• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Media Kit
  • Privacy Policy

Simply Sweet Days

Simple discoveries that make every day count.

  • Twins
    • Life With Twins
    • The First Year
    • Twin Pregnancy
  • Family
    • 52 Project
    • DIY
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Precious Moments
    • Products and Reviews
    • Summer Fun
  • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinners
    • Crock Pot
    • Family Favorites
    • Meal Planning
    • Desserts
  • Finding Balance
    • Home Organization
    • Time Management
    • Working Motherhood

Twin Pregnancy

My Twin Pregnancy Story-The First Weeks

My husband and I had been trying to conceive for a while, not using IVF or anything, so this pregnancy was no surprise (at first!). I knew right at 4 weeks that I was expecting.

twin pregnancy

Too bad those pregnancy tests can’t give you more than one line if it’s a twin pregnancy! A little advanced warning might have been nice. 😉

twin pregnancy

I called the doctor right away but, since we weren’t under the care of any fertility specialists, the doctors have a policy that they don’t take pregnancy appointments until you are at least 6 weeks pregnant. That was fine with me. I preferred a female doctor, which put me out another few weeks. In the end, my first appointment was scheduled for when I was to be 9 weeks. I’m a pretty laid-back person about medical stuff and don’t really get uptight about doctor appointments, so I was totally content with waiting a while and just taking it easy in the meanwhile.

Well… I like to jog. I did a pretty hefty trail “run” (ok, it was a trail jog) of about 9 miles the weekend that I found out I was pregnant (I didn’t know I was pregnant with twins yet-I might have opted to walk instead!).

carlsbad beach

I also had just gotten in a car accident. Don’t worry, I wasn’t at fault. THEN, at about 6 weeks along in my twin pregnancy, I started having light bleeding and mild cramps. I’ve had a miscarriage before and this didn’t seem like a miscarriage. Still, bleeding while you are pregnant is nothing to take lightly. And I couldn’t help but think that the last week’s adventures had taken a toll on my body.  I panicked, freaked out, and called the best unofficial nurse I could find at 8 a.m. on a Saturday: My mom. She is so awesome. My doctor’s appointment was not for a while and I was just sure I was losing the baby. Mom talked some sense into me and I obviously did not lose the baby, er, babies. :smile:

I am sharing this story because, when I found out I was pregnant with twins, the OBGYN explained this early bleeding for me. When your uterus is growing at twice the rate (like it does during twin pregnancies), you may experience some bleeding. I didn’t know this at the time, but that scary experience was just my two little cutie patooties making room for themselves.

Are you a “Mom of Multiples”? What’s your pregnancy story?

Best Baby Shower Gifts for Twin Pregnancy

“Twice Blessed”, “Two Peas in a Pod”, “Double the Fun”… So many fun ways to express the joys of a twin pregnancy! If you are headed to a party to celebrate the joyous event, I have a few ideas you may want to consider. Here are some practical baby shower gifts for twin Mamas!

present

When I was expecting, we got a lot of neat stuff. Cute clothes are a fun gift, double sets of bouncers are useful. But I have to say, the MOST practical thing we got was diapers.

I didn’t realize it at the time. We received adorable clothes and useful baby gear as well. I gratefully accepted each package of diapers, and had no idea how thankful I’d be for them later.

As the babies grew, we began to understand how expensive babies (especially twins) can be. Did you know that the average baby has to be changed as much as 8 times a day? For twins, that’s 16 diapers a day! Lets just say that, with the cost of diapers and daycare, we could house a small family in an apartment waaaay nicer than our own!

If you can’t decide on the right size to buy, don’t worry! Let’s say you give your friend Newborn sized diapers (twins, on average, are born at 5 1/2 lbs.), but her twins are born at 9 lbs. and are too big for them. Many stores will exchange diapers that are the wrong size and your friend can get a package of diapers that would fit her babies. I happen to know that Walmart will even exchange a box that’s been opened. Not a bad deal! 

Don’t bother with Preemie sized diapers. Not all twins are born as preemies. If your friend’s babies are born early and end up in the NICU (Heaven forbid, but it does happen), the hospital gives you plenty of diapers so she will be ok for quite a while.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself that you don’t want to give a gift that would turn out to be a chore for your friend who just had twins. How considerate of you! Go with diapers anyway, but get a size 1. I am sure your friend will use them.

What do you think? Have I convinced you? If not, read here for some other baby shower ideas, especially if your friend is expecting twins!

 

When and How to Find Out if You Are Carrying Twins

For me and my husband, our twins were a complete shock. Twins don’t necessarily run in our families. I mean, there are the random set on his and my side of the family. But those few sets of twins wouldn’t be enough to prove that twins ‘run in the family’, per se.

If you did not conceive through In Vitro Fertilization, you may not find out that you are having twins until your first doctor’s appointment. At the first appointment, your doctor will check for a heartbeat and will be able to tell if there are twins because there will be two heartbeats instead of one.

Here’s how it went down for us. We had our first appontment when I was 9 weeks pregnant. We have Kaiser insurance, and they typically do an ultrasound at your first appointment. As the Ob/Gyn was finding the baby using a vaginal ultrasound device, she noticed that there was another dark blob in the background. That dark blob was the other baby! We were in shock, cried happy tears, and I protested in disbelief that there couldn’t possibly be two babies in there. 9-week old fetuses (fetusi?) don’t really look like babies, they look like little ghosts. But, sure enough, those babies each had their own distinct hearbeat. twin ultrasound (2)

Of course, for a long time after that it was still hard for us to grasp the idea that we were having twins.

Are you expecting twins? Share your experience in the comments.

Do You Have to Have a C-Section With Twins?

twin pregnancy, having a baby, childbirth
Are you having a baby? Are you like me and discovered you were pregnant with twins?

Ok, here’s the scoop on childbirth and twin pregnancies. Your OBGYN will gladly schedule you for a cesarean if that is what you want. If you prefer a vaginal delivery, you need 2 things: A doctor who will permit it, and babies who are in the right position.

Not all doctors feel comfortable delivering twins vaginally because it can be risky. Check with your doctor and make sure a vaginal delivery is something he will do.

Even if your doctor supports your desire for a vaginal delivery, there’s no guarantee that he will be at the hospital on the day you deliver ( unless you plan to induce). In that case, the OBGYN on duty may not feel safe with a vaginal delivery. Or the Baby B may flip around after A is out, and you’ll need a C-Section anyway.

Another thing to consider is the position of the babies. If they are both head-down, a vaginal delivery is very possible. If the lower baby (Baby A) is head-down but the other isn’t, it’s possible that Baby B could be turned around and delivered vaginally. If both babies are head-up or lying sideways like an equals sign you will need a C-Section in order for them to be delivered safely.

So basically be prepared to have a C-Section but make your preference clear to your OBGYN. Good luck and feel free to share your experience in the comments.

« Previous Page

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Nikki!

I'm Nikki, a lover of coffee, chef for 6, elementary teacher, and expert in the art of wrangling twins. I'm also a working mom with a passion for having fun and keeping a cozy home. Come along with me on the journey of a joyful mom! Learn More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Simply Sweet Days

Reader Favorites

  • Growing up on Disney Cars...
  • Beach tips and tricks for kids to have a fantastic day at the beach. Before you start packing (especially if you have a baby or toddler), check out these ideas for a family beach trip. If you are planning on going to the beach this summer, I know you will find something useful in these easy tips for a fantastic beach trip! Family Beach Day | Tips f...
  • Easy DIY Father’s D...
  • Free Printable Weekly Hab...