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!

wow, twinkle. look after yourself. you sound busy...don't overdo it or they'll put you on bed rest! let's aim to have to have 2 6lb babies in there by the end!!!!

accessorize...scan was yesterday. but due the original scan and triplets being such a bombshell, this news was nothing in comparison. mine are fraternal and hoping for one of each or 2 girls, cos I've got a boy. but maybe i am destined to mother a football team!

hi Merry - wow what a palaver! hope you're feeling ok about it.

our girls are just lovely. my mum came over to help for a few days which was great. i don't know what she did but the first night they slept for nearly 6 hours and hardly cried the next day!

... didn't last, but it was a relief

My Dad is trying to retire! To help out. My 93 year old Grandmother lives with my parents and needs constant help, so I can't really rely on them, but already they take it turns to come down once a week (1 hr each way), while the other one takes care of Gran. If Dad retires totally then they manage one day each!

Yeah, a palaver. Still not sure how many will pop out in the end. There's been mumsnet stories, of people having triplets when they give birth afer just seeing twins in scans!

My Dad is trying to retire! To help out. My 93 year old Grandmother lives with my parents and needs constant help, so I can't really rely on them, but already they take it turns to come down once a week (1 hr each way), while the other one takes care of Gran. If Dad retires totally then they manage one day each!

Yeah, a palaver. Still not sure how many will pop out in the end. There's been mumsnet stories, of people having triplets when they give birth afer just seeing twins in scans!

Zipadi, love the photo of the twins

twinkle, glad to hear you're hanging in there! and keeping em in. Thought you were trying to get to 33 weeks, but obviously any further along is great. How many other lo's do you have??

pazza, I am following your progress with great interest and the photos are just lovely 6 hours even for one night is fab!

merry, surely you aren't really this relaxed about poss. of still triplets??! I salute you! I am finally feeling positive about my twins, and actually looking forward to meeting them before it was just dread . Sounds like your parents are really trying to support you and it's not that common, how wonderful of them!

The photos are great aren't they? I can't wait for mine! Makes me go all broody. Ds was a big, fat lump when he was born, am looking forward to smaller babies this time!

How many scans do you get with twins?

Pazza, noticed you have a 12 and a 28. Did you have others? Are your girls ID? They look a similar size, how much did they weigh? So sweet. Did you have them at Homerton? I am down for Whipps X at the moment, but haven't been too impressed. If it doesn't improve, I may move over to Homerton, despite the hideous parking.

I think seeing photos of other twins or even twins in RL makes me feel so much positive about it.

I've had scans at 17 weeks and 20 so far (17 was meant to be before 14 but they didn't get organised). Haven't been told I'll get anymore.

Did you find out twins at 17 weeks? wow! I am nearly 17 weeks and I am HUGE! (About 24 weeks huge with ds). They are moving around too...cool, but makes my tummy very tight when they do.

Yup, didn't find out until then. Reallllly cross with hospital, I started getting bigger so quickly after that and found it hard to handle. My next door neighbour 26 wks pg with 2nd baby and I am larger than her easily! I'm 22 weeks now. Funnily enough, it's quite a nice shaped bump compared to before! Frightening to think how much bigger I'll get though. I'm already thinking how much longer I can work (I do 3 days a week).

Oh my goodness. That could have been me. They mucked up my scan dates, well the hospital actually had no idea I was pregnant until I was 13 weeks cos the form got lost. Then my midwife rushed through a nuchal fold scan when I was 14 weeks, because she thought I was 37!!! (I'm 34). It was that scan where the lady told us it was 3. It's all so vivid, I still can't believe she was wrong, she spent so long checking because she had never come across it before.

I was working 3 days a week with my first and left at 34 weeks. It was mostly the train journey I couldn't do anymore, the actual job was mostly sitting. It is your first? Then I'm sure you'll be a tighter than me, my muscles were already shot! Good for the babies, I guess, but not for me. I am finding the stairs hard already, but I am not very fit anyway.

Ah, and then you have another scan and they say it's twins! What an upheaval!

I've got two boys already - 18mos and 4.6. eeek.

Wow, no wonder you felt pressure at the thought of twins. My son is 2.5 now, will be 3 just about when babies are born (poor kid won't be getting a party this year!!!). I would love to have at least one girl in there...mostly for my dh who really wants a girl, partly because being a mum to 3 or 4 boys is quite scary energy-wise.

I think you said you live up north, is that right? Are your in laws close by? Do you get on with them? Am assuming your parents live in Oz. I have a friend staying at the moment from Melbourne, she has been here nearly a year, going back 31st July. She is slowly convincing me to move there. I used to be dead against it, but am beginning to feel more positive (my babies will have summer birthdays over there!). I'll only go if I can convince my parents and they aren't keen right now, but you never know what'll change. My sister lives in the Middle East with her dh, who loves travelling so they're not coming back to England anytime soon. I really miss her though. She comes 2-3 x a year since I had Oli.

twinkle how is the leg crossing going?! hope you're getting as much rest as poss...it's pretty hard. heaving ds in and out of carseat is getting tedious and i am only 16 weeks! had a bad night's sleep last night, uncomfortable legs mostly. Really want to sleep on my back...

Morning all,
So far i have had scans at 12 20 24 28 32 and have another booked for 36 weeks if i make it that far.I also had a mini scan when i went into labour.My children are 9, 7 and 2.5 so its hard work!!!!!! they ahve lots of hobbies and activitys so life go's on pregnant or not
we are off to butlins this week as kids are off and it will be the last chance to get away before they arrive Bit different to our normal hols abroad but im sure the kids will have a fab time.Im coming home early as im off to the hosp for various scans etc on fri.I should get my c/section date booked
Right must go and put all the stuff in the car!!!
Twinkle

Hello!

Merry to answer your q's ... I had the same scans as Twinkle - 12 20 24 28 32 - would have had one at 36+6 too but had CS at 36+5! Would have been fun to have a final scan just before the CS to see if they got the weights right but I was so tired and puffed up I couldn't be bothered with another trip to the hospital.

Carmen and Anais are non-ID and weighed 4lb13/2.2kg and 5lb4/2.38kg - now they are about 6lb6 and 7lb, at 5 weeks . Yes it was Homerton and they were truly fantastic. They have twins all the time so they treat it as perfectly normal - but also look after you closely and gave me lots of support breastfeeding etc. I am still exclusively breastfeeding them. You are right about the parking tho.

accessorizequeen latest update is i tried tandem feeding today, with help from the legendary Marslady, when they are in the right position and both sucking away contentedly it's quite 'wow! i'm amazing!!!'

Pazza, I have a book with different positions to tandem feed and it made me so emotional when I was looking it! I found bfeeding incredibly painful but also very satisfying and am determined to do it this time too. Well done, for managing it exclusively with TWINS! And they are doing so well in their weights too.

I will see how Whipps goes and then maybe transfer to Homerton. You can tell me the secret of where to park on the back streets! (Although not sure I will want to be walking far). Whipps were not good from start to finish and that was with only 1 child. So far, they have not proved to have been very good this time either. I understand they are very overworked...but...they are my babies.

Ooh, pazza, well done, that sound fabulous! My friend with 9 mo dt's said she sound it so difficult and was under pressure etc but I'm sure if she'd had mars it would've been alright!

twinkle, hope the holiday is wonderful and you somehow get a rest from the houseful!

Merry, I do live up north (yorkshire) but I"m lucky enough that my dm lives round the corner, my sister not far away and in-laws about 50 mins and v.helpful - they're taking ds1 for a weekend soon so we can paint the nursery. I had 3 yrs between my boys and they're great together. I honestly wouldn't have minded four boys, they're so lovely! Haven't bought any pink stuff yet (or perhaps you'd say it should be orange anyway!)

didn't realise so many scans for non-ids! No-one has said anything about extra scans to me, I'm not seeing consultant for 2 more weeks when I'll be 25 weeks.

Hi all

Just got two minutes ... our twins arrived at 38w+1 by elective CS on 22 May ... so 12 days old today. Two girls! DT1 weighed 7lb2oz and DT2 6lb6oz. Both breastfeeding well although I can so empathise with you Neez regarding the all night feeding. We've had a string of 3am bedtimes and today it was 4am before I finally got DT2 settled ... it was getting light and the birds were singing. Got exactly 2hrs before DT1 was looking fed! Have overdone it last few days and tummy very sore today - this section much more difficult to get over than previous.

Still ... they're so worth it. Both beautiful and it's lovely to see how tender their big brothers are with them.

Both awake now and probably looking fed so must go and have some supper to get myself ready for another loooong night ahead.

Welcome Merry - can't believe what happened to you with the triplets/twins ... you're so calm about it all.

Those are great weights, millie. were you on the 'd'ya ever' thread a few days ago? The feeding/ no sleep thing is becoming obvious and real to me. Ds used to wake about 4x per night, so I can't imagine doubling that. He also went to sleep straight after feeding so I was never awake too long at a time, just very interrupted sleep.

How on earth do you cope with bigger kids as well? Can you get ANY sleep in the day? With ds, I slept when he slept, but I know I won't have that luxury as he will want food/ entertainment/ taking out. Will definitely invest in quite a lot of DVD's! And maybe a sofa bed in the living room, so I can sleep while he watches TV! How do you manage?

Congrats, millie, that's wonderful for you and such healthy weights too! I am at 3am bedtimes though, I could just about handle 11pm with ds2 for the early weeks but argggghhhh. Did we chat about nursing pillows a while back??

Merry, do you have ds at nursery during the week at all because that's the only way I hope to get some sleep (ds1 starts school in sept, ds2 at nursery 2 days)! I don't get any rest during the day now when at home with them both unless ds2 napping and ds1 watches something on tv and I conk out on the sofa. Which I actually did today, how I could sleep through roary I dont know. My mum has said she'll take some unpaid leave if I have a section so that she can be around more which is so sweet of her, she's absolutely wonderful.

Accessorize, ds goes to playschool 2 mornings a week. I was going to up it all the mornings in September, but it is still a hassle to take him, and pick him up - it's a 5 min drive. They don't do all day, and I don't really want to move him because he will move again to nursery hopefully in January. I am thinking of getting an au pair though who can drive. They only work about 5 hrs a day, but should be enough to get through the mornings! And help out with some housework.

How you slept through Roary, I don't know! I have managed not to let ds get into that one, by flicking to Lazytown (which is about as much energy/ noise as I can handle in one day!) and Wonderpets and Big Barn Farm and Peppa Pig (very calm!). Have had quite a lot of energy today in the first sunny weather for ages, it helps. My knees still ache at night, and I am having trouble sleeping past 3am, usually up 3-5 and then back to sleep.

Sounds like you're well organised then. I just don't think we can afford help so not looking at it sadly although I need it! I don't know how I"m going to drop ds1 at school, ds2 at nursery and then pick them both up again as I always have to get babies out of the car & prob put them in sling+buggy whatever. Hoping family & friends are going to help out for some of the time as I certainly found doing drop-offs/pick-ups such a hassle when ds2 a baby and I was on mat.leave. How much are au pairs anyway, do they have to live in as we have NO space to accommodate anyone.

If you're moving in Jan, then def. right not to move him. I hated moving ds1 to new nursery when I was pg with ds2 (because I thought it was cr*p), such an upheaval!

I do wish for the days of Maisy and Kipper I could snooze through quite a lot of that. Now I get qu's every minute about whatever is on (we do dvd's, not tv so not familiar with most of those!). He watched wallace & gromit last week and seemed utterly terrified of it so I couldn't get any housework done as had to hold his hand entire time! I know, lazy parenting, but when am I meant to get tea on??? I too am not nodding off until 11 or so (dp & I staying up late discussing stuff( and wake at 5 every morning. Have you tried pillow between knees, that eases things for me although it's my hips that are the problem.

Not really organised, no! Au pairs are about 60pounds a week. We are going to use some savings to pay for one for a year. They do live in. We don't really have much room, but in the first 6 months we will have babies in with us. When they are old enough, and sleep well enough, to join ds then we may give them our big room and swap into the smaller room ourselves (which just about squeezes a double bed and nothing else)!!! We have a 3 bed house and only 1 toilet, so it will be a bit cramped with 4 of us using it, but I just don't think I will manage otherwise. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and whilst it is better when pregnant and bfeeding, I still get tired more easily than 'normal' people!Ideally, we'd get a mother's help or someone who doesn't live in, but for 60quid you would only get 6 hours rather than 25hours.

We are thinking of moving 'sometime' if we can sell our place for a decent profit (unlikely in this climate tbh). Ds should go to a 'proper' nursery school in Jan as he turns 3 in Nov. However, the waiting round here is terrible so not sure if he will. Still don't want to change him twice if it's not needed.

Can you ask someone who lives locally to do the dropping off and picking up of your kids, school friends. Sadly, ds's playschool is a short drive (or very long walk) away and I don't know anyone else who goes there from round here. The nursery school is more local, and I know a lot of people whose kids go there, so am going to have to just ASK FOR HELP much as I hate it because I think I am putting people out etc., but really, I would be happy to do it for someone else in my situation, so I just need to be a bit humble!

Yes, have tried the pillow between knees. It helps but doesn't stop it. Hope your hip aches get better and you sleep well tonight...

Goodness, merry, cfs as well! Yikes, yes you absolutely need help! I agree, I'm finding really hard to say to people can you pick up ds1 from school one day a week when several friends have vaguely offered to help. But I need a concrete offer really. DP & I were trying to come up with ways last night to do the drop-offs and pick-ups so it was easier for me and we didn't come up with much. I'd have to get the twins out of the car and carry them into school & nursery unless someone's with me. We're thinking about 2 buggies at present, one for the car that takes click on car seats and a 3-wheeler for home.
Really interesting the prices/hours for help, had no idea of costs. We're keeping ds2 in nursery which will cost £240 a month (so most of the smp!), another £240 for mother's help I don't know where it would come from. I want dp to work shorter hours but in order to do that he has to pay someone else to do the work as he already works from home most nights anyway. He's got five companies all needing full attention and they'll be supplying our sole income once I go on mat leave.

What about a litte yoga, I've found if I do a little stretching etc, my joints aren't quite as painful at night (my knees are actually really hurting today despite pillow last night, how bout you?) dread to think of impact carrying around 37 week bump will be! Are you going for natural or section or don't know yet?

Hi accessorize. Don't know about natural or C-section yet. Asked midwife and she said if lower twin is head down they will do natural. I think I'd rather have a natural birth, but am scared because I had third degree tears and a horrible labour with ds. Would love to cut out all that pain and 'trauma'! Still, even those tears are not as bad to heal as a C-section, I was driving in under a week. We don't have downstairs toilet, so would be traipsing upstairs all the time, and not able to drive or pick ds up or manhandle the child for 6 weeks seems a very long time. Still, we will cope if it comes to that.

I've lost track of how many weeks you are now. I am 17+3. Just when you found out about twins!

Sometimes people make vague offers of help, because they 'don't want to impose' and we don't want to ask for the same reason. It's so English. In reality, I'm sure they'd be happy to help out. Maybe divide it between 2 of the better friends and insist that if they find they are being inconvenienced, please, please just say so. As long as they have a 'get out' clause, they will be happy. It is hard, but would you be happy to do it if it was one of them? If you really feel uncomfortable, maybe when they see you heaving babies in and out of the car, they will offer to help (ooh, but you won't be able to pick those carseats/ buggies etc. up for ages with a C-section...how will that work?).

I've seen this cool buggy which I think does the clip on thing, called an 'i-candy pear'. Someone at Oli's playschool has twins and she has one with 2 carrycots clipped to it, but you can clip carseats too. Maybe will get the carrycots for them to sleep in the house (downstairs) and for walking round shops etc. It's kind of 'split level' so is not as long as a conventional double buggy. It's fairly pricey though.