The Business of Being Born Message Board

Q: I just had twins 8 weeks ago. I was pressured by my in-laws to have them in a hospital (my oldest was born at home with no complications). When I got there, they hooked me to a fetal monitor, and my son flipped. The doctor (who was on-call, mine was out of town) then told me it would be safer to do a c-section. I was so scared I consented–my in-laws told me the whole time I was “doctor-shopping” that I was being unreasonable and of course they were in the delivery room. I went into shock during the delivery and almost died. Considering he flipped so easy, do you believe the c-section was necessary? I know plenty of twin moms who also had a breech baby b, and their doctors told them it was safer to try vaginal delivery.

Desiree

A: Dear Desiree,
It is always hard to play Monday morning quarterback and comment on whether a c-section was necessary without having all of the clinical details. It is unfortunate that your son, whom I take it was “Baby B,” flipped at the last minute. However, I am not surprised to learn that you were advised to have a c-section. Many obstetricians are not willing to offer a vaginal delivery unless both babies are in the vertex position. In my experience it is most often the older doctors, who have been in practice for many years, who are comfortable offering a breech extraction or internal version. In the end, much of the decision-making in obstetrics comes down to risk management. As you experienced, however, the c-section that is recommended to reduce liability can end up with complications of its own, most notably hemorrhage.

Congratulations, nonetheless, on the birth of your twins. I sincerely hope that you can work through your feelings about their birth, as well as your relationship with your in-laws.

Best wishes,
Carolyn Havens Niemann, MSN, CNM
www.princetonmidwiferycare.com