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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Twins

36 replies

Jt · 02/04/2001 13:11

I am 7 weeks pregnant with twins, I have a stinking cold & morning sickness, & generally feel pretty awful at the moment.
It will pass won't it?
I am craving some positive encouragement.

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Bells · 02/04/2001 15:30

Hi JT. I am around 9 weeks and feel pretty rotten too!!. All I've eaten today is a pink marshmallow biscuit and a 1lb of grapes.... These early weeks are hard aren't they as you can't tell your colleagues why you are a delicate shade of green. Our 20 month old son also came down with a massive case of chicken pox at the weekend which has meant sleepless nights. My ever helpful mother is unable to recall whether I have had it or not so that is another thing to worry about. By the way, does anybody have any recommendations for something stronger than calamine to relieve the itch?

Cos · 02/04/2001 21:15

Bells
try piriton syrup - you can get it in child doses ask your pharmacist

Suew · 02/04/2001 21:26

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Bells · 03/04/2001 06:30

Yhanks a lot SueW and Cos, another terrible night so will give both a go.

Twinsmum · 03/04/2001 11:10

Hello Twins mums to be
I had a really awful pregnancy. Fainted on a hourly basis through most of it. Ate very little through the nine months and as soon as I gave birth I actually weighed a stone and a half LESS than before I got pregnant. Anyway that was all a nightmare, and the first few weeks are a bit of a fog for all concerned but it really is worth it. My two fight like mad but they love each other so much. To see them discovering life together is just magical. If one of them is upset the other goes across and gives them a big sticky kiss and cuddle. My favourite times are when they play hide and seek together and collapse in a fit of giggles when they find each other.
I really feel for you...and I hope you start to feel better soon. get plenty of rest. Treat yourself whenever possible!!

Twinsmum · 03/04/2001 11:14

PS. Sorry just read my note and it sounded anything but positive encouragement re pregnancy!
Anyway...here's another try....
My friend also had twins and apart from the usual early morning sickness she was absolutely fine through the rest of it. We've now got two sets of very healthy, very lovely twins.

Hope thats a bit of a better effort!

Robbie · 03/04/2001 12:14

Hi Jt,
I reckon twin pregnancy is much the same as a singleton one, but chances are you'll get everything a bit more severely. I had backache, lots of indigestion, constipation and felt pretty breathless and tired. On the plus side, you have an even bigger excuse to take it easy and let everyone else run around after you. And chances are they might come a bit early. Oh and of course twins are great (at least once they're one they are). Do you know if they're identical or fraternal yet?

Copper · 03/04/2001 15:20

Bells
try giving your son a auitable travel sickness remedy to make him drowsy and the chickenpox more tolerable. A friend who is a nurse/midwife recommended this to me - unfortunately after my daughter had had chickenpox bad enough to make her inconsolable. That was when I was newly pregnant too - not a happy memory.

Are you having twins?

Bells · 03/04/2001 15:25

Lord no Copper! At least I don't think so.... Thanks for the tip. Apparently he is worse today but I have the calamine cream and also the piriton which apparently does lead to drowsiness. So as soon as I get home from work, hopefully he will have some relief.

Emmagee · 03/04/2001 16:01

An aside on Calmine - I remember using a foaming calamine mousse when I had sunburn a few years ago and it was easier/less irritaitng to apply - don't know where it comes from as I haven't seen it for a while!

Suew · 03/04/2001 22:33

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Emmam · 04/04/2001 07:39

Sorry, not about twins, but chickenpox...its doing its rounds in our area too - what are the first symptoms?

Hope your son is feeling better Bells.

Jt - hope you are feeling OK too, how's the cold?

Bells · 04/04/2001 08:12

Hi Emmam. He is a lot better thanks. The Calamine cream worked a treat as did the Piriton and long warm salty baths. Our son's first sympton was red spots on his back and he then also developed a high termperature. I was shocked at how many spots he had - he was literally covered in them with around 25 on his face alone. It really is awful

Marina · 04/04/2001 13:29

Glad to hear that Bells (re chickenpox). Whether our son would come down with it - everyone else did at nursery during February - has been such a continuing source of discussion in our house that on Saturday morning he was pecking away at the computer keyboard and said "type letter chickenpox nursery". And then he had the nerve to be aggrieved when I whipped his vest off to check for the nth time over the last eight weeks. He has had his own back because yesterday he did develop a fine group of spots on his right cheek. Can I pick your brains and ask, how ill has your son felt? How quickly did he feel ill after the first spots appeared? Or did he feel ill first? I am sure this is not CP because ours is fine otherwise and from what you and others have said, it makes them very poorly at first.
Hope you are keeping well too.

Bells · 04/04/2001 13:50

Hi Marina. The spots were the first noticeable sympton although he had been off his food for about 3-4 days. We noticed the spots at about 9 in the morning and by 4 that afternoon he was getting quite distressed at the itchiness. He developed a very high temperature that evening and felt pretty rotten for around 48 hours. He has an awful lot of spots (even on his eyelids and willie!) but is now much much better. So all in all, around 4-5 days, 2-3 of which he was really out of sorts.

By the way, you son's grasp of language sounds amazing!!.

Marina · 04/04/2001 14:29

We were very impressed although he is just mimicking things he has heard a lot as in "What will we do about nursery if he has chickenpox, another three cases it says in this letter". Personally I think this is a case of toddler zits as by now they should have progressed beyond his cheekbone. The E/SE London strain that is doing the rounds seems quite virulent, a lot of his little pals ended up with nasty infected spots in their nappy regions and were distinctly unwell. Glad to hear your little chap is over the worst in good time for Easter.

Twinsmum · 04/04/2001 15:50

Marina
The symptons can be very different with each child. My two little boys had it within a couple of weeks of each other. The first was absolutely covered in spots adn was really quite unwell. Lookedvery pale, didn't want to eat anything and just laid on the sofa for a few days. Son number 2 however had 3 spots (literally) and was full of the joys of spring. I took a lot of convincing that he actually had CP but apparently he did.

Marina · 05/04/2001 08:35

Thanks Twinsmum, I had heard about this sort of "sub" chickenpox as well as the full-blown variety, but no-one I actually know has had it. The spots are all in one small place and disappearing under the onslaught of what our son calls "cree", rather than blistering, so I think we're still all right...for now...until tomorrow. Agh! I wish he'd just hurry up and have it!

Bigmum · 05/04/2001 22:33

Hi JT
My sister in law had twins last year, living in France penniless five feet tall and twice as wide. She had one of each and kept them in drawers
(obviously not pushed in) becuase she couldnt afford moses baskets. She found an antique twin facing pram in a second hand shop. She breastfed both for 5 months without the support of her husband or the French midwives.
Of course she has bad days and gets tired but she has produced two gorgeous jolly children and they have so much fun. She has an incredible relationship with them which puts me( in far more comfortable and traditional circumstances)to shame.

Twinsmum2 · 19/04/2001 22:14

Lovely to hear about all those lovely baby twins! We have two sets of twins- identical girls of 18yrs and non-identical girls of 15 yrs. I used to long for them to grow up when they were younger and we used to laugh about the time that they would be teenagers and now that time has come, I wish they were all toddlers again! As you can imagine it's wall to wall hormones in this house, but we have been lucky in that on the whole they get on fairly well with one another. I also found the local twins club a great help and also TAMBA Twinline 01732 868000 which is a listening service for parents of multiples. They can help you with details of local twins clubs etc and are great just to talk to, to let off steam if you've been up half the night with crying babies for instance!

stunned · 04/11/2002 12:09

anyone out there?? I have just found out I am pregnant with twins (9weeks) and am completely shocked - have a lovely little boy just 17 months - dont know how we'll cope given we have just got a bit settled in a new house and area - v. worried because v. demanding job too?? any tips/ advice/ anything from anyone would be much appreciated.....

helenmc · 04/11/2002 12:37

Hello stunned , I remember they wouldn't let me go home without having acup of tea first cos I was so shocked. my girls are now 5 1/2. Straight forward pg, caried for 39 weeks and 2 x 7llb babes , so its not all problems. I did have 44inch waistline thou and found it very difficult to iron. Tips - if you find one and afford it get a cleaner!!!. and don't say no to any offers.

kkgirl · 04/11/2002 17:47

Stunned

I can remember exactly how you feel, feelings of sheer panic (and I was 20 weeks when I found out).
Try to contact your local twins club if you have one or if not TAMBA and talk to people who understand.
I was very lucky a girl over the road had twins and an older boy and she was helpful in preparing me for it. The main thing at the moment is to look after yourself and your little boy and stay calm.
Like helenmc I had a straightforward pregnancy and went to nearly 40 weeks but twins can be born at 36 weeks + as you probably know.
There are some good books about twins which will provide you with the information you need as well, also if you join TAMBA they have leaflets on issues affecting Twins.
Also as Helenmc said if anyone offers help in any way take it, it is a big step from 1 to 1 and two babies and the first months can be very demanding, but there is life after twins, mine are 6 now and although there is a lot of work there are lots of rewards as well

stunned · 04/11/2002 20:54

thank you kkgirl and helen mc - need to buy some books for sure!!! any books definitely worth getting?? what is amazing is family and friends are SO pleased about this news and we are still trying to make sense of it!!! although I know we should feel v. happy given I started very late (now 41) - but none to 3 in 2 years leaves me a bit reeling.....

kkgirl · 04/11/2002 21:03

stunned

of course your family are pleased it is something special after all, but of course you will need time to get over the shock.
By the way the first time my husband and I took them out to Tesco's we were mobbed by old ladies cooing over them and asking us all sorts of questions. It took about 20 mins to get down the first aisle. It was amazing but something you can do without when you're worried about feeding, crying and nappies.
Have a look in the Multiples section as well.