I have no new news to share with you all today, so I've decided to go over the boys birth experience with you all, my blog audience. On a side note, all four kids are sleeping currently. Jonah and Elizabeth are both sick. This morning I could not find Jonah anywhere. I kept calling his name and when I couldn't find him, I called 911! Needless to say, he was where any sick child would be, hidden deep within his huge blanket, on his bed. Luckily I found him and called 911 back to let them know. An office still stopped by, but that was okay. Poor Ethan started getting nervous and Asher wanted me to hold him the whole time I searched up and down the house for him. Our house is too big. Just so you know. Now, without further ado:
Ethan and Jonah's - the twins- Birth Story
You boys were born early- at 34 1/2 weeks along, or 5 1/2 weeks early. Too early! You weren't ready to come out. Plus, you had twin-to-twin transfusion (where one twin takes the other twin's blood and nutrition) and you needed help!
My labor started on a Sunday- again! We were living in Provo, Utah, in a two bedroom apt. called bi-centennial. That morning I went to a Relief Society Meeting because I was the Compassionate Service Leader. I remember that I didn't feel like going- which was weird because I always wanted to go to those meetings. They asked me when I needed meals for when I had the babies. (This was May 16th and I was due June 24th). I said probably in a month.
I came home and Elizabeth (20 months old at the time) was going stir crazy at home (it was 11 am and Church was at 2 pm). I took her for a walk and Josh took a nap. During the walk the contractions started! I made it home and had to put Elizabeth down for a nap, all the while having contractions. I lay down at 1 pm and at 2 pm we left for Church. All through Sacrament Mtg. I had contractions every 5 minutes. I would squeeze Josh's hand to let him know when they were happening.
I said "Let's go to the hospital." Josh's didn't want to get sent home again like we did w/ Elizabeth, so he said "Let's go home." We went home and I lay down for an hour. The contractions got worse. We called the hospital and they said "twins? come on in!" Our neighbors were all still at Church (it was 4:30 pm), so we took Elizabeth with us and went. At the hospital they checked me and said I was at an eight! Another nurse checked and I was at a six! I guess I was at a seven. They couldn't give me anything to top the labor seven centimeters dialated, so the babies were coming!
We still had Elizabeth and no camera or bags or anything. We thought we would be sent home. We called Amy and MaryRuth. MaryRuth came and took Elizabeth. After an epidural (I asked if I should have one because I wasn't in a lot of pain and they said yes, because twins might get complicated). They wheeled me into the operating room in case they had to operate (Jonah was heads up at the time). A resident, a nurse and a med student who wanted to see a breech twin birth were all in the room with us. I lay there for an hour, just waiting to be at a 10.
Finally, I was at a 10 and in two pushes Dr. Dayton (the same who delivered Elizabeth) delivered Ethan at 10:55 pm. weighing 4 lbs 14 ozs. Jonah flipped over and came out with forceps at 10:57 pm. weighing 5 lbs 1 oz. They showed them to me quickly, then whisked them away into another room to work on them. Josh says Jonah was pretty grey.
You were taken to the NICU, where we couldn't hold you for several days. Ethan stayed there for four weeks and Jonah five weeks. It was a crazy time- going from home to the hospital several times a day. I remember walking from the car in the parking lot to the hospital to see my babies two days after giving birth and thinking "a Mom who just delivered twins should not be walking this far!" I quickly learned about their valet service. We made it fine and you boys are healthy 3 1/2 year old now. So cute!
My labor started on a Sunday- again! We were living in Provo, Utah, in a two bedroom apt. called bi-centennial. That morning I went to a Relief Society Meeting because I was the Compassionate Service Leader. I remember that I didn't feel like going- which was weird because I always wanted to go to those meetings. They asked me when I needed meals for when I had the babies. (This was May 16th and I was due June 24th). I said probably in a month.
I came home and Elizabeth (20 months old at the time) was going stir crazy at home (it was 11 am and Church was at 2 pm). I took her for a walk and Josh took a nap. During the walk the contractions started! I made it home and had to put Elizabeth down for a nap, all the while having contractions. I lay down at 1 pm and at 2 pm we left for Church. All through Sacrament Mtg. I had contractions every 5 minutes. I would squeeze Josh's hand to let him know when they were happening.
I said "Let's go to the hospital." Josh's didn't want to get sent home again like we did w/ Elizabeth, so he said "Let's go home." We went home and I lay down for an hour. The contractions got worse. We called the hospital and they said "twins? come on in!" Our neighbors were all still at Church (it was 4:30 pm), so we took Elizabeth with us and went. At the hospital they checked me and said I was at an eight! Another nurse checked and I was at a six! I guess I was at a seven. They couldn't give me anything to top the labor seven centimeters dialated, so the babies were coming!
We still had Elizabeth and no camera or bags or anything. We thought we would be sent home. We called Amy and MaryRuth. MaryRuth came and took Elizabeth. After an epidural (I asked if I should have one because I wasn't in a lot of pain and they said yes, because twins might get complicated). They wheeled me into the operating room in case they had to operate (Jonah was heads up at the time). A resident, a nurse and a med student who wanted to see a breech twin birth were all in the room with us. I lay there for an hour, just waiting to be at a 10.
Finally, I was at a 10 and in two pushes Dr. Dayton (the same who delivered Elizabeth) delivered Ethan at 10:55 pm. weighing 4 lbs 14 ozs. Jonah flipped over and came out with forceps at 10:57 pm. weighing 5 lbs 1 oz. They showed them to me quickly, then whisked them away into another room to work on them. Josh says Jonah was pretty grey.
You were taken to the NICU, where we couldn't hold you for several days. Ethan stayed there for four weeks and Jonah five weeks. It was a crazy time- going from home to the hospital several times a day. I remember walking from the car in the parking lot to the hospital to see my babies two days after giving birth and thinking "a Mom who just delivered twins should not be walking this far!" I quickly learned about their valet service. We made it fine and you boys are healthy 3 1/2 year old now. So cute!
Comments
It is so fun to see your kids. Thanks for the invite. Ethan and Jonah look so much bigger! I didn't know you guys were in Maryland. We live in Ohio, which seems so close. We'll keep in touch.
Love,
Sherri Ziemer