Could you take your twins home after birth?

[GingerBrummie]

Hi ladies,
Im 12wks today with identical (MCDA) twins, 1 placenta but 2 sacs. The doctor told me today they are likely to be born early & by c-section. She said that if they came around 32 weeks they may need to stay in hospital for a couple of weeks. In an ideal world I would take them home with me once I was discharged. Did you take them home with you if they were born around 32 ish weeks?
Thanks

Mine were born by emcs at 31+3, we had TTTS and I had a placental abruption, probably related to the laser surgery for TTTS. My section was booked for 36 weeks, would have been 37 if no complications.

They were in nice / scbu for 60 days.

There's no reason to assume they'll be coming at 32 weeks if no complications. If they do, you won't be taking them home with you!

It would be rare for babies to go home before they are 36 weeks

Oh and I had a friend who had hers vaginally at 37/40- twins don’t always mean premature just significantly more likely

Is there a reason that the dr has told you they are likely to be premature? A lot of the twin mums expecting MCDA twins I knew made it to at least 36 weeks. A couple were earlier, but the majority got to “term”.

I had my DCDA twins at 37+3 and they were an instrumental delivery, no section required. I had them at teatime and we were all home the following afternoon.

There is a higher chance of twins being premature and/or needing special care but that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable.

Thanks both, hopefully I will get some more comments too.

Why has the doctor told you they are likely to come at 32 weeks?

I know they tell you all the potential things with twins, yes they are more likely to be delivered early, but early does not mean premature.

Most c sections (mine included) are done at 36 weeks. Just wondering why, at 12 weeks, you have 32 weeks in your head? Virtually any baby born at 32 weeks will stay in hospital.

@MollysDolly thanks for your reply. I think she was just trying to give me all eventualities as I mentioned I was worried about them coming early. Its good to know I have a good chance to make it to 36 weeks and able to take them home. She was quite junior & possibly quite a pessimist so that may also be why!

They give you the worse case scenario so you are prepared but you're likely to go over 32 weeks, fingers crossed!

I had mine at 37 weeks, spent 3 days in hospital due to CS, then all home. They were 6lb 2 and 6lb 15.

Best of luck, twins are fab. Mine are nearly 21 now.

Do you think she was, slightly cack handedly, trying to show you that there could be a range of outcomes for babies who were born early?

So, 32 weeks - a couple of weeks stay in hospital all being well. 36 weeks - probably home fairly soon after birth (again, all being well as in all births).

Friend's twins were 35wks and were home after about a week but they "came home with her" as they were only in SCBU for a short time and then rooming in with her. They were a good weight for their gestation which is one of the factors.

I had a vaginal birth at 37 weeks we all went home two days later. Twins don't always need c-section and don't always mean a premature labour. I was on bed rest from 28 weeks and in hospital from 35 weeks. Doctors told me all along worst case scenario they also want to plan everything and therefore a csection is easier for them.

Yes, she was just telling you there was a slightly increased risk of xyz, because it's twins.

I can't remember the stats, I knew it all from research when I was having mine (2yrs ago) but something like 95% of twins come on/around the date they are due, and like 98% are born after 35 weeks. Again, don't quote me on the exact figures, but it's as daft as that. It pissed me off when expecting DTwins, because yes, technically it's correct there is a higher risk, but they fail to mention it's like a 1% higher risk, and put the fear of God into you.

It's good to be informed, but the way they explain everything, isn't particularly informative.

I had mine, as planned, c section at 36 weeks. Was home within 48hrs.

And congratulations. Twins are the BEST!

Thanks ladies, appreciate all the replies x

My twins were MCDA. I was told to have my hospital bag packed by 32 weeks, because at that stage they would be happy delivering them if any issues arose (I was being monitored for TTTS and growth restriction, as I imagine you will be - every 2 weeks from 16 weeks onward I think is standard in most areas). That doesn't mean they plan to deliver them then. I was told to hope for 36/37 weeks, and they booked my C section for 37 weeks. As it happened we didn't make it to then - at my 34 week scan there were signs that one twin was getting distressed (very early indications only, no signs of damage), so they scanned me again 2 hours later and then told me to ome back the next day. Next day confirmed some definite issues, so I was given steroids to speed up lung development and then was told I should be observed from then on. I went home to see my eldest and DH (this was during lockdown, so he hadn't been at any appointments) then was monitored in hospital while I completed the course of steriods and DTwins were delivered by C Section bang on 35 weeks. They were in SCBU for 10 days, and then after that a nurse came out to see them 3 times a week until their due date.

If they come at 32 weeks, I think its certain they will stay in - their lungs really aren't developed enough at that stage. But it's unlikely they would be born that early, very few MCDA twins are.

Thanks @TinyTeachr for your story. I hope it is all going well.

If they came at 32 weeks, they'd almost certainly have to stay in for a few weeks. Babies at that gestation usually need tube-feeding (the suck reflex just isn't developed) and they wouldn't be able to maintain their body temperature etc. Also bear in mind that if they're delivered at 32 weeks, it would be because they weren't safe to be left to continue to grow in the womb. I'm assuming that would be because of TTTS due to a single placenta? In which case, they might need a bit of support relating to that, perhaps?
At 36 weeks, they would probably be fine to come home after a few days, although some might not be.
Ask your midwife to talk you through it. If premature delivery is a strong possibility, you would normally get the chance to meet with the neonatal team too so you can ask them any questions.

I've not had twins but I've had 2 preemies. My eldest was 33 weeks and spent 5 weeks in the nicu. For that gestation it's normally 3 weeks but he needed extra time due to devolving a feeding issue. He was 2lbs 14oz born and was 4lb when he came home.
My youngest was 36 weeks and spent a month in hospital due to undiagnosed issues that needed surgery at 3 weeks old. He never went into the nicu but stayed with me the entire time.
If he had been well, he would have come home with me when I was discharged 48hrs after my section. He was 5lb 3oz born and weighed the same when he came home.
I would never expect a 32 weeker to come home straight away

Hello OP, firstly congratulations. I'm sure the Doc just wanted to prepare you for every eventuality. This is not, as others have said, a foregone conclusion.

I had my twins B/G at 33+3 by EMCS. Waters broke, Boy was breech and they were worried about girl baby behind so fast delivery needed

Both stayed in SCBU for several weeks but, it was the safest thing. At the time there was an awful Flu' in our area and our paediatrician essentially said lungs are too immature and he wanted to avoid a re-hospitalisation. Honestly, looking back I got such a wonderful 'crash course' in how to care for a baby and what signs to look for if there are difficulties, from the magnificently knowledgeable nursing staff. It was, in retrospect, the very best thing for all concerned. I also had a 'direct line' to the SCBU for a few weeks after that to get parenting advice.

I was at the hospital every day, expressed milk as they were both on feeding tubes initially, and could telephone whenever I wanted and each child had a 'nurse in charge' so I got a full run down of the good and bad of the night before,

By the time twin one was discharged, I was healing really well from C section. Twin two was about another week in hospital and that was the most challenging time for me as I had to limit my visiting time with twin two to care for/feed twin one.

I say this with kindness OP. My journey will not be your journey and no matter what, you will take it step by step each day and all will be well.

The advice so wish I had received: Be good and kind to yourself. Put yourself first and limit your stress levels as much as possible. The professionals know what they are doing and work with you, not against you,

Mine were planned C Sec at 36 weeks. In my twin group there was a planned C Sec at 37 and a vaginal at 38. I think all our babies came home with us.
But of course lots of twins come early. If it's C Sec you might be in a couple of nights and you'd be discharged, babies if early, small or poorly will be kept in. A few hospitals have parental accommodation but tends to be kept for very very poorly babies or parents who've had to be transferred to a different hospital

Mine were born at 38 weeks, went into labour the day before my planned section. One just over 7 pounds, the other a shade under. Also MCDA twins. They came home with me. Good luck!

My MCDA twins were born at 34 weeks. Twin 1 was allowed home after 2 weeks, twins 2 stayed for a further 3 weeks.

My SIL had hers vaginally at 36 weeks and went home with one the following day. The second had some medical issues unrelated to the birth so had to stay in for various treatments

@GingerBrummie no problem, happy to share. All doing well now, the only problem I keeping them off the Christmas tree! The one that we had most trouble with in SCBU (kept pulling out ng tube) is now the more hefty of the two and will happily scoff just about anything . I dreaded having them in SCBU and was a about back to u a c section(I'd had a wonderfully relaxed waterbirth with my first and a very easy recovery). I won't lie, the first couple of weeks were really tough. But they pass quickly and you'll be home soon enough. We've had some ups and downs and one twin is technically "delayed" but seems to be staying put at 6 weeks behind his brother - it seemed an AGE before he smiled (17 weeks after he we born), but 6 weeks becomes less and less obvious over time.

My big tip for twins - prepare early abf prepare for several possibilities. Whatever happens you will cope, but you'll feel more relaxed I you know you you everything sortrd.

Thanks ladies, these comments are really helpful, really appreciate it X

I was warned mine might come early, advised to get the hospital bag packed just in case, toured scbu (pre covid days!) etc.

They arrived at 36+5 by a surprise elcs due to severe pe. They’d been trying to get us to full term ie 37 weeks, but my body just couldn’t do it anymore. They were both really healthy weights (for singletons!) and they came home with me two days afterwards.

Good luck, twins are ace!

@GingerBrummie I had my mcda twins in October vaginally, I was 36 plus 4 days and I took my babies home three days later. My waters went at 36 weeks and as I didn't deliver until 4 days later the babies needed antibiotics otherwise we would have been home right away x

I had my di-di twins at 36+3. The section was brought forward due to poor growth of my boy twin - intra -uterine growth restriction (IUGR) was diagnosed. I was really scared he would need to go to NICU and the doctor told me it would partly depend on his weight; generally over 5lb they don't need to go. He was bang on 5lb, born hungry and latched as soon as he could. Never needed NICU. How much bigger sister (6lb) went for a couple of hours for observation because she was dozy/ unresponsive!