31+4 with DCDA twins and just looking for a bit of companionship during the countdown...

[legallyblond]

.... That's it really!

I have an almost 3 yo DD (she'll be 2.11 if they arrive when anticipated) and am still working full time (10 hour days as a lawyer) and, just this week, the exhaustion has hit. I'm planning to work until 34 weeks and have an elcs booked for 37+3.... It feels a long way away!

I am starting to get nervous about it all (I have been nervous throughout though!):

• nervous about bf - I ebf DD until we did baby led weaning and then carried on bf until she was 2, but a bit scared it won't work with 2, also becasue no sign of leaking colostrum and much smaller boobs than last time... and I never pumped or gave DD a bottle (of either my milk or formula - she was a total boittle refuser), so will be clueless (and disappointed that I'm not giving them the same as DD) if bf doesn't work or they're in NICU...

• nervous they'll be permature - I really, really want to make it to 36 weeks at least and would LOVE for them to just wait until the elcs date (for practical reasons like childcare too!). I had a "scare" at 23/24 weeks when my cervix was v short so I had a cervical stitch to prevent them coming. It did the job (my cervix doubled in length and has stayed long) so I am VERY grateful for getting this far, but stilll.... I dread the thought of NICU...

• nervous about the elcs and the recovery - I had a natural birth last time (albeit with an episiotomy, so recovery wasn't a bed of roses) so have no idea really... plus there's DD.. eek! I have chosen elcs becasue (a) they're transvers and breech now; and (b) in any event, I am uncomfortable about the potentially avoidable risks of an induction gone wrong... (that is despite being induced with DD at 40+12 and it being ok - G&A only and episiotomy the only real complication)..

• nervous about life with a toddler and twins. Need I say more? Still, I keep telling myself, I know what to do with one, so worst case, I just do everything twice, right??? In a sense, I feel pretty confident about my mothering ways (basically the opposite of Gina Ford I'm afraid!), but do keep hearing everyone saying how awful it will be with twins and how I MUST get a routine. I actually loved the newborn stage with DD and found it pretty easy (bf was great for me), so I am nervous that my bubble is about to be burst...

I guess all this is normal but just wanted to vent / share! Plus share the ride with those in a similar position....

Hello Naice! Congratulations and welcome, sounds like you're doing brilliantly. Good advice re BF there I think.
Like Legally, I was planning to start 1 by 1 then move to tandem once we all have for the hang ... If all goes smoothly re everything else.
Really hoping Lingua was OK and had just been too busy/in the flow to update.
I dunno if I'm going mad aiming for a vag birth - elective section certainly sounds like it has its appeal. Bit of background for me - I had quite a bad tear after DD and a scar that had to be operated on after 6months because it was still too painful to DTD - still a bit achey and uncomfortable at times even now, especially if we get erm intimate (I'm sure there was a while when we did, must have been to get pregnant again, not so much at the moment LOL)... and I suppose one reason I wanted another vag birth is that for some people in my shoes, stretching it all up again actually helps ... and I wanted to límit the wreckage to one area ...sorry if TMI, I'm still struggling a bit with my decision making over it.
ELCS booked at 37+1 if no labour before, so we may well
end up with one anyway. That is a bit later than ptotocol, actually, for MCDA, but the only other date they offered was Fri 13th! And whilst I'm not superstitious, my husband/family are a bit, and he felt they'd be teased about having that as their birthday.
My dilemma is whether to have more than a sweep on Wednesday - they would consider offering propess if it all looks favourable in the meantime, but I'm having serious doubts about whether I want that or not. My obstetrician is quite anti induction for MCDA twins as the risk of emergency section is high enough anyway, and I wouldn't want synto or anything hardcore, if it didn't look as though I just needed something mild to tip me over into labour I'll wait for the section. But I can't find any data about induction with propess and MCDA twins to help inform my decision, and whenever I look I stumble across info I don't really want (unfortunately MCDA twins are never really out of the woods risk-wise until they are in your arms, regardless of how they are delivered ...) Sorry to ramble on, just that it's all going over and over in my mind.
Legally, you're so much on the home straight now, does it seem real? I still feel as though I'm in a weird dream sequence, not sure whether being handed 2 babies is even going to make it believable...! 48 hours till you go in. Have you got a preop assessment tomorrow?

Phew, that was an essay!! Sorry, pls skim over if excessive!

cheery are you a member of TAMBA? If so, you could ring their twin advice line and see what they say about different methods of induction?

That's a good idea, Anda, I'll do that tomorrow. Not a member (yet) but planning to join and I' m sure they'd chat it through with me anyway. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi all! Just popping in to say that they're here! Sorry for the delay in updating--we're unfortunately still at the hospital because of post-birth weight loss due to jaundice, so life is still a bit crazy at the moment. Vivienne Gray and Philippa Winter arrived on September 4th at 7:34 and 7:35 pm respectively. They were born after 33.5 hours of back labour (29 of which were without an epidural) followed by an emergency cesarean. The pessary induction worked well as I was already really ripe, but things moved slowly because Vivi (twin 1) moved her head a bit and was a little oblique during labour. She got stuck with a hyperextended neck halfway down the chute, but the doctor thought he could deliver her even though she had a brow presentation. After 45 minutes of pushing, attempts at manual turning, and a failed suction delivery, her heart rate skyrocketed so they delivered them both in theatre in under 5 minutes.

Recovery hasn't been bad, though! I was up and walking without a catheter at about noon the day after delivery, and now at 3 days postpartum am feeling great. Only spotting (a bit less than a light pad's worth every 4 hours or so) and managing just fine without pain meds!

The girls developed quite serious jaundice due to blood type incompatibility, so they were in the NICU under 24 hour lights from Friday afternoon until last night. It was really hard not having my girls with me, so it's absolutely lovely having them back with me so that I can enjoy them all day long. Now the trick is to get them to gain back all the weight they've lost! Feeling a bit like a prisoner here at the hospital, almost like Inhave to pass a parenting exam in baby weight gain before they'll let me go home. It's been a week and I'm dying to just get my girlies home. Loving being a mother, and we're totally besotted!

Oh, forgot to say that Vivi was born at 6lbs 2oz and Pippa was born at 5lbs 11oz. Now they're 5lbs and 5lbs 6oz, so fattening up is the name of the game right now!

Oh lingua congratulations!!! Sounds like a bit of an ordeal, but that you're doing well now. Hope Operation Weight Gain goes well and that you're all home very soon - fingers crossed!!

Congratulations Lingua! So glad all safe and sound - it sounds as though you have been on a rollercoaster to get there - fantastic that you are all together now. Gorgeous names as well. Best of luck with the weight gain, here's hoping for a happy family at home soon xxx

Eek Lingua that sounds pretty full on but congratulations on their safe arrival. Fattening up is a lot of pressure isn't it - sometimes it feels like I am force feeding!

Legally, is your due date tomorrow? I hope it all goes well.

Congratulations Lingua!!!

Mine are coming tomorrow. Feels v surreal and has in no way sunk in....

legally Good luck. It's so surreal, knowing when your babies will come! Hope everything goes okay, let us know when you can xx

Lingua really good luck. Glad it's not just me feeling like the whole thing is a surreal dream! You'll be fine, let us know when you can xx

Doh I mean Legally good luck ... Sorry, late/tired/can't sleep for heartburn xx

There was an emergency, so still waiting to go in....

Hope they don't keep you waiting too long, Legally x

Good luck, Legally! Thinking of you!

I definitely sympathise of the breastfeeding conundrum. Both of the girls are good eaters and have great latches, but as the jaundice makes them really sleepy, feeding is an exercise in keeping them awake! I really wanted to ebf or at least express instead of using formula, but have been told in no uncertain terms that they need top-ups after every feed to help them gain weight. I'm finding it really hard to gauge how much they're getting from me because they always settle well and seem very content after 20 minutes on the boob. Last night we had two episodes of projectile vomiting because the top-up was too much. Makes me feel like a horrible mother, force-feeding them to the point that they vomit. :(

In lighter news, we think they might be identical! Is anyone planning to get a zygosity test done for same-sex DCDAs? As we don't have any family history of twins and they're looking a LOT alike, we're both very curious.

I definitely would get a zygosity test if mine were same sex DCDA!! Don't be hard on yourself about the feeding issues, Lingua. There's a good chance you'll be able to EBF if that's what you want once they wake up a bit. Whatever you do, don't feel like a horrible mother, you found like you're doing great xx
Hope to hear news soon Legally, thinking if you xx

Congratulations Lingua! I'm expecting DCDA both girls and we will get zygosity testing done unless they are obviously non ID eg different eye colours.

I'm 29+5 and just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I'm seriously pissed off, already facing CS unless I can get twin 1 to turn and this is going to make it even harder to get breast feeding established. I get to spend yet another morning at the hospital tomorrow to find out what I'm supposed to be doing about it. Yay. Not.

We are going to do Zygosity testing - just got the link through from the MBF - been putting it off as if they are non identical then I am going to feel "responsible" and aged!

Congratulations Lingua, great weights and names!
Legally you are next!

Sorry for not posting for a while but MIL is still here and life is pretty full on. Four weeks today and still enjoying every minute other than when they cry because they are unsettled. It really tugs at me that I cannot see to them both at the same time. First foray to twin club today!

Hello! Sorry... Been caught up a little!

Hugo and Valentina (boy and girl, obviously!) arrived safely by planned CS at 13.46 and 13.47 on Tues 10th. Hugo weighed 6lb 2 and Vally weighed 5lb 3. Neither needed any help with breathing or anything and we came home last night, on day 2.

All going well so far - I am glad I opted for the CS and turns out Vally (twin 2) was footling breech so god knows how she would have come out.

Feeling v overwhelmed and teary... There doesn't seem to be enough time to sleep what with DD as well....

Feeding is going well. Lingua - I fully hear you. I have reluctantly agreed to formula top ups for Vally as she was small and kept testing too low on blood sugars, but I've dropped it to 5-10ml of formula after feeds and IF she gains weight but Sundsy, I'm going to be "allowed" to re

Grrr... Replace the formula with expressed breast milk, which I've started expressing in anticipation... Really nervous about it and hope against hope she gains... So far they're each down 5% on birth weight. All a bit stressful - bf DD was a breeze in comparison - I was just left to get on with it and she gained fine!

It took a month for my DTS to regain his birth weight so don't worry if it takes time. I dealt with it all by not being so available to the MWs. If they are putting on weight (even if slowly) and feeding, then just get in with it. In terms of dropping to-ups, I found choosing a 3 hour block and just breastfeeding them for that whole block worked well in getting my supply up. Then once that seemed to be working, chose another 3 hour block and so on. Last one to go was the 10 pm feed. It took about 6 weeks but DTS was very badly tongue tied and took a long time to learn to latch. Advantage to this approach is that they learn to take a full feed at the breast - albeit it might be in two halves or with shorter spaces between feeds for a whole. This also allows your body to get used to providing a full feed - it's harder if every feed is a little bit short of enough.

Thanks Free. It's tricky because DD was a v efficient feeder, so ten mins on one side really was a full feed for her. At the mo, both twins are feeding nicely (good big swallows etc) for about 20 mins... Then they're asleep. How did you keep your DTS "awake" enough to properly feed for three full hours? I just don't know what to expect on Sunday and it feels s bit weird to be told how to feed by the MWs...

Oh, I didn't mean feed them for the full 3 hours non stop. That would be psychotic! Although I have done it during growth spurts...

Just only breastfeed them each time they wake in that 3 hour period. So that should cover 2-3 feeds (one baby once, one baby twice?) And unfortunately you do need to wake them every 3 hours minimum. You might even be advised to aim for every 2 hours from 7 until 6, maybe letting them have one longer 2.5 hr nap Only during the day, then not more than 4 hourly overnight and start again at 7 the next morning. I wish I'd just accepted how often I needed to feed. Once I went with 2.5 hrs max during the day, life wa easier weirdly.

They will wake up soon! Any jaundice? Are you managing a walk outside at all? This weather is awful but a bit of daylight will help them wake up too. Even just let them nap by a window.