20 questions about twinsAngelina and Brad will have a few questions on their minds about living with twins after the arrival of their boy and girl at the weekend! When parents find out that they're expecting twins, their initial reaction is often one of shock. Regardless of whether or not this is a first pregnancy, most couples have a lot of questions that they need answering. Nurse, and mum of twins, Clodagh Gray, answers your most common queries.Pregnant with twins
How common are twins? Twins occur in about 1 in 80 pregnancies and the incident of twins has increased over the last 30 years as more people have IVF. Some factors can influence the likelihood of having twins and these include;
Twins occur in one of two ways:
A lot of the normal common complaints associated with early pregnancy can be worse with twin pregnancies. Symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue are caused as your body gets used to the increase in hormone levels and normally level off at about three months. However, with twin pregnancies the hormone levels are even higher which is why some mothers experience worse sickness and feel more tired. Will I need more tests than in a single pregnancy?Unless there is a reason to think otherwise, most people don't know they are expecting twins until the first ultrasound scan, normally between 16 and 18 weeks, although depending on your maternity unit this could be as soon as 12 weeks. So for the first four months expect the same routine tests and examinations as for any pregnancy. However, once a twin pregnancy is confirmed you will have more scans than for a single pregnancy, usually every four weeks until 32 weeks then fortnightly until birth. Routine blood tests remain the same as in any pregnancy unless there is a medical problem. How much weight will I put on?As in any pregnancy weight gain is only a rough guide and some women will put on more while others put on less. In a twin pregnancy, you can expect to gain between 35 and and 45lbs, which is roughly 10lbs more than in a single pregnancy. In the first trimester expect to gain 5-10lbs and then roughly 1-2lbs for each subsequent week. Are there more complications with twin pregnancies?The main risk with any multiple pregnancy is premature labour and birth. According to the National Statistics Online, about half of twin pregnancies are delivered before 37 weeks. Another complication of twin pregnancies is twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) which, if not detected and treated, can lead to premature labour or even death of one or both babies. What is twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome?TTTS is a serious complication that only occurs in identical twin pregnancies. It is a problem with the placenta where one baby receives all the nutrients whilst the other receives none. It is often detected by scan where one baby is noicably smaller than the other. There may also be no fluid surrounding the smaller baby. If left untreated, the smaller baby may die from lack of nutrients and the larger baby will have too much fluid which can lead to pressure on the heart and subsequent heart failure. The mother may also notice increased fluid around her bump and breathlessness. Will my babies be born prematurely?There is a greater risk of premature labour in twin pregnancies but it is not a foregone conclusion that you will give birth prematurely just because there is more than one baby. 50% of twin pregnancies go to full term. Taking extra care of yourself, eating well and getting plenty of rest, especially in the very tiring third trimester, will improve your chances of a full term pregnancy. However, sometimes labour comes on early or an early delivery is needed and it's important to remember than nothing you or the maternity staff do can prevent this. Will I need a caesarean section?Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a Caesarean section depends on which way round the first baby is lying. In most twin pregnancies, both babies are delivered head-first, although breech (bottom-first) babies are more common than in single pregnancies. If the baby is head-first, a vaginal delivery is usually planned. In labour, the first twin is handled no differently from a single pregnancy. If the first baby is breech, vaginal delivery is still possible but a number of decisions need to be made to ensure the safety of the babies and the mother. Sometimes, as in single pregnancies, emergency Caesareans are needed, and occasionally, routine Caesareans are planned for medical reasons. Will my babies have to go to Special Care?About 40 per cent of twins need some time in Special Care. If they are born before 32 weeks or weigh less than 3.5lbs then they will need some special care. Also, twins with TTTS or other medical problems usually spend some time in SCBU. Living with twinsMy babies are in Special Care. What can I expect? Special care baby units aim to provide the care that babies would have had in the womb, supplementing this with help with breathing, feeding and warmth. Depending on their condition at birth, your babies may or may not be incubators. They will probably have wires connected to them to monitor their hearts and breathing. Sometimes they may be ventilated which means they will have tubes in their mouths or noses to help them breathe until they are strong enough to do it on their own. They may also have a feeding tube in their nose. This is a tiny soft tube which goes into their tummy through which either formula or expressed breastmilk is put. Tiny babies find feeding very tiring and this method of feeding keeps them nourished without getting over-tired. For further information on special care click here Is it really possible to breastfeed my twins? The simple answer is yes, it's not only possible but successfully done by many mothers of twins and triplets. Although it can seem daunting, breastfeeding twins is no different in principle to breastfeeding a single baby, just make sure the positioning is right for both of them. Your body will make enough milk to feed two babies but it is important to remember to maintain a good diet yourself, regardless of how many babies you are feeding. Tandem or not? What's the best type of pram to get?This is really down to personal preferences and what sort of use your pram will get. Before you decide it's worth thinking of a few things. " Will it fit into your car? " How heavy/light is it? " Try before you buy " Ask friends/relatives or other parents of twins on babyworld for their ideas and thoughts. You can try the Twins and multiple births forum or the Product Talk forum and just ask away! My twins seem to have their own language. Is the telepathic link true? Much research has been done into the 'links' between twins but nothing so far has been definitely proven. There have been many tales of twins experiencing each other's pain, or turning up wearing the same outfits for example butscientists cannot explain this phenomenon. Twin babies are known to communicate with each other long before and often long after they can speak properly. Again no scientific explanation has fully explained the reasons why this happens. Will my twins be slower to reach their milestones?Twins are often slower to talk than single children. It is normal for twins to be as much as six months behind singletons and to speak in shorter simpler sentences. Most grow out of it but some may continue to have speech difficulties. Sometimes the cause is down to their premature birth but studies are currently researching for a better understanding. Can I harm their individuality if I dress them alike?There are many advantages to dressing your babies or even toddlers alike. It looks cute, it celebrates their special bond and, for a busy parent, it is hard enough to arrange one outfit without having to decide on another. There is no specific research that indicates that dressing alike has produced any negative effect on twins. However many psychologists do recommend against it for parents that wish to emphasize individuality. Nancy Segal, author of 'Entwined Lives' said "I believe that it is okay, on occasion. I would not advocate it at all for fraternal twins. Identical twins are a different issue. They might enjoy it. It should not get to the point where they rely on it for attention." Ultimately, go with whatever feels right for you until the time comes when your twinfants want to decide for themselves. It's hard choosing names for one baby, never mind two. Any ideas?The two important things to remember when naming any baby is firstly you have to be happy with the name and secondly your child will have that name forever. Naming twins can take a number of routes. It used to be fashionable to give similar sounding names, such as Ben and Ken or Holly and Molly. Parents also like to go with names with the same initial, like Kate and Karen or Paul and Peter. Really, it's up to you. Link their names or not, it doesn't really matter. Try Babyworld's twin namer for inspiration here Why do my twins squabble and fight more than other siblings? Many behaviour issues are related to rivalry or competition amongst multiples who seem born to bicker. It even has a 'name', Twin Escalation Syndrome, the tendency of multiples to intensify and expand their behaviours in reaction to each other. Simply put, one twin cries so the other cries louder, making the first cry louder still and so on. Similar situations occur with behaviour. One twin thinks it's funny to slurp his drink and does so for attention. The second twin, to divert the attention to him, will blow bubbles into his drink and so it goes. Twins will always compete for attention and it should be dealt with in the same way as you would treat any naughtiness. And the quickest and simplest resolution, at least on a temporary level, is to separate them. This only works if each twin has someone to escalate with. I have no time and I'm always tired. Will this ever end?In a word, yes! The first 12 months are the hardest but your twinfants will start to sleep more and eat less often. Popping out to the shops will not always be a military exercise. Your children will be walking one day, the double pram will reduce to a double pushchair or a light double buggy. The twins will climb in and out of their car seats themselves and they will entertain themselves. And when they're getting up to all sorts of mischief you'll be looking back on these days with a longful smile. What support is out there for me? The Twins and Multiple Birth Association is a nationwide UK charity providing Information and mutual support networks for families of twins, triplets and more. Visit them at TAMBA. babyworld.co.uk has a very active twins forum, moderated by a mum of twins, where you can chat to other parents of multiples. Twins Forum Where to next?
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