Caesarean section You're nearly twice as likely to have a caesarean if you're giving birth to twins, than if you're giving birth to a single baby. Your babies' position may determine whether they need to be born by caesarean section or vaginally.
1 In the United States, approximately 75% of twins are delivered by cesarean delivery (CD).
You're more likely to have a vaginal birth if the first twin is in a head-down position. But there may be medical reasons why a vaginal birth is not recommended. If you have had a caesarean section before, for example, it's not usually recommended that you have a vaginal birth with twins.
Both babies are in the transverse position.
This means both babies are lying horizontally across your uterus. This positioning almost always results in a C-section.
A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).
More than half of twins will be born vaginally. The good news is that even though you have two babies, you only have to labor once. Once the cervix is open, each baby will have its own pushing stage.
The time between giving birth to your first and second baby varies from woman to woman, but the second baby is usually delivered within about 30 minutes to an hour after the first. In very rare cases, some women deliver 1 twin vaginally and then need a caesarean section to deliver the second twin.
Physically recovering from a multiple birth, whether it was vaginal or via C-section, is much like recovering from a singleton birth — only more so. Indeed, the postpartum period can be worse with twins or triplets, as everything you experience will feel just a little bit more painful and last a while longer.
If you are keen to avoid a c-section, the first and best decision you can make is to choose a care provider who supports natural twin birth. Stay as healthy as possible by eating well during pregnancy in order to avoid issues like gestational diabetes and encourage your babies to settle into an optimal birth position.
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That's not all, Monga says. Women pregnant with twins complain of more back pain, sleeping difficulties, and heartburn than those who are carrying one child. Being pregnant with twins also carries a higher rate of maternal anemia and a higher rate of postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding) after delivery.
Caesarean section surgery usually takes 30-60 minutes, although the entire process takes a few hours. There'll be many people in the operating theatre with you. You can usually have a support person.
Multiples are generally born only a few minutes apart. If delivered by cesarian section, the interval between births is usually only a minute, maybe two. The interval is generally longer for vaginal deliveries, ranging from a few minutes to more than an hour.
Optimal Delivery Time Varies
For some, elective birth at 37 or 38 weeks is ideal for an otherwise uncomplicated twin pregnancy, so your doctor may schedule a delivery a couple of weeks early. Others prefer to wait and see.
Sometimes, if there are concerns about the health of the mother or the babies, the decision is taken to deliver the babies early (whether by induction or Caesarean section), as the risks to the babies by being born at this time are less than if they remain for longer in the womb.
Fraternal twins — the most common kind of twins — occur when two separate eggs are fertilized by two different sperm. Each twin has his or her own placenta and amniotic sac. The twins can be two girls, two boys, or a boy and a girl.
Overall, it is considered that twin delivery should be around 37 weeks for dichorionic twins and 36 weeks for monochorionic twins. With singletons, the neurodevelopmental outcomes are best with delivery at 41 weeks, but the odds of death around the time of delivery are best at weeks 38-39.
You won't necessarily need to have a caesarean section if you're expecting twins. Many women expecting twins have a vaginal birth. Talk to your midwife and obstetrician about your circumstances, and the birth options open to you. It's natural to feel nervous about vaginal birth if you're expecting twins.
If you've already had a cesarean birth (also called c-section), you may be able to have your next baby vaginally. This is called a vaginal birth after cesarean (also called VBAC). Cesarean birth is surgery in which your baby is born through a cut that your health care provider makes in your belly and uterus.
Length of Your Stay In the Hosptial Room After Delivery
An uncomplicated vaginal delivery will usually require a 1to 2 night hospital stay, averaging about 48 hours. If you experience any delivery complications or have a C-section, you can expect a longer stay of 2 to 4 days.
For example, they can make sure you have privacy for skin-to-skin contact with your baby. A c-section is major surgery and your partner will need time to recover. It can take at least 6 weeks, but they may have discomfort for much longer than this. They will feel sore and find it hard to move around.
(A few women even deliver one twin vaginally and the second via C-section.) If the lowest twin is in breech position, for instance, then a C-section may be necessary for both babies, according to Baby Center. In general, the infants are still delivered in the order of Baby A followed by Baby B.
In twin pregnancies, it took an average of 12.7 hours for the cervix to progress from 4 centimeters to fully dilated, at 10 centimeters. In singleton pregnancies, this took an average of 9.6 hours.
When you're carrying twins or more, you'll typically have a greater number of Braxton Hicks, although some women don't have any symptoms. It's just your body's way of helping you get ready for the real thing. Actual labor contractions are similar for twins and singles (and yes, we're sorry to say, they hurt).
“Managing the movement of two babies. Carrying them both up and down the stairs, getting them into the car, etc.” —Simeon R. “Often having to make one baby wait!” —Catharine D. “Being outnumbered—the logistics of two on one is definitely the hardest.