Birth Matters Podcast, Ep 138 - A Vaginal Twin Birth, Record-breaking Placenta

Jillian and her partner Danny share the story of the birth of their fraternal twin boys. Jill recounts a pregnancy full of unexpected twists — from the surprising discovery of twins, to a sprained ankle, a short cervix scare at 28 weeks, and modified bedrest — while drawing support from local twin families in Astoria and other community resources. She describes going into spontaneous labor at 37 weeks and 5 days, delivering both boys vaginally in a remarkably swift 10-hour labor, including a mid-delivery move from the OR back to a labor and delivery suite where she could have a bit closer to the kind of birth she had hoped for. The episode also covers a brief but emotionally intense NICU stay for Owen, the logistical complexity of caring for one baby at home and one in the hospital, the couple's tandem breastfeeding journey with twins, the invaluable support of their postpartum doula, and Danny's candid reflections on being his partner's primary support person in the delivery room — including a very large 2-in-1-ish placenta that almost didn't fit in its container.

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Episode Topics:

  • Finding out you're expecting twins and the initial shock and adjustment

  • Navigating provider options as a high-risk twin pregnancy –  why midwife care wasn't possible and choosing an OB team known for vaginal twin deliveries

  • Understanding twin pregnancy types – the difference between dizygotic (di/di) twins versus identical twins sharing a placenta or amniotic sac

  • Pregnancy complications along the way – sprained ankle, short cervix at 28 weeks, modified bedrest, progesterone supplementation

  • Maintaining prenatal yoga and pelvic floor physical therapy throughout a high-risk pregnancy

  • Managing carpal tunnel and wrist issues (mommy wrist) during pregnancy

  • The emotional journey of letting go of expectations – grieving the birth experience you hoped for and adjusting expectations at every turn

  • Building a twin-specific community through local WhatsApp groups and neighborhood connections

  • Twin Diversity with Nat Diaz as a resource – webinars, books, classes, and registry guidance for twin families

  • Taking a childbirth education class and why timing matters especially for parents expecting multiples

  • Developing a birth preferences list for a high-risk delivery – what was negotiable and what wasn't, and navigating last-minute provider changes

  • How labor started – spontaneous water breaking at 37 weeks 5 days, preparing a hearty meal, heading to the hospital

  • The progression of labor – triage, epidural timing, and working through intense contractions

  • Laboring and delivering in the operating room due to twin pregnancy protocols

  • Practicing pushing technique with the OB before active delivery

  • Delivering Baby A vaginally – anterior position, delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin in the OR

  • The partner's role during twin delivery – running between two babies, holding legs, advocating for birth preferences, being present without a doula

  • Delivering Baby B – the baby being high and partially transverse, repositioning, waiting two-plus hours between births, moving from the OR back to labor and delivery

  • Pain management options – epidural, fentanyl, and the experience of one wearing off before the second delivery

  • The remarkable experience of nursing the first baby while actively contracting with the second

  • Placenta delivery – the combined twin placenta weighing six pounds, nearly a hospital record

  • Postpartum NICU admission – Baby B's brief respiratory issue and use of CPAP after birth

  • Baby Owen's NICU stay for a small air pocket around the lung, monitoring, and eventual discharge

  • Both babies coming home together 

  • Jaundice treatment for both babies – UV light therapy, heel prick monitoring, temporary formula supplementation

  • The logistical complexity of having one baby home and one in the NICU – pediatrician visits, hospital visits, pumping, and emotional strain

  • The emotional toll of the NICU week – surviving on adrenaline, the crash around five weeks postpartum for both parents

  • Tandem breastfeeding twins – using the My Brest Friend double nursing pillow, football hold, keeping babies on the same feeding schedule

  • Lactation support resources – hospital IBCLCs, insurance-covered virtual lactation consultant, Twin Diversity postpartum groups

  • Why syncing twins' feeding schedules matters and how it protects parental mental health

  • Pacifier use without nipple confusion after early NICU introduction

  • Postpartum doula support through the East River Doula Collective – what Demi helped with and when they hired her

  • Deciding not to hire a birth doula for a twin OR delivery and what that meant for the partner's role

  • The five S's from Happiest Baby on the Block – swaddling, shushing, and soothing as a saving grace from day one

  • Postpartum mental health – the crash around five weeks, both parents hitting a wall, the importance of family support, and the partner joining a new dad support group

  • Danny's perspective – witnessing the birth, being present at the delivery, the moment Jill's water broke and their different reactions to urgency

  • The value of finding a provider team experienced with vaginal twin deliveries and turning a transverse second baby

  • Advice for expectant parents of multiples – leave room for positive outcomes alongside realistic expectations, advocate for your preferences, and build your community early

Interview Transcript

TRANSCRIPT COMING SOON!