My VBAC Twin Unassisted Homebirth

Wow! This was THE BEST birth experience I have EVER had!

I was reading to the children downstairs, sitting on the birthing ball. I had had the regular braxton hicks contractions all day. I did have more than usual, I felt. So, I had told Jacob I could
have the babies today. I told the children to hold on I HAD to use the restroom(there is NO waiting with that much weight on your bladder!) After I used the restroom, I felt I wanted to
squat. I had been practising many times before that I would squat to birth the babies, but, this
thought did not occur to me right then. I just wanted to squat. So, I did. WHOOSH, my waters
released. I was gonna have my babies! I was excited! I did not even feel fear. I had been praying
I would feel only peace, no fear.

I tried to call for Jacob, Michael, Mary...no one heard me. The thought in my mind was, I better get someone soon because I don't know how long it will take to birth these babies. So, I put a
little towel between my legs and went to my door to call for Michael. Jacob was under me, in the
garage doing a crossfit workout(which he loves and is GREAT at!)

Jacob came right up. I told him my waters released and we were probably gonna have babies
coming sometime soon. I had no idea how long it would take. He was SO wonderful!
He did everything I told him to! I couldn't understand why I was feeling irritable with him?
I didn't comprehend how far advanced in labor I was, because I felt no pain. I asked if he would
take a quick shower and then clean the tub while he was in there. He did promptly, thank heaven's! He also filled the tub up for me.
Then, I felt I wanted to have a bowel movement. I wanted to have it before I birthed
the babies. I wanted to just squat on some chux pads and have the bowel movement(amazing how we can be inspired in such little ways without even realizing!). So, I proceeded to do so...
then I felt like I was pushing, so, I stopped myself and asked myslef, "You are pushing, are you sure you want to do that right now?" Yes, I did, I decided. I would rather have a bowl movement now. So, I proceeded. That is when I felt the burning feeling of a head coming down. Oh my word, I am having a baby right now!!!! Jacob, as soon as he saw the head pop out said,"Rachael, that's a head! You are really gonna have these babies fast like you wanted!!!!!" I could have told him that myself, but... I did not feel like talking! As the body was coming out he said, "Wait I'll get the...", I knew he wanted to get the camera, but... I said, "No, catch the baby!" He did.

Out came Joseph Russell, lickety split! We were both shocked! Joseph was a little purple from sitting in the canal for sometime. I think I had been dialated for sometime, without even knowing it. We then loved on our new little one and decided as soon as the cord was a little limp we would cut it. I did, and then I told Jacob to get Michael to hold the baby so he could return to be with me as the other one came out. I could feel the next baby coming down already.

Jacob asked me if I wanted to have the 2nd baby in the water. It was my original plan to have both babies birthed in the water. But, the first baby came so quick and unexpected that I didn't make it to the tub. I did decide last minute that I would birth Andrew in the tub. I had enough
time to step up into the tub and squat down and then, WHOOSH, out came Andrew in the sack.

They were both in the same sack. When I realized it was Andrew and not the placenta, I turned him over and saw the sack was opened. I pulled the sack off and saw, it was not a girl, but a little
Andrew Nathaniel! I was ELATED!!!!!! Oh my word, I just birthed twins!

As soon as I put him on my chest, he peed. Then I loved on him and marveled!!! WOW!!! I was praising God over and over!!!!

Jacob had come up at 8:30. I birthed Joseph at 9:30 and Andrew at 9:34.
What an amazing, incredible, most wonderful, JOYOUS birth!!!!

PRAISE BE TO GOD FOREVER AND EVER!!!!!! You may think I sound like a preacher, but,
really, I am just in awe at God's goodness and love and blessings to those who trust in him and
allow him to be there God!

Afterwards, I felt so empty, after feeling so heavy, that it actually hurt my back and it was painful to stand!
I have had the quickest recovery however, I think, from such a quick and easy birth. Praise God again for that one! He is so merciful and kind to His children, I just couldn't praise him enough!

My decision to have a VBAC Twin Unassisted Homebirth

Jacob and I went through alot of contemplating about how to have these precious babies.
In the end, the only way I could feel complete peace about the birth was to do it at home,
again unassisted. I felt God would have me birth these precious babes without all the unnecessary interventions(atleast, I feel they are unnecessary, much of the time). As my friend
stated to me and I personally feel, God is THE BEST midwife! Still, we had not much time and
alot of thinking, praying, preparing, and studing to do to be ready for such an undertaking.

I did a lot of studing on the internet, a lot of healing within and practising how I wanted this birth
to be. I still didn't feel totally prepared, but... I felt I had done my part on being ready and
God would do the rest. Mainly, I wanted a Christ-centered birth. I wanted to feel his spirit there.
I wanted peace. I wanted to relish the feeling of how sacred and special birth is. I wanted to have
my faith, my trust in God strengthened. I decided the word I wanted to focus on was "Surrender". I wanted to surrender myself to God and have the most beautiful birth that was right for myself and these babies to grow in the way God would have us to.

I found out I was having twins at almost 9 months pregnant!

I admit it was a bit shocking the day I felt hiccups in two seperate spots in my belly!
I had been feeling there might be two babies in my belly, and had talked with Jacob about it
numerous times...but...I agreed with him, that we would for sure know there were two when I
felt distinct hiccups in two seperate spots at the same time. Even as I felt it, I had a hard time
believing it myself. Jacob and I had felt we would have twin babies even before we married.
So... ever since Joan, I had wondered if there were two babies in my belly. Hence why we were
both reluctant to believe there really could be two in there.
However, this was definately a different and more difficult pregnancy right from the start. Plus, I had gained 50 lbs, which was most unusual for me and my pregnancy's. I was praying that this little chub would come EARLY!

So... all night, after I felt the hiccup's, I marveled and worried and wondered! I had to know truly
there were two! Especially, since Jacob and I were planning on having our 3rd VBAC Unassisted
Homebirth. I felt twins might change things a bit.
The next day, we got an ultrasound and then went for a 2nd witness from a midwife who had
two sets of twins herself. There were two different heart beats and looked like two chubby babies in there!
WOA!!! We felt a little overwhelmed! Extremely excited, but...scared.

To make matters even more exciting... I started having labor signs and felt... worried.
I had wanted so badly for this chub of a baby to come early and now I was repenting and
PRAYING the babies would stay until they were big and healthy enough to come.
Praise God they did... and thank you for all who prayed for us!

They came at 38 weeks, both healthy and strong! And you better believe I was talking to God
alot about "please let them be ready to come early, if you could," cuz man were they heavy!