Have people delivered mono-di's naturally?

Hi All,

I'm 34 weeks and big decisions ahead. I have mono-di boys and they are both head down. We are going to try for a natural birth but at times I'm worried about twin B getting trapped. The doctors have talked about how the placenta can start to let go before twin B gets out. I'm getting an epidural incase something goes wrong and I assume they monitor both babies really closely incase there are signs on distress. Have any of you had successful deliveries naturally with twins who share a placenta? I'd love to hear some and it will help put my partner and I at ease when the time comes. Hopefully not for another couple weeks. Oh and they are going to start to 'sweep the membranes around 36 weeks' if you had that done. Not sure what the entails at all besides trying to get you to labour?

 

My girls were mono-di & both were born vaginally & without meds. They arrived at 34w1d, more or less healthy, although they did have to spend two weeks in the NICU feeding & growing. My baby B was the bigger baby by almost a pound & a half but had no problems on her way out. If you're interested I can send you my birth story as written by my doula (it's pretty long but also very detailed) - if you're interested just PM me your email address. It was an incredible birth & a very positive experience for me. :good:

Sweeping your membranes (also called a stretch & sweep or rimming the cervix) is when your care provider inserts their fingers into your cervix & runs them around the top to separate the membranes from the cervix. This will sometimes push a woman over into labour if she's within a day or two of going on her own by irritating the cervix causing her body to release prostaglandins (a hormone necessary to help your cervix soften, efface & begin dilating). Some women find the procedure painful (I did) and it can cause some spotting afterwards.

 

You absolutely can!!! I know LOTS of twin moms, mono-di and di-di, who have delivered naturally. Both mine were head down. I did have an epi. No complication for babies (I had pre-e so I had some complications but they were unavoidable no matter which way I delivered). I'd hesitate for delivering as early as 36 weeks unless there is a clear medical indication to do so. I'm a believer in those last couple of weeks being very imporant for infant development.

 

My twins are fraternal but the placentas did fuse together into one huge one. My OB never mentioned any concern over delivery because of the fused placenta. I delivered my twins vaginally at 40 weeks, one was head down and the other was vertex.

Personally, I wouldn't do a membrane sweep that early. Like Rachel said, it only works if you're within a day or two of labor anyway. I went overdue with my third and that's what my OB and midwife told me, that it wouldn't put me into labor if I wasn't already going to be and that it was uncomfortable. My OB with the twins never mentioned it, even when I went overdue with them.

 

I also wouldn't do the sweep that early. My babies were just born at last week at 36weeks one day, mostly due to my over aggressive OB, and we are looking at an at least two week nicu stay. Let nature do its thing.

 

Thank you for all the advice. I feel more confident about having them naturally and I'm so happy to hear more information about the sweep. I think letting nature take it's course if the best idea! I hope your babies are out of the NICU soon.

 

My MZ girls were born naturally and it was a very positive experience. I believe they were di-di, but have some doubt as the placentas were fused into one monster, indistinguishable placenta. In fact, this may sound strange, but "birthing" the placenta was one of the trickiest parts of the birth. It didn't really want to come out, and did so only with some careful help.

I'd be happy to send you my birth story if you'd like, just send me a PM.

Best wishes!

 

I'm not sure if my girls are even identical because I was never told, however they could only find a very thin whispy sort of membrane (and had to search and search to see it) up until the second trimester and then were never able to see it again. Anyway, mine were both head down for the entire last trimester. I chose not to deliver naturally after weighing the pros and cons. There is no reason why you shouldn't deliver them naturally if that is what you want to do and your OB feels that your babies aren't in danger. Good luck!! I hope everything turns out as you plan!