to think that an identical twin (or triplet) can never really know which one it is

[FakeGlassesAndTash]

I've been talking with a friend who's an identical twin and says he was born first.

I think that by the time he was a couple of days or weeks old, his parents had probably muddled the two of them up and so he can't really be sure be sure whether's he's the first one or the second one out.

AIBU to think that parents of twins can never really say for sure which was first out once they've left the hospital and let the babies "mingle" for a few days? (Can you tell that I'm not busy at work today?!

BOF I wondered that. presumably one is on the top, or in the obvious 'first out' position - bit like a VB I suppose.

I'm an identical twin and my sister is 30 minutes older than me. Being muddled up is a thought, that has never occurred to me before, but its not something you'd be worried about anyway - as twins your so close I don't think it would matter.

Plus as Twins you get used to answering to each others name's and the occasional Twin from somebody else other than your Twin. But you still maintain your own personality (especially if your always treat Twins as completely separate individuals) - it might look cute to dress them the same but its a horrible idea I think.

My twins (i had a doctor tell me that they were non-id because of the separate placentas, which is odd because surely he should have known better, overseeing a twin birth and all) were obviously differeny from the start.

One had ginger hair and one had brown, plus different head shape (!), plus one had a strawberry birthmark - so absolutely not a chance in hell that we are mistaken.

It wasn't until they were older they started looking more and more alike, and it was when they finally caught me out at the age of 9, when i conceded that maybe they looked quite identical.

My friend had identical twin boys and told us that she kept their identity bands on until the health visitor gently told her that if she left them on much longer they'd start cutting into their wrists..!

Liskey - your mum was very lucky. Not all twins are close (see my profile!)

I have wondered about this before lol
me & my sis are id twins, i think they kept the tags on for the first few days though

We kept the tags on until one girl developed a birthmark under her chin after a week or two.
Medical people always ask who is twin1 and who twin2, even now they are 8. I think it is a hangover from years ago when the secondborn twin might have lacked oxygen at birth and so had health problems?

From a few weeks old I was confident in being able to tell them apart. However when I look back on the photos after a few years, the early ones have started to be indistinguishable even to me ( and in fact to the girls themselves). Older twin is also taller now but at age 3 there was only a quarter centimetre difference.

eyeballs, wasn't that an 80s mini series with Stephanie Powers? I'm remembering a masquerade ball.

here it is!

reality - love the fact the your dp and his twin have different birthdays....wonder how often that happens?!?!?

That's the one, fruitstick I've got it somewhere . It's a real 'dd in bed, dh out for the evening, slump in front of the tv' fest