This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Madeline, whose twin pregnancy was as surprising as it was thrilling! From working with a midwife at a birth center to mitigate fearmongering common with a twin pregnancy, to being lifeflighted (!!) to an unfamiliar hospital, only to be discharged a few days later, and ultimately having a C-section at 32 weeks, Madeline’s story is a wonderful example of staying strong in your convictions through the twists and turns of pregnancy. 

In this episode: 

• A subchorionic hematoma at 5 weeks 
• Faulty genetic tests with a false positive for the Trisomy 18 marker
• Early labor sparked on by a symptomless UTI
• C-Section prompted by a misread of the size of her babies 
• 3-week and 6-week NICU stays
• Difficulty feeling bonded to both babies amidst postpartum depression
• Advocating for yourself and your baby no matter what! 

Madeline’s story is a beautiful reminder that birth rarely goes according to plan, but your voice and your resilience matter every step of the way. If you need encouragement to trust yourself through the unpredictable journey of pregnancy and postpartum, this is the episode for you. 

Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Madeline

06:29 - Pregnancy: Subchronic Hematoma, Inaccurate Genetic Tests, & Rejecting Fearmongering

32:52 - Labor: Unnecessary Lifeflight, Size Discrepancy Worries, & a C-Section Delivery 

56:41 - Postpartum: NICU Stays, Newborn Bubble, Postpartum Depression, & Learning to Bond

1:16:32 - To My Pre-Mom Self…