The Girl Who Cried C-Section

38 weeks with twins!

Today is a very important day for the Read Twins. Together we have made it to the 38 weeks mark! All of the nurses at the clinic and hospital (as well as our friends and family) have been so encouraging about making this far.

On Tuesday I had a check up and the doctor said everyone looks healthy, hearts are strong and I've even dilated to 3 cm! Everything was perfect! Except McKenna, Baby A, was still not head down. This led the doctor & I into a long conversation about when this pregnancy should come to an end. In her opinion, I should schedule a c-section for as soon as possible. I wanted to wait through this weekend and see if I could get McKenna to turn. She said she'd give until 39 weeks. Discouraged and heartbroken I climbed into my car and sobbed onto the steering wheel. My broken prayer went something like this "God, why won't You turn this baby? I know You can do it! I know it's not beyond You yet You remain silent and my baby remains still. Why Lord?"

After I had collected myself, I called Daniel to relay the sad news but got no answer. Then I called our doula and she had some wonderful insight and encouragement though she too recommended I schedule the c-section. When your doula recommends a c-section then you KNOW your options are miniscule. All that afternoon and later that night I railed against God and His silence. Why was He being so quiet with me? Where was the "peace that surpasses understanding?" I'm falling apart and God is not helping.

Wednesday was a slightly better day in that at least I wasn't crying at the mere thought of a c-section. I also found a chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique, a method of care known for turning breech babies head down. He is fantastic and I highly recommend him, wether you are pregnant or not. Here's the link to the Clearly Chiropractic facebook page. He gave me hope that we might still have a window to get McKenna to turn.

Today we had scheduled a growth scan to see exactly how big these babies have gotten as well as to check on amniotic fluid levels and other late term pregnancy details. Turns out that little Miss McKenna, weighing in at 6 lbs 10 ounces, my daughter who won't turn, may be stuck because her GIGANTIC 9 lb brother won't give her the space to do so! We were SHOCKED to hear that Micaiah might weigh 9 lbs! We will be even MORE shocked if that turns out to really be true. (Ultrasound weights are known to be off by a pound or so.)

And with that detail the door is officially closed on a vaginal delivery. Most hospitals have 2 caveats for vaginal twin deliveries 1.) that Baby A is head down and 2.) that Baby A is bigger than Baby B. The doctor explained to us that because Micaiah is 33% bigger than his sister, even if McKenna were head down, she would do all the work for her little 6 lb. 10 oz. self but that would likely not be enough for her 9 lb. brother to get out too.

And so Friday June 27th sometime after 2 pm in the afternoon, the Read Twins will take their first breaths and they will be out for all the world to see and hold! OK maybe not ALL the world but all the people in OUR little personal world. It's not how I would have written the story but when you're not the one holding the pen you don't get to make those decisions. I'm sad and disappointed because I wanted the same naturally empowering delivery for the twins that I got to have with Isaiah but who knows how God will use this story?

So now that I am resigned to a c-section I ask that you might still continue to pray for an incredibly fast and easy recovery. I am not looking forward to the restrictions and limitations that come with major abdominal surgery, especially with an an active 2 year old to look after. Pray that God is gracious to my body and allows it to heal with speed and ease.

Also if you are so inclined to hospital visits, we welcome the company but ask that you check with Daniel before just showing up. Thanks for praying and loving our little family. Here's to the Read 3 becoming the Read 5!