Twin Birth Story: Michelle Stalzkowski

Name: Michelle Stalzkowski

Where do you currently live?  Berea, Ohio

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

Any issues during your pregnancy? Sciatica, I couldn't walk more than a few feet without my legs going numb! Nothing else too out of the ordinary!

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: Finding out I was pregnant with twins- before even seeing the Dr. I thought something was wrong- I felt awful, freezing cold all of the time, almost lethargic, it was awful. I insisted to the Dr. that if she wasn't going to see me any sooner- I wanted a ultrasound. I made my husband go with me in case the news wasn't good. As soon as it started- the tech asked my husband to sit down- his face, the poor guys, was scared to death and in the moment i just knew there were 2 in there:) She turned the screen to show us our 2 little miracles... my husband looked at me in shock and said "I think I will sell the Harley, we are going to need a minivan, and once they are born i am getting snipped!"- I will never forget it!

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 37w 1d

Baby A's Information: Cole Patrick 
July 9, 2012
9:39pm
6 lb 6oz
19 1/2 in

Baby B's Information: Mason Michael
July 9, 2012
10:22 om
6 lb 15 oz
20 in

Are your twins identical? No

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? ONE OF EACH!!
The short version- went into labor with both babies head down, declined a C Section because I did not want unnecessary surgery (and we had a 3 yr old at home and I was hoping vaginal birth and quick recovery). 11 Hours later- pushed Cole out with no issues! I was so relieved, as I started to get ready to push for Mason- the ultrasound showed he had flipped and was feet first!! Doctors we able to flip him back (horrifically painful) and I pushed and pushed , his heart rate dropped and I had to have an emergency C Section. He spent 3 days in "constant care" in incubator in nursery for breathing struggles, but came home with us! 

Did you have any complications after delivery? Nothing out of the ordinary!

How long did you stay in the hospital? 4 days

Did your twins stay with you or the hospital nursery at night? Hospital Nursery

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? 
1. So glad I had comfy maternity pjs!
2. Super glad my parents helped out with my daughter so that my husband could stay with me the first night!
3. Wish I would hadn't been so stubborn about taking pain meds! 

Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: Packing the twins to come home! Mason was out of "constant care" and for the first time we were all together!

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? Listen to your body! Find a Dr. you trust!

Twin Birth Story: Alyssa

Name: Alyssa

Where do you currently live? Geneva, IL

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

Any issues during your pregnancy? I didn't have any issues WITH my pregnancy. I did however fall down the last 4 stairs in my house going to put my shoes on for my baby shower. Which very unfortunately ended in me breaking my ankle in two places and dislocating it, missing my baby shower, and causing A LOT of discomfort for the last month of my pregnancy. I had to have surgery 5 days after the girls were born and in total was unable to walk for 5 months. It was a tough one, but it is certainly memorable and already in the baby books!

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: The funniest moment when I was pregnant was when we found out we were having twins! The doctor hadn't even begun the ultrasound yet and said "It looks like there are two!" Clearly he was joking because he had nothing leading him to think that whatsoever. Immediately after the ultrasound started he said it again, so we laughed, and he was like, "no, there really are two heartbeats!". We spent about 5 minutes trying to figure out if he was serious or not. I was laughing so hard because I was so in shock that there really were two! My husband who was also in total and complete shock, just kept asking if he was serious. It was by far the most funny, terrifying, and amazing appointment ever!

Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? TAKE PICTURES OF THAT BUMP!!!!! I have very very very few pictures of me while I was pregnant. I so wish I would have taken bump pictures!

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 34 weeks

Baby A's Information: Penelope Austin (Her middle name is in honor of her Uncle that passed away)
December 5, 2012 6:29pm
5lbs 6oz
18 Inches

Baby B's Information: Violet Ann (Her middle name is in honor of her Grandma and Great Grandma)
December 5, 2012 7:11pm
4lbs 13oz
17.5 Inches

Are your twins identical? Yes :)

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? I naturally delivered both girls! It was a fairly easy delivery, outside of the bulky cast that was in the way, and Violet being face up, taking longer for her to be delivered.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? We spent 26 days in the NICU. They were there mostly for feeding issues, and some apnea issues. All in all they were healthy, breathing on their own. We just needed to be able to finish bottles and gain weight to be released.

Did you have any complications after delivery? I didn't have any complications after delivery that were pregnancy or birth related. Just the surgery on my ankle.

How long did you stay in the hospital? Three days

Did your twins stay with you or the hospital nursery at night? They were in the NICU

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? I honestly cannot remember. I really only remember my time spent in the NICU, where you really couldn't have items.

Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: My favorite moments while we were in the hospital are hearing the girls first cries, and being able to hold them. Initially they told me I wouldn't be able to hold them when they were born, but I was able to, and it was amazing. My other favorite moment was being released from the NICU and being able to come home. It was a long 26 days and we couldn't have been more ready!

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? It really isn't as hard as people think it is. You learn, you adapt, you thrive as a family. It is truly an amazing journey, regardless of how challenging it may be at times. Tomorrow is always a new day, a fresh start. The days may be long, but they are so unbelievably rewarding. Having twins is truly a gift!

Twin Birth Story: Anna

Name: Anna

Where do you currently live?  Bothell, WA

How far along were you when you found out you were expecting twins? 20 weeks!

Any issues during your pregnancy? None at all, blessedly. Just some pretty nasty all day sickness for the entirety of my pregnancy and some painful aches from all that weight but ultimately, it was a healthy and normal pregnancy.

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: I would have to say the moment we found out we were having not one but TWO babies was pretty memorable. During my 8-week appointment, I had a quick ultrasound but at that time, my midwife only saw one heartbeat -- to which I replied, "Thank God. I already feel like I'm ruining my sons life, I don't know what I would do if I was having twins." (God has quite the sense of humor, to which I am forever grateful. So glad I don't have the control and He does.) I was experiencing heavy mommy guilt even though I knew that giving my son a sibling was an awesome gift. I was so excited to be having our second baby but I was experiencing horrible all-day sickness and taking Diclegis just to keep food down. That combined with caring for our 17 month old son made for a rough first five months. 

Fast forward to our 20-week anatomy scan ultrasound. I was shocked and pleased to see I had gained 11 pounds after losing during my previous appointments. I still had NO IDEA that there was even the slightest chance that there was more than one baby -- even after the ultrasound started. My husband said he knew right away, as soon as that wand touched my belly and he saw the crazy mess of limbs going on up on the screen. I still didn't think anything abnormal was going on. I needed the tech to tell me. Twice.
"Have you had any other ultrasounds, Anna?"
*heart sinking with worry that something was wrong* "Just one at 8 weeks but it wasn't very clear."
"Well, there are two."
"Excuse me?"
"There are two babies!"
*enter total and complete brain function loss -- in my mind, I was thinking, what do you mean two babies? There's a little one in there? I got pregnant again? -- obviously, not my smartest moments....
The rest is a blur, with spurts of clarity, like when she asked if we wanted to know the sex.
"Well, I saw a penis..."
"Yes, they're identical so you're having two boys!"
*cue more shocked laughing/crying/shock/awe/panic

Looking back on it now, six months into having these two crazy babies earthside, I can laugh and be SO THANKFUL that God knew what He was doing. 
 
Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? Well, I would've probably planted the seed that there were two babies, just so I wouldn't be so shell-shocked. :-)

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 37 weeks 5 days

Baby A's Information: Cohen Tate
8:39am
7 lbs 9 oz
19" long

Baby B's Information: Isaac Rhett
8:40am
5 lbs 9 oz
18" long

Are your twins identical? Yes

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? I had a scheduled c-section. This was incredibly hard to wrap my brain around at 20 weeks, when we had to shift our whole life plan (moving from midwives to a doctor, natural to cesarean, one baby to two, moving homes, buying a new car, etc etc etc). My doctor was and is phenomenal and through the second half of my pregnancy, provided me with encouragement and support. He never shut down my desire to deliver vaginally, saying that if I went into labor on my own and the babies were head down, I could go for it. But I never did go into labor and I'm at peace with how my babies were delivered. After the final months of painful joints and restless nights, it was nice to have a date to plan for and not have to go through the contractions and discomfort (understatement -- ha) of delivery.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? None at all. Again, so incredibly thankful that my pregnancy and babies were so healthy.

Did you have any complications after delivery? I had a low platelet count heading into the final week of my pregnancy and even the morning of, it was fairly low. But we had the go-ahead for the spinal and went forward with the c-section. Afterwards, my doctor told me that I had lost more blood than was typical and while I didn't need a transfusion, it was something they wanted to keep an eye on. I wasn't even able to sit up fully during the first 24 hours, which was really challenging. But by the time I was discharged, I was past most of the pain and was feeling okay.

How long did you stay in the hospital? 4 days

Did your twins stay with you or the hospital nursery at night? They stayed with us, as our hospital doesn't have a nursery. But we had our parents come in the evenings to hold the boys so we could sleep. We also had a few friends who worked the night shift at the hospital who would come and give us a break around midnight. That was awesome, too.

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? 
1) Camera.
2) Maternity sweats and nursing tanks -- it was so nice to have some clothes to feel "normal" in.
3) Snacks! It was so nice to have Greek yogurt to eat in the later hours or the early morning.

Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: Having our 22 month old son, Liev, come in and meet the babies a few hours after they were born was my absolute favorite. Having our little band of brothers all together for the first time is something I will never forget. He was so gentle and loving towards them. I was so thankful to have three healthy and perfect little boys. It was a surreal and blessed moment.

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? Try and enjoy the ride. It's a finite season and while there may be pain and discomfort, you're participating in a miracle and it is awesome to experience. (sidenote: I love being pregnant so this was easier for me even during the bad days but I recognize that not everyone feels that way. Still, staying positive and remembering in the hard moments that being pregnant is not forever helps tremendously.)

Anna's Instagram: aschauf21

Professional photos courtesy of Ashley DeLatour of One Thousand Words Photography.

Twin Birth Story: Lindsay Blouin

If you'd like to contribute your own twin birth story, CLICK HERE to fill out the questionnaire!

Name: Lindsay Blouin

Where do you currently live? Rhode Island

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

Any issues during your pregnancy? I had to take the gestational diabetes test at sixteen weeks and I failed. They had me take the three-hour, which of massively failed. I lucked out though, and was able to control it with my diet. Then I started getting higher blood pressure, and ended up with preeclampsia and needing the babies out.

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: At the time, our oldest was 2. The days of our first ultrasound we had asked him how many babies were in mommy's belly and he said two right away. Little bugger was right!

Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? Take more time to enjoy my oldest. I feel bad that he seems to be pushed aside right now because the babies need so much. And to enjoy being pregnant. I didn't do well with pregnancies and I wish I tried to relax more.

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 37 weeks

Baby A's Information:  Sawyer Anthony
June 19, 2014
11:16am
6 pounds 2 ounces
19" long

Baby B's Information: Weston Alexander
June 19, 2014
11:19am
6 pounds 12 ounces
19" long

Are your twins identical? No, fraternal

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? We had scheduled a repeat c-section for June 24. I was due on July 10, and the chief resident in the prenatal department said that the 24th was too early. We changed the date to the 30th. We never made it to that date.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? Baby B (Weston) didn't want to come out. When the doctor pulled him out, he decided not to breathe. I got to see him for a second before they took him to the NICU. I got him back 25 hours later. It was a long 25 hours, we just wanted our whole family together.
  

Did you have any complications after delivery? I feel like I bled a lot more, but the pain was significantly less then my first recovery.

How long did you stay in the hospital? One day before they were born, and three after.

Did your twins stay with you or the hospital nursery at night? With us. The hospital has a new policy for the babies to be with the parents. Which is crap.lol

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? I brought slippers, but I still didn't fit into them. I'm glad I brought real clothes. My own shower products. The boppy.
 Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: My favorite part was when my son came to meet his brothers. "Mommy, are those my babies?" Melt my heart.

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? Honestly, I still can't believe I have twins, lol. I feel like I'm a lot more relaxed this time, which I guess you have to be when there's two. Don't compare them to each other. They are still two babies. And enjoy them!

Lindsay's Instagram: lblouin82

Twin Birth Story: Hillary

Name: Hillary

Where do you currently live?  Athens, AL

How far along were you when you found out you were expecting twins? 7 wks

Any issues during your pregnancy? Early in the pregnancy I had woke up to spotting and immediately went to the hospital and it was determined that I had a hematoma between the babies sac's. I was also admitted to the hospital at 31wks for being a good 1-2 cm dilated and 50% thinned. I had to stay in the hospital for four days and after that I was prescribed Procardia (to stop contractions) and bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy.

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: Our daughter (Piper), who was 3 at the time we found we were expecting had said from the beginning she wanted TWO babies (I kid you not)!!! She even told her pediatrician the day before my appointment that she was getting TWO babies to which I adamantly said "NO"! My husband also found out the day before our first appointment that he had to leave on a business trip and wouldn't make the appointment. I was very upset but had changed my tune the next day and decided this was my second pregnancy and I was a big girl so I could handle going by myself. I had explained to my ultrasound tech why my husband wasn't there and once she got started with the ultrasound she asked me in a non worrisome way if I could somehow reach my husband to which I told her "no, I believe he is still on the plane" and then I looked at her dead in the eyes and said, " are there two babies in there" and she said, "YES"! Tears immediately started and the first thing I could thing of is my little clairvoyant 3 year old who had been right all along and also how in the world was my husband going to believe me from thousands of miles away! He for sure was going to think this was a joke, but oh no...I had a picture to prove it!

Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? To enjoy the pregnancy as much as possible. For me, I had extreme nausea for the first 17-18 wks and I remember telling my family during that time that I would never do this again, because I felt miserable. I did the same thing with my first pregnancy, but once I got past those 18 miserable weeks, I felt great pregnant. I also knew this was probably going to be my last pregnancy so I needed to enjoy it as much as possible.

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 36 wks

Baby A's Information:  Sadie Ryann
5/20/14
6:06 pm
4lbs 4oz.
17inches

Baby B's Information: Mackenzie Raye
5/20/14
6:06 pm
4lbs 6oz.
18 inches

Are your twins identical? No

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? C-Section. I was extremely uncomfortable the day before my scheduled 36 wk appointment so I called my doctors office and asked if I could come in a day early. They had an afternoon appointment so I took it. Good thing too because when my doctor checked me I was 5 cm dilated and completely thinned (I was so surprised my water never broke)! I was immediately sent over to the hospital (the doctors office is attached to the hospital) and was told I'd be having babies today! I was prepped within an hour and wheeled to the OR for my C-section. After my spinal the babies were delivered very quickly, in fact they share the same time of birth! I had a vaginal delivery with my first pregnancy and the C-section thing was all new territory for me, but my doctor has a high volume of multiple pregnancy patients/deliveries and he was adamant about me delivering via C-section so I trusted that he knew best.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? Yes, a 9 day stay for my little ones. Right after my girls were born they were swept off to the NICU and put on CPAP machines due to labored breathing. They were on CPAP machines for less than 24 hours. After that it was all about getting their body temps regulated and gaining weight. One thing that was stressed to us was how lucky we were that both babies went home from the NICU on the same day. Apparently most twins go home at separate times.
  

Did you have any complications after delivery? Not immediately after. I had my tubes tied right after my twins were born and I basically kept a period for 15 wks after their birth. I figured it was due to my tubes being tied and my body recovering from carrying two babies instead of one! I maybe had a total of a week without bleeding during that time. I consulted my doctor about the constant bleeding and with a ultrasound my doctor had determined there was a white dot right smack dab in the middle of my uterus and this must be the reason for all my problems. I had a DNC the next week and it stopped the bleeding (hallelujah)! The spot was determined to be a polyp and it was not cancerous, thank goodness!

How long did you stay in the hospital? 3 days

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

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? Glad I had:
~Robe (this helped me hide my PJ's as I went back and forth to the NICU)
~Slippers (nobody wants to walk barefooted on hospital floors)
~Phone (I used it for pictures in the NICU instead of taking my big ole camera)

Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: My favorite moment was the first time I got to hold my babies, in the NICU, on my birthday! My twins were born the day before my birthday and I am quiet certain had I not had them the day before, we would have definitely ended up sharing the same birthday! They were so tiny and precious and it was the best birthday present I could have asked for!

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? I would say figure out a schedule and stick to it (obviously it may vary some) but its what saved my husband and I when we brought our babies home.

Twin Birth Story: Carly

If you'd like to contribute your own twin birth story, CLICK HERE to fill out the questionnaire!

Name: Carly

Where do you currently live?  Fargo, ND

How far along were you when you found out you were expecting twins? 3 weeks (IVF)

Any issues during your pregnancy? At 27.5 weeks pregnant, I started spotting and also noticed increased fluid. We went the ER and discovered that Baby A had a small rupture in his sac. Therefore I was admitted to the hospital on bedrest for the next 7 weeks. At 34 weeks pregnant, I would be induced. If the babies staying in longer than that, there were more risks to them than being born.

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant: The most memorable moment that sticks out in my mind is when we went to the fertility clinic to have our first ultrasound done at 3 weeks. We had transferred two embryos during our IVF procedure (due to a previously failed IVF transfer) so we knew we could very well be pregnant with twins. The ultrasound tech did his magic and there they were on the screen, two perfect little babies. I looked over at my husband (who was more worried than I was about having twins to begin with) with tears in my eyes. I have never seen him looked more shocked in my entire life. I just laughed and he sat they silent for a good 5 minutes until the tech left the room.

Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? Slow down. I know that I was trying to do too much and get too much done before the twins arrived and I think that is why I ruptured. Nothing is more important then their health, everything else can wait.

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 34 weeks

Baby A's Information: Jase Anthony
9/28/13
2:19am
4 lbs 11 oz
18 in

Baby B's Information: Braeley Ann
9/28/13
2:21am
4 lbs 11 oz
17.75 in

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? I was induced at 7am that morning and did attempt natural labor, as both babies were head down. I started pushing at 10pm and after 3 hours with no progress, they performed a c-section. Both babies were then taken to the NICU immediately to be evaluated due to their premature birth and size. My husband followed them to the NICU and I then was able to see them at 9am that morning.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? Yes, both babies were in the NICU for two weeks. They were healthy overall, however, they just needed help figuring out how to eat on their own and keeping warm. We were extremely blessed.
  

Did you have any complications after delivery? I had no complications physically after. The only issue was due to the nature of being induced and then having a c-section, the doctors had to deliver the medications differently. As I was being sewn back up and moved into recovery, the pain medications wore off and I could feel everything. It took 30 minutes for me to receive any pain meds.

How long did you stay in the hospital? 4 days

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

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? My breast pump. Due to the babies being in the NICU, I could not nurse. I spent a lot of time on that pump getting my milk to come in so the babies could have it. 
Comfy clothes. A c-section is not the most fun surgery to recover from, so my pajama pants were my best friend. 
Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: My favorite moment was arriving in the NICU on the day Jase was scheduled to come home. We were so so happy he was ready to leave the NICU bad we were also very worried and anxious that Braeley had to stay. Then the doctor did his afternoon evaluation and decided Braeley was also ready to come home. Tears of happiness were flowing.

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? The most important thing right now is to cook those babies. Don't try to be super mom right off the bat and rush around getting things done. Ask your husband or family to help. Take this time to rest and don't overdo it. Your life is about to get all sorts of hectic, so take as much time as you possibly can to relax.

Twin Birth Story: Jennica Bunch

If you'd like to contribute your own twin birth story, CLICK HERE to fill out the questionnaire!

Name: Jennica Bunch

Where do you currently live?  Santa Clarita, California

How far along were you when you found out you were expecting twins? 10 weeks

Any issues during your pregnancy? None! Again, being the worrier, I thought I'd get everything but I had zero issues. I even flew to Georgia for my sister's wedding when I was 26 weeks and then to NYC for vacation. I had a lot of my friends who have babies tell me over and over again how hard twin pregnancy must be. (And I know that it is for a lot of women!) But since I had no frame of reference to what a singleton pregnancy was like, I felt what I thought was a "normal" pregnancy

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant:  Every time I tried to shave my legs while pregnant was pretty funny ;) 

The most memorable moment has to be when I found out I was having twins. Twins do not run in my family or my husbands at all! No identical sets either. So when we sauntered in to our first appointment, twins wasn't even on my radar. I remember just praying that there'd be a heartbeat (I'm a bit of a worrier, but what first time mom isn't?!) and then the doctor kind of paused and said "Ok, let's do this together" And I thought "Oh God...the baby is gone"
But nope! She scanned around my belly, pointed out the two little beans, and I broke down in tears of shock, relief, and fear. Ok, mostly fear haha 
Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self? I know everyone says get more sleep or enjoy sleeping. But when I was pregnant I slept horribly!! I was up to pee constantly, I had horrible hip pain, and I felt SO hot (thanks, California) So I'd say enjoy taking a long time getting ready. Enjoy the long, drawn out showers, enjoy spending tons of time doing your hair and makeup, enjoy picking out an outfit (even a maternity outfit) and revel in the fact that there's no spit up or poo on it. Enjoy taking all the time in the world for YOU because in 9 short months, you're going to be the third priority

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 38 weeks 2 days 

Baby A's Information:  Jack Thomas Bunch
August 18th, 2014
10:48 AM
5 lbs 14 oz
18.9 in

Baby B's Information: Clare Marie Bunch
August 18th, 2014
10:53 AM
5 lbs 12 oz
18.9 in

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery? I had a vaginal delivery. I was really hoping I could get away without a c-section, since surgery scared me more than delivery did. Both babes were head down, until around 27-28 weeks baby b, Clare flipped to breech. Luckily, she flipped to vertex around 30 weeks, which made me and my doctor very excited (I used a inversion table, in case any readers are trying to flip their little ones!)

Anyway, early Monday morning I woke up with pains that I weren't sure were contractions, got up to use the bathroom and my water broke. I headed to the hospital, where they informed me that I was 4 cm dilated, 80% effaced and having contractions every 2-3 minutes. We thought we'd be there the whole day, waiting for me to be more dilated. After I received the loooovely epidural, took a nap and had our folks come in for a visit, the doctor came back in to check on me and was surprised to find out I was fully dilated and ready to go! I couldn't believe how fast things went!
We got wheeled into the OR and I started pushing when they told me to, since I couldn't feel any contractions (thank you again, epidural!) and in what felt like 30 minutes Jack was born!
After he was out, my body stopped contracting and I had to be given some pitocin to kick start labor again. A few pushes later, Clare was born.
Surprisingly very mellow and pain free. Actually, the only painful part was all the afterbirth. No one told me they'd have to massage the crap out of my stomach for 30 minutes after my littles were born. It was definitely the hardest part of the whole day.

Any NICU time?  If yes, for what reason and how long? No, praise God. Another fear of every twin mom, I think. But my babes were over 5 pounds, my hospital's weight minimum and thankfully they had no problems.
  

Did you have any complications after delivery? I did. I ended up losing a lot of blood during delivery, something my doctor had warned me about when I was pregnant, and ended up having to get a blood transfusion. It was actually a really easy thing, and I didn't notice how light headed I was feeling until the transfusion was going and I felt a million times better.

How long did you stay in the hospital? 3 full days, 2 nights

Did your twins stay with you or the hospital nursery at night? Us, with the exception of a few hours one night. My husband and I were feeling so overwhelmed, so we sent them to the nursery. It was the hardest and best decision we made during our stay. Future twin moms, try not to feel bad about sending your babes to the nursery. You need to be calm and relaxed to be the best mom you can be. And sleep helps with that ;)

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? 
1. My husband. He's not a "thing" per se, but he was my favorite thing while we were there. Every poopy diaper, every cuddle, every time he helped me walk to the bathroom and saw all the glory that is womanhood after labor, made me so appreciative of my partner. I couldn't have done it without him.

2. I wish I had a hands free pumping bra. I wanted to breastfeed...I was determined to breastfeed. So I had to pump after every time I fed Jack and Clare. And holding the pump up after a frustrating nursing session with each baby was just so exhausting. I totally recommend bringing one with you if you have any intention at all to exclusively pump or breastfeed.

3. Snacks. Even with the meals the hospital provided, I was starving all.the.time. We didn't bring any with us, but my parents dropped some off the second day and I was so appreciative. I've never felt hungrier in my entire life.
Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: After Jack was born and I was waiting for my body to start contracting again to get Clare out, I looked over at my husband talking and crying over our brand new little boy. I of course started crying, with pure joy and a little frustration that I couldn't be part of that moment, and my anesthesiologist reached over and wiped away my tears with a tissue. I didn't know him, I'd just met him moments before and I was flat on my back, but it was such a tender thing to do. It was a random act of kindness, but I'll remember it forever.

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? Reach out to other twin moms and twin communities (thanks, Twin Talk Blog!!). I got obsessed with following twin moms and women pregnant with twins on Instagram especially. It helped me feel more comfortable with being pregnant with twins and creates great bonds with women who you can turn to when your littles are born.

Jennica's Blog: http://bunchies2014.blogspot.com

Jennica's Instagram: jennica_bunch