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Planning for the Big Day

Birth Plans for Multiples

By Teri Brown

"Another example is labor anesthesia," Bowers says. "While an unmedicated delivery with twins is possible for some women, there are certain situations in which having an epidural can be advantageous, such as when a multiple is turned, delivered breech or if an emergency Cesarean delivery is needed."

"When everyone is talking on the same level and about the same things, there are fewer surprises and fewer disappointments for all involved," Bowers says. "I strongly suggest couples start talking with each other and with their care providers about this long before delivery. Health care providers want families to have a wonderful and memorable birth and are usually very accommodating, when possible."

One of the exercises in Bowers' Marvelous Multiples birth preparation classes use a set of two-sided index cards. Opposite scenarios are written on each side of a card. For example, one side of a card might say "vaginal delivery" and the other says "Cesarean delivery." Another card says breastfeeding/bottle-feeding and so on.

"In my classes, I have each couple work with a set of 12 cards to design their ideal birth scenario," Bowers says. "Then I ask them to select a card to turn over to the opposite side. This means they can't do something they wanted in their ideal scenario, such as having an epidural rather than general anesthesia."

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• Talk about it!