Twin Home Birth

As I mentioned in my last post, I had the pleasure of hearing this mama, Danielle, speak at the DASC meeting I went to a few weekends ago.

She had a homebirth of twins after having two hospital births. It had been her dream and determination to have a homebirth for her third pregnancy, however, when she found out she was having twins, her plans and dreams came into heartbreaking questions. She wondered if it was even possible. Was it safe? Could it be done? Had it been done before with success?

As fate would have it, she was already a Bradley method instructor and had some contacts. They got her in touch with people who had successfully been involved in homebirths of multiples. She also did her homework and attempted to interview other OB's and birth professionals. In the end she decided she would go through with it.



Her mission now is to educate and empower other women out there who want to have a homebirth of twins but aren't sure it is possible. Danielle believes that she may have ended up having a hospital birth with typical interventions if she hadn't been as well connected in the birth community as she was.

What was shocking to me (being a bit "green" in all this birth business) is what she told us about the likely interventions she would have received at the hospital.

She was told that the typical protocol for birthing twins in a hospital is in the OR...waiting to be cut open should any small complication arise!!!! This is just unbelievable to me! They don't even give mothers a CHANCE to have a natural birth. They just assume that a cesarean will be done.

The other thing was that one of her babies was 4 pounds, 12 ounces(I think...its on the video). She was born perfectly healthy at home with no complications or problems after birth. But in the hospital, she would have immediately been put in the NICU simply because of her weight. She and her mama would have been robbed of that important bonding, warming on eachother's skin, breastfeeding....all because she was perfectly healthy but a few ounces small.

I am so happy for Danielle that she got the birth she wanted! I hope her story reaches and touches every mom who wants the same!!