Birth Story: “We were shocked we were having twins.”

Kourtney is a preschool paraprofessional, married to Galen and mom of three. When she was 24, she gave birth for the first time — to twins. Below is their story.

We found out we were having twins when I was only seven weeks pregnant. It was totally out of the blue! There’s no history of twins in my family or my husband’s family, but it didn’t take us long to get used to the idea.

My OB-GYN Dr. Sebastian (now retired) had given me some criteria for a vaginal delivery: Baby A had to be head-down, baby A had to be bigger than baby B. With twins, I knew that a C-section was likely, but I wasn’t that nervous. I figured if I delivered vaginally, my body would know what to do and if I ended up delivering via C-section, the doctors would know what to do.

Pretty soon, it was time for our 35-week appointment. At that point, I was having contractions but they were pretty mild. When we were getting ready to leave to house, I told my husband to grab our hospital bag. I just had this feeling that I wasn’t going to be coming back home that day.

Nervous in the OR

In the two weeks before my 35-week appointment, I had gained 20 pounds and I was super swollen. My blood pressure was also a bit high. So, I went to the Birthing Center to be monitored for preeclampsia. After spending two hours in our birthing suite, they came in and said: You’re delivering today. Baby A was breach, and they didn’t want to risk waiting. I started to get pretty nervous. I remember thinking: Oh my gosh, this is real. This is happening.

couple in hospital room before labo

Once I was in the operating room (OR), I remember feeling like I wanted to throw up because I was so nervous. I’m terrified of needles, so getting the spinal block was a big deal for me. My husband couldn’t be in the OR for that part, but my nurse took really good care of me. She had me hug a pillow and told me to breathe slowly to help me calm down. She held my hand through the whole thing and was really reassuring.

Once it was over, my husband came in and was able to sit with me. The spinal block kicked in fast and it was a really weird feeling. I couldn’t feel anything below my chest, but I could still move my arms. Soon, my lower half was totally numb and they were ready to start the surgery.

mom giving newborn baby a kissWelcome to the world, Gavin and Logan

I was really worried I was going to hear a doctor say something like, ‘We’re making an incision now,’ and I did not want to hear that! My nurse anesthetist knew how nervous I was, so she talked to me through the whole thing and helped me stay calm.

The operation went pretty quick. I wasn’t in pain, but I did start to feel a bit of pressure. The next thing I remember was hearing Gavin cry for the first time at 4:52 pm. Not even two minutes later, I heard Logan. I teared up right away – it was amazing!

Gavin was five pounds, five ounces and Logan was four pounds, twelve ounces. Because our babies were preterm, they needed a little extra help after birth. They had to be brought to the Level II Nursery, but I was able to see them and give them a kiss before they left.

mom holding newborn baby

A few bumps before going home

I needed a blood transfusion, so I was unable to see my husband hold the boys for the first time. That was really hard, but the nurses took lots of pictures for us. Gavin was able to transition out of the Level II Nursery the next day and Logan a day after that.

We were in the hospital a bit longer than expected because I had a few complications, but all through our time at St. Luke’s I could tell that the staff really cared about us. They went out of their way to make me feel like I mattered. The doctors, the nurses, the food service workers were all so polite and helpful. Even the people who cleaned the rooms would make conversation with us. I felt super supported the whole time we were there.

newborn twins

Being discharged was one of the best feelings in the world. We were so excited to start our lives – to let the twins sleep in their own cribs and dress them in the outfits that we had bought for them.

A few years later, I had my daughter Rylynn at St. Luke’s.

 

 

 

 

 

This is how Kourtney remembers the day Gavin and Logan were born. To hear what Gavin and Logan remember, watch their story below. View More Stories »

 

St. Luke’s Birthing Center is located in Duluth, MN, with St. Luke’s clinics in the surrounding region, including Superior, WI. To schedule a tour of St. Luke’s Birthing Center, call 218.249.5605.

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