Fundal height 47cm. Please tell me I can't get any bigger

[bubble99]

Hi all. Saw the MW yesterday, I'm 37 weeks with twins, these will be my third and fourth babies - estimated weights (and I know how wide of the mark they can be -are nearly 7lb each )
I am measuring at 47 weeks - yikes! Surely I can't get any bigger, the laws of gravity must kick in soon, I am desperate for labour to start. Twin 1 is fully engaged. I've got a sweep next Wednesday and I'll be induced at 39 weeks. Do the usual sex, curries etc work with twins or is there anything different I can try.

[pinkmama]

No advice, but good luck bubble. Are you uncomfortable?

[biglips]

i know my old manager was pg with twins, one was 7half lbs and the other 7 ish lbs, she gave birth when she was 8 months... so you are doing well

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

Hi bubble, I got to a fundal height of 47cm too. The babies were 4lbs 5 and 5lbs 14. They told me that the babies were about 6-7lbs each. They were very wrong, so fret not honey. I know this is a terrible thing to say, but not long now honey. Just relax (I know it's not easy)because it's gonna be busier than you can imagine shortly. I think it's fab that you've gotten to 37 weeks. Remember each week that passes is better for the babes. (Of course I'm a total hypocrite because I so wanted itsy and bitsy to come early - in fact they came at 36 +4)

[bubble99]

I am so uncomfortable. People keep telling me what hard work it's going to be having two newborns. I have got to the stage now of thinking that anything has got to be easier than this. I'm not getting any sleep at night anyway, two hours max last night, so insomnia will not be a shock. Please tell me it's easier having 2 newborns than suffering the late stages of twin pg.
Sorry to moan, I'm happy to be pg just need to vent.

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

yes, much easier having two newborns. You'll be fine honey you really will! You moan away, I certainly did. Can you put your feet up? Do you have a body pillow (bit late now I know) to put under you as you sleep?

[kolakube]

Non medical induction techniques, suggested my MW, NCT and yoga class:

Pineapple (eat lots)
Raspberry Leaf tea (from Holland & Barrett) - half a tea spoon of honey makes it taste OK, but comes in capsule form too.
Long walks - apparently irritate the cervix.
Nipple stimulation! 15 - 20 mins worth! I'm not making it up, honest, that book "Pregnancy for Blokes" has it in.
Lots of Jiggy Jiggy - prostaglandin in semen
Even if it doesn't work, at least you'll have fun trying!

[aloha]

I sympathise - and I'm only having one baby! Horrid isn't it? But huge congratulations on having got so far and growing such healthy babies. Good luck.

[jampots]

I was 6lb3 and sis was 5lb14 and we were 3 days late!!! never heard of twins being late ever!!

[bubble99]

Sorry, this is long. I've been reading a book 'Double Trouble' - not sure I like the title much but I am a humourless cow at the moment. It's written by a woman who went to 40 weeks with her twins. I'm finding the prospect of 39 bad enough, my consultant initially said she wouldn't induce till 40 and I must have made a Marge Simpson growly noise/scary face because she quickly said "OK, 39"
I had a stay in hospital over the weekend for a 24 hour urine collection (increasing protein in urine ? pre eclampsia) In the end all was ok but when I was admitted there was a lovely 'old school' midwife who, when I told her how uncomfortable I was feeling suggested I talk to the doctors and ask to be induced. Her view was that the babies are a good size, would probably not require any special care and are 'term' for twins. Unfortunately the following morning the midwife on duty was so obviously anti intervention and looked at me as if I was a monster when I mentioned induction. She was 19 weeks pregnant herself (first pg) and when I asked her if she'd had any extra scans (as she worked in a hospital) said "I don't like scans". She then proceeded to say "Are you planning to breastfeed, I think as you've got two breasts there's no reason not to"
I am, in fact planning to breastfeed, but imagine how I would have been made to feel if I wasn't . She told me that induction of labour increases the chances of a C section and that, with regular (daily or every other day assessment) probably involving evil scans the baby could/should be left until I go into labour naturally or needs to be induced. I pointed out that I have two children and that arranging childcare on a daily basis to attend hospital would be nigh on impossible. She was unmoved and walked off muttering something about induction for 'social reasons'
I have encountered a lot of anti induction feelings on mumsnet. Yes, spontaneous labour is of course preferable but induction seems to be portrayed as something dreamed up by interfering doctors.
Midwifes in Tudor England used a cervical lavender poultice to try and induce the labour of Mary Tudor. It turned out that she wasn't even pregnant and in fact had a huge uterine tumour but it illustrates the point that induction has been around for millenia. I've worked with African midwifes who know about herbal poultices applied for the same reason.
We seem to be obsessed with 'intervention free, drug free' deliveries these days. Ancient tribes have always used coca leaves and hallucinogens during labour and I'm sure would be totally bemused at our competitive attitudes to drug free labours. It reminds me of the Monty Python sketch with the rich Yorkshiremen competing as to how tough their childhoods were. For us instead it's - "When I were in labour, I was ripped form a**e to elbow but did I have even one sniff of gas and air? Did I 'eck!"
I'm not 'too posh to push' - hate that saying as well BTW- I'm planning a vaginal delivery (as if I need to justify myself) but I wish there were less judgemental attitudes around.
Maybe I should just throw in the towel now and go for the Joan Rivers method of childbirth - "Knock me out before it starts and wake me up when the hairdresser arrives"

[smellymelly]

Bubble - I was induced at 37 weeks, had them at 37.5 It was offered to me at my appt at 20 weeks, and there was no way I could have gone on any longer. I was very thankful I had gone so far, but was in a lot of pain.

I also had an epidural as soon as they broke my waters, which means I was able to relax, I fully dilated within 2.5 hours and slept for 1.5 hours of that. There is a big chance of having a c-section with twins anyway, I can't imagine that is increased much by being induced. I was about 30 seconds away from a c-section for my 2nd twin. (I would not read my story till you've had yours - It was a little hairy!)

It is your pregnancy, and as you are full-term for twins, I would ask for what you want...

[4kids]

my twins were born 3m prem weighing in at 3lb each i was huge docs said babies would of been about 7lb each if gone 2 term were gonna induce me at about 36w due 2 having identical twins & risk of twin 2 twin transfusion syndrome but dt decided 2 come early babies 4 & 5 & still no sretchmarks just one down side took me longer 2 shift the weight this time went from 9 1/2st to 14st. Three yrs on & only just back into my size 10.

[Gem13]

bubble - no advice as no twins here but several in the family (maybe that should read no twins yet...)

I just wanted to offer my sympathies and say that your midwife sounds horrid. I hope you get a nice one when the twins show up.

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

bubble, talk to your consultant. My consultant was wonderful. When I wanted to know the sex of itsy and bitsy she was the only one who would tell me. I'm assuming that you are seen by your consultant because I was seen by mine alot as it was twins and with twins you are classed as high risk. Ignore midwife from hell and talk to everyone until someone listens. The midwives at the hospital weren't going to release me a week after the birth because my blood pressure was high. I did the adult thing, I wept. The registrar came straight down and released me. Whatever works honey.

[ChicPea]

Well done Bubble for keeping the twins in for this long. Good luck with the birth. The midwife sound horrid.

[meliqbal]

On my second set of twins and it does seem to be up to the individual consultant how they handle twin deliveries. I was offered a csection/induction at 37 weeks the first time (csection was chosen) and this time have been offered csection at 38 weeks should I not start to labour sooner. Generally there seems to be a concensus among many consultants that beyond a time limit the babies don't do any better in than out and indeed chances of medical complications for mum and babies start to increase. Any chance of getting a second opinion from another consultant? Oh and ignore the matriarch midwife- it is a medical decision in the end and most consultants will not force you down a particular path (medico-legal implications)!

[JanH]

meliqbal, bubble's first post was 2 months ago and she has had her twins now; sadly there were what you might call complications and one of bubble's sons died before he was delivered. I will try to find the thread...

[JanH]

bubble's story