You’ve just gotten the news: you are expecting twins. Congratulations! If you have ever been pregnant before, then you are going to be very surprised at how different it is to carry two. If this is your first time, then you are lucky, because you won’t realize how unfair a twin pregnancy really is on mom!
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Not only is a twin pregnancy completely different, (and harder!) you will get little-to-no understanding from those who haven’t been there. Start looking now for books, blogs and forums geared towards moms of multiples. You’ll need reassurance from veterans when you come face-to-face with these issues.
- You Will Get Bigger Faster. Right about the five month mark, when moms of singletons are just starting to show off their barely-there baby bump, you are going to look full-term. Bad news is that you still have weeks to go. Good news is you can play the sympathy card sooner.
- You Might Experience Double Everything. And more. With all those extra hormones bouncing off your internal walls, you don’t stand a chance. So, double the nausea, add in some headaches, and get ready for some swelling. If it doesn’t happen, awesome! If it does, you can’t say you weren’t warned!
- You Get To See Your Babies More. That’s right. More ultrasounds for you. Maybe as many as one per week. So the good news is that you see your babies more than other moms. The bad news is that you are going to have more not-so-fun tests too.
- You Are High Risk. Even if your pregnancy is great, you are high risk. That means you get poked, prodded, examined, questioned, weighed, and tested every time you turn around. Everything that “rarely” happens with a singleton pregnancy will be a “possibility” with twins, so expect to be examined inside and out on a regular basis.
- You Will Attract Weird Comments From Strangers. Some comments are going to be the same rude comments you get with a single pregnancy. You will also get some personal questions, like how you conceived twins!
- You Are Going to Have Questions. Even if you’ve had other kids, you will be amazed at how much you don’t know about what is going on in your body. Keep a notebook so you can write down questions to ask at all of those extra appointments.
- You Will Use Your Math Skills. And not just for counting by twos. When it comes time to deliver you will be bombarded with statistics and birth equations. About a billion factors play into how you can deliver your babies, so discuss all options thoroughly!
A twin pregnancy is made up of one mom and two babies, one-third excitement and two-thirds worry. Privacy is gone, birth is out of your control. You look forward to the relief of delivery, but live in constant fear of premature labor.
Yet, despite the pain, inability to breathe, and constant worry: you will experience something amazing. You will survive it all, and smile every time you see all those hands and feet on the ultrasounds. Even if you still can’t believe there are really two babies in there!
Recommended Reading:
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When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy
The all-essential guide for every expectant mother of multiples. Fills you in on (the A to Z) what to expect during your unique pregnancy and childbirth experience that other pregnancy books for singletons would never mention.
Eye-opening! A must read for moms-to-be of twins and multiples.