The Main Event... (Part Two)

I was warned that the big light above our heads could act like a mirror and that we might not want to look at it.
Of course, there's only one reaction to that...
It's not clear like a mirror though, there are ridged circles decreasing in size toward the centre and all you really see is colour as if in a kaleidescope, the blue of the scrubs, the green of the surgical sheets, flashes of silver and yes, the red and purple of blood, but it's a mixed and mingled pattern, not a clear impression.
J had his camera and I asked him to take a photo but his view and mine were not the same - either that or devoid of drugs it just doesn't look the same at all!
I heard the pop of the first membrane sac, the suction as the fluid was drained and then the first baby was drawn out, breech, entering the world bottom first and squealing.
They showed him to me above the screen and then Teresa, one of the midwives carried him to a resusitaire to be checked and wrapped.
I heard the second sac suctioned, over the screams of twin one. Then I heard the consultant say "Oh that's a foot, and here's the other!"
Twin two entered the world feet first and sooo angry. It must be an even more surreal experience for the babies, there's no build up at all, one minute they are happily floating around in a very small, warm, mostly dark, muffled place and the next they are dragged into the bright light of an operating theatre, with it's noise and bustle and the space to move and stretch and be terrified of. Twin two was not happy about it, not one little bit and was determined we should know all about it!
He was lifted over the drapes, and then again hurried off by a midwife - Sorcha - who gave him his first cuddle and attached 2 clips to his cord, for twin two, so that there could be no confusion.

J was told he could go to see the babies, and take pictures.
The consultant confirmed that we still wanted him to go ahead and tie my tubes,  and while he removed the placentas (which the midwife confirmed were intact), did that and sewed me back up J brought the twins over to see me.

It seemed to take a surprisingly short time, and then we were wheeled back out into recovery.
We started skin to skin there, and after about half an hour, maybe more, we were wheeled back up to the maternity ward.
Cuddled under my blankets with me were one little read-headed boy, and his white-blond twin, and by now, or soon after, they were Tobias and Alexander.
Toby and Alex, the latest two members of our family.

Back on the ward they were weighed and measured.
Toby tipped the scales at 6lbs 7 and Alex at 6 lbs. good weights for 37 week babies, even if there hadn't been two of them.

I'll write more about the first hours and days, (and what happened next) later on...