HELP one twin bigger than the other...!!!

[hippy3]

I have just had a 14 weeks scan. And have found out that with my identical twins one is bigger than the other. It is not TTS they have confirmed, but have told me that this is a natural occurance. The thing is they started talking about the smaller tiwn not growing properly, and what we might have to go through.

We have an appointment with a consultant next week and another scan in a week.

I am feeling scared and depressed.

Is this normal???

They did say that this can sometimes happen and we are to keep an open mind, but I just wanted everything to be normal. One thing they did say is that the two of them are really active and they have the same amount of fluid in each sack...but now I am scared about the next scan. What happens if the one twin has stopped growing.

Has anyone else been through this?????? My DP is really upset and he is normally the one who calms me down. I dont know if i am over reacting...just want them both to be fine !

anyone....?

Hi there

I had identical twins almost 3 yrs ago. When I had my nuchal, they were the same size, same fluid levels and almost equal nuchal folds. At 16 weeks the fluid levels were alot different and one was slightly bigger than the other.

From then on I was scanned weekly and in the end everything settled down and although one was always smaller, they were born at 36 weeks (4lb 15oz and 5lb 8oz).

It is a common occurance (a friend of mine just had non id twins and one was 2lb12oz and the other 5lb 2 oz!!!)

However, this doesn't help you with the here and now. I would say that it is important to get scanned regularly to ensure things are progressing properly so I'm glad you have another next week. It is great that the fluid levels are the same. Did you have a nuchal? I ask because on all of my scan reports (I had 17 in total!!) it was mentioned that the nuchal folds were almost exactly the same. They seemed to use this as a good sign that ttts would not occur, whereas if they were very different measurements, it was more likely.

I know you must be v worried but the chances are this is just one of those things and in a couple of weeks the little one will have caught up. And it sounds like they are going to monitor you closely.

So, good luck. I remember feeling just as you do about the risk of ttts, but stay positive and keep us posted.

poppyella

x

Thanks guys....am feeling a bit better today.... its good to be able to be on here and people to be reassuring...

I had the same thing with ID twins. I found out at the one scan I had to attend on my own and crashed the car on the way out of the hospital car park I was in such a state, so I understand your worry. Our girls continued to grow at different rates (apparently one was growing at the rate of a singleton and the smaller one at the rate of a twin all through the pregnancy). 3 and a half years on one is still a little bigger than the other but they are both fine.

thank you...

In my rational momnets I think that this is pobably quite normal. As Ive read that ID twins can be slightly different in size/ weight . So im trying not to think about anything until my next scan !

I am guessing that this still means they look the same?

The one problem I have, though its not really a big deal, is that for a while people would say 'how do i tell the difference, oh so and so is taller'. Well the smaller twin heard this so many times that she started eating until she had a tummy ache and when I asked her why, she said she wanted to eat lots to grow big like her sister!! So now I really try to stop people pointing out the slight height difference.
But such problems are a long way in your future!
I worried a lot in pregnancy as there are so many associated risks with twins, but in the end I found it helpful to channel my energy / worry into something so i just focused as much as poss on eating really healthily and keeping healthy and rested.
You will be fine.

twinmum thanks for your advice..Its hard being a first time mum and then being worried because its Twins Have spent lost of time resting over the last week, also talking to them and visualising positive things.

Had a meeting today with the doctor and they said its too early to worry about anything and that they would just have to keep an eye on me. So I feel a BIT better today.

Although was watching the news earlier and balled although I think that that is hormones ..I hope !!

Hey there Hippy3

I changed hospital during my twin pregnancy cos the consultant was OBSESSED by the fact that T1 was smaller than T2 and wanted me to go for weekly scans, steroid injections and all sorts. Non ID twins were born at 37weeks plus, totally totally fine, are now more than double their birth weight AND twin 1 has overtaken her sister!

Don't let medicalisation get you down..it's important to have scans and be sure all is well, but also to be as calm and rested as possible. Tell them if/how/when you feel stressed by it all, sometimes it's all about communication skills (or lack thereof). Also don't go looking up stuff on the internet - it made me utterly paranoid to no avail at all.

All the best :)