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Pamela and Jacqueline's Birth Story By Ian |
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Birth Stories -
Multiple Births Stories
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Saturday, 03 January 2009 10:12 |
Am I allowed to tell this story? You see, I'm the babies father, but you can't get a more proud man than I am when I see my daughters!
I've known their mother, Wendy, since early 1983, and until late 1997 we'd been the best of platonic friends. Then, having both been involved in bad relationships, we realised what was under our noses and moved in together. We found that Wendy was then late on her next period but a test showed negative. However, a fortnight later, the answer was positive. I was in a state of shock as I was 39 years old and thought that I'd never have kids and Wendy already had two.
Cutting a long story short (sorry but when it comes to my family I do get carried away) Wendy started to be very sick. The vomiting with morning sickness was so bad that she burst a blood vessel in her eye, and the doctor, his locum, and the health visitor all suggested that she was either a lot further on than she thought, or it was a multiple pregnancy. Well, Wendy knew that it wasn't the first, and wouldn't believe the second.
We went for the first scan and she was examined before hand, they checked the babies heartbeat and only found one. She got on the bed for the scan, the jelly was applied, the scanner was placed on her stomach, and there looking for all the world like the Chinese Ying and Yang symbols were two foetuses. I'll admit we both cried.
The morning sickness abated, the pregnancy went well, we were told that one of the babies was definatly a girl but whenever they tried to scan the other it ran for cover behind its sister. We were told reasonably early that at least one was breech but it might turn.
As it was they both became breech and it was decided at 38wks that it would be best if Wendy had a Caesarian. The night before I went with her to the hospital and helped her to settle in, then went back for the longest, and loneliest, night of my life.
By 8am I was back at the hospital, they took us down to theatre, and while they prepped Wendy I got changed into a surgical outfit. When I went in they sat me by her head and I held her tight as they said that they were starting. I chatted inanely to keep her mind off the procedure, then they said "here's baby one" and we saw a little bundle going across to be checked over. Two minutes later "here's baby two" and she joined her sister with the doctors.
Nobody can explain the feelings thatgo through a man's mind as his first born is put into his arms. I felt happy, scared, grateful, overwhelmed,and conscious of the fact that here was someone who needed me like no-one had ever needed me before. It felt just the same with the second.
They sent me out while they cleaned Wendy up, her scar is now covered by the top of her pubic hair, and I just fell into tha arms of her mum in the waiting area.
My daughters are Pamela Corinne West, born 10:06 on the 13/08/98 weighing in at 4lb 13oz, and Jacqueline Heidi (because she was the one who used to hide from the scan) born at 10:08 weighing 5lb 11oz. As I write this (02/05/99) Pam is a redhead with blue eyes, Jac is a blond with blue eyes.
I love them both very much, and needless to say their mum as well.
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Multiple Births 
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