I've got 3 children already and just found out preg with twins

[HeighHo]

We're in complete shock. Actually feel quite sad that I won't be able to bond exclusively with one baby. I have loved being pregnant and giving birth to one child at a time and I feel it'll all be difficult and riskier now there are two.

Please come and tell me all the brilliant things about having twins. I do know how lucky I am to be pregnant at all and I'm terrified of mc due to 5 previous mc, but finding this out has just increased all the risks.

Oh dear, sorry to be so negative. Wasn't sure which smiley to put, but think they are all relevant!

Hi - I found out about surprise 4 and 5 in June '08, and am still getting over the shock! It does get a bit manic sometimes, but I reckon I get more cuddles than anyone I know.

london your girls are gorgeous, such a cute photo

Thank you LondonLottie, it was lovely to hear your experiences and really does make me feel a bit better about my situation.

Thanks Longstory, how old were your first 3 when the next 2 arrived?

Am now worrying about my advanced age and the strain twins will put on my 42 year body. Anyone else had twins when this old (or older?? )

Really appreciate you all finding the time to reply and tell me your stories, thank you

LondonLottie, your pictures made me well up - gosh babies are just gorgeous aren't they.

What beautiful girls you have

I can't tell you how unbelievably broody this thread has made me feel

Congratulations HeighHo - I'm sure you'll have an absolute ball with your twins. I'm very jealous!

My friend had twins (#5,#6) and although she's found it tough at times she wouldn't change a single thing. Her girls are just beautiful and she's thoroughly enjoying her big family.

Forgot to say....all the pics of your gorgeous children are just lovely

HeighHo - mine were 8, 7 and 4 when the babies came - and they were all over the moon! None of this jealousy business, they all feel so special being part of a large family as it's unusual these days. I was 37 - and yes it did feel a bit harder work than before, but not impossible.

I was thinking about you this morning, about the slings / co-sleeping thingy. I never even had a cot or a buggy with my first baby - it was all cuddles and carries which was bliss.

But I have had to do it differently this time - routines have been essential to fit round the rest of the family schedule. They don't do school start times or brownies on demand, do they??!!!

I decided my priority was to breastfeed - and managed to get them onto 3 hourly feeds together. We've done cloth bums all the way. But the day and the sleeping has been pretty structured, and we've only used slings infrequently. Not my preferred style, but when we tried to 'go with the flow' every conversation and thought seemed to be about which baby slept/fed/pooed when, and as you can imagine my conversations with my husband got pretty dull. So instead we have developed the 'fascist regime' which we follow pretty tightly. I feel this has freed us up a little to concentrate on other matters, enjoy the babies (and occasionally we direct our bitching against the regime!!).

The babies are nearly a year old, and we're planning our first proper family meal out today, having checked that the restaurant has two high chairs with proper restraints. It's not easy, but the babies are so delightful and our home has become a calmer, less frenzied place, as we've focused on the immediate priorities.

Thank you Longstory - that's really interesting as my children will be similar ages when/if the new ones arrive 9, 6 and 4. (though, sadly I am significantly older than you ). I would love to pick your brains nearer the time if this pregnancy continues as would really appreciate your advice about how to do it with school runs and swimming, brownies etc. Would love to know your 'fascist regime'. Did you have extra help in the early days? What do you do if you are on your own and both are howling and have just been fed/changed etc?

Anyway, don't need to know any of this now as am still worried about risk of mc, but really appreciate you posting.

Congratulations on your lovely family - hope the family meal out goes very well.

My Mum had three children aged eight, six and 19 months, when she gave birth to twins. Being before the time of scans she didn't know that she was two them until the youngest twin made her entrance.

Mum always said, twice the work, twice the love.

Congratulations!

HeighHo ... thanks for your post, the meal was really lovely, the babies tucked into their noodles with relish. Happy to share what I can; the hardest time was the last two months of the pregnancy, lying on my side like a sow in a piggery. The early months of weaning were pretty tough too.
For now I guess you need to practice family delegation skills - and rest rest rest! It's way off the scale from a normal pg. Also be as nice as you can bear to build up goodwill with your potential support crew - parents, in-laws, nice middle aged ladies down your street, etc etc.

Thanks, that sounds like good advice. Can't quite believe how exhausted I am already, have managed to have a sleep today and yesterday, but will be harder during the week.

Oh dear, last 2 months of preg will be in summer hols - if they don't arrive early.

Glad your meal went well - do you have boys and girls?

LilRedWG - thanks for that - at two babies arriving unannounced . Aren't we lucky to have scans to give us time to get used to things

Just hits you like a train, doesn't it, the tiredness... 3 boys, 2 girls, BGBGB, quite nice really! Can you squeeze in an au pair for the summer to keep the bigs busy?

Oh what a lovely family - guess that would be my ideal, one of each Have GBG so far, so would be the opposite of your family!

How are you doing, HeighHo?