Due May 2010 with twins - anyone else?

[FirstTimeTwinsOoer]

Hi Folks. I'm fairly new to MN.

I'm expecting IVF twins, 1st pregnancy, due 23rd May and am the size of a small horse already. (Am 13+2)

I can't seem to find any threads of people expecting twins around the same time as me.
Am I posting in the right place? There surely must be more of us... (hope hope)
The pregnancy topic has very few twins mums to be and I'll go cross-eyed if I search MN anymore.

Any shoves in the right direction, advice or new joiners more than welcome!

Hi there!
I am pregnant with twins due mid April. We already have a 3 yo daughter.

I'm pretty big too, probably the size I was at 24 weeks with my first. I'm exhausted and bloody uncomfortable too!

How are you finding it?

Come post on the d'y ever thread. I think there's still some preggos on it! I had my DTs 12 days ago and found it when I was pregnant. It seems like everyone knows everyone at first but they always like new ladies and the trick is to post often so we all get to know each other quickly. I've only been around since june or july but they are all lovely ladies and they'll give you some great advice.

Hi PeasPlease!

Glad to hear there is someone else out there expecting twins around the same time!!

I've had a few scares with the pregnancy. As it was our 2nd IVF, the nerves were definately frayed! - I've had 5 scans in 3 months so prob time to enjoy it now.

I can't believe how huge I am either. Someone told me that at 20 weeks, you look like you're full term with a singleton.

I'm in the middle of trying to agree a settlement with work rather than take them to a sex descrimination tribunal, so have all that going on in the background whilst trying to find things to do now I've 'left' work for good.
Are you working at the mo?

Hi Curiosity - congrats on the new arrivals!! I read your birth story and thought it was amazing.
Thanks for the warm invite onto your thread. I have dipped in and out, but was a little nervous in posting if I'm honest... but good advice in how to get into the swing of things as I'm new to this posting malarky.

Will defo post on there soon. Hope things are going well with you!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

Do come join us on the d'y ever threads. We only bite on Tuesdays!

Thanks ML!

I'll defo pop over and inrto myself.

Gosh you really don't need work issues on top of everything do you! I hope you don't have to go to a tribunal that sounds dreadful.

You must be overjoyed for IVF to have worked this time, it must be an unbelievably stressful process, congratulations for going through it all and having so much success. Were you prepared for a twin pregnancy beforehand?

I too have had 5 scans as they couldn't tell whether the twins were identical or not so after travelling over 100 bloody miles to see Curiosity's consultant we now know they are boy/girl so definitely not identical.

Curiosity, your birth plan has really inspired me. I have changed consultant to one specialising in active birth (last one was all for C-Sections) and I am going to meet her on Wednesday with a new confidence for how to say what I want and definitely don't want. Thank you!

I am due May 21st with twins, but my last set of twins arrived at 28 weeks so am expecting them any time from end of Feb onwards.

I think my hospital really sway you to have an elective C section if its twins and your first pregnancy.

• My mum is pushing for it too. She used to be a midwife/ health visitor. She's concerned I'll get post natal dep like she did after a traumatic birth with me. I take her concerns on board but I'm defo head strong enough to decide for myself - just not sure what is best and less risk. Will speak to consultant and see what the score is.

Gosh Geepers, two sets of twins?!

How old are your twins now? Was there any medical reason as to why they came so early? Was it a natural delivery?

Best way to avoid PND in my book is to try for the kind of birth you want. Emergency C-sec is associated with an increased risk of PND but I suspect this is because women have found it traumatic, if it is planned and desired it may be better.

You may not have a traumatic vaginal delivery and may well be traumatised by a c-sec. Twins should be easier to deliver than a singleton because they should be smaller. What kind of birth do you think you would like? I feel more comfortable with natural vaginal delivery but can sympathise with the certainty of a planned C-sec.

I doubt the best thing would be to go with something based on your mum's experience - much better to plan something you'll feel comfortable with.

FTTO... still looking out for you on the other thread.

Now... your mother's experience will not necessarily be your experience. I know she's an experienced mw/hv but each of us have very different experiences. You need to think about what you want from your birth and plan for any eventualities. I get all of my ladies to do a birth and caesarean birth plan.

I think that preplanning is the key and I'm sure you'll do well... plus you have us!

Yes, in my limited experience of one child delivered by C-Section, the initial weeks of inability to properly lift and feed DD by myself left me feeling useless and very low.

Luckily I have the world's most supportive husband which got me through it but as a result I am desperate to avoid another C-Section as I simply cannot imagine how I will pick 2 babies up and get them feeding in the night. I know it will be possible but it is a difficulty that I want to avoid.

I can imagine how the prospect of a natural first time delivery of twins might be daunting, especially if health care professionals are off putting about it. I am in a similar situation because I have never given birth naturally and all I get is presumption that a surgical delivery is necessary. It doesn't help to calm your nerves does it?!

Hi,

I am expecting Twins too. Due May 10th!
Really excited too. I already have a DD who is 15 months at the mo.

I'm 16 weeks at the moment and i am looking rather big at the moment. Not put on any weight yet, as piled in on with DD.

Going to try for a natural birth, as a c section scares the hell out of me. But just got to see what happens at the time.

Hi Sophie,

Have a look at my thread 'A Midwifery Led Unit delivery of curiositykilled's twins' in this forum. My care plan and birth story are on there - it might be helpful to you if you want to plan a natural delivery. I had laboured spontaneously at 40 + 3 and had two normal deliveries 15 mins apart in the MLU. I would recommend getting a doula as well, or at the very least picking MarsLady's brains when making a birth plan - she is a doula and twin mum.

peas please - just noticed your earlier post to me which I never responded to - how rude! Very sorry! Glad my experience has given you confidence!

How's everything going everybody? You should all stick your heads in to the d'y ever thread. Now I've given birth I'm not permanently attached to my computer and shabba is oftenon her own during the day - reckon she'd love some new preggos to chat too! ROFL

Hi, I am expecting twins mid April and already have a 3 year old. I wouldn't say i look full term but i'm not far off it...
At my hosp i was told a third of mums expecting twins have a planned c-sec, a third have normal vag birth and the other third begin with a vag birth and end up having emerg c-sec. I'm really not liking those odds so seriously considering a planned c-sec. Afterall, when you have to figure out childcare for an older sibling(s), a planned date and time can seem pretty tempting, but i still don't know. I have found it really frustrating not being able to plan the birth the way i did last time. With birthing centre, water birth and home birth all ruled out, it's a tough decision. Interested to know what others are doing and if your hosp has better stats than these.

Hello NK

I am going to try for a vag birth with the twins, providing they are not breach. I am still trying to find out the hospital policy on twin births of where i am moving to in Feb/March. They are not being very helpful.

I think the stats are genereal ones as i am sure i have read the same ones before.

Unless it's an emergency or as i've said my twins are breach, the hospital it no way giving me a c section. Policy or not! The whole idea scares me to death, plus i still want to be able to be of some use with DD who will be 20 months.

How are you finding the twin pregnancy?
I am currently 17+3 and my belly has ballooned! My belly button has even started to become an outy, and i really don't like it. Got so far to go still and i keep scaring myself by reading threads of twin birth weights and seeing pictures of twin mums bellies at almost full term!

I struggled with DD and she was born 7lb 10oz, can not imagine carrying two
at almost that size.

Hi,

"I struggled with DD and she was born 7lb 10oz, can not imagine carrying two
at almost that size."

I'm scared of that too as my DS was a 10lber! and i read you have 16 pints of water in there as opposed to 9 with a single pregnancy. There's no escaping we're gonna be huge and i can probably expect extra stretchmarks too.

As for the pregnancy, i'm 20 weeks now, i'm huge and belly button almost an outy too. I had my scan but they couldn't get a very good view so i have to go back in a couple of weeks. I'm on anti-nausea tablets (as i was on my last pregnancy) cos i couldn't cope with the sickness and still look after my DS. I've been feeling them kick from about 16 weeks and the girl (I have one girl and one boy) kicked strong enough for DH to feel it the other night. I suffer from SPD but it is manageable at the moment. - Don't know if you've had that? (I had it last time too)

As for the birth, i thought Curiosity's story was perfect, i just don't stand a chance of anything like that at my hosp and if i decide to try a vag birth, there's a 50% chance i'll end up having emerg c-sec. They are encouraging me to avoid all the complications by having a planned one. I would prefer to do it naturally really but i'm not hopeful that it would turn out very well. Guess we'll see how they are doing nearer the time...

Also - heard so much about twins coming early - that's quite scary. I'm having my swine flu vaccination in 2 weeks so i'll let you know how that goes too if you haven't already had it.

I've not had my swine flu jab yet, was offered the single dose but requested to have the double one instead, so just waiting to hear from the docs about that.

I had a back injury that i suffered from a car accident 5 years before DD was born(which i was told at the time would not have an impact on any pregnancy) Which was a load of BS!!

When i went to the Docs at 12 weeks The Doctor said I had sciatica. I was signed off from driving with work from 12 weeks pregnant with DD. After giving birth the pain i had had for 5 years dissapeared!! Could not believe it!

I am just worried that with twins and the extra strain it will come back really bad. But so far so good!!

I was going to speak to the midwife about a support belt for bump and back.

I would love to have a girl / boy twin. Our hospital wont sex the babies have to pay for a private scan, but we have said we might as well pay the extra and have a 4 D one instead.

Has anyone been refered to see a consultant at their hospital yet, and how often have you seen the midwife?

I've not had bloods taken since i was 12 weeks pregnant and am now 19 weeks.

Got a midwife appointment and a seperate scan appointment next week, but was just wondering what care everyone else is getting.

Hi Sophie I am 30wks with boy girl twins and so far I have seen the following, midwife at 10wks for booking in, bloods takenand consultant referal made due to past history.
11wks dating scan
16wks midwife normal appointment
20wks anomaly scan and registrar
23wks scan by a consultant at fetal medical unit, just to complete anomoly scan,
24wks routine midwife appointment
28 wks scan, bloods, GTT and different registrar(on first day at hospital, english second language appointment was a joke) He has booked another scan at32wks back with the consultant at FMU only because I pointed out she had advised the scan to be there not routine clinic, also booked again to see consultant at antinatal(THIS IS CODE FOR REGISTRAR)
Have 31 week appointment with midwife booked too.
All I have been told is the birth will be discussed at my 35wk appointment not yet booked!!

Scans are reassuring and midwife lovely but the hospital has given me no information or support.

Thanks Insanitybecomesme, i thought i may have dropped off of their radar a bit.

The midwife did say that i would would be under consultant care aswell, but not heard a peep. Will go armed with 101 questions next week.

I saw a doctor at 16 weeks as Midwife cancelled appointment due to attending a home birth, but the doctor didn't really have a clue, and even asked me what she should be doing!!! I know it's my second pregnancy but i can't rememeber that.

I'm also moving house when i am 27 weeks, due to DH's job. I hope the change over of midwife and hospital will be easy, although it'll probably go hideously wrong.

How different are you finding the twin pregnancy to that of a single one?

I am already feeling uncomfortable, and can't really bend over to well. Probably does not help with me keep picking DD up who's only 16 mths.

Hi sophie, I haven't had chance till now to post.

I moved 140 miles away when pregnant with ds3 and found transfering everything over was fine.

Apart from the tiredness and sheer size I now am, this pregnancy has not been very different to my other 4, having a toddler makes it harder in any pregnancy.

I hope you get some answers to your questions, and when you get to see a consultant it is one and not a registrar.

Right now to see why its all gone quiet in the lounge, normally means trouble!!

Hi all!

I am due with twins on 3rd June, but everyone keeps telling me it will be May! I am also the size of a small house already (currently 17 wks) but then my son (now 4 years old) was a big baby (4.2kg and 60cm long).

Would be good to chat on here with other Mums due the same time-ish!

Hi, I am due in April with twins, but like everyone else on here have been told to expect them early. I have scans every 4 weeks and midwife every 2 weeks now as these are my first babies. I feel really good and have started buying stuff now that I am 26 weeks. Consultant has been very keen to point out risks of prematurity though. I am not that big yet but have been told that at 28 weeks the demands on your body are like being full term with a singleton, which is why they want twin mums to start maternity leave then. Insanitybecomesme I will watch your posts with interest!!

Don't always expect them early! Lots of us get to full term. However, it's worth being prepared in case it happens! PACK YOUR BAG at 30 wks!!!!!

Good luck to all of you. Mine are now 4 1/2 and am expecting a singleton, so doing it the other way round to most of you! However, singleton pregnancy not much easier in my opinion! (Might be cos I'm 5 yrs older and have 2x 4-yr olds!!)