When did you find out you were having twins?

[stickybean]

Just curious, did you have a feeling before the scan? Was it a total shock? Was it different to a single pregnancy if you had one before?
I am newly pregnant. I have no reason to suspect twins but would be thrilled if they find two at my 12 week scan.

[gardenpixies32]

I had no idea before the 12 week scan and got the shock of my life when the sonographer told us. First pregnancy so nothing to compare it to. I did have horrendous nausea and vomiting for the first 18 weeks.

[lisandbag]

I had a scan when I was only 6 weeks as I had quite a big bleed. I actually asked at the time if there was two - partly a feeling and there hadn't been any twins for a couple of generations. I was told 'No, just the one' (and looked at strangely)!

Had a follow up at 8 weeks and had them just say 'There they are' - followed by DH saying 'there's who? and me bursting out crying'

We didn't speak the whole way home! Total shock, even though I had that original feeling!

[toomuchpink]

Did two pregnancy tests. Both negative, but had quite a few pregnancy symptoms so saw GP who did a blood test. Was surprised to find out I was pregnant. Went for a scan the next day, in case the negative tests were an indication something was wrong. The sonographer said: "There are two babies." I have never been so shocked in my life.
I got my money back from the pregnancy test people!

[stickybean]

Love these stories. Toomuchpink I can't believe you got your money back for the tests. That's brilliant!

[HappyAsASandboy]

I found out at my 12 week scan, at 13 weeks.

I had no sickness, so aches and pains, no pregnancy symptoms at all except tiredness and no periods :) A few more symptoms came later, but nothing before the 12 week scan.

[beyoglu]

I have a chromosomal abnormality that means that about 2 out of 3 of my eggs would give rise to a baby who is either profoundly disabled or wouldn't make it to 9 months, so to have my girls I did IVF so they could do genetic testing on the embryos beforehand. Out of the 13 embryos, we got 2 that were graded "excellent" in terms of growth and were genetically OK, so it seemed a shame not to give them both a chance. Found out I was pregnant about a week and a half later, and then had a scan at 6 weeks that confirmed two heartbeats. So I only have myself to blame!

[beyoglu]

Oh yeah and I was as sick as a dog!

[DigestivesWithPhiladelphia]

I knew the date I'd ovulated (we were trying for a third) and about 4 days later I said to DH: "I'm pregnant, I KNOW I am, and I'm pregnant with twins, there's a boy & a girl". DH just rolled his eyes and said "I'm sure you thought DD was twins because you were so sick" (This was true, I was so sick with DD that by the 12 week scan I was convinced these must be more than one!)

I took a test 6 days after ovulation (even though I knew it was too early) and got a faint line! So faint that DH didn't believe it. I bought a digital test the next day and it said I was 1-2 weeks pregnant. I used the other test in the box two days later & it said 2-3 weeks so I knew my hormone levels were rising quickly, so the twins idea did cross my mind again but I just thought "it can't be". Unfortunately, on the day my period was actually due, I started to bleed lightly and I became convinced something must be wrong. It carried on, with stomach cramps, and at 5 weeks, the GP told me to prepare for a miscarriage & sent me for an emergency scan to rule out ectopic pregnancy.

I had a dream, the night before the scan, that I was looking after a baby fox and a baby owl, and I was pushing them around in a double buggy and looking after my 'babies'.

We went off for the scan the next day and the first midwife gave me a bit of lecture about early pregnancy tests & said they 'cause all sorts of problems'. She seemed convinced I'd miscarried & was reluctant even to scan as it was so early. Luckily a nicer midwife arrived abs carried out the scan. She told us straight away that I was still pregnant but then she was quiet for ages and I could see her looking at two black circles on the screen. She then told us that there were two sacs and two yolk sacs but it didn't really sink in until age asked if there are twins in the family (apparently my great-great Grandmother had two sets).

I did say to DH: "I TOLD you it was was twins weeks ago!". I'm now 18 weeks and, touch wood, all the scans have been good and the bleeding stopped. We are not finding out the sex, but I still have my gut feeling about a boy and a girl - so we'll have to wait and see!

[harrygracejessica]

The first set I was shocked when they said there was 2, the 2nd set I knew there would be 2 but the reality when they said it still made me cry lol

[Handsfulloffun]

We found out at the 12 week scan, I had morning, noon and night sickness and a good sized bump but it still came as a huge shock.

I still get that Shit I have got twins feeling 2 years on

[Emphaticmaybe]

My second pregnancy was twins and It felt different from my first from about 8 weeks but I put it down being more tired, different gender baby etc. My older sister had given birth to identical twins five years earlier but I knew that didn't make it any more likely for me.

However at my 14 week scan when the sonographer said to the midwife, 'oh this is interesting' I didn't even need to look to know it was twins so subconsciously maybe I did know.

It was a relief in someways as I had felt the pregnancy seemed a bit odd and now I knew why. I went on to have fraternal girls after what was a very uncomplicated pregnancy so I feel very lucky in that respect.

[minesapintofwine]

I found out at 7 weeks but because of IVF was fully prepared for it so didn't feel too more glad everything was ok. DH was quite gobsmacked though. So was my dad when I rang and told him it was triplets-thought I would soften the blow a little first (there were two not three!). In hindsight probably shouldn't have done that to my poor dad why on earth did I think that was funny. I wouldn't say my pregnancy was very different though to a single it was quite good really I did puke a lot (tmi?) and didn't show until about 20 weeks!

[Mandy21]

We'd been trying for quite a while so I knew my dates, but I had a bleed at 5+1. I went to the Early Pregnancy Unit at the hospital but they told me there was nothing they could do until later in the week. I was convinced I'd had a miscarriage but went back at 5+4 for a scan. The sonographer looked at me and said she could see two sacs. I was such a wreck at that stage that I just said "what does that mean?" and she said "twins". I was completely gobsmacked - I can honestly say twins had never crossed my mind - I'm a twin and always thought it skipped a generation and then I thought I'd miscarried anyway. They couldn't tell whether they were developing properly and what had caused the bleed so we had to wait another 2 weeks.

We had to go back at 7+4 and the sonographer said within about 3 seconds I can see two heartbeats and then you couldn't wipe the smile off my face for days!!

[sandyballs]

At my first scan which I think was 16 weeks for some reason, seems late. We had been trying for four years and had one miscarriage and were getting to the point where we really thought we wouldn't be parents, so to be told there were two in there was absolutely amazing. My non identical girls start secondary school tomorrow.

I was very big, very early on in the pregnancy and a lot of friends and MIL mentioned twins but I thought it was due to my hugely increased appetite.

[beyoglu]

mines did you aim for twins? I totally did - transferred two knowing it was highly likely they'd both implant.

What was I thinking?

[minesapintofwine]

Ha ha beyou you don't regret it really! I wouldn't say I 'aimed' for them just really wanted it to work and as I only had 2 eggs left that were good quality went for 2 to be honest (though I probably shouldn't say) the clinic staff sort of advised me to as it was unlikely I would have any eggs left to freeze. I knew the chances though and was really glad to have one healthy baby never mind two! Sorry that sounds so cliched but it's true! Did the clinic not try to deter you from implanting two? They have to reduce their multiple birth rate so they usually do (they did with me at first and kind of advised me off the record).

[beyoglu]

Yeah mines, we had to sit through them reading off all the things that can go wrong with a twin pregnancy. We knew pretty much for sure it was going to be a twin one as they were both "excellent" quality (actually had two spares as well, as I got a whopping 22 eggs, and yes, I did swell up like a balloon with OHSS!) but as it was private they couldn't actually stop us. I'm sort of glad because I really wanted to have two kids (I'm an only child) and this way we never ever have to do the newborn chaos ever again!

[minesapintofwine]

beyou you could be me! I too am an only child, had ohss and 26 eggs. My treatment was NHS though. Lucky lucky lucky! Mine were rubbish quality though happy for the 2 that made it bless em they definately make their mark too! I did always say I would be happy with one child but not sure that would have been the case... Your babies aren't causing newborn chaos now! We're causing screechy, flying food, drooly chaos wherever we go!

[beyoglu]

mines one of my friends was advised the same way in NHS clinic and also ended up with twins! It was kind of her example that made me think, twins, why not... having said that I never actually saw her till her girls were about 6 months old so I had no clue what two would actually be like!

I'm looking forward to the food throwing, kind of... 7 weeks to go! Any advice?

[minesapintofwine]

Plastic bibs! you can get the ones that go all over but to be honest they can be a faff. I bought fabric ones at first but wipe down plastic is best imo. At home I strip them to their vest if it's not too cold. Also I do one bowl one spoon! I'm a real slovenly mum!

[beyoglu]

I need those pelican bibs I think. I've started giving them bits to hold and chew... DT2 has no clue, DT1 will actually hold stuff up to her mouth and chew it happily but she drops stuff the whole time!

[givemeaclue]

6 weeks (ivf)

[jellybeans]

5-6 wk scan for bleeding. Just weeks before had had a DD who was stillborn :( so was over moon to be told it was two and were heartbeats! Can't describe the joy, even the bereavement midwife who had met me there was practically crying!

[RedBlanket]

At my first scan.
Sonographer stepped out to get a colleague so I was hysterical mildly concerned that there may be a problem. I thought they were joking at first, like they would really do that

Was very shocked.