Kristine Lauria is a certified professional midwife with 35 years of experience. She began her career as a community-based midwife in the Amish country, practicing without registration for 17 years, learning hands-on techniques essential for traditional midwifery. Kristine furthered her credentials by becoming a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). She now works with Doctors Without Borders, delivering maternal and infant healthcare, including contraceptive care, safe abortion care, and sexual violence survivor support in humanitarian settings.

In this episode of Birthing Twins, Bibi hosts Kristine Lauria to dive deep into the world of twin pregnancies, childbirth, and beyond. Bibi, an experienced midwife from Australia with a personal history of twins, alongside Kristine's vast expertise, creates a rich dialogue filled with valuable insights and practical advice for expecting mothers of twins and birth professionals.

The discussion begins with Kristine recounting her career path from a traditional midwife in the Amish community to her current role in humanitarian aid with Doctors Without Borders. She shares her hands-on learning experiences and the evolution of her practice over the years. As they delve deeper, Kristine emphasizes the importance of prenatal care, diet, exercise, and mental health, highlighting that twin pregnancies don't necessarily classify as high-risk by default. They also explore various configurations of twins (dye/dye, mono/mono) and the considerations for home births, the roles of midwives, and the birthing setting for multiples. Throughout, Kristine reassures that with adequate preparation, home birth for twins can be a positive experience.

• Understanding the different types of twin pregnancies (dichorionic diamniotic, monochorionic diamniotic, and monochorionic monoamniotic) and their implications for birth plans.
• The importance of holistic prenatal care, including diet and exercise, for mothers carrying multiples.
• Encouragement and practical advice for midwives to support twin home births, focusing on the safety and autonomy of the mother.
• Insights into the process of delivering twins at home, including monitoring, decision-making, and handling potential complications.
• The significance of intuition and hands-on palpation skills in managing twin pregnancies and childbirth.

1. "If you have identical twins, theoretically they're going to be usually within a few ounces of one another. But if you have fraternal twins, they're going to be just as different as your first baby weighs this much, and then your next pregnancy, your next baby, they don't weigh the same thing."
2. "Preparation for birth for twins is actually your prenatal care. So I want you to eat a high protein diet…start exercising. Because your body is stretching and you are not at full capacity right now."
3. "Less is more when it comes to birth, and even more so with multiples, quite, quite honestly."
4. "Understand that if you are comfortable with your skills in singleton birth, then by all means, you have the skills to attend a twin birth."
5. "We have to challenge them to face that fear and realize there's nothing they were afraid of. Nothing that wouldn't happen in a singleton birth."

• Instagram: @globalmidwife64 Website: midwifewithoutboundaries.wordpress.com
• Kristine Lauria on LinkedIn
• Doctors Without Borders
• Breech Without Borders Workshops

Don't miss this episode filled with transformative insights and knowledge. If you’re an expecting mother or a birth professional looking for evidence-based guidance on twin births, this conversation is for you. Stay tuned for more enlightening content from Birthing Twins!