Woman in labour for 47 hours finds out she’s having twins when doctors spot a second head crowning
First-Time Mother Discovers She Is Having Twins Minutes After Giving Birth To Her Newborn Daughter During A 47-Hour Labor
Nicole, 31, and Matthew Ziesemer, 34, from Grand Haven, Michigan, had only just been introduced to daughter Blakeley when doctors realized she was still in labor.
Nicole Ziesemer had just gone through a very long and complicated childbirth when she surprised everyone in the labour room that there was a second baby. They spotted ‘another head’ as they went to stitch her up ᴘᴏsᴛ-ʙɪʀᴛʜ, and baby Cade was born 59 minutes later.
New mum Nicole, from Grand Haven, Michigan, USA, had opted for a natural pregnancy without scans so had no idea they were expecting two babies. The decision to have a natural pregnancy meant no ᴘᴀɪɴᴋɪʟʟᴇʀs, scans, and even a home birth which Nicole and Mathew weren’t able to follow through as she went into labour earlier than expected.
Nicole had severe morning sɪᴄᴋɴᴇss throughout the pregnancy – decided to forgo ᴘᴀɪɴᴋɪʟʟᴇʀs in favor of breathing exercises, a yoga ball and cool showers. She didn’t have any scans throughout her pregnancy, apart from one on the day they went into labor.
Nicole planned a natural home birth with just a midwife present, but had to go to the nearest hospital – Gerber Memorial, Michigan – when her waters ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ at just 36 weeks. After being in labour for more than 45 hours, the expectant mum asked for an ᴇᴘɪᴅᴜʀᴀʟ which, alongside a suction device, helped to successfully deliver her daughter at 10.06pm on December 30, 2017, weighing 4lbs 4oz. Married couple Nicole and Matthew Ziesemer were excited to become first-time parents and had prepared for the arrival of a new baby whose gender they didn’t know.
But they had another surprise when doctors went to stitch Nicole, 31, up ᴘᴏsᴛ-ʙɪʀᴛʜ and realised she was still in labour. Doctors grew worried as instead of the pain subsiding, Nicole was still in agony after the delivery. They were due to stitch Nicole’s vagina up, but realised that something else was in there so ordered an emergency ultrasound which confirmed their suspicions that there was another baby in there. Nicole gave birth again 59 minutes later to a baby boy, weighing 5lbs.
Even though the whole childbirth was a rollercoaster of emotions for both the couple and the midwives, it ended happily with their babies being born healthy
‘There were really no signs that I was carrying more than one baby, in fact people said how small I was. And when they told us that it was another baby I literally asked her if she was lying, we were shocked and happy with this” she said
