Twin Birth Story: Nicole O'Donnell

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Name: Nicole O'Donnell

Where do you currently live?  Philadelphia, Pa

How far along were you when you found out you were expecting twins? 8 weeks

Any issues during your pregnancy? I had borderline preeclampsia from 30 weeks until I was finally diagnosed at 35 weeks and 3 days when my doctors decided to induce me. Also, Baby B had an Echogenic intracardiac focus on her heart at the 20 week ultrasound.

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: All of the looks I got from strangers where ever I went. I was so big!

Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? Calm down, everything will be fine...

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 35 weeks 5 days

Baby A's Information: Teagan Jamie
April 27, 2014
12:46 pm
5 lbs 6 oz
18 1/4 inches 

Baby B's Information: Avery Elise
April 27, 2014
12:50 pm
4 lbs 7 oz
18 inches

Are your twins identical? No

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? From the beginning, my specialist want to try a natural delivery. We went into the hospital Friday night at 11 p.m. because I had some bleeding, and I was finally diagnosed with preeclampsia. They induced me at 3:45 am on Saturday morning, and I started pushing (with many, many drugs) at noon on Sunday. After 46 minutes of pushing, Teagan (Baby A) came out fine, but poor Avery (Baby B) was breech and her foot fell out before they could flip her. Her head got stuck and she came out limp and blue but pulled it together after a few minutes and was fine. As my husband says - that was the scariest 4 minutes of our lives.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? No thank goodness.
  

Did you have any complications after delivery? My blood pressure was a bit high, but it went down quickly.

How long did you stay in the hospital? 2 nights

Did your twins stay with you or the hospital nursery at night? With us

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? 
My husband.
Chapstick.
My cell phone for games...we were there for 36 hours before the girls were born!!


Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: We did skin-to-skin soon after the birth, and the girls were squeaking and chirping to each other!

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? Don't take everything so seriously. This will be the craziest experience of your life, but everything is temporary. (i.e. 6 week old twins with colic who cry for 5 hours straight... that ends, trust me)