Twins Club 5! All welcome! :-)

[mandasand]

Hello! I was a relative newcomer to the last Twins Club thread. I thought I should start a new thread as the last one I filled up with a bit of chatter towards the end. The last thread was really useful to learn from others also carrying multiples and to get the benefit of recent 'graduates' (when they had a minute between sleeping and feeding newborns!)

I'm 37 and 16+5 with twins. I live in Oxfordshire with DH and these are our first children!

Be lovely to get some chatter going on the thread so please come and introduce yourselves :-)

[mandasand]

Hope the fluid levels are okay in your Thursday scan LookatHerGo - do check back in and let us know.

My friend with little boy twins came round today to drop some stuff off (she's brill!) and she showed me her belly and I was a bit shocked. She is so trim and has a flat stomach, but when she showed me the skin she described it herself as an eighty year old's belly because there is so much excess skin. I'm not normally lost for words but I didn't know what to say! Oh me oh my...

Went to Ikea this evening and was really struggling by the time we got to the till. If I'd have seen a wheelchair at the beginning I'd definitely have sat in it ...

[FestiveDigestive]

lookathergo - You're right, the movicol does work! I was getting a bit impatient and swigging glasses of it every few hours but it worked in the end. One less thing to to worry about

manda - It's funny that you say that about your friend and her stomach; last night was the first time I really started to wonder about what my stomach will look like after this.

Obviously I've had two c-sections already so I know what my stomach looks like for the first six weeks or so afterwards (really puffy & still quite pregnant!) but I started wondering how much bigger it will be straight after the birth this time. Also about the extra skin bit... I've never had that before but then I've never stretched like this before. I'm hoping that if I end up with a flap of skin then it will be low enough for me to just tuck it into my jeans or bikini bottoms

How does your friend feel about her tummy skin? Can it be tucked away?! Or is just loose skin all over?

[mandasand]

Festive I'd really, really recommend not googling post-twin belly or 'twin skin'. I only read stuff (no pictures thank god) but that was enough to make me wake up worrying about it in the night! And there are lots of threads on here about it too - not all of which I've managed to read because they all seemed to be saying the same thing: apparently there's nothing that can be done except tuck it in or have a v. expensive tummy tuck. I've always had a little pot belly and quite liked the roundness of it. But it's the sagginess of skin with no purpose that makes me feel a bit queasy! And it's inevitable because of all the sudden stretching during the pregnancy. I am moisturising on the hour at the moment but it looks like even that is completely in vain

[mandasand]

PS everyone, I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that I've had a poo! At last! The relief ...

[FestiveDigestive]

Is anyone else feeling huge?! My bump is starting to look a bit ridiculous now. For some reason, I seem to have lost body fat from everywhere else in this pregnancy (I piled it on with my other two!) so that means I have quite skinny legs and I can see my ribs at the side of the bump at the top, but the actual bump had just become HUGE!

It sticks out really far to the front so it's when people see it from the side that they really gasp in shock. I'm quite self-conscious when I go out now because I can see people looking and whispering to each other or just blatently pointing at me . I had my 32 week check up today and measuring 43 weeks. I am wondering of it physically possible for my skin to actually stretch anymore...

[mandasand]

Hey Festive, I'm not as far along as you but I'm starting to get that full-term look. I was chatting to a woman on the street this morning and she asked me if I was expecting the baby to come before Christmas. I said, erm, first, it's babies, and no, hopefully they will stay where they are till February! She didn't know what to say!

Like you, I've lost a bit of weight elsewhere (am prob not eating enough?) but the bump is ever increasing. I've gone from size 12 pants to size 20 in a matter of months and I'm now outgrowing my size 20s which I've had for two weeks or so! They are over-the-bump pants (cheapo M&S ones) and the elastic has been really bothering my itchy bump so I've just cut the elastic either side of the waist and the relief is enormous

I'm 27 weeks tomorrow so you're five ahead of me. So you're measuring 43 weeks of a singleton pregnancy? Hope everything went well with the check-up? Are you waddling? Strangely, although I've still got a waddle, my hips seem to be coping a bit better than they were about a month ago.

As for going out and about, I intend to do increasingly little of it from now! Hibernation is the way forward!

[LookAtHerGo]

Thanks manda I'll definitely let you know how it goes.

I'm glad you've both managed to poo :) a huge relief no doubt. I'm pooing blackish stuff now, from the iron tablets no doubt!

Oh yes, I feel absolutely huge, struggling greatly with the bump at the moment, I've only grown a bump, everywhere else is the same size I think. But it's all out front. I get a lot of looks from people. The skin on my bump has started with stretch marks in the last week, huge wide red shiny stretched skin :(

I'm 30 weeks tomorrow :) so we're all about the same in here now. :)

[FreeButtonChristmasTree]

Hello

I've not been very good at keeping up with this thread. I'm nearly 30 weeks now. All fine with the babies but I am starting to get very tired. I am finishing work at Christmas and cannot wait. When are you finishing up>

I was measuring 36cms at 28 weeks and since I'm only 5'3, I look like a weeble. Dread to think how big I am going to end up.

I haven't got skinny anywhere else - I'm very jealous of you that have a bit. Very sweet tooth going on at the moment which is so hard to resist. My friend was taking photos at the weekend in the pub and the ones of me looked terrible. I just look fat from the boobs up. Am trying not to think about the twin skin thing. I've never been particularly fit or toned but I am really missing using my body actively. I can't wait to go for a run or something - not that I will have the energy I suppose.

[gardenpixies32]

Hi ladies.

It will get better. I measured over 40 weeks from 28 weeks onward. My midwife stopped measuring at 32 weeks! I got stretch marks everywhere at the end and my bump looked like a road map. You will still look pregnant 6 weeks later (I still do 9 weeks later!).

My GP (who has 4 year old twin boys) said a lovely thing when I complained to her about it. She touched my now flabby stomach and said that my body did an amazing thing carrying two babies and that I must always remember that when I look at it. Made me feel quite tearful actually.

I felt awful after giving birth (in a very different way to the end of my pregnancy, which was dreadful). My hips and tops of my thighs ached for a long time afterwards. However, the last couple of weeks are starting to be one of the best I have had since the DT's arrived. They are getting into a lovely routine, I am feeling physically well and much fitter and I am really enjoying my babies. They were 9 weeks old on Saturday!

All worth it in the end ladies. I can't wait to hear all your baby news when you all start popping! :)

[gardenpixies32]

I have bravely posted two pics of my bump on my profile! It wasn't a neat bump at all, just mahoosive!

[FestiveDigestive]

Hi Manda - I definitely have a waddle now - especially if I try to go anywhere quickly. Having said that, I totally lost my temper with DS the other day & broke into a sprint as I tried to run up the stairs & catch him (he was running away because he knew he was in trouble!). My DH saw and came out panicking "What are you DOING? You're massively pregnant! Please sit down". He has a shock when he saw me and my big bump running through the hallway in hot pursuit of DS . It's the fastest I've moved in months.

FreeButton - You're really close to me in dates, we're nearly on the home stretch! You are doing amazingly well to be working still, I can imagine you're looking forward to finishing. I'm at home with my 20 month DD during the day (DS is at school) and that can be tiring but at least we can have a day of sofa & TV when I'm extra tired - plus she has an afternoon nap so I can go back to bed too.

Gardenpixies - Your bump is impressive! Nice to look at your twin pics again too. Can you see differences in their personalities yet or is too soon to tell? I'm worried that I will mix mine up when I am sleep deprived (even if they turn out to be different sexes) so it will just be a blur of 'baby' & I won't bond properly with each one.

[FreeButtonChristmasTree]

11 days to go (in work) - not that I am counting.

I had to have a little rest after making the bed this morning. definitely never been this tired in my life

[LookAtHerGo]

Freebutton, well I only went back off my last lot of maternity in August and due to some massive amount of annual leave and some accrued hours from a course, I have already finished work! There isn't anyway I could do any work now. I am shattered big time.

I've not been measured by my midwife, they are just going off my scan measurements.

Garden, my stomach has become massively stretch marked now, ah well, it's all part of it. But you had a lovely big bump :)

Festive, I'm waddling, and have been for ages now.

Well I definitely have polyhydramnios, it's with both twins now. So I'm back at the hospital this wednesday for a scan with a consultant to check babies are all ok, then another serial growth scan the following week. I suppose we will be talking about options and what the extra fluid means to me, I know from reading up about things that it can put you at higher risk of prem birth, cord prolapse or placental abruption, so I don't know if I will still be allowed to try a vaginal delivery or not.

I am really struggling now with my size and dealing with a lively toddler (15 months old today) I definitely want them to stay put as long as possible, but I am counting down the days to 37 weeks now!

[mandasand]

Nice we're all roughly at the same stage! 28 weeks tomorrow for me :-) For the first time last night I had a head, or a bum, sticking right out of the left hand side of my belly - hilarious! I have anterior placentas at the front, towards the right, so I get nothing there, but to see this big head/bum shape, plus feel a huge amount of movement close by was so funny! DH actually found it a bit weird to watch after a few minutes. He keeps mentioning the film Alien, which thankfully I can't remember having seen, hehe!

So pleased your babies are already in a good routine, Garden! Your bump is lovely! Thanks for posting pic. Babies are adorable!

Festive I had to laugh at your DS-chase! I did too much decorating yesterday (we've moved DH out of his man cave and into my study so we have a box-room nursery) and ended up in a sobbing heap. I get out of puff so easily and have zero stamina. Pretty hard for someone who is used to being very fast and efficient!

BUT doc phoned me this morning and I've got v. low in potassium again. I think this may be related. It happened early in pregnancy and I remember feeling a bit better after taking the supplements. Fingers crossed. I like my docs - they are so on the ball. Had my bloods done there on Friday in advance of tomorrow's 28-week growth scan + consultant appointments.

Really excited but also nervous about seeing babies again. There is always the fear (for me) that something has gone wrong with one of them. Hopefully this is just nonsense-thinking! Exciting, exciting? Hopefully we will have heard back from a hospital I got treated at years and years ago about The State of My Uterus after which I should have a clearer idea about what birth options are open to me though personally I'm quite keen on the efficiency of a CS.

Hope your scan goes well this week Lookathergo. Sorry you have the possible worry about polyhydramnios but hope it's not too serious? FX for you.

[Blending]

Room for another?

I'm 13+4 and already as big as I was with DD at 5 months.

We've known since 7 weeks, as they are IVF, but still a shock as we had treatmeant quite a few times. The second round of IVF giving us our first miracle dd (2yo) after 6 years ttc, and these were our last frozen embryos and such poor quality after defrost that we thought there was no chance of even one of them making it!

Anyway, now finally starting to believe it so thought I should pop in!

[LookAtHerGo]

manda, I often play follow the foot, as I get feet sticking out, and so I touch them as they move! Hope you have a good scan.

Welcome to the thread blending. Yep second time around the bump is much bigger. Congratulations on the doubly successful IVF (sorry I don't know if that's an appropriate thing to say or way to put it - I hope you don't get offended at that)

Well I was scanned again yesterday, twin 1 (lower one head down) is in a normal amount of fluid, twin 2 is in a massive pool of fluid, so I am now on drugs to hopefully reduce the fluid which will in turn reduce the risk of prem birth, the trouble is all the excess fluid is causing extra pressure on my uterus, so hence why we need to do something. if my waters break I need to be in hospital right away as the risk of cord prolapse or placental abruption is high with polyhydramnios so I need to be checked over and monitored right away. I am just now counting every day and hoping everything is OK, the extra days the babies stay put is a bonus.

[FreeButtonChristmasTree]

Oh, fingers crossed Look what a worry.

I am measuring 42cm - 11 weeks ahead. I am enormous. DH is baffled at where another 7 weeks worth of baby is going to go. Still no stretchmarks - I am waiting daily for their arrival...

Another scan plus a obs appointment next week - only my second dcs appt - the first was pretty perfunctory so we'll see what they have to say for themselves this time. TBH, I've pretty much been left alone throughout my pregnancy which in a lot of ways has been nice both because it means I've been healthy and all is well and also so I don't have to listen to doom-mongering/inevitability of intervention. I will be well pissed off if they start getting all interfering now (unless obv it's really needed).

Helpfully, my hospital have a "what to expect in hospital session for multiples" so am going to that tomorrow morning. Not sure what to expect by useful to get a feel for their approach/how many people will be in the room/how the wards are set up.

[FreeButtonChristmasTree]

Oh is anyone else suffering from sciatic pain? I get terrible pain in my left bum cheek which makes it difficult to walk occasionally. Haven't managed to see anyone about it yet but I have a spikey ball like this which really really helps. I put it on the floor and basically sit on it in the sore spot and roll around. V undignified and not to be done in public but it really gets into the tight spot and uses your weight to really apply some pressure. Can also be done when lying in bed (if matress is fairly firm) or I've managed to do a bit when sitting on my chair at work, just to keep it loose. Really recommend.

[LookAtHerGo]

How was your multiples talk Free? We have our parent education class tomorrow, specifically for twins. Have you been having regular scans Free, even though you haven't seen the docs much?

I swear I can feel it every time I get a new stretch mark, like my skin suddenly feels tingly in one place then goes very quickly.

I'm trying not to worry too much about the what could happen, I don't believe in worrying permanently when you don't even know if it will happen or not, I don't want to spend the next few weeks in a permanent state of angst. I'm sure it's not good for the babies.

I am however struggling so much at the moment with my size, I've not been measured so I have no idea how I compare to a single 31+4 pg I reckon I am probably measuring about 90 weeks though My DD is 15 months and into everything, and has I think realised that I can't get up as quickly as her Daddy can and so she 'plays up' a little for me and touches things she isn't supposed to, so it's a bit frustrating at the moment, but I'll get through it.

[mandasand]

Well, ever since I hit 28 weeks last Tuesday I seem to be hungrier and heavier and the babies are making much bigger movements - yikes! Feels very much like the final stretch now better get on and finish decorating the nursery and make some lists! Everything fine at 28-week hospital appointment, though they couldn't get growth measurements on baby two as head was too far down in pelvis. Now got a much better idea of how the babies are lying so can more accurately identify what is sticking out where! Family came for early Christmas at the weekend and just loved seeing all the mad movements!

Welcome Blending and thanks for sharing your story with us. Nice to have you on board our happy little ship!

Lookathergo that's a bit of a worry. One of mine is at the lower end of borderline with how much fluid there is which is worrying enough, and I'm getting paranoid about discharge etc. How far along are you now? Are you going in regularly to see whether the drugs are working as they should? Thinking of you.

Freebutton me too with no stretchmarks at 29-weeks-tomorrow! But what was my belly button is all stretched out beyond all feasibility and I am starting to get some discolouration there and perhaps some of that will turn into s/marks. Have some thread veins either side of bump but they aren't too bad. We went to one of those multiple birth sessions in the hospital. Was great - tho so long ago I've forgotten everything!

We started NCT classes last week and there are two other parents-to-be of twins! Must be something in the water round here ? !

[Eskarina]

Hi, can I join? Had the news today that my dc2 is dts!! Quite a shock to the system. I'm 11+4 and already have a 15 month old dd. arrrggghhh!

[mandasand]

Congrats eskarina! It's so exciting to find out, isn't it?!

[DreamingOfAWhiteChristmas]

Hello everyone!!!



Congratulations eskarina, very similar to me- I vividly remember going for my first scan, dead on 12 weeks, with my DD who was nearly 13 months and thinking "oh sh*t!" . Then after an hour or so of it sinking in I was already delighted. Mine have nearly been out as long as they were in now, they're 9 months on January 4th. DD adores her brothers, its bloody hard work but also just lovely. They laugh and laugh at each other now, an incentive for rolling is to get to each other, and they can't stop giggling at DD- especially DT2. if only they'd sleep

Hope you hang on ok til 37 weeks lookathergo, oh, the worries of pregnancy. Here's to safe arrival of healthy babies for you.

[Frenchfamille]

New to Mumsnet! Live in France and nice to find a friendly forum I can use while I rest on the sofa and try to keep these babies in til after xmas.... 34 weeks and told to try to do very little now as cervical length shortened quite a bit recently. Really hoping to get to end of month, 36 weeks, so I can have xmas with my 3 boys and husband. Also a bit tricky as any date before 31st involves a hospital much further away than local one. So, legs crossed......

[mandasand]

welcome french! lots of lying down over xmas for you! fingers crossed babies stay nicely tucked up for a while longer.

off for my whooping cough jab now. had flu one last week which didn't affect me at all but I hear that WC is a bit of a meanie...