Decided to have a third child and it’s twins

[SurpriseTwinPregnancy]

I am in complete and utter shock - I found out I was pregnant about six weeks ago. Had my 12 week scan this week and it’s twins. The shock of my LIFE.

I had no signs. It’s my third rodeo. I thought I knew what I was doing. It all felt the same as before.

Was I tired? Yes, of course! I have a 4 year old and a just turned one year old!

Was any morning sickness worse? Nope, not really! Don’t get get sickness or really even any nausea during pregnancy. I’ve had a few iffy moments but nothing bad. I know, I’m lucky.

Am I showing yet? Well, my stomach has barely recovered from carrying my two 4kg babies and I’m fat anyway so I always look pregnant. But NO I am not showing. My jeans still fit perfectly!

Twins in the family? NONE
IVF? NOPE
Old? 34 so no, not especially.

I can only laugh because otherwise I might cry. We will have three under 19 months. Plus the 4 year old (though she will be 5 by then). Is the car big enough? Nope. The house? Erm… it’ll be a squeeze. Can we afford it? Luckily yes but not without cutting back in some areas.

Anyone else been or going through the same or similar? We are delighted but also completely terrified! Would love some company and/or advice on this whirlwind.

Congratulations!! Yeah it will be tough but it’s bloody typical isn’t it

Congratulations! I had surprise twins and then another baby just over 2 years later. Life will be hectic but lots of fun. Join your local twins club and you’ll instantly feel better after speaking to other people with multiples :)

I was in 2 minds about having a second. Decided yes but OK if didn't happen as first took months to conceive.. conceived first unprotected cycle with identical twins ! No family history, 35 so similar to you.. it was a shock and NOT the plan at all, but it all works out !

Congratulations! What sexes are they all? I am assuming it will be shared bedrooms, etc, but that can all be managed xx

Twins are delicious!! What a treat for you 😊 although it’s going to be tough, you’ll manage- because you have to!
wMy only advice is drop everything that is surplus to requirements (getting dressed, ‘today I turned 5 weeks’ updates, cooking elaborate dinners.
Whenever someone asks if they can help, say yes and designate them something to make your life easier. Find a good activity for the 4 year old to do that only comes out when the twins need feeding, then she thinks it’s a treat rather than a steal of your time. Also I’d consider bottle feeding or at least a mix, unless you fancy going breast in which case you are a stronger woman than me!
Make your goals smaller, take photographs of the chaos because you will look back and laugh, don’t worry about bathtime every night. Do two kids Monday, two Tuesday, Wednesday off. Cut corners when you can.

Enjoy naming them!!

OP just remember you are an experienced mum and it will be fine!
If it's helps follow multipletwinmumplusone on Instagram, she's had twins, twice! Plus an older child.
It'll be hectic and at times you'll me like WTF! But overall it'll be so worth it, lots of people have 4 or more kids and live to tell the tale..

It will be great. Hard but great.

My eldest was 17 months when I had my twins and then when the twins were 13 months I had baby number 4 (6 weeks early) so four kids under 3.

Now youngest is 12, yes it has been hard and a whirlwind but I wouldn't swap it for the world. In fact if I had a chance I'd swap with you and go back to those crazy days. Congratulations

This happened to a colleague! Twins have just sat their GCSE's so all survived although tough going. You'll get there.

Also my aunt's third pregnancy was triplets. This was many years ago when multiples were rarer. They had to buy a minibus!

Just remember you went from 0 kids to 1 and survived. Then you went from 1 to 2 and still decided to try for a 3rd. You'll be grand. Congratulations.

Congratulations!

Also your story has firmly put the lid on my urges to try for a third child at 42.

But still congratulations! Hard work but ❤️

I know someone who had 2 sets of triplets. From memory the first set were IVF, and the second pregnancy was very much unexpected resulting in a further 3.

My colleague once told me her friend had 3 sets of twins naturally. I can't even imagine, but she said they knew no different because they had always had to raise 2 babies at a time.

Thank you, all! It’s such a whirlwind. I’m loving all the encouragement and stories.

We currently have two girls. The Twins appear to be non identical so it will be interesting to see what they are. We had surprises at birth with the girls which I loved but I’m leaning to finding out the sexes with The Twins as I feel I need to be more organised and prepared! Frankly I don’t have the space for all these floral pink clothes if I end up with two boys (please don’t come at me for stereotypical gendered clothing 🙈).

It took me a while to get my head around a third and so I think by the time we found out there was also a fourth I had already done my panicking so now I’m like “yep, it’ll be fine - it’ll have to be”!

Thank god it’s not triplets 😂 and @AllThePotatoesAreSinging I’m glad to help - we were very 50:50 about trying for a third and I think if I’d had a crystal ball and known it’d be twins we might have made a different decision but here we are! I never thought it would happen to us!

moms between the ages of 30 to 39 were twice as likely to have twins,

Oh my goodness that all sounds horrific! 😂

God I’d love this 😅

Congratulations! No advice but what a blessing. It’ll be tough but it’ll be amazing.

Happened to my friend. She has three under 2

Nothing to add, but you do have my sympathy.

Now is the time to be suggesting shared parental leave 😁

No advice as I've just had my first but CONGRATULATIONS! What a blessing xx

There is something just so special about twins isn’t there. Terrifying but so special. I feel so lucky!

Still shocked though. Very much shocked.

Yes @Funfaxfan we have already discussed and DH will definitely be doing shared parental leave. We don’t have much in the way of family support so it’s essential!

I am actually going back to work next week after mat leave with DD2. I am rather looking forward to seeing my manager’s face when I tell her! She will actually be delighted. Fortunately I work for a large global company so me having another year off doesn’t have any real impact on the business.

I had a school friend whose Mum was a third pregnancy for her grandma and ended up a twin (so 4 children)
Both she and her twin sister had 2 single children and then both had girls twins from their 3rd pregnancy.

I also knew someone who had given birth in the war and had no idea it was twins until a second one appeared (she was on her own as the midwife had left her)

Awww.... what a lovely surprise. Congratulations!! Wishing you a lovely pregnancy and birth.

Congrats! I grew up as one of 4, and loved it - I’m very lucky.

Ah congratulations! I have no advice but I can imagine how overwhelmed you feel. I have a 4yo and a 1yo and we are edging closer to trying for a third and I keep thinking ‘but what if it’s twins’. You will cope and it will be beautiful.

This happened to me!
2 boys and was undecided about a 3rd then found out I was pregnant. 8 week scan and twins!! Non identical. Like you, no morning sickness at all, 35 but yes a history of twins in family but didn’t think I’d get them 😂
I didn’t find out what I was having and now have 2 beautiful girls.
it’s certainly been an eventful ride