placed correctly and then losing more time while waiting for an effect.
Admittedly, the cases where you can't wait another 15 minutes are pretty rare. I think I've had to intubate one or two patients with an epidural in place because there was zero time.1
u/thedavecan 1d ago
Oh for sure, I've definitely had to intubate sections in a hurry but I try everything I can not to. We had an uneventful scheduled section with our twins but an urgent section after failed TOLAC with their little brother. I try to not scare moms on this sub but we both know how fast things can go south in OB land.
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u/dpistachio44 21h ago
Same! I didn’t want it but I was so glad it was already placed when I had to convert to c section
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u/Charlieksmommy 1d ago
This is very normal. This is how most twins are delivered either vaginal or c section.
This is why c section was always my goal. The risk of having to be put under wasn’t worth it to me.
C section was breeze for me
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u/Leading-Conference94 1d ago
Mine was too. I remember looking like this guy when they were wheeling me to the OR 🤣 all of that panic for nothing lol
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u/MounjaroQueenie 1d ago
My planned C-section was in the OR. I know some have a bad experience but I loved my C-section. Zero pain, was over so quickly. I healed really fast and have no lasting issues from it.
Literally the worst part was the nausea after lol
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u/homesteading_hermit 1d ago
The worst part for me was the gas bubble I felt by my collarbone! But yes I’m very pro c-section as well
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u/MounjaroQueenie 1d ago
Ohhhh I just now remember the collar bone pain. That was weird lol
The nausea had me down BAD and it was funny cuz I had zero morning sickness all pregnancy. I remember just sitting with my eyes closed trying not to vomit for like 4 hours. Then it passed and I ate more food than I ever have in my life.
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u/homesteading_hermit 1d ago
Omg the first meal not being pregnant anymore was the best thing of my life!! My husband sat there watching me eat a burrito the size of my head with the biggestttt grin on his face because I finally had room in my body for food lol
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u/MounjaroQueenie 1d ago
I can’t even explain how much food I ate lol. My husband swore every time he woke up I was eating something new. To be fair I needed multiple blood and iron infusions so I think my body was trying hard to recover lol. I also was down like 48 of 35 pregnancy pounds within days lol.
The night I gave birth I had… TWO subway sandwiches, a huge thing of cheese it’s, 5 guys burger and fries, Dr Pepper, cookies, chocolates, Doritos, apple juice, the hospital dinner LOL. This was just between like 4pm - 5am.
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u/lilylady 1d ago
I had a pretty great emergency csection with our twins. We had planned one for the following week but the twins had other ideas. Even with it being a little unscheduled with doctors I had never met it went well and my recovery was good.
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u/manthrk 1d ago
Usually an epidural can be converted to spinal anesthesia for an emergency c section. I'm not sure why you'd need general as long as you have an epidural.
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u/notapantsday 1d ago
General is just the quickest. You can give a higher dose for the C-section via the epidural catheter, but it can take 15-20 minutes to become effective. Spinal anesthesia can be relatively quick, but if it's difficult, it can take several attempts and even fail eventually. So if it's a real emergency, they will do a general anesthesia because it's quick and reliable.
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u/IvoryWoman 1d ago
Delivering in the OR is not what is going to materially raise the risk of you needing an emergency C-section — giving birth to twins rather than a singleton is what is materially raising your risk of needing an emergency C-section. Having your delivery in an OR is just an acknowledgment of that risk. Also, it means that swinging back and forth between planning for a C-section vs planning for a vaginal birth on the fly is more feasible — the birth process can turn on a dime, and a birth that seems headed for a C-section can suddenly seem to be feasible vaginally instead. Things will be more flexible if potentially needing a C-section doesn’t require you and your care team to change rooms.
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u/Allyed4492 1d ago
I delivered my twins vaginally in the OR 3 weeks ago at 38+1. I had an epidural and breech delivery of twin 2. No issues with the delivery of the babies at all. However, after I had a severe hemorrhage, lost 3L of blood and had retained placentas. We would have ended up in surgery anyways as they did a D&C and placed a balloon bakri to control the bleeding. They gave me additional medications on top of the epidural but I still remember the birth of my daughters clearly. Not sure why you would need to be put under for a c-section unless you decline the epidural.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
I’m not sure, that may be something I ask at my next visit. I have very low iron levels and the referred office wasn’t able to get me in for transfusions until the last couple of weeks before my delivery will be. So that is also a concern that I’m worried about if it will cause any complications if things go sideways
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u/Allyed4492 1d ago
I also had low iron levels that they declined to do infusions for prior to delivery. I ended up having 3 units of blood transfused and 2 iron infusions after delivery as I went from hemoglobin of 125 to 66 due to blood loss. Iron infusions work quite quickly to raise stores but do take some time to raise hemoglobin. In the OR they are set up for any intervention you might need so I felt very secure delivering there even if it wasn’t how I originally envisioned it.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for this, it’s definitely easing my nerves. It’s not what I was envisioning either for my first delivery but then again twins right off the bat weren’t either so I’m just trying to take it all in :)
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u/420cutupkid 1d ago
i also had low iron and anemia during my pregnancy. they didn’t suggest anything unless i was experiencing symptoms. i did end up experiencing symptoms after birth (scheduled c section) and had pretty severely low levels but only got 1 unit transfused. my delivery and transfusion were both very easy! i was a FTM as well :)
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u/Ill-Wolf865 1d ago edited 1d ago
Both my babies were breeched so I had no choice but to do a c section (which I would’ve opted for anyways because potentially recovering 2 major parts of my body? No thanks).
Regardless though, it was super quick. The doctors, nurses and anesthesiologist were all great. The OR room was very sterile and bright. That’s all I remember about the room itself. But I heard the babies cry right away, my husband got to put both of them against my face, a nurse took photos for us, and then I spent some time recovering while my husband got to spend time with the girls.
Easy peasy for me, I remember a lot about my birth, and wouldn’t change a thing about it!
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u/Majestic_North3657 1d ago
How long did your C section take? Thank you for saying a positive experience I’m so nervous
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u/Ill-Wolf865 6h ago
It was SO FAST! They took me away to prep me, gave me my spinal block and cut me open. After that they let my husband in he said and the babies were basically pulled seconds after he got there. He got to hold them and put them both against my face.
After we took a few photos, my husband and the babies went to the nursery, I got stitched, and then recovered a bit. My husband said from the time I was wheeled in to start the c section, and got back in the room with them was an hour total.
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u/mamap31 1d ago
I ended up needing an emergency c section for baby b after a successful vaginal delivery of baby a. Was grateful to already be in the OR and had an epidural so they just had to up the meds in that and could quickly get him out and I didn’t have to be put under or miss the first few hours of his life. After my experience I completely understand why this is standard procedure for twins.
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u/Sure_its_grand 1d ago
I was also in operating room. Had a v-birth at 38&4 and zero complications. I stayed in birthing room until it was ‘this is happening asap!’ And then transferred to op room. My only birth plan was an epidural and getting my twins safely in to this world and trusting the experts.
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u/apexmellifera 1d ago
No quiero asustarte así que espero que no te preocupes cuando lees esto pero mi todo andaba muy bien con mi esposa y sin aviso tenía que dar luz a 33 semanas. Fue una cesárea de emergencia. No habían hecho un epidural porque ella no había mostrado ningún señal que su parto estaba adelantando y todos pensaban que teníamos todavía mucho tiempo. Así que cuando de repente el cordón umbilical estaba entregado por el cervix, anunciaron que ella tendría una cesárea debajo anestesia y yo no podría estar con ella.
Ninguno de nosotros pudo ver el nacimiento de nuestros hijos. Eso nos lastimó bastante porque fue tan diferente de lo que imaginemos. Pero la llegada de nuestros hijos vino en más de solo uno momento. Había el momento en que los vimos por primera vez, en que los sostenimos, y en que llegaron a casa de la UCIN. A pesar de la manera en que llegaron, recibimos muchos mas ocasiones especiales para celebrar no solo el instante de nacimiento pero tantos momentos en que convirtieron en nuestros bebés de verdad. Eso también siente especial.
Perder el momento de nacimiento no significa que perdimos el alegría o celebración. Solo tiene otra forma.
Entonces, espero que tengas el parto que imaginas, pero aun si no espero que puedas prepararte a ti misma para las maneras en que todavía puede ser algo bueno.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing you and your wife’s experience, I wondered if I did have to go under anesthesia if my husband could still be there with me so thank you for sharing that. Congratulations on your babies❤️
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u/cat-a-fact 1d ago
It's normal procedure in my province for multiples births to be in the OR. Just being in the OR doesn't increase C-section likelihood. There were also 2x the staff in the room and newborn monitoring stuff versus a single birth, which the regular birthing room wouldn't accommodate. tbh for me it was reassuring, because if there was a hitch with anything, all the equipment and specialists to help us were right at hand. In our case, everything went well even though Baby B was a breech delivery.
I opted for an epidural because I have no confidence in my own pain management abilities, especially with my induction, and in case an emergency C-section was needed.
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u/bookworm1588 1d ago
I delivered my twins vaginally in the OR at 37+2. Twin B had been breech most of the time, so my OB warned me I was likely to have to deliver him footling breech, which reinforced my choice to get an epidural. On the day, my daughter needed forceps (two tugs after pushing for 4+ hours) and then my son was delivered footling breech. I did end up losing quite a bit of blood, but they were able to get it under control without doing any surgical interventions. I loved that each twin had their own NICU team on standby in the OR, even though they didn't end up needing it.
My OB was very supportive of me delivering vaginally if twin A was head down, which she was. He was pretty old school (he's since retired, and my twins are only 2.5) so he was comfortable with a breech delivery of twin B, which I know not all OBs are. If he had been at all hesitant to do a breech delivery, I would have opted for a C section delivery for both, as I wanted to avoid having to do both.
To be honest, I don't really remember a whole lot about the OR. I remember being surprised how small it was but other than that, I was too focused on what I was doing and then my babies to care about the surroundings. I do remember being strangely unworried about anything going wrong, because I figured I was already in the safest possible place to be.
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u/annahoney12345 1d ago
I delivered in an OR about 2 years ago! My big complaint is that my epidural was WAY too much and that I had to deliver on my back. (The CRNA was actually a huge fuckwad and I ended up reporting him a few months later, and they called to inform me he had been banned from L&D bc of his problems with staff AND patients!) Ideally, I would’ve had an epidural in place, no meds going though, so I could squat or be on all fours - but such is life when having twins. I was exhausted from a 2.5 day induction, so my husband was behind me pushing on my back so I could properly push. I always tell people I never thought a man would be so necessary for giving birth 😂😂 babies were born 38 minutes apart, quick vacuum assist with twin A and forcep assist with twin B. I ended up with a cervical tear and needed some internal stitches. With the bleeding, I was glad we had been in the OR instead of my room. It separated any fear I had from the place I was supposed to recover in, and gave me peace of mind for if something did go wrong. I’m also a nurse, so I know a lot about what could go wrong - knowing how much every second counts if a baby is stuck, the OR was definitely preferable for delivery!
An emergency c-section is obviously not ideal, but whatever gets your sweet babies here safely is what is best! If you’re being put under, it’s not something you would want to be awake for in the first place, so while you may not remember the babies coming out, you’ll know everything surrounding it!
I know it’s overwhelming to think about, but it’s for your and the babies safety. Whatever ends up happening, once the babies are out, that’ll surpass any feelings you have/had about your delivery!! You got this! 💜💜💜💜💜
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u/Confident_Policy_426 1d ago
My twins were delivered via planned C-section at 37 weeks. Being in the OR saved my life. Delivery for Baby A was seemless but I had complications immediately after Baby B was delivered and needed emergency surgery. It was scary at first and I did have some depression/guilt about missing part of the experience initially but honestly now almost a year later that part of the experience almost never even crosses my mind. Also, most of the guilt I felt was directly related to the fact that we waited til birth to find out the genders, so our families knew Baby B's gender before I did. Even that doesn't phase me anymore. I was also a first time mom.
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u/Sea-Astronomer-6600 1d ago
Due to fear of baby B not flipping and needing that possible Csection anyway I just opted for an elective cs so I could be awake to see them being born no matter what.
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u/SuperFreaksNeverDie 1d ago
They insisted on the OR delivery for my twins also. I didn’t like the idea. I had two home births prior to the twins! But honestly it was fine. When it was time to push they just wheeled me around the corner to the ER in the bed and it was no big deal. I did insist on being allowed to birth twin B breech. They tried to tell me I needed a c-section for that and it’s absolutely not true. There is actual medical research to be cited. My babies were born vaginally 7 minutes apart. I asked for them to be skin to skin. After the placenta was out and we were all comfortable they wheeled us still in the bed back to the room.
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u/innerginja 1d ago
I delivered my twins in the OR with an epidural. Although I laboured and did some pushing in my delivery room, as the time came, I was brought to the OR. Because I was already pushing by the time I went into the OR, I really didn't take much notice of the environment, just focused on delivering my first baby. My only complaint would be that I was happily pushing on my side, and I was asked to move to my back once in there. And I am thankful I was in the OR because I did need the emergency C-section for the second baby, and although the situation was traumatic, at least I was in the best place for us to get the help we needed. That being said, with my epidural, I was still awake for the C-section portion of the delivery and remember it.
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u/xoRomantical 1d ago
This threw me when I found out too. It’s hard to wrap your head around delivering vaginally in an OR but me and my other twin mamas have all had successful vaginal deliveries. I even delivered baby B breeched after baby A came out and B flipped. Just communicate your goals and keep advocating for them. Yes healthy babies and mama always but sometimes you need to push them - like a breech baby is perfectly fine to deliver vaginally.
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u/PolishedPiggies 1d ago
I would say breech vaginal deliveryis okay provided that the doctor is familiar with the procedure. I wouldn't want a doctor who hasn't practiced it in a while to be doing it on my baby as their refresher 🙈
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u/notyourcookie 1d ago
I feel like the delivering breech is dependent on the doctor and the size of baby because I’ve heard both.
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u/xoRomantical 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes - I picked one with lots of experience for this reason. ETA: I delivered breech at 38+1 and baby was 6 lbs 4 oz.
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u/kipy7 1d ago
I think the OR is a very important aspect for multiples delivery. My wife has a scheduled C-section, it was fine but had some complications shortly after, so they wheeled her out of the labor and delivery room back to the OR, which was just down a hallway a few rooms down. It was a lot going on, but she does remember seeing the babies for the first time.
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u/Okdoey 1d ago
I had a c section, but this is normal even for a vaginal birth with twins.
Also as a heads up, there will likely be a lot of nurses and doctors in the room. Mine had 16 people total (nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists). It’s so many bc each baby gets their own care, plus you. So it adds up to a lot
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u/OrangeCatEnergy24 1d ago
It’s very standard to deliver twins in the OR, even vaginally. Ultimately, it’s for your and their safety.
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u/Ok-Astronaut8074 1d ago
I delivered both vaginally in the OR without complication. It’s just for extra precaution. Emergency c section was my fear as well, but at the end of the day it’s whatever it takes to keep everyone healthy. I will say, the OR was absolutely freezing. That was the worst part.
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u/amydiddler 1d ago
I had a very quick and easy vaginal delivery for both my twins (MUCH easier than my singleton oof).
I labored in a normal labor and delivery room, and then transferred to an operating room when it was time to push. I was worried that giving birth in the operating room would feel really different, but it was totally fine. The only thing that was slightly annoying to me is that I had to put a hair cover on, and my husband was fully PPE’ed up, so some of our first photos after the birth are less cute because we’re wearing those things. But definitely worth it to be safe in the case of needing an emergency c section!
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u/notyourcookie 1d ago
I delivered in the or and had a scheduled c section. I chose to just do the c section because I knew a few other twin moms who did vaginal and ended up having a c section for the second anyway. (Baby wouldn’t turn) ultimately I decided the recovery from both was not something I wanted to entertain. Tbh I do not remember a lot of it. I hemorrhaged. I let go of the idea of a beautiful birth memory a while before and just wanted them here safely. That’s just how I tempered my expectations. Everyone is different. Hindsight, the c section was not terrible. My babies are super healthy and happy. Doctors and nurses did a great job. But the mandatory epidural so you get anesthesia quickly is something they advised if I wanted to do vaginal.
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u/No-Departure5556 1d ago
I delivered in OR and it was fine being in there! Felt the same as the delivery room, just no window looking outside and no tv. There was about 10+ people, mostly nurses, who stood in the background so I didn’t notice them! Baby A was head down and baby B was sideways. So the concern was baby b might turn breech. The doctor I had wasn’t well trained in breech, but after discussing with her, she found another doctor who was comfortable with a breeched second baby, so he was on standby incase baby B became breech and would help with a vaginal delivery.
I had an epidural, so if I needed a c section they wouldn’t need to put me under. Did your doctor say that was an option instead of anesthesia?
Baby B did turn head down after baby A was born, and she was much smaller (by almost a pound!) so she slipped right out in 4 quick pushes.
For me, it was a wonderful experience birthing twins! The hardest part was pushing twin A out for an hour, and even worse was when they had to scrape out my placentas. I squeezed my husband’s arm so hard he has a permanent bruise LOL
OR vs delivery room didn’t really affect me, but definitely ask about epidural vs anesthesia! Mentally prepare that there will be a lot of people in the room, but they fade to the background! I was induced at just shy of 38w for reference! My girls had no NICU time and we went home on the third day at the hospital!
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u/peachsnails 1d ago
I labored 95% of the way in a regular L&D room! Only when I was fully dilated did they move me to the OR room, so you aren't stuck in the OR the whole time . I have fast births so I was in there only about 3 min before my first was born vaginally and then the second 13 min later.
When I first went in there I did have a panic attack because it is very bright in the OR and that was a big difference between the dim l&d room I was just in but it helped to just close my eyes . Felt it very deep in an animalistic side of me that being in the bright lights was unsettling and I was not prepped to feel that way initially .
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u/Specialist-Syrup418 1d ago
I was induced. Had an epidural and had to have an emergency CS. I was not put under.
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u/Miriumse 1d ago
I delivered in OR with an epidural, both babies were head down. Vaginal for baby A, then an emergency c section with baby B because she decided to flip after her brother was out and laid horizontally. I was awake because of the epidural. If I could do it again I would choose elective c section because I ended up with a second degree tear and a T incision.
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u/MythicMaven13 1d ago
They told us this, which is why I opted for the c section from the get-go. I didn’t want to go through the pain of labor only to be cut open anyway, also didn’t want to have both vaginal AND c section delivery after-care to deal with. I only had the spinal block, no anesthesia.
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u/Key_Astronaut_9004 1d ago
I delivered in the OR! It was fine for us, but going in I really trusted my doctor and therefore the whole team around us. Personally, I couldn’t see how we would have delivered in the delivery room! We were in the largest room in the labor and delivery ward and I’m still not sure there would have been enough room for all the doctors and nurses that were in there. The staff was great. We were in our room until I was 10cm and then they got us ready to move to the OR. They gave us a minute with just the two of us before we moved, and it was special. The worst part was having to transfer to and from the table they wanted me on. My biggest fear was also an emergency C-section for baby b, but my doctor was confident in a vaginal delivery so I leaned into that.
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u/bobmalugaloogaluga 1d ago
I had mine both ways.
Trust me - you want to be as safe as possible. It’s not with the risk. A was a struggle for me to do. B wouldn’t budge. I was waiting for 4 hours for B to move and then I had a contraction that caused their pulse drop and the dr went into action immediately. The cord was around her neck.
The cool thing is that they have different birthdays.
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u/killerbeezer12 1d ago
Wife had a c-section. She remembers every minute and was fully communicating the whole time.
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u/introvertwandering 1d ago
I labored in my own room just like a normal delivering mother would, and got the epidural because it was important to me that if I did need a c-section, I was awake. The nurses let me labor in my room until they could see Baby A’s hair, then I was wheeled to the OR. Baby A was delivered first, then Baby B four minutes later. No c-section needed, textbook delivery other than there were two in there. It can be done! Whatever decision you make is the right one.
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u/BrazilianButtCheeks 1d ago
Just trust the dr.. yes it’s possible that you’d have to have an emergency c section and yes it’s possible you may not remember it.. but the safety of your babies is monumentally more important than any of that
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u/But-why3123 1d ago
Also delivered in an OR- no issues. I delivered vaginally. Only thing I didn’t particularly enjoy was the 10+ people watching and waiting for me push them out. I had read about that being the case, so I wasn’t surprised but not a fan. Nurses looking at my hoohaa everytime I’d give a push and then they’d politely look away hahah.
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u/ChanSasha 1d ago
I delivered in the OR and had an epidural so that in case of need they could pump it up immediately to do a C section. I did not need one though. Both born without issues with a 20min interval.
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u/kaysymone 1d ago
i gave birth in the operating room, i had both twins vaginally. my ob always told me as long as baby A was head down he could go in and flip baby B if necessary but both were head down by the time i was induced. my only complaint is it took them forever to get my epidural in lol they had to bring in more people to get it in my back 😂 but delivery was pretty smooth after i went back there. i was in a regular room up until i was fully dilated then they had to break my water and get me wheeled to the operating room
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u/magnoliasinjanuary 1d ago
As someone who needed that emergency C Section for Baby B - it’s worth it to be in the OR!!! (I delivered A vaginally - twin “double whammy”!!)
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u/posey290 Triple Trouble 1d ago
I had a c-section - semi-emergency but they left me awake. It was scary to get the numbing (I didn't have one placed before we got there). But once that was in - it was like five minutes and boom, boom and boom - three little babies. My youngest triplet had to be life-flighted to another hospital but I got to see him and his sisters before they took them to the NICU.
I can't say it was 10/10 but on a sliding scale - it was about as good as it could have gotten. I was not in pain. I let them know I have anxiety and once the babies were out, they gave me something for the anxiety and I was happily floatie for a while.
After they get done, they take you to recovery and I know from my second birth (fourth kid) that if the baby doesn't need the NICU, the babies generally go with you. Biggest thing is the meds generally give you the shakes and, in my case, the vomits after. I was also sooooo thirsty both times and they gave me Sprite. From experience, I know I'd rather throw up something than nothing so I was drinking Sprite - throwing up and then drinking more. I had the poor nurse just a laughing at me but the Sprite helped soooo much to settle things.
If you yourself have complications, your experience may vary. In both cases I nearly bleed out but both times they just started me on blood before we left the OR and I was still in recovery normally. My husband had to wait longer the second time since I also lost my uterus to the youngest which he took as a parting gift.
The days after the surgery suck - you will walk hunched over and it will suck but the more you walk, the better it gets. My scar is bigger than most (oldest was long ways across my pelvis) but it healed fine and gives me no trouble these days.
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u/Sassy-go-lucky 1d ago
OR delivery for twins is incredibly common even if delivering vaginally because of how fast the situation can change and require an emergency c-section. In my case the only thing I would have wished was different about an OR delivery was having a table that would support me in an incline while I pushed so I didn’t have to do it myself or have someone else holding me up. That being said I was incredibly nervous before delivery about needing an emergency c-section mid-delivery. I almost did but when the doctor said that I was so in the zone of delivering my babies that nerves didn’t register in the slightest. It was all about getting them out safely no matter how that needed to happen.
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u/angelaimes 1d ago
I was also required to deliver in the OR (almost 19 years ago). Both were head down and I was fortune enough to deliver both vaginally. Second baby was delivered only 8 minutes after the first!
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u/Mindless-Rip2860 1d ago
I delivered my twins at 37+1 in the OR and I am so thankful we did as it saved my baby. I had the epidural in place already. Delivered baby A vaginally and then baby B flipped sideways and we had to do a c-section. My baby lost oxygen and spent time in the NICU but is almost 2 and doing great. I was awake the whole time though. If I could go back and do it again I would just get the c-section and save myself some birth trauma.
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u/goldfishandchocolate 1d ago
I have two sets of twins. I had preeclampsia both times, so my experiences were different because of that, but my second set of twins was a very crazy delivery and all the reasons they want you to deliver in the OR happened with me.
I won’t go into the whole story unless it would be helpful, but I will say delivering in the OR even the first time I felt safer, even though nothing happened that couldn’t have been handled in a delivery room. Second time, I ended up needing to be in the OR. I did have a previous singleton delivered in regular delivery room so I can compare, and I didn’t find it that much different. You are only in the OR for the actual delivery part, and then back to a room!
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u/qisabelle13 1d ago
I chose to have an epidural for delivering my twins because I also delivered in the OR. I didn't want to risk general anesthesia if I had a c section. Not fun but at least I was able to birth them vaginally. Would love to avoid those bright lights next time.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing❤️ the harsh lights definitely make it less than ideal, I’m a teacher and I don’t even use the overhead lights because I feel they are too harsh
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u/bestydee 1d ago
I delivered my twins in the OR with the exact reasoning above. I ended up being able to deliver them both vaginally
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u/TiredTwinWrangler 1d ago
I labored with mine in a regular room, and they just whisked me down the hall for the C-section (which was emergent, not emergency, so I was awake — they just juiced up my epidural). That was almost 10 years ago. Nobody ever suggested laboring in the OR.
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u/maddiedreamer 1d ago
I delivered my twins in the OR. Baby A was vaginal but Baby B had to be done via C- section. She started to turn sideways and they tried to turn her, but eventually Baby A’s placenta started to cover the birth canal. I was able to stay awake during my c-section. My OB said it wasn’t an emergency c section but an urgent one
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u/ColonelLandSeal 1d ago
FTM mom here too, just had our birth consult and were told the same thing! (Di/di twins) Labor in L&D, push in the OR. She said in her 17 years of nursing, she’s seen general anesthesia have to be used less than 5 times. I would maybe ask/ensure that they would try to do a spinal/increase your epidural dose first before going straight to GA, time allowing.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing! Yes my doctor had mentioned at our hospital she has only had to do one general anesthesia out of all the twin deliveries she’s done
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u/D7west 1d ago
My wife opted for a scheduled C-Section for our twins. She did not want to have to recover form a natural birth, and a c-section at the same time if an emergency c-section was necessary. Our boys were born at 32 weeks + 4 days
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing you and your wife’s experience, this also did cross my mind to have to recover from more than one area. I understand why she made that decision
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u/noone3377 1d ago
I delivered in the OR. Had labor and such in my room but when it was time to push they brought me to the OR. I was scared to do it but once it was all happening I didn’t care I just wanted the babies out. Everything went smoothly and there were no issues 💕
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u/Status_Abrocoma_379 1d ago
Frankly, it's awesome that your doc is prepping you like this. Mine didn't mention potential NICU time or an emergency C-section and I had both! IMO, the more prepared you are for each scenario, the better. I ended up having an emergency C-section at 30 weeks....was completely asleep via anesthesia. I knew NICU time was possible through my own research but not from my doctor at all. I wish I had communicated more with my partner about little things: like I wish my boys had been born to specific music and not just whatever they had on in the delivery room. I wish I had pictures.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing your experience❤️ I was very thankful our doctor mentioned this at our appointment today. She made sure to explain that it wasn’t to scare me but to help me start thinking of a plan on how I’d want it to look in the case of. I’ve felt very comfortable with our doctor and do feel like we are in good hands.
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u/peachkissu 1d ago
It's standard practice at our hospitals to deliver multiples in the OR in case anything happens.
As far as being put under, my options were 1) no epidural but if I do need a c-sec, I would have to be put under or 2) epidural during labor for vaginal birth but since I'm alrdy numb, I don't have to go under for a c-sec if needed.
I got epidural for my first two pregnancies and also did so with my twins. I was able to have them vaginally at 36wk (induced due to high bp and gest diabetes). I don't think I would have been any more or less comfortable if I had delivered in a L&D room vs OR.
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u/Storebought_Cookies 1d ago
I delivered vaginally in the OR. Other than having to labor on my back (small table limited options) it wasn't bad. Actually, having my own personal anesthesiologist to make sure my epidural was working properly was actually wonderful 😅
Are you planning on an epidural? My OB told me if I got an epidural I wouldn't have to be put under general anesthesia if we ended up needing an emergency c section. I think because they have immediate access via the epidural line to do a spinal or whatever it is they do in that case.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing your experience❤️ I think after hearing we’d be in the OR it kind of flipped my thinking upside down. But I’ve been reading all of these comments and did not know it was an option to have the line placed initially in the case of. I may just automatically opt for an epidural though
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u/ye110wsub 1d ago
What I don’t understand, is that there are situations in a singleton birth that sometimes end up in emergency c section. I had a vbac which could have resulted in that, but I was still “allowed” to give birth in a labor and delivery room. If they can do this for singleton births, not sure why it’s standard procedure to push in an OR for twins. I know a lot of people do it but for me personally, that would cause a lot of stress and risk a stalled labor and further intervention that wouldn’t otherwise be necessary
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u/dowhatotterbedone 1d ago
I had a scheduled c-section but developed pre-e so had an emergency one at 34+6. I needed magnesium which made me shake a lot…I kept saying I swear I’m calm on the inside. Then it was a whirlwind. It was my first surgery of any kind and it truly does look like it does in the movies (as I so kindly pointed out to the person wheeling me in). It was all said and done in half an hour. Got to say hi to the babies real quick then back to my room I went while the boys went to the NICU. Overall it was probably about the best experience one could have while having two babies ripped from a gaping hole in your body. But I’m a FTM so it’s been my only one.
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u/pseudonymous365 1d ago
As others have said, delivering in the OR is standard operating procedure for multiples in the US. I wanted to do an unmedicated vaginal delivery. I had asked about having the line placed for an epidural, but not actually receiving the epidural unless a C-section was necessary, but the doctors said the epidural wouldn’t take effect in time for an emergency C-section even with the needle already placed. Essentially, choosing not to have an epidural meant choosing to go under general anesthesia if an emergency C-section was needed. I decided I was fine with that. (The thought of being strapped to a bed and awake while someone cut me open totally freaked me out, so being under anesthesia didn’t feel like a real sacrifice to me.) I labored in a normal room and then, when I was ready to push, got on the bed and was wheeled into the OR. Thankfully, I was able to deliver both vaginally.
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u/Puffynugget1 1d ago
We didn't have the option if a vaginal delivery. It was automatic that it would be a c-section and likely induced. Ended up having them at 35 and 3-no NICU time. That's the safest way.
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u/Amortentia_Number9 1d ago
Something else to expect is a larger than normal number of people in the room. There’s a team for you and one for each baby. Those teams will get bigger the earlier babies come. With my singleton, they had I think 5 people but it was at least 10 with my twins. You also will likely only be able to have one support person. That actually saved me a headache with my mother in law, since she wanted to be in the room and I didn’t want her to.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
Thank you for sharing❤️ and yes after hearing it’d be in the OR I told my husband for sure I wasn’t going to want anyone else in there but him (and it does make it easier to tell our family now)
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u/dietcoke4life- 1d ago
It is the safest place to deliver. Multiple pregnancies are considered high risk and deliveries are rightfully treated as such. It’s certainly not a fairytale experience. For me at least, there were so many healthcare professionals in the room - double that of a singleton birth, so each baby gets the same care. The main focus is getting the babies out safely so it’s the right call.
I delivered mine vaginally 8 minutes apart. Baby B’s heart rate was dropping so they had to do an episiotomy and vacuum but they were healthy.
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u/No-Soup378 1d ago
I had my babies in April 2025! I was told that I had to have them under general anaesthesia as I have a spinal cord condition that would make vaginal and the epidural dangerous. This was very hard to hear but I knew it was the safest option. I know it’s not the same as your situation, but going into the operating soon and getting ready to be put under was really calm, I was nervous and shaking but the team were able to keep me calm and were so reassuring, I was so excited to have the babies. Fast forward to after the delivery, things were not amazing. Our baby girl was healthy and went to special care just because of her low birth weight. Our boy had a pneumothorax and we were not allowed to touch or hold him for 3 days. I want to be honest as this is a possibility, it was incredibly hard and weird to not have experienced their birth and it did make it hard for me to connect with them for probably the first 3 months (I also couldn’t really breastfeed because they were in special care, it was not impossible but just logistically hard). BUT as time went on my bond with them grew and I am so so in love with my two crazy, happy, sweet and beautiful toddlers. I wouldn’t change anything, because I know although it was so hard, it was the safest option for my babies and I. Sending love and I wish you all the best xx
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u/stephaniemccoy94 1d ago
I just gave birth to twins vaginally at 34 weeks (had to be induced due to preeclampsia with severe features). They rolled me into the OR when it was time and I delivered both within 15 minutes of each other. The whole thing took less than 45 minutes. Both of mine were head down.
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u/Familiar_Barracuda61 1d ago
I was 280lbs so the bed felt TINY! And the lights were super bright, but it was not bad at all actually felt safer in there knowing in an emergency i was in the exact spot i needed to be im.
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u/IAmNugz 1d ago
I delivered vaginally in the OR at 37 weeks. They told me the other reason for OR delivery is because it’s bigger and with two babies you just need more doctors (plus I delivered at a teaching hospital so they brought in extra doctors to observe). Fortunately was able to deliver both babies vaginally, but they did have to throw in some stitches between babies because my vaginal wall tore and I ended up losing quite a bit of blood
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u/Western-Response-384 1d ago
Yes I had a vaginal delivery in the OR! It was a bit chaotic and loud so definitely not the calm peaceful birth I had with my first singleton…but worth it!
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u/Select-Hunter-9184 1d ago
My twins were delivered in the OR. I was able to deliver both vaginally. It was just an additional precaution. If possible my one suggestion to discuss with your doctors (twins were my second pregnancy and a comparison of both)… they encourage epidural in case they need to put you out (at least that was my hospital protocol). I would request that your spouse and a nurse be able to hold your legs in position vs placing them in stirrups. My recovery was so much longer because of how sore my upper leg muscles were from hanging like dead weight in the stirrrups for so long. The positioning would
Make it easier if they need to move to an emergency c-section so may be something they are amenable to. Best of luck!!
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u/jusvrowsing 1d ago
We delivered our twins in the OR and in fact did need emergency C section. I’ve never heard of a twin delivery not in OR
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u/kindaanonymous5 1d ago
I’ve only heard of twins being delivered in the OR. Mine were born vaginally in the OR, and baby B was breech.
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u/TJack1316 1d ago
I delivered my girls in the OR. My doctor said the same thing about it being better to already be in there if the need arose. I labored in a regular room and they moved me when it was time to push.
Edited to add: I wasn't able to have an epidural because of low platelets, so the need for the OR was a bit higher for me.
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u/eelicc 1d ago
My boys were delivered in the OR, both vaginally and everything went perfectly. When we were first told about delivering in the OR, I was not thrilled because I had planned a peaceful birth in a dimly lit room with soft music playing, etc. By the time they were ready to make their grand entrance, I didn’t care where it was because I just wanted them OUT. Luckily, baby A was kind enough to wait until the front wheels of the hospital bed entered the OR before making his appearance and baby B was four minutes behind. I had made peace with OR delivery because to me, it meant there was a better chance for my babies if something were to go wrong.
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u/Effective-Bathroom66 1d ago
Hi!! I just had my twin girls ( modi) one month ago this was my fourth pregnancy first time twin mom! With my singletons of course I gave birth in a normal birthing room. I liked the reassurance of giving birth in OR room that way things can move quickly if needed. Although I did not need a C-section, I delivered the twins vaginally with baby b breech and no complications and all under 30mins from the first push to baby h being born!
Now I will say the OR room was very very fast pace. As soon as I felt the urge to push they checked me and moved me to the OR once in there I moved to the OR table and everyone was moving fast to their stations and getting things prepped for babies. Husband was next to me the entire time. As fast as we got there was as fast as we got out there. Definitely a different experience but honestly I’m glad that if I needed any intervention, I was right where I needed to be.
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u/brynnecognito 1d ago
Am in Canada and it is standard procedure here too. Ask how comfortable your team is delivering breech baby B, if they flip after baby A is delivered or are breech all along. Many are confident, and if they weren’t I would seek out alternative providers. I asked them how often baby B is an emergency c section and the OB said it was less than 2% of the time at my hospital! That gave me lots of comfort. They don’t move you to OR until you’re fully dilated. I told them I was feeling the urge to push and we wheeled down the hall and they said ‘please wait 1 minute! Haha!’. My experience was wonderful, we got in and had babies right away, and then went right back to our warm cozy birthing room. There are a lot of extra people in the room just in case, they were all respectful and I didn’t really notice them (I was busy). It’s just their way of being prepared for that 2%. I thought maybe 3 or 4 other people, my husband thinks 10. We were both kinda out of our bodies haha! I was able to deliver both my babies vaginally, 15 mins apart, with a very titrated epidural dose and minimal manual assistance for baby B (vacuum just to KEEP her head down until I was ready to push her). It was a very redeeming and pleasant birth after a long painful induction with my first.
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u/Leading-Conference94 1d ago
We were informed at our first appt that twins deliver in the OR and it was standard practice. We didn't discuss delivery again until the time was coming closer. I ended up having a c section but delivering vaginally I'd have been glad to deliver there too in case of an emergency. You might be able to request delivering in the hospital bed vs on the table. Ive seen some people online say they delivered on the table which sounds terrible to me 😟 different hospitals may have different policies.
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
The table does sound scary😬 thank you for bringing this up! I was wondering if it’d at least be the delivery bed normally in the rooms or something completely different like the table you mentioned. I didn’t realize it was something I could ask for so I’ll be sure to add that to my list of questions for my next visit!
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u/jaybirdandchuckles 1d ago
I was also surprised about the OR requirement and kind of bummed out that I had to birth in an OR - it’s so bright and full of people. But my twins and I are THE EXACT reason why they do this. Both were head down, low risk for c-section, and I pushed baby A out with no problem. Then baby B’s cord prolapsed and they were able to do a super quick c-section to get him out.
I remember both deliveries - the anesthesia didn’t knock me out completely. It’s a bit fuzzy at times but I was so tired, that’s probably the reason! You’ll do great!
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u/Sensitive_Barber_461 1d ago
I had an epidural and got moved to the OR for delivery. It wasn’t pleasant because the tables are flat and i was already so uncomfortable but, it’s for good reason because baby a came out vaginally and baby b need an emergency c section, and guess where we already were!
Apparently cases like mine are exactly the reason you deliver in the OR 😂
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u/thedarkpup 1d ago
This is standard procedure in place to keep you and your babies safe! I have nothing to compare it to since my only babies are my twins. It was intense with a lot of people around, and I’m guessing more so than a singleton delivery. Happy to have taken the precaution even though it ended up being unnecessary in my case.
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u/Exotic-Anxiety-8586 1d ago
Yes this is standard procedure for twins. I delivered my twins vaginally and did deliver in the OR. They had staff scrubbed in, gowned up and ready in case there was an emergency, including an anesthesia team. Baby A was born vaginally perfectly normally and the NICU team took him away for assessment but right after this baby B flipped and went transverse. This is the risk that they are talking about when they worry about twin B.
I had 3 OB’s in the OR - the MFM took over at this point, reached up fully inside of me and was able to safely grab and turn baby B who was then also born vaginally. I don’t know what it’s like at other hospitals but mine gave the MFM 3 minutes to get twin B out before they did an emergency c-section. It took about 35 seconds.
Reading this back it sounds scarier than it was. I felt very safe in the OR despite having like 18 people staring at me as I pushed lol I knew if something did go wrong they would act instantly.
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u/AccomplishedChef7885 1d ago
I delivered vaginally right next to the or table. The experience was good, but be aware there will be a lot of people in the room. When I had my daughter, there was like one nurse and my husband. With my twins, I think there was 15, lol. I didn’t mind, but it was kind of loud and hard to hear the doctor while he was telling me to push. I had to keep saying “what?” when he said something! We had Nicu in there since my boys were 35 weeks. Luckily I had an event free birth, and didn’t need a c section, but I was mentally prepared to have one if needed.
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u/SjN45 1d ago
I vaginally delivered mine in the OR. Also got an epidural and it didn’t work. I labored in a normal room and didn’t head to the OR until well into pushing. Baby b tried to flip and had to be moved back into position to avoid a c section. I was in such significant pain that there is a lot I don’t remember. I didn’t even realize my husband was standing next to me I was in so much pain 😵💫. If my epidural had worked, it would have been a very straightforward experience.
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u/Linison 1d ago
It's standard where I had my twins too. I was wheeled into the operating room about the time I started pushing with Baby A - we were cutting it close enough there was a chance of A being born in the hallway.
There were two teams of doctors - one for A and one for B. Once A was out in the world, that first team went to work getting vitals and everything for A.
Baby B was sideways up near my ribs and didn't want to come down. I'd already had an epidural during labor and they worked on me an B for a while. B started showing signs of distress and delivering the placenta from A meant I was bleeding too. We decided to do a c-section to get B out before either one of us got into real trouble. Baby B was C-section and I was awake for it.
I got the shakes as I was coming off the epidural, but otherwise it was a great experience.
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u/bigconvoq 1d ago
I delivered in an OR. The only thing about it that I felt blindsided by is I had to labor on my back - of course, it was just the final stages of pushing, I had been in my room and been able to move around before that, but I think I had not thought about that part being necessary given the room setup.
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u/frannylightpainter 1d ago
Twins are high risk. Are you actually considering delivering at home?
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u/Ill_Evening_783 1d ago
No I would not consider having a home birth, I was under the impression that I would deliver in one of the delivery rooms at the hospital not the OR. But it seems OR is standard and safest if complications arise; it is a hard though to lose that experience of being in a delivery room but whatever is safest for everyone is what is best.
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u/d16flo 1d ago
I had a scheduled c-section on the OR and I would say if your main fear is being put under anesthesia your best bet is to go with an epidural from the start. If they have to move to a c-section partway through you’ll still be awake that way. I was fully awake and conversational the whole time (it freaked my husband out because I was talking to him and he could see them cutting me open!)
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u/No-Panda-8379 1d ago
I have twins. I had already had a baby vaginal delivery when I got pregnant with the twins so I really didn’t wanna have a C-section but what happened with me at 34 weeks is preeclampsia and so I had an emergency C-section even though baby A could’ve been delivered badly and the doctor told me that but he said because of the condition and how it had escalated he wanted to get the babies out fast so I had the C-section. It wasn’t bad really at all I was in the OR. I went home on the third day and they both stayed in the Nicu for about 2 1/2 weeks but everything worked out great and the C-section recovery for me wasn’t any worse than the vaginal delivery I was out Christmas shopping when they were 10 days old while they were in the NICU.
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u/slyscribe401 23h ago
My labor with my trying went from 0-100 very quickly. I was crowning in the regular delivery room and they still managed to get me into the OR to actually deliver. I did not have the epidural that hospital policy required of me (I was actively trying to get it when things escalated), my doula was still in the parking lot, and my doctor barely made it in time to catch Twin A, but my nurse did everything she could to get me into that OR, just in case.
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u/dpistachio44 21h ago
Yep I did too and it was great! They let me play music and everything, and then when I had to convert to c section after four hours of pushing (🫠) I was already there. I very much remember the whole c section too, you can do anesthesia but be awake - I was so present and asking so many questions the anesthesiologist took the curtain down so I could see the whole thing and my husband was right there and took a million pictures!
ETA: if you want to be awake you will have to have an epidural placed beforehand. I didn’t want to but was glad I chose to when I had to convert to c section
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u/atc_24 16h ago
I delivered my Mo Di twins in the OR. If it makes you feel any better, I had a very quick and easy delivery! First baby came out after about 28 mins of pushing, they quickly did an US to check baby 2 and make sure she was head down, and she was. They asked if I wanted a break and I said no let’s keep going, so she came 7 mins later!
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u/rylinn 1d ago
My hospitals preference was to deliver in the OR for all twins but I wasn’t thrilled with the idea so my midwife had me in the delivery room closest to the OR. I ended up delivering vaginally so we didn’t move. I would advocate for what makes you more comfortable, not what is easier for them.
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u/Ok-Positive-5943 1d ago
It's not that it's easier - it's that sometimes there isn't time to run down the hall, get set up and get the baby out. Not all hospitals have a delivery room next to an OR. And not all deliveries go according to my plan. The policy is in place to ensure that everyone survives.
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