Double the love: The birth of Kyla and Khloe

After a very scary pregnancy that involved countless doctor appointments, being hospitalized, and lots of bed rest, I was finally in the hospital being induced at 36 weeks with my mo-di (one placenta, two amniotic sacs) twins.

My doctor had warned me that being induced was a long and difficult process, and that my girls likely wouldn’t be born for a day or two. They started me on the first dose of cervidil, but couldn’t give me the second because I was contracting too much.

The next thing I knew, I went from not being dilated at all to 3 whole centimeters! “You’re going to have these babies tonight,” my nurse said.

They couldn’t believe how fast I progressed, so they broke my water and things started moving even faster. I remember watching Men in Black 3 with my boyfriend for most of the time I was in labor. Then when I was around 7 centimeters dilated, I got my epidural. I was able to get some rest.

 I woke up really uncomfortable with very strong contractions and the urge to push. I knew it was time. “Get the doctor!” I told my boyfriend, Jon.

Sure enough, I was at 10 centimeters. They brought me into an operating room to deliver in case they had to do an emergency C-section. There were at least 12 different doctors and nurses in the room, so I had an audience watching me give birth (at the time I did not even care).

Poor Jon looked like he was going to pass out. I had to laugh at him because he was more afraid than me!

I pushed for about 35 minutes and my tiny little 5 pounds, 13 ounce Kyla was born. She was having a little trouble breathing so I only got to see her for a second before they whisked her off to the NICU, and I had to start the process all over.

They broke my water again and I pushed for an hour and five minutes before Khloe was born, weighing 6 pounds, 5 oz.  And unlike her sister, I heard her cry. I was so relieved that I did it! No C-section, no tears and no complications. Kyla’s breathing steadied soon after she was brought to the NICU, and she was reunited with her sister the next day. The day after that, we got to go home.

Now, four months later, my baby girls are growing and perfectly healthy. 

Send us your birth story! Whether you had a home birth, hospital birth, 37-hour labor or emergency C-section, we’d love to read the tale of your little one’s grand entrance. Write up your birth story (click here for tips on getting started) and email it, along with a few photos, to birthstory@pnmag.com. We’ll share it on our Birth Day blog and may even print it in an upcoming issue!