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When do you start showing with twins? What is life with twins like? Join the conversation on our Multiple Births forum.

Twins!

98 replies

HystericalParoxysm · 10/06/2013 22:08

Had an 8 week scan today and discovered I'm expecting non ID twins Blush
I sort of expected it but it still feels surreal. Explains the sickness and the fatness though!
They will be babies 3 and 4 for me. Do you get different antenatal care with fraternal twins?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
rednellie · 18/06/2013 21:52

link

DreamingOfAFullNightsSleep · 18/06/2013 21:56

I had a third degree tear with my firstborn, a 7lb 5oz baby. At 15 weeks pg with ny boys I said to the consultant I wanted an elcs if i got to term. Though I had much wavering, doubting, questioning of this throughout my pregnancy I had my elcs at 37+6 and it was fabulous. Skin to skin with both straight away, better than with my dd because of my haemorraghing with the tearing, much better recovery than first time for me. One consultant was very scathing I wanted elcs and not to try a labour first and "see how it went". He did agree on my elcs, though i chose a different consultant to do it.

beachesandbuckets · 18/06/2013 22:06

Thanks both, I think I need to give him a chance first (he is really nice and have confidence in him) and be frank with him at my next check up, and be more forceful in expressing my concerns. Or maybe get my midwide (who I haven't seen much) to give me a second opinion. I have had two natural and no drug births with two huge babies, and don't really care about whether this one is natural or not, as long at they are safe. My own (personal) view is that I am no more bonded with my two dcs (who I also breastfed for over a year each) than if I had been c-sectioned and bottle fed, and post natural labour wasn't a walk in the park either (well, with my first, with my second, she came out so quickly that I didn't break a sweat and could have done a jog in the evening :) ).

rednellie · 18/06/2013 22:44

Yeah, give him a chance. But it's always good to know how to know the options, even if you disregard them. Knowing I could plan a 'nice' c-section with my lovely OB made me calm down about everything and then it all changed anyway as the little buggers turned, turned and turned again.

stinkingbishop · 19/06/2013 07:05

Sorry all, obv that post didn't go down well! It's all written for the right reasons. Lots of people will do splendidly. Some won't - and it's important to feel able to shout I think. I struggled on too long because I is a Muppet.

Anyhows. Sorry again!

Goes off blushing slightly...

rednellie · 19/06/2013 08:20

Don't blush stinking, I'm sorry I called you on it. I def think we need a place to vent and it is important to admit when things aren't going right. I think I just got a bit worried about people taking anything as gospel.

We're all struggling along as best we can in our different ways. Good luck to us all I say

DeepRedBetty · 19/06/2013 09:10

Congratulations OP and all the rest of us lucky twin mums Grin

Re natural birth/c section, I was put under some pressure to have an elc and have done with it. The girls then decided they were coming like it or not at 33+5. I'd only gone onto maternity leave 8 days before and wasn't anywhere near ready - I worked for a tiny mail-order firm, Christmas was always our busiest time, and being a twit I'd agreed to see things through until the middle of January when all the returned gifts were dealt with.

I agreed to have an epidural set up so that a section could be performed quickly if necessary, and I have to admit that losing the pain of contractions was bliss. dtd1 came out head first beautifully, but dtd2 promptly flopped sideways in there. The registrar started to witter about a section, but the midwife, backed up by my birth partner (my mum, far more use than dp) said there was no sign of distress and plenty of time for the consultant to have a shufti. This was where the epidural paid dividends. The manipulation he did to turn dtd2 back to a fore-and-aft position would have been excruciating without anaesthetic! Unfortunately she was now feet first, but we went for it and out she came.

Being small and early meant SCBU for the girls, but I was discharged after 48 hours. Now being reasonably mobile and minus the section wound was really useful. SCBU only had 2 beds for overnighting parents and 31 babies in. Home was 12 miles away. I spent the next three weeks driving up and down, popping out of SCBU between feeds to buy all the stuff I hadn't had time to get. I did however get proper sleeps every night, which helped me recover much faster than most of us are allowed to. Of course we'd have managed somehow if I'd had to have a section, but I'd have had to call in favours left right and centre, favours I was going to need later when they came home. DP being self-employed meant there was no chance of him being able to take serious amounts of time off, we simply couldn't afford it.

Anyway, read up and be ready to argue back at HCPs who are scared of natural birth and multiples. I discovered afterwards that I was the first twin mother to NOT have a section at our hospital for over six months! I think if DP had been present instead of mummy I might have wavered, but she and the midwife seemed to form a good working relationship during my labour. This was fourteen years ago and I sincerely hope the 'if in doubt do a section' mentality is no longer the default, but I fear it might be in some units.

And can I just second the opinions re the Espace. It's a pile of poo. Recommend Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra (which are effectively all the same car with different badges).

stinkingbishop · 19/06/2013 09:44

On cars, we've got the Ford SMax. It's been a bit problematic but we think that's more that we've got one of those cars made late on a Friday rather than anything to do with the model, as friends have one and it's fine.

Genuinely comfy sitting between the girls in the back (I am on sick duty as one pukes after a mile, no joke). With the roof rack as well we're able to carry everything for comfort on big journeys including my rather large 19 year old.

Franykins · 19/06/2013 10:09

We need a car with what we call 7 'proper' seats as we don't like the idea of DP older boys sitting in the back of a Zafira or the like with the naff fold up seats (sorry to people who have them Blush but my sis had one and as an occasional 7 seater it was great but not a full time one) And we still want lots of boot space with all 7 seats up, rather large buggy and all haha. Hence looking at the Renault Espace Grand (but will be telling DP what others have said about them on here) and the Alhambra as they both look like they still have decent boot space and we could easy take one of the rear seats out and have a 6 seater and even more boot space. Having said this DP and I have said that if we do long journeys one of us will sit in the rear so the kids are in the middle of the car - yes probably over reacting but hey ho Wink

rednellie · 19/06/2013 10:15

Or you could look at a vw transporter. I know it's massive leap psychologically in size but they are.rigging awesome. Can't remember exactly how many seats, I think you can even get one with 9. But you can def have 7 adult proper seats with enough boot space for a giant buggy, sports gear and luggage. I think long term that's what we'll get as crating around teenagers with all their crap I don't think you can beat it.

Franykins · 19/06/2013 11:48

Yeah we did have a look at them, but the ones we could find were out of our price range really. I love driving vans though so I would be totally up for one! Great driving position Smile

My friend and I had a laugh the other day as she is looking for a new car too - a lovely little vaxhaul tigra convertible, two seats, perfect for her.

HystericalParoxysm · 19/06/2013 13:13

I have a transporter, it's great Smile

OP posts:
TwelveLeggedWalk · 19/06/2013 13:24

I've got a transporter. It is freakin' AWESOME. I can bump the double Nipper buggy in and out of the back without folding it, which is amazing.
It has a huge dog crate in and there is still loads of room.
We got Maxi cosi seats with the family fix base which made clipping them in and out SO easy.

We also bought an ex-commercial van and retro-fitted the rear windows and seats which brought the price down. Now they are toddlers and there is usually only four of us, we've take out one of the back seats (they're very easy to remove) so its easier to get them in and out of hte middle car seat.

rednellie · 19/06/2013 13:47

Oh god I really want a transporter. Lust. I love driving vans and weirdly find them much easier to drive than cars. Also I've suddenly started doubting I've got a touran. I think I've actually got a vw sharan. Anyway, it's still great.

This thread has moved on....Grin

Franykins · 19/06/2013 14:49

If we could find one in our price range then i'd love one too, a friend - who has twins just under one and is pg again (planned)- has one. Would make life easier space wise.

It has move don hasn't it. But I guess we're all just trying to think practically now Smile

HystericalParoxysm · 19/06/2013 15:03

Yes now the shock has worn off I'm thinking practicalities Grin even my Transporter is going to be a squeeze for us if we are all in it. Luckily I have the world's biggest roofbox which will help when we go away. Now to find a buggy that will fit in without needing the roofbox!

OP posts:
beachesandbuckets · 19/06/2013 20:09

We are having the problem of finding time to even look at/or test drive a potential car!! At the worse, we will be driving around in convoy with 2 kids each in the back of our 2 small vauxhall astras if the babies come any time soon! :)

rednellie · 19/06/2013 21:14

We had to buy ours in two days beaches, as we moved back from Canada when the boys were 5 months old and realised that we wouldn't be able to leave my parents house until we bought a car. There was a VW touran nearby, it worked, we bought it.

ClairesTravellingCircus · 20/06/2013 06:16

That's what we did fir the first two months.
I was put on bed rest at 26 weeks and only "released" at 35. By then I was so huge (and in so much pain from spd) that looking at cars was not my first priority.

We have a Touran, which is nice as a second car, but with 4 kids (and a double buggy) nowhere near enough for holidays!

Dh is supposed to get a seat alhambra as company car (we've bern waiting for 10 monthsHmm) which should give us more room for holidays!

Franykins · 20/06/2013 10:28

Both DP and I have 3 series BMW's, mine is a coupe so really not practical for babies! However as mine is the better car we are selling his and he will then be having mine while I get the mummy mobile (not sure this is fair Wink) Finding the time for anything at moment is hard. We still need to decorate our room and the hallway, we've just been so busy with other stuff - I couldn't tell you what though, things just always crop up. We have his two DS's this week coming (get them back tomorrow) and have football all weekend, plus my dad down to stay, so no time till next weekend really. I am going to get some sample paints over the weekend - I am!

It's my birthday day tomorrow Grin 21 again (which really means 31) so at the moment I am just looking forward to all that cake!!!!

harrygracejessica · 20/06/2013 13:49

We have a 9 seater tourneo. Love it and would hate to go smaller now.

rednellie · 20/06/2013 14:23

Happy birthday Frankykins!

Franykins · 20/06/2013 14:59

DP will think I'm going mad if I suggest a 9 seater now (and start worrying I'm planning my next pg already haha)

Thank you rednellie

Franykins · 20/06/2013 15:06

DP will think I'm going mad if I suggest a 9 seater now (and start worrying I'm planning my next pg already haha)

Thank you rednellie

elisio1 · 20/06/2013 19:48

Interesting to read all the recent stuff about cars and birth options. Think we're going for the Ford Galaxy option, tho' have also had the Chrysler Grand Voyager recommended to me by a 2 young kids plus twins mum. Apparently it has loads of room- easy to put in child seats etc without leaning over the whole time. Not hugely economical to run though.

Re: birth. Beachesandbuckets- I saw your question re natural v c-section and just wanted to add my "twopenceworth"based on my experiences so far.

As I said in my last message, I was supposed to go in for C-section today as both twins transverse. Like you , I have had two straightforward deliveries in the past, so the consultant was keen to scan me one more time today to just to see if natural birth was still an option.
Well, it turns out that twin 1(transverse at 36 weeks) has turned head down at 37 weeks! ( we discovered this after a whole day waiting in hospital, after being prepped for c-section!) so the plan has changed and they are now going to have me in at the weekend and induce me, with the aim of delivering naturally (altho twin 2 still in wrong position. Apparently doesn't matter so much).

So, to answer your original post, some (mine anyway) consultants are keen on aiming for natural births for twin mums who have had previous straightforward deliveries, as you clearly have. And transverse twins can turn at the very last minute, making a natural birth theoretically possible.

Think I'm def going to go for epidural this time - partly because they will have to perform vet style manoeuvres to get twin 2 out by the sounds of things ad in case I end up having emergency c-section after all (and looks as tho' others on this thread had epidurals for twin births too, for similar reasons).

Anyway, great to chat to all the twin mums on here. Makes my situation with 2 plus twins feel almost normal! In RL , have only met one person in my position.

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