Anybody else pregnant with twins – or more?

[nh101andhertwinbeans]

My twins are due in May and it would be nice to have other multiple-mums-to-be to chat to!

Glad scan was ok...isn't it weird how too much fluid can make you go into prem labour? I would have thought it's great for baby to have a bit more room. Is it the boy or the girl?

75th centile is definitely eeeeek. At least you can feel justified at being large.

I am up too early and need to go back to bed now. Hoping dh gets ds ready this morning...and I can lie in till 8!

Hello all, nice to see some activity here, I too find it a bit hard to keep up with the d'ya ever threads, and feel like a fraud as there are so many on there coping with so much - my little pg niggles are not worthy!

I was veering towards a Phil & Teds, hadn't heard they were heavy. I'd better try one before I order off the net.

I saw the MW last week, think we heard both HBs which was lovely. Less than a month to the 20 week scan, feeling very big but have a bit more energy. I keep being told I'm blooming though I don't really feel it yet. Still, maybe that's the default comment when people are trying to avoid saying 'my god, you're massive, are you really not due unitl CHRISTMAS?'

I think I may have got carried away with my maternity clothes purchases, sounds like I've got a lot of growing to do. I was vainly hoping just the bump would grow but maybe not...

Hi guys - so sorry you are all feeling big and fed up! I remember it well... I was induced at 36+5 and I was VERY ready for it all to be over.

The DTs are 10 weeks old now and we are through the worst of it, have been for about three weeks actually. They sleep in their own room now unless they are being demanding (Esther has taken to wanting to sleep with me but she is poorly - she has a hernia and needs an op, so I am letting her get away with it for the moment!)

Ooogs, have looked at your cot sharing pic - never thought to lie my two like that. Their heads are nearly touching now so putting them on the diagonal will be better. I have another cot but it is in our guest room and I don't want to move it into the nursery yet cos sometimes it is good to separate them.

Check out the pics on my profile! My DTs are so cute!!!

NT - so sorry to hear about the op Esther needs, must be worrying. But your babies are adorable, amazing how different (and adorably cute) they both are. I'm looking forward to meeting mine but just can't decide on finding out the sex at the next scan, a real dilemma. Did you have a natural birth after the induction? I have been put off with scare stories but I know it will be hard to resist later on when I'm enormous and just want them out!

yes they are very cute neenz - ours are in together in the nursery but we also have the travel cot up in cot room - sometimes they really need seperating

Neenz, gorgeous pics. And I am very hopeful to read that at 7 weeks the worse is over!! That was the worst bit with ds2, I was kind of thinking 3 months with the dt's but I suppose it depends on sleep & feeding. I am absolutely dreading the bf, ds2 fed ALL the time how on earth can I spend any time with my older boys or make tea etc if dt's are the same?

GBB, P&T Twin is 16.5kg, I think the mountain buggy is 16 whereas nipper is only 9!

I can't believe how much stretch I need in maternity gear and I think I may have to buy maternity knickers for the 1st time as ordinary ones are cutting into me now.

Merry, meant to say yay for b/g twins, I have bought quite a lot of girlie stuff all secondhand (NCT sale was fab!) which I am pleased with, it's all nearly ordered in baskets under ds2's cot. The only thing I have sorted!

Neenz, twins are cuties.

Ooggs and Neenz, are there any books you used for sleeping and feeding or did you do it all on intuition. I kind of went on intuition with ds, as he was the only one and my first so I had the time! This time I am thinking I will need a little more routine to help things go smoothly (eg. ds woke 4-5x per night till 9 months, then about 3x per night). Like you, accessorize, my ds bfed loads, I can't imagine managing that this time, even though I really want to - he was a nightmare to get onto bottles. Was thinking this time of expressing more so dh can do a late feed at night. Neenz, Ooggs and Pazza - are/were you exc. bfing, expressing, formula, mixed?

Books - I have Baby Secrets - Jo Tatum & Barbara Want, Double Trouble - E Mahoney & Contented House with Twins - for the Alice Beer bits

I read them all before arrival (as no time after) and took bits and bobs from each and just went with it. I did try to keep them doing the same things at the same time otherwise there was no rest or time for ds1.

There is no right/wrong way - but whatever you do needs to fit in with the rest of the family. If they are your first you can do what you like as you can sleep when they sleep during the day etc... but if you have other children....... daytime rest is very limited

I b/f exclusively until dh went to work when they were 3 weeks, I then did one bottle & one breast for as long as I could - I was gutted to give up and that I couldn't carry one - but bfing didn't work for my family as I couldn't look after ds1 when they fed for 1 hour every 3 hours.

This time (I hope) I am not planning on using bottles at all we will see

hi, i am 14+5 with twins and i have a 3.5y old and a 2yr old. i have the double trouble book (its great), the contented house with twins (another great book i am a great planner and found the single baby version very helpful with my other babies). twins and multiple births (goes from pregnancy to adult). 'everything you need to know to have a health twin pregnancy' and 'twins' (american but have some great facts, figures and diagrams and 'twins' has step by step every 4 weeks during pregnancy with diagrams).

Hi Mel, congratulations - how are you feeling? I liked the Double Trouble book apart from the rather disturbing instructions about sex after the birth! I just keep hearing the words 'look sincere' ringing in my ears . I guess routine will be a great help for you with 4 under 5. I'm really glad I've left a big gap, my daughter will be at nursery from 9 till 3.30 for 3 days a week then 5 days a week from the new year, so I may be able to sneak in the odd nap during the day.

hi gettingbiggerbird, i am still feeling a bit sick and very tired but nothing like it was in the first three months. i must say that it is terrifying being pregnant with twins. i didnt worry so much with my singletons. in fact i was still unloading and stacking wood for the fire and carrying on as normal on my due date with my second. i now get twinges if i cut the lawn or do too much gardening and have a major panic that i will lose them. reading the books have helped me feel more comfortable with the risks of a twin pregnancy.
my two will be at nursery as well from september, the youngest will be in three mornings until 1pm and the eldest the same three mornings plus all day on a friday till 3.30pm. he is at summer club three days a week at the moment 9.30am to 3pm which is great so i can have a clear out to make room for the twins.

i have had phil and teds twin side by side and it is simiar to the mountain buggy but not as good quality and i didnt like it being so open at the back. i did prefer the mountain buggy twin and i have bought one again with a twin carrycot for the twins. i currently have the single MB urban elite and its fantastic on the beach.

Thanks for book recommendations. Yeah, now is definitely the time to be reading them. Agree with you ooggs about having to figure things out so here is time so spend with bigger kids in the daytime (well, I've only got 1 but bad enough! Accessorize has 2 and looks like mel does too). Guess we will have to see how the bfing goes and if it's taking too much time, it will have to go. Ds will be in playschool every morning from September (his 3rd bday is Nov 18th, twins will be about 3 wks old). Getting them all there and picking up will be a bit of a hassle but at least I will have 2 hrs in between! Still not sure what to do about pushchair, Mountain Buggy won't fit. Reconsidering the Icandy. Anyone tried it?

i have heard that the seats are small and its heavy and hard to fold. i would talk to a few people with one before you buy. it put me off as it was an option before. i didnt mind the apple single version but i didnt have it long as i prefered the mountain buggy. i am not convinced about the quality as i have seen some damaged/broken ones on e-bay already which is not a good sign. it would be handy to have something to clip the car seats on though.

GBB After I was induced (I had waters broken, didn't have to go on a drip) I had a natural delivery, apart from forceps for DT1. Only gas and air as well!

MM I am using Gina Ford's book which I am finding excellent. I express milk for them for their 7pm and 10pm feeds because they were so unsettled before and now they are much better, esp between 7 and 10pm. I haven't used any formula, haven't felt the need to. But I don;'t have any other children. I do like the Emma Mahoney book 'Double Trouble' - esp her birth plan! It made me realise a natural delivery was possible and that I didn't need all the interventions they were trying to make me have (epidural, drip etc). Make sure you read the books thoroughly before the babies are born as you will have no time after!

The La Leche League's Mothering Multiples book is excellent for tips on BFing - esp if your twins need special care.

would recomment the mountain buggy, esp with the carrycot - they look so cute in it!

I really must buy some books, I had been looking but didn't find anything that appealed, I shall have to order some this week. I haven't read a thing about having twins, thus haven't worried too much in fact I think I've stuck my head in the sand. But then I didn't know I was having them until 17 weeks! I would like some more info about birth and breastfeeding. I've never had my two in a routine so that will be difficult as I've been anti-them in the past (they just made me more anxious I think). But I can see it must be done!

Welcome Mel, I'll have 4 under 5 too (4.7 and 19 months)!

Ooogs, I can quite see where you're coming from re: bf. I found it hard enough with ds2 and ds1 was at nursery 2 days & with mum 1 day so I managed to spend a bit of time with him. But I remember ds2 feeding before I went to the supermarket (6 miles away), in the supermarket carpark, in the car when we'd done shopping and when we got home! argggghhh. God forbid what it will be like if they're both gannets like he was. It didn't calm down until he was 5 months either. It's the thought of how many bottles as well that puts me off, such a small kitchen and it will be swamped!

Merry (must email you!), must admit haven't heard good things of the icandy. What did you think to the zoom (they can face each other?)? I really must get on with it, I know I want an MB, just the thought of giant buggy taking room in my house & whether it will fit through doorways round here.

the mountain buggy fits through my external and most of my internal doors but i tend to leave the buggy in the car, so even if we go out from the house for a walk i still put it back in the car. when the twins come i will have swings/bouncers/moses baskets to put them in and if they are asleep i will just bring the carrycot in and put the chassis in the car. i often have to jet wash the wheels of the buggy in the winter as the tracks get really muddy and i wouldnt want to just push it into the kitchen with muck on the tyres.

The MB should fit through all doors in public buildings cos they have to be big enough for wheelchairs. I have never failed to get it through a door (except my front door - I go in through the garage which is great cos it doesn't matter if it is wet/mucky).

Aargh, now I'm wondering if the MB is better! It's a minefield. I wish I had a garage, then I could just buy 2 secondhand. But they are such bulky things.

NT, thanks for the info about your birth, very reassuring, I want to be informed so I can be firm about minimising interventions if safe - and get my doula to back me up. The routine sounds sensible for me too, it's just what I did with DD, though I think I did start expressing too early and will try not to for the first 6 weeks to get my supply established. It's the thought of 6 weeks of being virtually housebound that's worrying me most at the moment, I just can't see myself tandem feeding in public. I'm sure I'll get over myself when it comes to it though.

GBB I was expressing from week 2 and it never affected my supply (surely it boosts your supply?). You will not be able to cope for 6 weeks without someone to to do some night feeds for you to give you a rest! (And you don't want your babies to get too used to the breast or they might not take a bottle at all - not worth contemplating!!)

I don't tandem feed - they only feed for 10-15 mins at a time so it is nice to do them seperately. No guarantee yours will be such quick feeders tho.

Thanks again for book recommendations. I can't get my head around GF's tone of voice though, it makes me want to REBEL and do everything the opposite way (I don't like being told what to do!). Will try all the others, best get ordering and reading. I joined TAMBA on Tuesday.

Yes, GBB, I was worrying about tandem feeding in public too. Went to toddler group yesterday and people are quietly bfing...maybe will just feed separately when out and about with ds...oh, i don't know, wait and see. I exc. bf'd ds until he was 11 monhs (partly because I could not get him to take a bottle).

I would love a MB, but doesn't fit through our front door (guess we are not wheelchair friendly either then ). I am thinking of getting a really cheap buggy for when they are little and then when they are older/ heavier, I will get something 'good' from ebay. It won't matter so much if I have to set the buggy up outside and then plonk them in it one by one. Accessorize, I did look at the zoom and it looks really cool, but seats only suitable from 6 months and it looked very cumbersome with 2 carrycots on it! May get that one when they are 6 months or so, a bit later on. Like the fact they can face each other, so cute!

Please do email accessorize and if you are on Facebook, I can give you my FB name...

Neenz, what pump do you have? Is electric quicker? I have Avent hand pump, it was ok, but takes a while to do 4 bottles!

NT, did the same last time - expressed from very early on and did have some trouble with supply so I think I will try and leave it a bit longer. I'm no expert but have heard that expressing can inhibit supply because it doesn't get as much out as the babies would. I know what you mean about not wanting to risk them refusing a bottle, and I'm sure after 10 days of no sleep I'll be more than happy to plug myself in to the milking machine for the chance of some uninterrupted kip. As always, I'll have to play it by ear when I get there.

MM, know what you mean about GF's tone - I wanted to shove my 7am piece of toast down her throat. But the general idea worked for me, it's the control freak in me, routines are comforting .

Ok, merry finally mailed you!

I really don't think I can cope with gf on twins, I threw the other book out it irritated and upset me that much. If I join TAMBA do I get discounts on books and buggies??

Neenz, now you're really worrying me about 6 weeks not coping unless I express - I tried so hard with ds2 and spent a week collecting 9oz which he would guzzle in one sitting arggh. I agree with GBB on expressing affecting supply if done too early but what is to be done otherwise? I really don't think it's all sunk in with me, I can cope with limited sleep but am I going to get any at all??? Then dp said last night he found ds2 so much more relaxing as a baby because he was exc.bf for 10.5 months so he didn't have to do the bottles! Pressure, pressure. Tried to explain that if it means the difference b/t my sanity and spending time with my other kids, bf will lose out I'm afraid. Amazes me that mumsnetter likes mars exc. bf for a year with twins and older children. I hadn't even considered tandem feeding in public, I'm not sure I'd be able to do it at all. I had to use nipple shields a lot of the time with ds2 for first few months so latch on the twins likely to be just as cr&p (I have flat nipples). I do have two pumps, Avent manual and Medela mini-electric and the electric did help - you can pick them up on ebay for £20+ Merry, my hand used to hurt with Avent!

Anyway, back to things that don't frighten me -buggies. Mel, you amaze me being prepared to put MB back in and out of car - they're so heavy! Why I was thinking of a lightweight alternative for the car so I could do nursery/school drops off etc more easily. How are you getting on with car hunt as you are in similar situation to me? I gave list of possibles to dp this morning as he's meant to go and check them all out and short-list.

GBB - which buggy were you thinking of getting? And have you decided whether to see about the sexes next time?

I swear if one more person tells me I look like I'm about to pop I'll pop them argggh. Thank god I don't have a proper mirror in the house so I have no idea until I go out how huge the bump is.

I've kind of resigned myself to 6 weeks of lactating martyrdom with DH at home giving DD lots of attention (when she isn't at nursery). I'm hoping mars will keep me going! When I do express, I'm going to hire an NCT industrial one - let's face it, it's not glamorous any way. I found I could get so much more out so much quicker with DD - if you can afford it, I'd really recommend it.

Tamba - not sure about discounts but there's lots of secondhand staff on the messageboard and often free feeding cushions. Loads of advice on there too, plus links to your local twins club - I reckon that will be really useful.

Buggies - I was thinking Phil & Teds twin side-by-side or a Nipper. But now I'm wavering over the MB too, though they look much pricier second hand. I can't imagine where to try them out except by stalking other twin mums so am planning to visit lots of twins clubs! My friend is 12 weeks ahead of me with twins and I'm waiting to see what she gets too.

Good idea to hire a big one, GBB, I'll keep that in mind although don't know if I can round here. DP has said he can only take 2 weeks off (he runs his own businesses) but my mum is around to help. DS1 will be at school, ds2 at nursery 2 days.

I'm really not hearing good things about the P& T Twin, Mel is just the latest. Don't seem to have same build quality as nipper or mB. I would get a nipper simply on price and how many people love them but won't fit through the front door. I have an MB single & it's wonderful but the double weighs 7kg more than the nipper!! The nipper weighs the same as my single MB which seems heavy enough to lift into the boot. MB's do seem completely indestructible though, so easy to push (with one finger whilst I hold ds1's hand!). Are there no pram shops near you stocking doubles? I'm still trying to find somewhere near me, not for MB but to see the others.

I will def.join TAMBA, I know of one twins club here but sure there are others and any info at this point would be v.useful!