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Planning for the Big Day

Birth Plans for Multiples

By Teri Brown

By the end of the exercise Bowers has had them turn over three or four cards. Deciding which cards to turn over helps parents prioritize the times in a birth plan and determine what's really important. In the end, they recognize that safeguarding the health of Mom and Babies far outweighs any "nice to have" options.

While Peggy Willard of Parksville, B.C., Canada, didn't have a formally written birth plan, she and her doctor had already been over the particulars. "I was very specific with my doctor about what I wanted and what I did not want," Willard says. "First off, I did not want to have a C-section unless absolutely necessary because I had already delivered my third child breech, so I really didn't think that there was any type of birth that I couldn't 'handle.'"

Willard also wanted to nurse her twins as quickly as possible, though she knew that might be more difficult with twins. "I wanted my doctor to know what I wanted so that he would be aware of my expectations," Willard says.

As is often the case with multiples, Willard's expectations did not match up to the reality. "When I wound up having a C-section, I have to honestly admit that I was upset with my doctor," Willard says. "But at the same time, I had to trust that he truly knew what was best for my girls."

If Willard had to do it all again she would create a more flexible birth plan. "I would also better prepare myself for that plan to fail and simply remind myself that the only thing that truly matters is the health of my babies and my own health," she says.

For Denise Archambault, childbirth educator for Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, R.I., flexibility is key. "It is important for families to be flexible, as no one can predict how the birth experience may unfold," Archambault says. "When everyone knows that the goal is a healthy mother who births healthy babies, it can be a positive experience."

Want to see more?

• Check out our Article Library.
• Discomfort Times Two: How Can You Get Relief When Carrying Twins?
• Ahead of Schedule: What to Expect When Your Multiples Are Premature
• One of Each: Expecting Boy/Girl Twins
• Talk about it!

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