expecting twins

[throckenholt]

There seem to be a lot of expectant twin mums around at the moment - I thought you deserved a thread of your own !

My id twin boys are 4.5 - but I can still remember what it was like . Maybe some of us old hands can answer some of your concerns and questions.

my consultant said as I have a good track record with births hopsfully thats the way it be able to go but as we all know until u get closer to due date anything can happen.

I will ask next time i go as to why they don't let u go past 38wks and see what they've got to say, I said to DH last night if everythings fine from you and the babies why would they want to induce you at 38wks. SO i shall find out

My id DTs shared an amniotic sac as well as a placenta - the riskiest kind, I've been told. But even so, my consultant was quite happy to let me go to 37 weeks + because I had such a good pregnancy (just the usual tiredness and discomfort). He originally told me that I would have to have a c section at 37 weeks, but as time went on and it became clear that they were not budging from their head down positions, he said I could try for a vaginal birth if I wanted to. But he still didn't want me to go much beyond 37 weeks, because for id twins the placenta can start deteriorating (that's what I was told anyway). So we agreed that if I went into spontaneous labour I would try the vaginal birth, but if not, we booked a date for the c section. I didn't go into labour, so the girls were born at 37+4 weighing in at 5lb7 and 5lb12. No special care required and we were home 4 days later.

I also have an older girl who was 20 months when the DTs were born. I refused to get a triple buggy, so managed with a double and a sling (the lightest DT went in the sling!) for as long as possible. I had a nipper buggy, which I highly recommend as it's incredibly light and easy to steer and has a big hood, which we used as a seat for DD1 once DT1 got too big for the sling!

Best of luck with everything.

Hi Kat I left you guys for a few hours and you all went crazy posting!

I had my non-id boys at 29+1 weeks due to spontaneous labour. In NICU for 8 weeks, one was over 5lb and one wasn't. they were the tiniest things ever!

They are now 2.8yo and you would not believe they had such a shaky start. I was still at work when i went in labour, so all a bit of shock. natural del though, head down and bum down.

I agree with whoever said, wake the sleeping twin while feeding, so that they gradually get used to being hungry together, and also try and get to grips with tandem feeding (I bottle fed) else you will feel like you are constantly feeding. I was pulling my hair out in the first few weeks after getting them home, until one day i got myself comfy on the sofa, lots of cushions and fed them together. Meant I got a good 3 or so hours between feeds.

Oh and i may be shot down for this, but routine routine routine. Not rigid, but loosely round 3/4 hourly feeds and try and plan at least one trip out the house a day. With two it's far harder to go with the flow, as I had one fussy baby and one chilled baby....however, you will fin all this out when they arrive.

i meant one was over 5lb and one wasn;t when they came home!!!

2lb 8 and 2lb 4 when they were born.

Hi. Hope you don't mind me joining this thresd. I found out yesterday that we are expecting twins!Quite a shock! Due 5 March 08. They will be babies 2 & 3 as we have a DD who is 15 months. She will be 22 months by the time the new ones arrive. I was wondering if anyone could help with a pram "system" I saw recently and now could kick myself I didn't scrutinise it more closely! A woman was pushing her twins in a double buggy with a separate seat attached where the hood of the buggy is. Her toddler looked so happy up there and it looked a much better solution for me than the buggy board at the back, as I don't think DD will want to stand all day on a board. (Already very much exerting her will!!!) Have tried to google it, but don't know what to call it!
As you can see, I'm up at the crack of, with a thousand questions going through my head!!

morning
They were tiny meeerly! I'm so glad everything worked out for u though. I can't imagine having babies that small and all the stress of have them in NICU

Thats what I am hopein to do (all going to plan lol) feeding together, I am goin to bottle feed aswell, I know it my sound selfish but I just don't think I shall have the time with DD1, DD2 to get to school and also DS to sort out aswell. With DS I done both, in the day as had more time I bf. I'm also a firm believer in routine, I think the baby needs it aswell yourself, lol but with twins I can just imgine all that going out the window

welcome mummymia and congrats, I was ebay the other day and saw a pushchair very simular, not sure what it was called but I searched for twin puchchairs and triples, u might find the name on there if you come across one

mummymia, i know exactly the one u mean....gimme 5 mins and i will find it.....

found it!

this pic is good

Thats a good one. I've not seen one like that before, Its good if u have an older child that doesn't need sleeps when out.
The one I saw was a seat very simular but on the front of the pushchair

Meeely, you are a legend!! That's exactly the one I saw. Thank you, thank you, thank you. One problem ticked off the list...!!
Might be back with 50 more though...!

I was just wondering, after being told by the docter that they advise to have an epi whilst havin twins, due to maybe needin intervention with birth of second baby, whether people think this is good advice and really needed?

Oops, sorry expectingkat, I did look on ebay for it but couldn't find it. But thank you too for the welcome and suggestion!

thats ok mummymia aslong as u found what u wanted. Still no luck on what pushchair to have myself lol

Hi,first time on here. I had DD of 14mths when I had twins. She was induced at 40+10. They thought I had only one placenta so decision made by consultant to do CS at 38 weeks in case placenta damage compromised birth of second twin during delivery of first twin in a natural delivery. This is quite a common reason for CS in twins. In fact my placentas had fused. In the end had spontaneous labour of twins at 36+6. Woke at 2.45 am. Arrived at hospital at 4.25 am and DD born at 4.40 am followed by DS at 4.52am. Both weighing 5lb 2oz. Very lucky problem free birth and extremely quick. I think this was my trade off as I developed PUPPS (sp) in pregnancy which is an all over body constantly itchy rash. It lasted for 6 weeks after birth too.
Wish I had seen the ABC buggy solution for twins and toddler as my DD1 only started walking 2 weeks before birth of twins. Purchased Buggypod - disaster. Did not safely attach to pushchair. Biggest waste of £100.
Agree with routine. Keep twins on same feed/sleep pattern. It will keep you sane in the long run. Ensured toddler and twins had same day-time sleep just to get 2 hours of peace to catch up on washing, ironing, cleaning, cooking etc.

mummymia, don't see them as 'problems' to tick off the list, more challenges!

they advise an epidural in case you need to be whisked into theatre for a emerg c-sect, you are already numbed and prepped.

Depending on position of first twin, a natural del is more than do-able, plus it also ends up being down to what your consultant is comfy with, Some consultants simply will not deliver a breach, be it 1st or 2nd cos they not comfortable doing so, others welcome it.

I was head down followed by feet down, both delivered without too much of an issue. I was shattered after 1st one so did get lazy delivering the 2nd and had to be shouted at to push as he was stuck half in and half out bless him (and i wonder why he has issues).

I am almost 17 wks pg with non id twins.I was told by my consultant that i would be given steroids at 24 weeks. I have 3 other kids who were all normal delivery,not early not probs whatsoever so have no reason to be given these steroids.
My best friend had 29 weeker twins and was obviously given them,have known it in others to be given them for early labour but can understand why i have been told im to get them,my mate says she thinks its been an oversight cause my other pgs have all been fine and im so hoping this is the case.
The only thing i have against me is my weight,i have a bmi of 41 and weighed 16st before pg am now just over 17, does anyone have any expoerience or any ideas on this?

I had an epidural with mine - the consultant (who was a twin specialist) was keen on it in case there was problems with the second twin - sometimes the cervix can close up after the first one and labour stops because your body thinks it has given birth and doesn't need to do more. I talked to him about it and agreed the best thing was to have the epidural sited and tested - but not have any real dose until needed - so in a way the best of both worlds.

As far as the steroids go - I don't think it is routine. I had it for mine - but at about 35 weeks when they decided that the little one had stopped growing and they were better out than in. (I was induced and had a "natural" delivery). I think as long as they have enough warning then they give steroids - it give the lungs a bit more of a boost. If I remember rightly you have one dose and then a second the next day.

I think in general if you go into an early delivery situation they will give steroids and try and delay the labour a bit if they can.

If in doubt about anything then ask your consultant to explain it until you are satisfied you know what is being suggested and why.

Hiya
Thanx, atleast I know theres good reason to have an epi, as I've never had one before I thought I would check. I suppose with twins its best to cover all angles to make sure.

miniandme, I'm expectin non id, as you know and after you mentioning the steriods the other day was waitin at my bookin and bloods for them to mention it aswell, but nothing was. I also have an high BMI and thought with my weight they might say something but didn't, but then they might mention something in further appointments.

Hi all you old hands, and all you new!

Would love the benefits of your collective wisdoms - I'm a first timer expecting twins, so please 'scuse my ignorance/naivety. I also am not due to see a midwife for the 1st time for another week and a half, by which time i'll be 14+3...(grrr)...so many questions...

At the 12wk scan the twins were 'transverse' (i think?) i.e horizontally stacked one on top of t'other facing same direction, with what appeared to be two amniotic sacs and a single placenta. (Placenta sort of in a one-o'clock to five-o'clock position; i.e very much at the side rather than top or bottom).

I gather that the babies will move and change position frequently, but i was wondering if the placenta also can move? From what i've researched on t'internet a low placenta is not so good, so can it improve positioning???

Hope this aint too stoopid a question, and that you can actually follow my drift and descriptions.....as i say, i'm new - please go easy on me!

throckenholt
Thats exactly what happened to me, twin 1 was born naturaly, but my cervix closed immediately after, so twin 2 was born by c section, I did'nt realise it was fairl common.

Can I play too ?
I am having twins in Feb. First kids and I'm an older mum too (will be 42). Also have epilepsy so still dont know if they will go for c sect and if I can b/feed. Sooooooo disorganised. . Still can't believe it tbh.

Kat, I was induced at 37+2 purely because of my SPD. The babies were doing well but I was in so much agony that the consultant took pity on me, so that may factor. One twin was fine but the other one had trouble feeding and showed sypmtoms of infection so had to be on SPU for a few days, so in hindsight, I should have suffered a few more days and kept them in, but we were all home a week later and there have been no problems since.

(Well, unless you count flooded bedrooms, makeup smearing incidents on the carpet, curtains that never recover from encounters with Weetabix, etc, etc, but thats a whole different stage, no need to worry about that yet.................)

Thanx for the message estar, Thats one thing that worries me about my pregnancy, as I have had it through all my pregnancies. The worst was with my first, and over 12yrs ago noone wanted to know, if I remember correctly was told only tends to happen to asian women so even my midwife who i got on with very well with just wasn't interested in the pain I was in (1 day was stuck in bed till friend came round and helped me up) its one of the reasons I was wary of be pregnant again.
As this is twins I'm hopin it will only be simular to my last 2 pregnacies.
I do also think theres such a fine line between what you can cope with and what it best for the babies.