Double the fun: The birth of Regina and Eli

By Published On: August 17th, 2015Tags: ,

On June 13, 2014, I was driving to work with my 3-year-old son, Matheo. I was working as a teacher in the same school/daycare that Matheo was going. I was feeling good and thought I had nothing to worry about because I was in my 30th week of gestation. Plus, it was a really healthy pregnancy, and my doctor told me I wasn’t going to have my C-section until week 38. I remember that Mexico was playing that day in the World Cup, so we were wearing our jerseys because we were going to watch the game at school.

I got to the school door to drop Matheo off, and when I turned around to unbuckle his car seat, I felt some water gush out. I thought I peed, so I didn’t say anything as I dropped Matheo off and went to park the car. I felt another gush, and I thought, This is not possible. It is too soon! (I had a baby shower planned a week after that day.) So, I got back in the car and went to pick up Matheo who was all confused, poor baby. The school principal didn’t let me drive; she drove us to my house where my husband was waiting for me. My pants were totally wet, and I went to change my clothes.

SC_blogWe got to the hospital, and I was having contractions 5-10 minutes apart. I filled out the forms, and one of the nurses asked me if I needed a wheelchair. I told her I was fine and that I could walk. They put me in the observation room and started to check whether it was amniotic fluid and if I was dilated. … I was 2 centimeters dilated, and it was amniotic fluid. (I couldn’t have a vaginal birth because I can’t dilate more than 4 centimeters.)

Next, they checked to see if the twins could handle more days or weeks inside, but no, I was definitely in labor. By this time, the contractions were increasing to 3-5 minutes apart, and they were hurting a lot. My mom and husband were in the room with me the entire time. They asked my husband if he was ready, and he said yes!

We got to the OR and got me prepped for the surgery. The contractions were very, very painful by this time, but when I got the spinal anesthesia, I felt relieved. Then, my doctor arrived and asked, “What happened?” I said, “Oh, these twins!” We laughed, and they laid me down. I remember so many people in the OR—incubators, an anesthesiologist, nurses, my doctor, and my husband next to me.

SC_blog2I started to feel very sleepy. My husband was so scared because I was closing my eyes, and he kept waking me up. Then, I heard Regina crying. Two minutes later, Eli was born, but he didn’t cry. They put Eli and Regina next to me, so I could give them each a kiss. When they finished the C-section, we went straight to NICU to see my babies. They were so tiny—Regina weighed 2 pounds, 10 ounces. Eli weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces.

I went to recovery and then to a new room—but not with my twins because they needed to be in NICU with wires all over their bodies. I wasn’t able to carry them, and I couldn’t feed them. It was very tough but they were strong and started to gain weight. They spent seven weeks in the NICU, and now they are two healthy babies.

Things never go as you planned them. Sometimes babies have another plan, and I thank God that the twins are fine.

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!