Twisted

35

As both Doctors work on the babies, Waller attending to first baby that was born and the female doctor that followed him in was working on the premie. Stevie delivers the placenta and when a lot of the chaos dies down , Dr. Skye sits on a roll chair next to Stevie.

"I want to apologize first...I promise you I did not know that you were carrying twins."

"But is she okay." Stevie cries. 

"They're checking her out to make sure she is. She's tiny your majesty. She's probably around three pounds. that is usually the case with twins. One is generally bigger than the other. But I'm thinking that because Baby A was bigger, Baby B might have been more towards your back and hiding from us. You saw the scans, you have pictures of the scans, there is not one inkling in any of them that there were multiples. I didn't see it. And the amnio that we did, didn't tell us."

"I'm not mad at you, I just want to know that she's okay." Stevie was sobbing  into her hands and that point. 

"Dr. Waller and Dr. Cragen, the neonatologist he brought in are working diligently and they'll be able to tell you more soon. But I do need to talk to you about your post-natal care. Despite my hand being shoved inside of you, and birthing two babies, you did not tear so I didn't need to give you stitches. The placenta leaves a plate sized hole in your uterus. There were two placentas meaning they are fraternal twins. Two eggs, two sperms. What most likely happened is that you're 40. Around age 40 a woman will generally release more than one egg to be fertilized. That means you have two plate sized wounds in your uterus. Your bleeding, as of right now," She pauses to check between Stevie's legs. "Is fine. I'm not worried about you hemorrhaging but you're going to want to take it a little bit easier. You can still go to the mall the day you're released and go shopping for them, but just take it easy. When you're at home rest. Bond with your babies. I'm recommending that you don't do anything to strenuous until your six week exam. Go to the grocery store, go to the mall, but maybe don't chase William around the park, don't do a lot of physical activity okay."

Stevie nods and gathers herself and then Dr. Skye squeezes her arm. "She'll be okay. She's a trouble maker that one. I'll leave you be, it looks like Dr. Waller and Dr. Cragen need to talk to you. I'll be back to check on you in a bit."

Stevie chuckles lightly and wipes at her eyes again. "Okay, thank you."

When Dr. Skye leaves, Dr. Waller takes her prior position.

"Baby A, is perfectly fine. She weighs five pounds even. The nurses are cleaning her up and putting her in that little outfit you laid out. They'll bring her to you in a little bit. This is Dr. Cragen, she's the head of our NICU and PICU-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit."

"Your majesty...baby b is for the most part okay. All of her scores are great. My only concern is that she had some fluid in her lungs which was causing the weak cry, she wasn't able to take in breath to clear out her lungs. They're typically filled with amniotic fluid and such. She's also having a hard time regulating her heat. She's 3 lbs 15 ounces. That's why we're keeping her in an incubator. We're trying to watch her temperature regulation and her weight. I want her at least up to 4 lbs 8 ounces before I let her go home. I'm hoping that if everything goes well, you'll be out of here at the end of the week."

"But is she okay?" Stevie asks.

"Yes, she's fine. I would like to take her down to the NICU, but I know we can't. I'd have a much better chance at getting her better faster down in the actual NICU, but given who you are, and our restrictions I have to do everything in here. A nurse or I will be in every hour on the hour to check on her."

"Is there anything we can do to help speed it along?" Lindsey asks.

"Mom can always do Skin to Skin with baby to help teach them how to regulate their body heat. Breast feeding is always a bonus."

"I wasn't going to breastfeed."

"I would recommend it, as your body knows what to do to help the baby. It can recognize when your baby is sick and your breast milk will change to give the baby that nutrients they need."

"I can try it." Stevie states.

"And if you don't like it, or you can't breast feed, like I said formula is okay."

"Are you sure Steph, that'll probably extend your maternity leave."

"My maternity leave was extended the moment Dr. Skye said there was another baby. I want to do it. I'll breast feed."

"Alright, We can let you guys do that right now then. " Dr. Cragen tells them.

"Okay, thank you." Lindsey nods.

"So I'm not a lactation consultant, but I can try my best. I just got done nursing my own baby, Dr. Waller will you go out in the hall and grab one of the comfy chairs.

"Of course." He nods. "And I think I'll disappear while you feed. Baby A is fine, and all good to go."

They bring the chair in and Dr. Waller leaves. Lindsey and Dr. Cragen to get Stevie situated in a pair of the hospital provided after birth diapers and a new hospital gown and once she's comfy in the chair, she drops said hospital gown to her hips. Baby A is brought to her first. The outfit that Lindsey and Stevie had brought for her. Subconsciously Stevie knew something was going to happen so in her baby bag there were about fifteen different gender neutral outfits. Some had been William's others were bought new. The one they had laid out for the baby was a white sleeper with little grey sheep on it. She was wrapped in a pink plush blanket that much like the one they got with William, but this one didn't have anything written on it. 

Dr. Cragen helps get her latched and she successfully starts suckling, Stevie immediately feeling the weird sensation of Milk leaving her body. Then they put the second baby on her other breast. She had her own blanket. It was white plush and though she wasn't in any clothes, she was in a tiny diaper. She was so small and there were wires attached to her and Stevie started to cry as soon as the premie started to suckle. 

"That's good, Your majesty. They're both eating. I'll let you be. You can't put the baby back in the  incubator, the nurse will have to do that, but she won't unless you give her the okay. I'm going to leave you be." She pats Stevie's shoulder. 

When the door closes, Lindsey who had also started tearing up, knelt down in front of her. "She's okay Angel, they're okay." 

"She's so small." Stevie whimpers.

"I know but she's okay. What do you want to name them?" 

"I don't know yet." She sniffles.

"So tiny and baby then?" Lindsey asks.

"Yeah, tiny and baby. I just...I want them to have the perfect names. William's name fits him perfectly. I don't know them individually yet." Stevie shrugs.

"As long as we have a name before we announce it, that's all that matters." 

"We're going to have to call Chris and Lori in the morning." 

"Yeah we are. When do you want to release it to the public." 

"Not until we leave. Like we did last time." 

***

Stevie had finally fallen asleep. Restlessly as she was worried about Tiny but she did fall asleep. When he knew she was down for the count, Lindsey goes towards the little incubator. He sticks his hands in the arm holes and he just talks to her. 

"Alright Tiny, you need to fight and get stronger because you're going to drive your momma nuts if you don't. You need to get better for her." Lindsey coos his large hands pretty much encompassing the small baby's body.