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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Twin vaginal delivery - advice please

32 replies

Yorkiegirl · 14/01/2005 19:22

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Markar · 21/09/2006 10:47

I'm 16 weeks pg with fraternal (non identical) twins. How can I prevent preterm labor?

3andnomore · 21/09/2006 12:05

Twin Homebirth story
this is an incredible inspiring Twin Homebirth story:)
I know you are not planning a Homebirth, but thought those stories might be an encouraging read about Twin Births!
Best of luck to you!

throckenholt · 21/09/2006 12:24

I don't think you can do anything specific - apart from normal pregnancy things.

You do get very tired with twins (at least I did) - so rest as much as you can in the later stages. But also keeo as fit as you can.

Twins are pretty much expected at 37 weeks rather than 40 I think - in that most do not get anywhere near 40 - and going over 40 weeks is fairly rare.

Mine were induced at 35 weeks because one stopped growing.

devondoris · 25/09/2006 22:49

Hi Markar,

I'm at 37 weeks now and have kept on my feet and healthy all the way through. It gets exhausting though!

Try reading Elizabeth Noble's Having Twins book. There's lots of information in there about twins and how to keep them in - main points are nutrition, rest and exercise. Nutrition-wise, make sure it's organic and something that will give you energy - whole carbs and quite a lot of protein is good. Once I found out I had twins at 20 weeks I started taking a pregnancy multivit and mineral supplement - the one I used was Viridian's Pregnancy Complex. From what I've read it's worth doing this, just to be sure that you're getting enough. I think attitude is important as well. I've also been going to the osteopath (started off at once a month, then once a fortnight) and the reflexologist.

I was told my iron levels were low at about 30 weeks or so. It was actually 10.7. This is not low but normal for a pregnant woman! The optimal levels are between 9.5 and 10.5 at the end of a pregnancy with a Mean Corpuscular Volume of greater than 84. Your iron levels get low because you produce loads more plasma to carry everything around.

Also try eating 6 meals a day. I found this really hard, but I do try having a snack in between and something protein-ish before bed.

Sorry, this is lots of information, but it's all worked for me to get to where I am comfortably!

Also, remember that the official 37 weeks due date for twins is based on hospital data so doesn't include homebirths and birthing centre information, and it does include all the women who are bullied into inductions at 37 or 38 weeks because the hospital protocol says they should. so personally I think that's a false figure as it doesn't show what a natural gestation period would be. I get a bit feisty about this!

Have a look at the Association of Radical Midwives website as another place to start - I've found many answers on there to questions that I've had. Also worth remembering that however much hospital protocol and advice might scare you now (I found it did), women have been birthing twins ever since ever! And if we didn't birth better than bunnies we wouldn't have taken over the planet quite so successfully!!

I'll stop now... Good luck! Hope this is helpful!

Doris

devondoris · 25/09/2006 22:51

Oh and by the way, I know someone who delivered her twins at 43 weeks - all her previous pregnancies had been 43 weeks so she knew that was her personal gestation period.

And ActiveBirth classes are brilliant!!!!

xx
d

crocoonimper · 02/10/2006 18:50

Hi
My non ID boys were born vaginally - T1 head down and T2 breech - 32 mins between deliveries. They told me that they normally leave 30 mins max between the 2 before needing a c-section - so I guess we just made it. They were induced at 38 weeks at my request (i am sure they would have stayed longer!), 12 hr labour, 6lbs 8 and nearly 7 lbs. They are now 4.5 and healthy as anything, Im going for no.3....HTH

snugglebumnappies · 03/10/2006 09:36

Hi Doris, I't so nice to see a someone putting forward a normal perspective of twin pregnancy and birth. Are you plannning a home or hops birth for your twins and have you booked with an IM or the NHS. Just being very nosey (am a M/W) as I think you could add a lot to what others have been led to believe is "safe" as regards a time pregnancy and birth. The other thing is that many hospital like to speed things up with the second twin (no strong research to back up the need for this) and often an oxytocic drip is started not long after the 1st baby has been born, so some of the times between birth of 1st and 2nd baby may have been due to this.

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