Our Twin Freebirth: A Journey of Trust, Faith, and Empowerment
When I imagined the birth of my twins, I never thought it would unfold the way it did—an empowering freebirth with my husband and a few close people by my side. The path leading to that moment was anything but straightforward, yet it taught me to trust in myself, my family, my body, and the divine plan for this birth.
The Early Months: A Different Kind of Pregnancy
From the start, this pregnancy felt different. With my first child, I embraced the experience with excitement and ease. But this time, I struggled more, both physically and emotionally. We were in Denver for most of the pregnancy, which meant fewer in-person prenatal visits. I had one in December 2022, then a few phone check-ins with my midwives before returning to Montana for the final months.
During this time, I found myself gravitating towards the concept of freebirth. I devoured episodes of the Birthing Instincts Podcast and couldn’t shake the idea of birthing outside of the medical system. I told my midwives early on that I didn’t want any checks for twins or breech presentation. If that were the case, I didn’t want to know. My intuition told me it wasn’t twins—I was more concerned about a breech baby.
Suspecting Twins
At 38 weeks and 4 days, I went to my third in-person appointment. That’s when both midwives shared they suspected I was carrying twins. One even admitted she had suspected it earlier but didn’t want to say anything. Despite this, I declined the ultrasound, sticking with my gut feeling that everything was as it should be. We left that appointment assuming everything was still fine.
But a few hours later, I received a text from our midwives saying they didn’t feel comfortable supporting us anymore. They feared getting investigated due to the possibility of twins. The next day, we met again, but the outcome was clear—they were dropping us from care. I was devastated and confused. They recommended a hospital birth, but with no local doctors willing to deliver breech babies, that option felt more like a trap than a solution.
Seeking Support and Finding Our Path
Desperate for answers, we reached out to Sharise, an old midwife friend. Although no longer practicing, she offered a free prenatal check. She confirmed two heartbeats and suspected twins, but like our midwives, she couldn’t provide care because of her license.
At this point, we decided to get an ultrasound, not out of fear, but to understand the situation better. The scan confirmed di/di twins—two separate sacs and placentas—and, thankfully, both babies were head down.
We explored every option available, searching for a midwife who might support a twin homebirth or freebirth. But the fear of complications weighed heavily on those we contacted. Most advised us to go to the hospital. Still, we knew a hospital birth wasn’t right for us, so we prepared ourselves mentally for a freebirth.
It was around this time that a friend flew in from Colorado to support us emotionally. Her presence was a balm during such an uncertain time, as she brought her son along to play with our daughter, Madalyn. I also connected with a traditional midwife, Heather Baker, through a freebirth Facebook group. Heather’s warmth and confidence were exactly what I needed. We clicked right away, and she agreed to support us virtually.
Embracing Freebirth
At 39 weeks and 1 day, something incredible happened. Sharise called out of the blue, saying she felt divinely led to support our birth. But the next day, after my husband had driven an hour to gather supplies, she called again to say she was having anxiety attacks and couldn’t follow through. Another plan had fallen through, but somehow, I felt at peace. We reconnected with Heather and moved forward with her virtual support.
I spent the next few days in prayer, asking for peace and clarity. I realized, by way of an amazing friend, that I had been searching for external validation when, deep down, I knew what I wanted. She said to me, “stop seeking for support — you have what you need”. My vision for this birth had always been clear: I wanted to freebirth with my husband by my side, our daughter nearby, and the support of our family/friends. It was time to stop searching and start trusting.
July 4th: The Birth I Dreamed Of
On July 4th, the day began with an emotional reflection. The whirlwind of planning, searching for support, and the weight of pregnancy had taken its toll. Around 6 PM, we decided to head to a friend’s house to watch fireworks later that evening. But just before we left, I thought to myself, If God wants me to stay home, He’ll have my water break.
Sure enough, at 7:30, my water broke. It was happening! At first, I wasn’t sure if I had just peed myself, but when the fluid didn’t stop, I knew it was time.
Everything moved quickly from there. Contractions came hard and fast, increasing in intensity every 30-40 minutes. We called our friend Loren, who arrived shortly after, ready to help. Roth, my incredible husband, was setting up the birth tub while managing Madalyn and keeping everything calm. Loren, with her baby strapped to her back, jumped in to help with the preparations.
I got into the tub, and within 10-12 contractions, I skipped the transition phase altogether and went straight to the fetal ejection reflex. I caught Baby 1 myself, fully present and aware of every beautiful moment.
Roth joined me in the tub to help manage Baby 1 while I prepared for the arrival of Baby 2. About 8-10 minutes later, she came out with one strong set of pushes, still in her sac. She was a little blue, so Roth gave her a few breaths. It was a profound moment for him, and he said it felt like his bond with her would be something truly special.
A Powerful Conclusion
After both babies were born, we waited for the placentas, which took a bit of time due to their size. Eventually, they came, and we clamped and cut the cords. Loren helped care for the twins while I rested and recovered.
The emotional and physical exhaustion of the past few weeks finally lifted. Roth and Loren moved me to the couch, where I stayed, holding our babies close. We spent the next hours in awe of what had just unfolded—an epic, empowering freebirth, just as I had envisioned.
Our twin girls were here, and the journey had been nothing short of remarkable. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful experience. Trusting myself, my body, and the process was the greatest lesson of all.
