Pregnant with twins?? First time experience or top tips.

[nettythekat]

I am expecting twins on Feb 1st next year. As this is all new it would be good to share any top tips and experiences. I am 17 weeks, sickness subsided and currently always hungry with a wind problem!! What is to come?

[PrincessScrumpy]

Congratulations.

I'm booked to have my ID twin girls on Friday. I felt pretty well all pg until 33w when contractions started - but they stopped them, and now I'm 36w+3. I feel tired and my pelvic bone has been very painful this week. I must admit I never expected to get passed 34w ish so am rather shocked to still be pg. My feet are rather swollen and my bump seems to be getting stares rather than congrats now - someone actually gasped at the sight of me today, but I don't look pg from behind but from the side.... well I'm definitely all out front.

I love the fact that I can feel which baby is which. The hunger continued until about 34w as my tummy cannot take much anymore in one go. I am surprised that the pg hasn't been full of horror as people told me it would be, and that whith looking after dd1 too. She's 3.5yo. I would say you will need lots of rest near the end and I gave up work at the end of the school term so was 32w, I couldn't have worked much more with dd1 to care for too.

Oh and gaviscon has been my friend - never had heartburn before.

[Fluter]

I'm 31 weeks with non ID twins - this is the first time I've been pregnant, so can't compare it with a singleton, but I'd echo PrincessScrumpy, especially on the tiredness - the combined weights of the twins at 29 weeks was the same as someone at term with a singleton, so expect to be absolutely cream crackered much earlier. I've only just been able to work out which is which, and sometimes I'm still not sure, so don't worry if you can't.
And yes, I'm enormous. Not that I was a slim dainty shape to start with!
You'll have more appointments to go to, and scans than a singleton, and will probably find that you need to get 38 weeks in your head than 40 weeks (and that's a maximum!), because that's term for twins, despite you being given a 40 week EDD :)

I can walk about 100 yards on the flat, less if slight slopes hills are involved (and I'm a fell walker). DH has to haul me out of chairs as well

Oh, and if you haven't had it already, practice the fixed smile and whatever your response is going to be to the "do you have twins in the family?" or the blunt "did you have IVF?" or silence to the "You'll have a lot on your hands there" or "Ooooooh double trouble!"

Congratulations and enjoy!

[xkatyx]

Hi I'm 21 weeks pregnant with ID girls

Already feel huge and uncomfy, I feel scared and every week that passes I think it's a little step forward to the "safe zone"

My consultant said he won't let me go past 34 weeks so only really have 13 weeks left!

Oh my goodness gaviscon is a god send !

Has anyone had really painful ligament pain? This isn't my first pregnant but thought maybe twins make it worse cause I have had terrible pain that has been check out to be nothing really that they can find!

[nettythekat]

Thank you so much for your messages. Really comforting. I have also never had heartburn, must invest in some gaviscon!

Tiredness not really kicked in as yet but to hear what is in store. Thank you.

[candr]

Congrats, speaking as an ID twin can I request that when born you do not (or allow others to refer to them) as The Twins and please please do not dress them the same. We got really upset a lot when little that we were made to share everything from peg at school to lunch time buddy untill we were old enough to tell people that we were different from eachother. Other side though is having a mate the same age could be good especially with things like sesaws as you weigh the same. Good Luck

[PrincessScrumpy]

candr we're trying not to call them "The Twins" but with dd already, people are saying it to distinguish.

My reply to the "double trouble" comment is "no, double the cuddles!" said with a big grin.

xkatyx do you mind me asking why they won't let you go beyond 34w? Usually they are desperate to get to to 34w if they can. Sorry if that's too personal.

[xkatyx]

Oh no that's fine, I'm not really sure I saw my consultant and that's what he said, maybe it's different procedures diffrent places??

My last baby was premature so I'm hoping they will get there

[CrosswordAddict]

Congratulations. We always refer to the DDs as "The Girls". Don't let people call them The Twins if you can help it. Wonderful news.
Keep yourself calm. You might find you get very tired so keep housework to a minimum. Good excuse to put your feet up a bit

[MersyMersy]

Hi netty,

I'm new to MN so dont know my way around much but I know there's is a Twins Club on the Ante Natal Club thread. I dont know how to post a link sorry!
I've been on and the ladies all seem lovely and full of sage advise.

I'm 20+6 with non ID B/G twins, congrats to you its exciting isnt it! Glad to hear you are out of the sickness phase, mine lasted until about wk 16 and it was hideous. Glad to say that this new phase is much much better. I went through a ravenous period after the sickness subsided, just eat :) Fruit is a good filler, or cereal bars. Personally my really hungry phase only lasted a few weeks then it tapered off, I'm eating a lot of small meals a day rather than the typical three. I find it keeps me full in a nice way.

Your appointments will probably pick up after your 20wk scan, thats what has happened with me. I have a scan every four weeks and I also go to the Twin Clinic at my hospital straight after. Have any of your care givers mentioned any of this?

Have you got a bump yet? Mine is developing quite quickly now, feeling lots of fluttery movements but no big kicks yet. Its lovely though. Enjoy this second trimester, make the most of your movement! Like the other ladies said I believe you can get big and tired quite early on (compared to a singleton pregnancy). I can see my bump growing all the time now so I'm in major sorting/visiting/organising mode before I'm house bound.

If you ever want to talk look me up :)

xkatyx - I have a mysterious pain too, I describe it as burning right across my bikini line but more on the right, under my bump. I thought I'd burned my skin at first. It can get quite bad, quite sharp and stabbing, like stinging. It doesnt seem to have any pattern either. I woke up with it this morning and its getting bad already, also paracetemol doesnt really do much. Does this sound like what you have?

x

[WildSwansatCoole]

Congrats!Twins are fantastic.

I had b/g twins at 38+4 last year.
Re work-I stopped at 31 weeks,as my feet were enormously swollen and I was just so breathless.Id worked until 38 weeks with my toddler ,but just would not have been able to this time.<br /> <br /> Re heartburn-yes,I was miserable with it in the second trimester,but when Gaviscon stopped helping,ranitidine was brilliant.<br /> <br /> Re diet,etc-I read a number of American obstetric books re achieving healthy birth weights in twins,most say consumption of 2,500 in second trimester will help-mine were 6 13 oz and 6 5 oz(and Im 5 foot nothing).The weight did come off pretty easily later with b/feeding.

And yes,the last few weeks are so tiring,I could barely walk,and got so easily short of breath-the arrival of the babies was such a relief physically.I really think that the first few crazy weeks with 2 newborns was easier than the last month or so pregnant with twins-so make sure you have plenty of help if you have other children,and try to have plenty of couch time!

[Fluter]

Netty

I had an iron stomach until about a fortnight ago and Gaviscon / peppermints have become my constant companion, curries are off the menu [even more sad emoticon], and I just hope that it all goes away again afterwards. Think it was brought on by an adverse reaction to anti-biotics for a kidney infection - how often can you say the cure was worse than the illness!

I also had some pretty bad ligament pain - but also got a support belt from the physio for any distance walking, which made life soooo much easier.

Think that ID twins are usually delivered earlier than non ID - and it possibly depends on the variety you have - if they're sharing placentas or a sac, I think it's better they're out than in, later on. Not entirely sure - I have the DCDA variety.

TAMBA have a book thingy that you can download about twins, if that's any help, and your local community midwives might run a twins group - or there may be a TAMBA one too. There is also (am I allowed to mention it on here?) a FB group called "Pregnant with twins or more" which is great support.

[PrincessScrumpy]

I'm having ID twins who share a placenta and I'm not allowed to go beyond 37 1/2 w so am having them on Friday (37w +1). I think most are prem but mine are quite comfy in there, at 35w they weighed 4lb 14oz and 5lb 7oz, so are likely to be 6lb ish when born!

[CrosswordAddict]

Princessscrumpy Hope all goes well

[sleepevader]

Good luck Princesscrumpy.

Not a mum of twins but know a few.

My advice is get a good buggy - check out bestbuggy.co.uk for some great reviews.

Do get car seat bases if the expense will stretch- so much easier!

Set up online grocery shopping.

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