WEBVTT - The Mum Whose Identical Twins Shared A Single Placenta 0:00:21.732 --> 0:00:26.452 You're listening to Amma Mia podcast. Mamma Mia acknowledges the 0:00:26.493 --> 0:00:29.653 traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast is 0:00:29.653 --> 0:00:32.973 recorded on. We pay our respects to elders past, present 0:00:33.132 --> 0:00:36.253 and emerging, and feel privileged to continue the sharing of 0:00:36.333 --> 0:00:39.613 birth stories and knowledge that has been a fundamental part 0:00:39.813 --> 0:00:40.892 of Indigenous culture. 0:00:44.852 --> 0:00:45.012 Hi. 0:00:45.173 --> 0:00:48.452 I'm Cassania Lucid and this is Diary of a birth. 0:00:49.333 --> 0:00:53.893 I'm fascinated by identical twins. One embryo splits to create 0:00:54.013 --> 0:00:58.533 a perfect copy, two babies genetically the same, but with 0:00:58.613 --> 0:01:03.773 their own identities and personalities. Occurring in roughly one in 0:01:03.813 --> 0:01:07.493 two hundred and fifty berths in Australia. They're relatively rare, 0:01:08.173 --> 0:01:11.493 but let's be real. Any parent of multiples will tell 0:01:11.533 --> 0:01:15.572 you how challenging it is. The nappies, the feeding, and 0:01:15.733 --> 0:01:23.053 let's not forget the actual pregnancy. After undergoing IVF with 0:01:23.293 --> 0:01:27.173 their first baby, Today's mum was left with one viable embryo, 0:01:27.693 --> 0:01:29.493 and when it came time to add to their family 0:01:29.573 --> 0:01:33.413 two years later, she and her partner had one last shot. 0:01:34.053 --> 0:01:38.133 Fortunately for them, the embryo took they weren't expecting was 0:01:38.133 --> 0:01:42.653 a high risk pregnancy with identical twins so let's meet 0:01:42.693 --> 0:01:43.373 today's mum. 0:01:43.733 --> 0:01:46.292 Hello, my name is Laura and this is the diary 0:01:46.333 --> 0:01:48.453 of my birth with Alex and Riley. 0:01:53.093 --> 0:01:56.133 So, Laura, can you tell us a little bit about 0:01:56.252 --> 0:01:59.373 your life before you fell pregnant with your twins? 0:01:59.893 --> 0:02:05.213 Life was pretty busy and I guess interesting. My husband 0:02:05.213 --> 0:02:07.933 and I were both working, working full time. There was 0:02:08.053 --> 0:02:11.252 lots of travel, lots of holidays, lots of fun times, 0:02:11.613 --> 0:02:14.132 lots of going out and eating out. Yeah, we were 0:02:14.173 --> 0:02:18.093 also renovating our house, planning and starting to renovate, meeting 0:02:18.093 --> 0:02:22.093 with the architects, the builders, and yeah, life was busy, 0:02:22.173 --> 0:02:24.852 just traveling. I work in Melbourne, but traveled to Sydney 0:02:24.893 --> 0:02:27.413 quite a bit and we were able to get to 0:02:27.453 --> 0:02:31.693 Greece of what where my husband's family is from. And yeah, 0:02:31.692 --> 0:02:33.493 it was good. We had time. We had a lot 0:02:33.532 --> 0:02:34.572 of time for four kids. 0:02:35.333 --> 0:02:38.653 You had a baby before you fell pregnant with the twins. 0:02:39.333 --> 0:02:42.532 Now I know that you went through IVF with both 0:02:42.572 --> 0:02:44.613 of your babies. Can you tell us a little bit 0:02:44.692 --> 0:02:48.973 about that process of falling pregnant with your first. 0:02:48.972 --> 0:02:50.933 My husband and I I guess we decided, you know, 0:02:50.972 --> 0:02:53.733 we wanted a family, we wanted kids. We tried for 0:02:53.773 --> 0:02:56.973 a little bit, and I naturally didn't get anywhere. I 0:02:57.093 --> 0:02:59.852 was son to get really impatient. I was still fairly 0:02:59.893 --> 0:03:02.053 young at the time, but you know, I wanted things 0:03:02.053 --> 0:03:06.532 done kind of now. We decided to embark on IVF. Actually, 0:03:06.532 --> 0:03:09.972 before IVF, we did a few cycles of a varying induction, 0:03:10.292 --> 0:03:14.453 which didn't work after two rounds, and went straight to IVF. So, 0:03:14.773 --> 0:03:18.093 you know, did the hormones, did the injections, the egg collection, 0:03:18.972 --> 0:03:21.293 which was a huge process. And this was in the 0:03:21.292 --> 0:03:26.572 middle of COVID winter lockdowns, so not a fun time. Yeah, 0:03:26.572 --> 0:03:29.132 it was really really tough. To be honest, The injections 0:03:29.532 --> 0:03:31.653 not nice and I'm not very good at them. My 0:03:31.773 --> 0:03:33.933 husband actually couldn't be in the same room when I 0:03:34.013 --> 0:03:38.053 was doing them. Injection after injection after injection into a 0:03:38.173 --> 0:03:40.253 collection of which I don't know if this is a 0:03:40.253 --> 0:03:42.053 good number or bad number, but I was fortunately, I 0:03:42.133 --> 0:03:45.732 guess to get nine eggs collected in the end, and. 0:03:45.733 --> 0:03:49.293 All those nine eggs you got how many embryos. 0:03:49.213 --> 0:03:52.013 Out of the nine every day kind of dropped off, 0:03:52.093 --> 0:03:55.933 dropped off, dropped off down to two embrus that were 0:03:56.093 --> 0:04:00.613 I guess day five blastsicists that were ready and appropriate 0:04:00.653 --> 0:04:01.493 to be implanted. 0:04:01.893 --> 0:04:04.613 Yeah, and you got really fortunate with your first and 0:04:04.653 --> 0:04:06.533 you feel pregnant with him straight away? 0:04:07.013 --> 0:04:10.413 Yes, yes, very fortunate the first round. What and we 0:04:10.533 --> 0:04:11.893 got beautiful Lucas. 0:04:12.133 --> 0:04:15.612 So Lucas comes along and you know you're ready to 0:04:15.693 --> 0:04:21.013 try again and you've got your one embryo left. So 0:04:21.213 --> 0:04:23.613 what was going through your mind when you were ready 0:04:23.653 --> 0:04:25.093 to implant that embryo? 0:04:25.773 --> 0:04:29.892 Gosh, it was full on. So look, yeah, as you say, 0:04:29.893 --> 0:04:32.253 we had one embry left, it had been frozen for 0:04:32.293 --> 0:04:36.493 two years. There was a lot of hope and a 0:04:36.533 --> 0:04:39.253 lot kind of writing on that final one emberor I 0:04:39.333 --> 0:04:41.773 really didn't want to go through IVF again, the whole 0:04:42.493 --> 0:04:46.613 hormones and egg collection. I also got a very hyperstimulation 0:04:46.933 --> 0:04:49.533 and ended up in the emergency warard for a night. 0:04:50.653 --> 0:04:52.933 And yeah, it was one embror and one final one 0:04:52.973 --> 0:04:55.653 and all our hopes and dreams we kind of resting 0:04:55.693 --> 0:04:59.573 on this one embrew that had been frozen for two years, 0:04:59.773 --> 0:05:01.973 and we're just hoping that one worked. 0:05:02.613 --> 0:05:05.133 You had your transfer, you went home. Now, for those 0:05:05.133 --> 0:05:08.653 who haven't been through IVF, when you get an egg transfer, 0:05:09.173 --> 0:05:11.813 you're not guaranteed to be pregnant. There's about a ten 0:05:11.933 --> 0:05:15.213 day window that you have to wait, and then they 0:05:15.293 --> 0:05:17.013 do a blood test and they can tell you if 0:05:17.053 --> 0:05:22.453 you're pregnant or not, and it is the most excruciating. Wait, yeah, 0:05:22.533 --> 0:05:24.773 how did you feel going into that blood test, because 0:05:24.773 --> 0:05:26.573 I know that you waited, which a lot of women 0:05:26.733 --> 0:05:27.373 don't wait. 0:05:27.813 --> 0:05:30.373 It's a waiting game, right, It's like at the end 0:05:30.453 --> 0:05:33.213 of your pregnancy, when you're waiting for baby to come. 0:05:33.253 --> 0:05:37.573 It's a waiting game. Between that implantation and the blood test, 0:05:37.653 --> 0:05:40.493 it's a waiting game. And then from that blood test 0:05:40.533 --> 0:05:45.013 to the phone call, it's it's huge. What probably helped 0:05:45.493 --> 0:05:48.733 was I went on holidays, So after the implantation, I 0:05:48.773 --> 0:05:50.853 went on holidays, just up to write for a few 0:05:50.933 --> 0:05:54.333 days with my husband and son. I also got acupuncture, 0:05:54.653 --> 0:05:59.293 which has shown to support and help that implantation. And 0:05:59.453 --> 0:06:02.773 I just waited, and I tried to be really patient. 0:06:03.173 --> 0:06:05.773 I got the blood test and then just waited from 0:06:05.773 --> 0:06:07.813 the phone call from the fertility clinic. 0:06:08.093 --> 0:06:09.013 What was that phone call? 0:06:09.133 --> 0:06:12.773 Like tears of happiness and joy. I still remember it. 0:06:12.813 --> 0:06:16.653 And I remember getting the phone call first with Lucas 0:06:16.733 --> 0:06:21.173 exactly where we were, exactly the time, and exactly feeling 0:06:21.333 --> 0:06:25.013 of just you know, hope and want and longing and 0:06:26.093 --> 0:06:29.213 this real, like I don't know, it's somewhat desperate feeling 0:06:29.333 --> 0:06:32.093 that you just so want this baby and so want 0:06:32.133 --> 0:06:36.973 this child, and relief, complete relief just washed over me 0:06:37.173 --> 0:06:40.173 because they call you and you know the call is coming, 0:06:40.253 --> 0:06:42.933 and you know you know they're going to either tell 0:06:42.973 --> 0:06:46.653 you the best news or the worst news. And both 0:06:46.733 --> 0:06:50.293 times they were very quick and just said straight away, congratulations, 0:06:50.453 --> 0:06:51.093 you're pregnant. 0:06:51.573 --> 0:06:52.813 Did you go for a dating scan? 0:06:52.933 --> 0:06:55.893 If you went through, We did go for a dating scan. 0:06:56.013 --> 0:06:58.893 I think about week seven. I remember calling up my 0:06:58.933 --> 0:07:01.493 obstetrician at the time and said, oh, look, I'm pregnant. 0:07:01.533 --> 0:07:04.893 I'd love to come in and see my ob and 0:07:05.013 --> 0:07:07.253 they're like, oh, no, no, you're earlier to ORR. You 0:07:07.253 --> 0:07:09.333 know week seven, you know, come back in a few 0:07:09.333 --> 0:07:11.573 more weeks, come back at week ten. And I said, 0:07:11.613 --> 0:07:13.653 oh no, no, I really want to go, like I 0:07:13.733 --> 0:07:16.173 just want to make sure that it's a viable pregnancy 0:07:16.333 --> 0:07:19.173 and it's healthy and safe. And they're like, okay, sure, 0:07:19.213 --> 0:07:21.173 never always come in. And so I in at that 0:07:21.293 --> 0:07:23.973 week seven for that first dating scan. 0:07:24.373 --> 0:07:27.173 And your partner was with you, yes, Yehannie was with you. Yes, 0:07:27.533 --> 0:07:31.133 So a spoiler alert, you have twins, so we know 0:07:31.213 --> 0:07:34.453 that we had twins here, But what I really want 0:07:34.453 --> 0:07:37.533 to stress is you have identical twins, right, yes, so 0:07:37.693 --> 0:07:40.293 they only implanted one embryo, so this wasn't a case 0:07:40.453 --> 0:07:43.853 of you know, IVF putting multiple embryos in and that's 0:07:43.893 --> 0:07:46.493 why you have twins, like you had identical twins. So 0:07:46.533 --> 0:07:50.933 at some point during your early weeks, this embryo split 0:07:51.093 --> 0:07:53.653 into your identical twins. I want you to kind of 0:07:53.653 --> 0:07:56.613 paint me a picture of being in that ultrasound room 0:07:56.813 --> 0:08:00.133 with your husband to find out that you are actually 0:08:00.173 --> 0:08:00.813 having twins. 0:08:01.173 --> 0:08:03.773 So we get in the room. It wasn't a long 0:08:03.813 --> 0:08:06.573 wait and very quickly I was up on the table 0:08:07.133 --> 0:08:11.133 and the obstetrician you know, put the gel on, put 0:08:11.173 --> 0:08:16.053 that ultrasound one thing on, and very very quickly and 0:08:16.293 --> 0:08:19.453 very clearly we can see what we can hear and 0:08:19.493 --> 0:08:26.893 see your heartbeat, healthy, bible, normal pregnancy relief here tears, 0:08:26.893 --> 0:08:31.493 a cry, tears of joy, happiness done, obviously positive pregnancy 0:08:31.533 --> 0:08:34.173 and blood test. You know it's good and baby at 0:08:34.173 --> 0:08:38.253 week seven, very strong heartbeat, wonderful and I was just 0:08:38.293 --> 0:08:42.173 crying and crying and crying, but positive, good tears and 0:08:42.213 --> 0:08:44.853 then the obstetrician at the time. I just remember this 0:08:45.053 --> 0:08:49.053 so clearly. He got the sonography, I don't know the 0:08:49.093 --> 0:08:52.893 wand the thing, and he very quickly moved it from 0:08:52.933 --> 0:08:56.492 one side of my uterus to the other and up 0:08:56.533 --> 0:08:59.813 popped another embryo on the screen, the black and white 0:09:00.253 --> 0:09:06.213 sonography screen, very clearly another embryo moving, and automatically said 0:09:06.613 --> 0:09:10.613 there's two. He didn't say anything, he was silent, he 0:09:10.773 --> 0:09:14.573 was still. He is normally a very talkative ob and 0:09:15.293 --> 0:09:18.333 he didn't say a word. At the same time, I've 0:09:18.333 --> 0:09:21.373 got my husband in one corner of the room, engaged, 0:09:21.413 --> 0:09:24.933 but probably like also not that engaged. I have a 0:09:24.973 --> 0:09:27.852 student midwife in the other corner. Again, I don't think 0:09:27.893 --> 0:09:30.653 she was paying much attention at the time. And then 0:09:30.653 --> 0:09:33.453 all of a sudden, everyone was like watching and looking 0:09:33.493 --> 0:09:35.533 at the screen and looking at me and looking at 0:09:35.613 --> 0:09:39.453 my tummy, and my robe looked at me, looked at 0:09:39.453 --> 0:09:41.133 my tummy, looked at the screen, looked at me, looked 0:09:41.173 --> 0:09:43.653 and I just kept saying, there's two, there's two, like 0:09:43.933 --> 0:09:46.533 I could read and interpret the ultrasound that, you know, 0:09:46.573 --> 0:09:48.933 the black and white screen, and I knew what I 0:09:48.973 --> 0:09:52.573 was seeing. And again he doesn't say anything for a 0:09:52.613 --> 0:09:54.253 long time, and I was like, oh my god, just 0:09:54.253 --> 0:09:57.533 talk to say something for such a normally talkative guy. 0:09:58.093 --> 0:10:00.893 He looked at me, looked at the scan and said, congratulations, 0:10:01.333 --> 0:10:04.973 you're having twins. And more cries, more shock, more tears, 0:10:05.253 --> 0:10:09.773 more laughter. It just was a huge, huge, huge shock. 0:10:10.173 --> 0:10:13.653 Any profanities, Yes, I'm sure, yes, I think so. I 0:10:13.653 --> 0:10:17.093 think I swore yes, I remember the shock. I don't 0:10:17.093 --> 0:10:19.213 remember what I said, but I remember the shock. And 0:10:19.253 --> 0:10:22.973 then just like both like laughter but tears. 0:10:23.373 --> 0:10:25.173 So you and your husband get in the car. You've 0:10:25.173 --> 0:10:29.133 just found out this very shocking news. What's that conversation sound? 0:10:29.253 --> 0:10:32.013 Like? God, that was really tough. I'll be honest with you, 0:10:32.093 --> 0:10:35.013 Like this was just obviously not expected at all. Like, 0:10:35.093 --> 0:10:37.733 we don't have twins in the family. It's not a 0:10:37.733 --> 0:10:43.453 genetic link. They were completely random, identical twins. We get out, 0:10:43.733 --> 0:10:45.493 I'm meant to get back to work, Jani's meant to 0:10:45.493 --> 0:10:48.573 get back to his work, and we just like are 0:10:48.613 --> 0:10:53.693 still processing the news and still processing the information. And 0:10:53.733 --> 0:10:55.852 I must say it took weeks and months to process 0:10:55.893 --> 0:10:58.893 it and come to terms with that. You know, just 0:10:58.933 --> 0:11:01.013 a lot of questions I think, like are they healthy. 0:11:01.173 --> 0:11:02.773 Is it going to be a viable pregnancy? Can I 0:11:02.813 --> 0:11:05.133 carry twins? How are we going to feel? How will 0:11:05.133 --> 0:11:08.293 I emotionally cope? How will I physically cope? You know? 0:11:08.333 --> 0:11:11.253 Can I actually carry twins to term? Well? Will that look? Like? 0:11:11.373 --> 0:11:13.013 What does this mean for my career? What does this 0:11:13.053 --> 0:11:15.373 mean for Lucas our son? You know, we're giving him 0:11:15.373 --> 0:11:18.813 two siblings. We're renovating our house. Does it fit another room? 0:11:19.013 --> 0:11:20.973 Do we have to get a new car? You know? 0:11:21.093 --> 0:11:24.013 Three car seats? What does this mean for our family? 0:11:24.173 --> 0:11:27.573 And this wasn't on the cars, This wasn't planned. We 0:11:27.613 --> 0:11:30.893 wanted like this normal kind of two parents, two kids, 0:11:31.133 --> 0:11:34.573 and very quickly we're outnumbered three like that, And. 0:11:34.533 --> 0:11:37.653 To add complexity to this twin pregnancy, which is already 0:11:37.693 --> 0:11:40.013 a challenge, you know, we know that sort of risks 0:11:40.053 --> 0:11:44.413 increase with multiples. With a twin pregnancy. You actually had 0:11:44.533 --> 0:11:48.253 a very rare type of twins and they're called MCDA twins. 0:11:48.293 --> 0:11:50.533 Now I won't try and pronounce the actual name of it, 0:11:50.813 --> 0:11:53.293 but basically you told me that that means that they 0:11:53.333 --> 0:11:57.853 had a single placenter with two amniotic sacs, which means 0:11:57.853 --> 0:12:01.093 that they were sharing nutrients from one placenter, correct, can 0:12:01.133 --> 0:12:03.413 you tell us what the doctors told you about what 0:12:03.453 --> 0:12:04.813 that actually means. 0:12:05.053 --> 0:12:09.293 So in that first stating scan, ob very clearly could 0:12:09.333 --> 0:12:11.933 see the type of twins that they were and very 0:12:12.013 --> 0:12:15.013 quickly said, look, this is a high risk twin pregnancy. 0:12:15.373 --> 0:12:18.093 They're sharing a placenter. Drew diagrams and kind of drew 0:12:18.173 --> 0:12:21.213 what it looked like. But effectively positive news is that 0:12:21.213 --> 0:12:24.372 they're in two separate amniotic sacs and there was the 0:12:24.453 --> 0:12:28.133 membrane between them. However, sharing a placenta, as you say, like, 0:12:28.173 --> 0:12:31.133 they're sharing nutrients from that one plus center with two 0:12:31.253 --> 0:12:34.973 umbilical cords, and so there's a potential risk. I mean 0:12:35.053 --> 0:12:37.653 a lot of risks for twins, but one of the 0:12:37.693 --> 0:12:40.813 most concerning ones they worry about is twin to twin 0:12:40.893 --> 0:12:44.693 transfusion syndrome, which is where one twin gets more nutrients 0:12:44.773 --> 0:12:47.533 than the other and it's really a problem for both twins. 0:12:47.933 --> 0:12:50.733 Because of that, I had to be monitored and scanned 0:12:50.853 --> 0:12:53.733 every fortnight from I think week fifteen, just to make 0:12:53.773 --> 0:12:55.773 sure that the babies are growing kind of normally and 0:12:55.813 --> 0:12:59.533 healthy and equally and they're kind of getting equal amount 0:12:59.733 --> 0:13:02.453 of nutrients, of which they were very fortunate and I 0:13:02.653 --> 0:13:06.133 never had They call it t TTS twin to twin 0:13:06.213 --> 0:13:07.373 transfusion syndrome. 0:13:07.693 --> 0:13:10.733 Basically that could mean that one twin's growing much faster 0:13:10.813 --> 0:13:12.653 the other ones not getting any nutrients, and you can 0:13:12.693 --> 0:13:18.093 really risk the life of the baby yourself. It's pretty serious. Yes, 0:13:18.453 --> 0:13:21.293 So obviously that's a big concern for you throughout pregnancy. 0:13:21.333 --> 0:13:24.093 And I also understand that you were very unwell through 0:13:24.213 --> 0:13:26.813 your pregnancy as well. So what was it like, sort 0:13:26.813 --> 0:13:31.693 of juggling a toddler, a high demand position at work, 0:13:32.213 --> 0:13:33.293 being pregnant with twins. 0:13:33.613 --> 0:13:36.653 It was rough. It was really rough, And I compare 0:13:36.653 --> 0:13:38.813 in contrast, I think a lot to my first pregnancy 0:13:38.893 --> 0:13:41.852 that I was told was very boring, a very normal pregnancy, 0:13:42.453 --> 0:13:46.852 not many issues, and this song was just very, very challenging. 0:13:46.933 --> 0:13:51.893 I was nauseous, severely nauseous for mass every day. I 0:13:51.933 --> 0:13:54.573 was fortunate I didn't throw up at all. But it 0:13:54.613 --> 0:13:57.453 was just like, think of the worst hangover you've ever had, 0:13:58.253 --> 0:14:01.893 mixed with travel sickness and motion sickness. It was rubbish. 0:14:01.933 --> 0:14:04.453 It was really rubbish. And looking after my toddler, who's 0:14:04.653 --> 0:14:08.173 two at the time, and here, you know, Terrible twos 0:14:08.493 --> 0:14:12.293 was challenging, and then work and then travel to Sydney, 0:14:13.133 --> 0:14:15.453 and yeah, it was a lot. 0:14:15.613 --> 0:14:18.093 Did you have anything any particular foods or drinks that 0:14:18.173 --> 0:14:20.253 really got you through when you were feeling nauseous? 0:14:20.773 --> 0:14:23.533 Yes, Oh my god, ginger and just ginger beer and 0:14:23.973 --> 0:14:24.693 fresh ginger. 0:14:25.053 --> 0:14:27.773 Okay, so let's move along. You're feel naughtously, feeling horrible, 0:14:27.813 --> 0:14:29.893 But family's obviously very excited. 0:14:30.573 --> 0:14:33.093 Yes, yes, And in fact it was interesting because no 0:14:33.133 --> 0:14:37.213 one knew were pregnant. We hadn't told anyone until we know, 0:14:37.213 --> 0:14:39.493 had that dating scan, and so it was like double 0:14:39.493 --> 0:14:43.373 the news, like oh we're pregnant and we're having twins, 0:14:43.773 --> 0:14:46.453 kind of two in one, yeah, I think. Yeah, both 0:14:46.453 --> 0:14:48.893 sides of the family very very happy. A bit of 0:14:48.893 --> 0:14:51.853 a shock obviously, because as I said, like, twins don't 0:14:51.893 --> 0:14:55.133 run in the family either side, and again it's not 0:14:55.173 --> 0:14:57.893 a genetic thing at all. Yeah, a lot of excitement 0:14:57.893 --> 0:14:58.533 from the family. 0:14:58.853 --> 0:14:59.053 Yeah. 0:14:59.213 --> 0:15:03.253 I remember actually one early on in the pregnancy justice, 0:15:03.253 --> 0:15:05.693 we found the news and as I told my sister, 0:15:06.013 --> 0:15:10.773 as remember crying, crying with her, Yeah, because I was 0:15:10.813 --> 0:15:14.013 still processing the news and still processing what it meant 0:15:14.333 --> 0:15:17.853 and again it wasn't planned, and she just held me 0:15:17.893 --> 0:15:20.733 and I just cried. It was a beautiful moment, but 0:15:20.813 --> 0:15:23.613 it was still hard to kind of come to terms 0:15:23.893 --> 0:15:26.853 with it. Yeah, yeah, it still is a little bit. 0:15:26.893 --> 0:15:29.373 I know the voice that over a year, but it's 0:15:29.453 --> 0:15:31.373 wild to think we've had. 0:15:31.253 --> 0:15:33.013 Twins coming up. 0:15:33.573 --> 0:15:37.373 I was already a few centimeters dilated and Raley's feet 0:15:37.693 --> 0:15:38.453 were coming. 0:15:38.253 --> 0:15:44.693 Out well, I mean, one is still so little. Like 0:15:44.733 --> 0:15:46.573 I feel like once you get through that first year 0:15:47.133 --> 0:15:49.053 it is, that'll sort of start to get a little 0:15:49.053 --> 0:15:52.773 bit easier. But true first birthdays should be the celebration 0:15:52.893 --> 0:15:55.373 of mum and dad, particularly mum, but mum and dad. 0:15:55.413 --> 0:15:56.613 Oh, I agree for sure. 0:15:57.413 --> 0:16:01.613 Obviously with twins again high rise pregnancy of twins often 0:16:01.853 --> 0:16:05.653 gestation is often a little bit shorter. But your doctor 0:16:06.173 --> 0:16:08.373 didn't want you to go past a certain time. Can 0:16:08.413 --> 0:16:09.693 you talk to us about that. 0:16:09.973 --> 0:16:13.093 With the twins, kind of coming to term is around 0:16:13.133 --> 0:16:15.853 thirty seven weeks. For the type of twins I had, 0:16:15.893 --> 0:16:18.533 it was about thirty seven weeks, and we had a 0:16:18.693 --> 0:16:22.773 planned cesarean. Well, no, we had planned for a vaginal delivery, 0:16:22.933 --> 0:16:25.493 and my ov was very happy for that. Given the 0:16:25.573 --> 0:16:28.853 kind of the first physiological vaginal delivery with my first son. 0:16:29.093 --> 0:16:31.973 We're working towards that and aiming towards that. It was great, 0:16:32.333 --> 0:16:36.853 all on board. However, at week thirty two, my first son, Riley, 0:16:37.093 --> 0:16:40.613 twin one, he flipped, so from being head down he 0:16:40.733 --> 0:16:43.973 was now fit down and breach. And as soon as 0:16:43.973 --> 0:16:47.413 that happened, that through, you know, a vaginal birth plan 0:16:47.573 --> 0:16:50.013 alt the window because there's not much you could do 0:16:50.053 --> 0:16:52.453 with like I know, with one spinning babies and you 0:16:52.493 --> 0:16:54.013 can kind of get them to try and flip again. 0:16:54.613 --> 0:16:57.213 You can't do that with twins. And so every week 0:16:57.253 --> 0:16:59.373 and every scan I was just hoping like Riley had 0:16:59.373 --> 0:17:03.133 flipped again and flipped back to head down, but he hadn't, 0:17:03.213 --> 0:17:06.813 and he didn't, So then we had to think about, okay, well, 0:17:07.013 --> 0:17:11.292 plan B cesarian and we had booked a cesarian for 0:17:11.373 --> 0:17:13.733 kind of mid March, so that was booked in and 0:17:13.812 --> 0:17:16.133 all good and all fine. And from that moment I 0:17:16.173 --> 0:17:17.652 did a lot of research. I spoke to a lot 0:17:17.693 --> 0:17:21.413 of girlfriends, particularly friends with twins and who had gone 0:17:21.413 --> 0:17:23.973 through a cesarean, spoke to a lot of friends with 0:17:24.052 --> 0:17:27.733 both negative and positive experiences of air cesarean. I did 0:17:27.733 --> 0:17:30.213 a lot of research, a lot of information. I spoke 0:17:30.213 --> 0:17:32.053 to a lot of people to kind of really get 0:17:32.053 --> 0:17:35.173 me ready and prepare me for that moment. But that 0:17:35.573 --> 0:17:39.413 planned Cesarean date didn't happen because the boys came early. 0:17:40.053 --> 0:17:43.332 The boys came at thirty four and four, because I 0:17:43.373 --> 0:17:47.813 went into spontaneous labor. Well, as you'd jumped back a step, Riley, 0:17:48.013 --> 0:17:51.253 we think it's Frailey, chicky bugger. He kicked and broke my. 0:17:51.213 --> 0:17:54.533 Waters lot a little so and sound a little chicky 0:17:54.573 --> 0:17:56.052 monkey had day. 0:17:56.413 --> 0:17:59.493 No because he was fit down and he was breach. 0:18:00.293 --> 0:18:02.853 Like my ob says to me, he probably kicked kick 0:18:02.893 --> 0:18:06.453 too hard and broke your waters. And one afternoon, I 0:18:06.533 --> 0:18:09.052 remember i'd you know, been that day like shopping and 0:18:09.213 --> 0:18:11.773 washing and cooking and cleaning and all the things as 0:18:11.813 --> 0:18:14.892 you do as a mum and managing a family. I 0:18:15.093 --> 0:18:17.893 had like a five minute break, and I remember lying 0:18:17.973 --> 0:18:21.173 on my bed with my husband and my son and 0:18:21.253 --> 0:18:23.453 we put on like Bluey or something for my son 0:18:23.493 --> 0:18:26.653 to watch it. Oh perfect, I can literally just lie down, 0:18:26.733 --> 0:18:29.253 get off my feet and watched this with him for 0:18:29.293 --> 0:18:31.853 like half an hour and lye in bed. Within literally 0:18:31.973 --> 0:18:35.453 like two minutes of putting on that show, my water's 0:18:35.493 --> 0:18:40.532 broke and water went everywhere all over the bed My 0:18:40.693 --> 0:18:43.093 husband actually was talking to another friend who's a twin 0:18:43.213 --> 0:18:46.853 dad at the time on the phone, and Yanni had 0:18:46.853 --> 0:18:50.213 thought I had actually like wet my pants all like 0:18:50.693 --> 0:18:53.092 worse because I was holding my bump like I was 0:18:53.133 --> 0:18:56.532 holding my backside. I was on the bed and I 0:18:56.653 --> 0:18:59.453 like literally said, oh, and how my backside. He's like, 0:18:59.493 --> 0:19:02.453 oh my god, have you like wet yourself or what's happened? 0:19:02.893 --> 0:19:04.253 He was on the phone and he's like, oh, mate, 0:19:04.253 --> 0:19:06.693 I'm gonna have to like drop off because I think 0:19:06.893 --> 0:19:10.133 Lauren's just her waters are broken. Got off the phone call. 0:19:10.493 --> 0:19:12.812 I was lying bed still with my son. All of 0:19:12.853 --> 0:19:14.853 a sudden, we were like up and off the bed, 0:19:14.933 --> 0:19:17.213 but there was water everywhere and it kept gushing and 0:19:17.253 --> 0:19:21.453 gushing and gushing. Went to the toilet, waters coming. I've 0:19:21.493 --> 0:19:25.013 got a like a maternity pad, put that in my underwear, 0:19:25.693 --> 0:19:28.973 and very quickly I just said, okay, it's on like 0:19:29.093 --> 0:19:31.493 waters are broken. We need to get to hospital. 0:19:31.773 --> 0:19:35.573 And this is a Sunday too, Sunday afternoon. Yeah, so 0:19:35.733 --> 0:19:37.973 you basically had to call the whole new team in Yes. 0:19:38.293 --> 0:19:42.133 Yes, so my obi wasn't on call that weekend, and 0:19:42.253 --> 0:19:44.773 I got a whole new team because it ended up 0:19:44.773 --> 0:19:48.973 becoming an emergency s asaian and a whole new team 0:19:49.253 --> 0:19:52.173 greeted us in hospital and you pay all the penalty 0:19:52.253 --> 0:19:54.773 rates because it's a Sunday afternoon. So that was fun, 0:19:55.333 --> 0:19:57.333 all new people. But look, we knew the hospital, we 0:19:57.413 --> 0:20:00.213 knew the plan. My Obi. I was very lucky because 0:20:00.253 --> 0:20:02.253 I spoke to him on the phone actually in hospital 0:20:02.293 --> 0:20:06.093 about what was about to happen, and the saesarean and 0:20:06.533 --> 0:20:08.693 you know, as discussed, you know we're going to be 0:20:08.733 --> 0:20:11.773 doing s Y and zaid, So did have continuity of 0:20:11.813 --> 0:20:15.093 care from him, and I knew what I was going 0:20:15.093 --> 0:20:17.453 into and it was still to plan. It was just 0:20:17.653 --> 0:20:18.413 a little bit early. 0:20:18.893 --> 0:20:22.132 Yeah, you get in there, get spinal tap, you're in 0:20:22.133 --> 0:20:26.572 the theater and they take out the first baby. Yes, 0:20:27.053 --> 0:20:29.292 what was that experience like? Did they have to go 0:20:29.333 --> 0:20:30.253 straight to special care? 0:20:30.333 --> 0:20:33.253 They did shock again, a lot of shock because it 0:20:33.293 --> 0:20:36.333 happened I think so quickly from when my waters broke 0:20:36.573 --> 0:20:40.013 to then going into labor to then arriving. 0:20:40.333 --> 0:20:42.573 How long was it between when your waters broken when 0:20:42.573 --> 0:20:43.293 the babies came? 0:20:43.853 --> 0:20:45.013 About three hours? 0:20:45.093 --> 0:20:45.813 It's very quick. 0:20:45.933 --> 0:20:50.052 Yeah, it's pretty fast. We got off pretty quick. And 0:20:50.093 --> 0:20:52.733 then what they were hoping to do, was hoping to 0:20:52.773 --> 0:20:54.733 keep me in for another day or two, even though 0:20:54.773 --> 0:20:57.373 my water said broke. They were hoping I wouldn't start 0:20:57.413 --> 0:21:00.613 contracting and kind of go into labor. But I did, 0:21:00.933 --> 0:21:04.333 and I went pretty quickly, and the contractions wrapped up 0:21:04.733 --> 0:21:09.173 bloody fast and hard, and boy, I didn't have my 0:21:09.213 --> 0:21:13.852 Tenis machine or pain relief or anything planned, and gosh, 0:21:13.933 --> 0:21:16.653 it just brought me back very quickly to that first 0:21:16.893 --> 0:21:21.332 labor of my son, very quickly, ye three hours. And unfortunately, 0:21:21.333 --> 0:21:24.173 because I then contracted when to labor, there was no 0:21:24.293 --> 0:21:27.093 choice but to get the babies out because basically their 0:21:27.133 --> 0:21:29.493 hope would have been to put steroids in to help 0:21:29.493 --> 0:21:31.853