Im New! Expecting twins Sept 2020

[EmmaJayne28]

Hi

This is my first post on here, i don't really know what i'm doing so bare with me (this might be a long post as i need advice!)

I am a mum of a little boy who is 5yo and i am expecting twins in September 2020. It was a big shock which i think still hasn't sunk in fully with me and my partner!! I am 15+6 days today and have been told my babies are DC/DA twins. I have struggled really bad with sickness and fatigue - which still raises its ugly head every couple of days, did anyone else suffer the whole way through? I'm on medication to help me, but i don't think its working great tbh.

Are there any questions that i must ask my midwife/consultant... or advice that i need to know about my care? I am consultant led but obviously with the current COVID:19 situation, most of my appointments are over the phone and i just loose all knowledge of what to ask. I have my 16 week antenatal appointment on 17th April so would be grateful if you can advise me on what to expect or ask in case I've missed anything out?

I have my 20 week scan on 30th April, then being scanned every 4 weeks after - we are hoping to find out the genders of the babies, what are the odds of them not being able to tell me? Is it more difficult when there are twins?

Thanks for reading - hoping you can give me some advice x

Hi, no advise sorry but we are also expecting DCDA twins around September. I'm 16+3 days so 37 weeks falls at the very end of Aug for us! We've had 3 scans now under the fetal medicine unit at the hospital- our most recent scan at 15 weeks was all good. We have opted to stay under the department as it means my husband can come to the 20 week scan.

I also stiffened with sickness until 13 weeks but now in trimester 2 I honestly feel like a different person! Still feel sick if I don't eat regularly and get tired but nothing like the hell that was weeks 5-12! It's still not real though!

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. Yes i say September too but could be August, they wont be making any decisions until i'm further on! I am 16+1 weeks today so there's only a few days between us! My sickness isn't half as bad as it was in the beginning so i'm hoping it's beginning to leave me alone now. The tiredness is something else though! Can barely stay awake past 8pm . Have you felt any movements yet?

I'm sure you feel more at ease with having 3 scans already, I have only had one (12wks) and I feel a little anxious. They did tell me i was to be closely monitored etc but i haven't seen anyone since, and 1 phone call to basically make sure they had all my details correct at Wythenshawe Hospital. My next scan isn't until 20wks.

If you don't mind, where are you having your babies, and are you under a special unit? I'm to be consultant led but not fetal medicine?

Still hasn't sunk in with us either... i keep saying 'baby' instead of 'babies'! x

We are at the Birmingham women's. We were under fetal meds as twin 2 abdomen was still open at week 11, they said this was normal so rebooked ya in for a scan at week 15 to check and it had closed. They asked if we wanted to stay under fetal meds as it meant my husband could be present for the 20 week scan which was kind of them. They also have a trainee midwife who hasn't scanned many multiple patents so it's win win for both parties.

Where about are you? What type of twins are you having? X

Hi girls, I'm due August and had my 20 week scan last week, all was great and it was definitely reassuring! There was no problem finding out genders, we are having 2 boys! 💙💙

All I would say as well is that my care for DCDA twins has changed, instead of having scans every 4 weeks, my next scan will be at 32 weeks to minimise time in hospital. They were very reassuring though and said that if there were any worries etc to still contact them and go in.

Also, I had awful sickness which tailed off about 17 weeks, so there is hope!! I don't feel sick anymore now - never thought this day would come!

Bubble29 - Oh right hopefully all is well with baby 2 now then?? I am having my babies at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester. I had my last baby at St Mary's but didn't have a good experience with the aftercare so changed hospitals this time. Hoping i've made the right choice. I am having DCDA twins (non id), all seemed well on my 12 weeks scan, but not being scanned again until im 20weeks. That's good of your hospital keeping you under the fetal medicine so your husband can be present. I dont think my partner will be allowed in with me on my 20week scan. So going to have them write down the sexes in an envelope so we can open it together.!!

Beth804 - Congratulations on 2 boys!!! Is this your first pregnancy? I'm also having DCDA twins but I've been told my scans will be every 4 weeks, so after my 20 week scan on 30th April i have my next one already booked in for May. I am being consultant led, are you? I haven't been seen since my 12 week scan, although i have my whooping cough vaccine today and then my 16 week check on Friday. (hoping that still goes ahead, as i feel like i need some reassurance) Have you felt any movement yet? My sickness is slowly coming to an end now, i will be 17 weeks tomorrow! I feel 90% better than i did... but now i am having funny turns, my hearing goes, i start shaking and sweating and really weak & breathless. I rang the midwife yesterday and she thinks i may have low blood pressure which usually affects women in the later stages of pregnancy but it is not unheard of in the 2nd trimester. Have you had anything like this?
Which hospital are you under, if you don't mind me asking x

@EmmaJayne28 Glad your sickness seems to be coming to an end too! Have you been prescribed extra iron, folic, vitamin D etc just in case dizziness is due to anaemia.

Yes, consultant led - pretty sure all multiple births are. I had my extra scans all booked in too (24,28 weeks etc) it was just when seeing consultant after my 20 week scan that they told me the care plan had changed - just to prepare you! I'm at the RVI in Newcastle - they've been great.

This is my second pregnancy, my little girl is 3 - was a bit of a surprise as we were only planning on 2 kids!

Feeling loads of kicks now - they're non stop! I had flutters from quite early on, but Since I turned 21 weeks they've gone crazy - husband can feel them too now which is lush! X

@Beth804 no not been prescribed anything extra, but i have been for my appointment today and my blood pressure is low. Although i did have continuous low iron with my last pregnancy, so could be a mix of both? Next blood test is at my next scan so we shall see! Ohh things might change then with my appointments, although i hope not as i want to see the babies more often .. and get checked of course .. it just feels like time is going so slow!

I have a feeling im having 2 boys but everyone who's seen the scans predict girl and boy. My little boy is 5 now and he really wants a brother!! I think im feeling something now, just cant determine whats movement and whats bubbles/twitching!! I will feel more at ease once i start to feel them more and more!!!! x

Hi girls, I’m due twin girls (non identical) end of august but with delivery date beginning of August, I’m also under wythenshawe @EmmaJayne28.

I’m finding that I am getting a bit anxious with everything, who do you guys tend to call in general if you have concerns as when I have raised anything with my assigned midwife she just says to call triage if I’m worried, I never do as I feel silly but would be nice to have a contact to ask questions for reassurance sometimes..

I have my next appointment for a growth scan and consultant in 3 weeks when I will be 24 weeks...can’t wait to get to that point, feels like I’m literally counting down days at the moment haha

@LaurenB83 Ahhh fellow Wythenshawe babies! How are you finding the care? I have given in and booked a private scan for tomorrow to check babies and hopefully tell us the genders so I will let you know!

I called the community midwife last week over my blood pressure as I kept having funny turns and she told me to ring triage too. They were very reassuring. I haven't seen the same midwife once (my care has been at Trafford General) which has made me feel anxious. And again the same as you, I felt like they have been brushing off my concerns. After my 20 week scan, my 'care' will be based ay Wythenshawe so hoping for a bit of consistency then. My consultant there is a lady (not sure of her name). I haven't met her yet, just a telephone conversation.

How are you finding the care at Wythenshawe? x

Ahhh bless, it’s too much to wait sometimes isn’t it 🙈let me know how it goes 😊

Yeah I have found them to be good so far that I’ve dealt with, I imagine you will probably be under Dr Church as she runs the twin clinic, she’s lovely 👍

I just don’t want to be ringing triage all the time but sometimes I worry as to what is normal and what might not be as I know things feel a bit exaggerated as there’s two babies in there 😣

@LaurenB83 It is too much to wait, and i just want to see them and know everything's ok. Even if there are not 'participating' and we can't find out, at least i would have seen them and got some peace of mind.

Ohhh I hope so, I really want to be able to enjoy this pregnancy and it always helps when the health care professionals are approchable and lovely. I'll know when i go for my 25 week scan in May.

Triage is there for that reason, i've been told not to worry that something seem's too little or too silly to ask, because if you don't ask, you won't know and that's when mistakes are made. I'm sure they will be hearing from me a few times before the big day!

Are you planning on a natural birth or a c-section? I think i would like to do natural if i'm allowed.. less recovery time etc as i already have a 5 year old to run around after!

What are you sleeping arrangements for the twins? Will they be sharing at first, if so, what are you using? a cot, or something else? Im struggling to make my mind up on what would be best. I definitely haven't got the room for 2 full size cots in our room at the beginning!! x

Sooo we went for our scan and we are having 2 healthy baby boys!!

now to think of names...... any suggestions welcome :) we already have a boy called Sonny!! x

Aw congratulations!!! We're having 2 boys too! I have no idea with names, finding it really hard! X

@EmmaJayne28 Congratulations! I have 11-week old non-ID boys, born at Wythenshawe :) I cannot fault the care I received there!

Questions you might want to ask of your consultant would be:
Birth preferences - sometimes your twins dictate this for you (both my boys were breech so I had a planned c-section) but if you have any preferences I find it’s good to mention them/chat about them early on so they can let you know what they do and don’t advise for twins.
Movements - my biggest worry in pregnancy was I truly never could really definitely tell if I could feel both twins moving - they would change positions a few times and I would get myself in a right tizz. They’ll tell you it’s totally normal and put your mind at ease but also make you feel a lot more comfortable about calling triage for peace of mind!
Movement / exercise - I was so sure I’d continue exercising when pregnant but the twins had other ideas! I had SPD from 20 weeks onwards. Consultant can advise how to keep yourself mobile when you’re carrying two (I found pregnancy yoga great and lots of resources for this online)

I’m wracking my brains for other things - I feel like I had 100 questions at every appt! If anything else comes to me I’ll let you know. Oh, they used to have a multiples workshop there - but not sure if it will still be running?

Congratulations! It’s hard work but having twI a is wonderful :)

How is everyone getting on? 👶 👶

Just catching up on this thread. I'm 20+6 now and minus the odd ache, I'm feeling generally well. My husband felt twin 1 kicking this week which was lovely. Due to their position (twin 2 is lying on top on twin 1) I'm getting confused with who's moving 🤦🏽‍♀️

Next scan is at 24 weeks and wait to see them again.