how do you know if your having twins

marymike21

I'm 12 weeks. And everytime I go to the doctors they find an excuse not to let me hear the babies heart beat or to not do an ultrasound. But I have noticed Ive been getting a lot bigger then what I was. I was told you aren't suppose to be gaining this much weight until your 5th month in. So I was wondering what are some ways you can tell that your having twins. And when will the doctors let me hear the heart beat

Lihnlee

Why haven't they let you hear the heartbeat?! How many times have you seen the dr?

SamiBearrr

Well I can't tell you how to tell if you are having twins, but my doctor told me they won't try for to hear the Heat beat until 14-16 weeks because they don't want to stress you out if they can't find it, because before then your uterus is still very low and baby is still very very tiny.

lablover920

When have you had appointments (like what weeks)? I had my first appointment at 8 weeks and my midwife believes that is too early for a strong heart beat. So I should be able to listen for a heart beat at my 12 week appointment. This is normal as my mom and all my friends have had to wait until 12 weeks as well and then around 20 weeks for an ultrasound (unless genetic testing is elected).

marymike21

Ive been to the doctors twice since I found out. I went a month ago for my first appointment and then two weeks ago for my second one but then my doctor had something else to do in the middle of my appointment so they had to reschedule me for next week. They told me I was getting to hear it at my first one then they told me that they couldn't do it bc the doctor wasn't In. Then they said they could do it my second one. But they never did bc the doctor had something else to do. So I'm suppose to get it done and hear it next week. Hopefully.

marymike21

My first appointment was at 9 weeks my second at 11 weeks and my third one will now be at 13 weeks. But they haven't done any testing or anthing to see if something was wrong when the baby. They just keep rescheduling me.

lablover920

marymike21 said:

Ive been to the doctors twice since I found out. I went a month ago for my first appointment and then two weeks ago for my second one but then my doctor had something else to do in the middle of my appointment so they had to reschedule me for next week. They told me I was getting to hear it at my first one then they told me that they couldn't do it bc the doctor wasn't In. Then they said they could do it my second one. But they never did bc the doctor had something else to do. So I'm suppose to get it done and hear it next week. Hopefully.

That is unfortunate if your doctor is missing your appointments and hopefully this next appointment goes well for you. However, if you gave exact dates of your appointments (weeks) then maybe I would have more to add...

marymike21

I did above the last thing you just posted. @BLyman2

dp1320

As far as I know, there is absolutely no way to know the # of babies inside of you without an ultrasound.

Marchmellow2

I'd totally switch doctors. It's worth it. You don't want this happening again and again and again.

lablover920

marymike21 said:

My first appointment was at 9 weeks my second at 11 weeks and my third one will now be at 13 weeks. But they haven't done any testing or anthing to see if something was wrong when the baby. They just keep rescheduling me.

Are you high risk? Or have not been seen at the first two appointments? Sorry just a little confused. Hopefully this appointment is able to answer all your questions and fears! If you get rescheduled again maybe look for another doctor or hospital if there is one close by?

beccabeeee

I agree, I think you should switch doctors. If your that far along they should have already offered you different blood tests and possibly the NT scan. It's odd they would give you the run around so many times, and not just have another doctor fill in for her if what she had to do was so important she had to leave your appointment. If you like your office is try switching to a different doctor and if they can't do that then search for a new office. That would really frustrate me

mbhurst1

I'd get a new doctor.  Seems like yours is not very attentive to you and your needs.  That is weird that the doctor has other things to do during your appointments, unless you just keep getting bad luck at your appointments and she/he is delivering babies when you come in.

With that being said, where I go, they have a separate ultrasound office downstairs.   We've always done U/S at 8 weeks (seems to be the trend on this board, or at least 12 weeks), so I don't know why they haven't done one with you.  It would seem important to make sure everything is ok so early on.  So, it seems like even if the doc gets called out, you could still have your ultrasound. 

Peanut1128

I agree with the other posters that you may want to look for a new practice. I'm a FTM so I am not sure if my experience is typically but I got an ultrasound at 8 weeks and got to see the baby as well as the heartbeat. At 12 weeks I opted for the NT ultrasound as well. I'm sorry that you have not gotten any answers, how frustrating!

marymike21

No I'm not at high risk. This is my first pregnancy. And my first appointment was to get my prenatal vitamins and nausea medicine second one was suppose to hear the heartbeat but the doctor had to leave and I have four doctors that I have to see but none of the other three where coming In that day. So they rescheduled me. All I want is to make sure the baby is okay. And that the baby is growing right.

redfallon

That does seem strange. With my OBs office, the first appt they do an ultrasound to check the baby out and check the dates to see how everything is going. We did that at 8 weeks with my first and with this one.

groovylocks

Your doctor needs the boot. 

I didn't hear a heart at 8 weeks but i saw her. They did a transvaginal ultrasound and i saw her wiggling and bopping around like she owned the joint. 

And the doctor said "I see 170 bpm". 

All this can happen by your 8th week.

Ken122014

I had an abdominal ultrasound at my first, 8 week appointment, and I saw the baby. They looked around and there was only one. At my next appointment in a week, I will get a second ultrasound. I agree that you should look for a new doctor.

BostonBaby1

Maybe you should get a new doctor, maybe you don't need to. I don't think that we have enough information to determine whether or not your doctor left the room because of an emergency or because of another reason that would be less compelling. If it was not for an emergency then you should definitely consider getting a new doctor.

*just a side note- They can miss twins the first couple of times around if they're not looking for it. I was working with arguably the best RE in Boston and they missed the fact that I had twins during my first two ultrasounds because once they found the gestational sack of Baby A, they weren't looking for a second one. It should be noted that these were both very early ultrasounds. It should also be noted that this was a natural pregnancy for me when we had to use IVF for our last one. I think the last thing that anybody was thinking was that I was pregnant naturally with twins. Once I had an abdominal ultrasound at 7w6d it was immediately clear that there were twins (although we had lost one around week five.) It also made clear the fact that my hCG levels (betas) were very high from early on, but since these vary tremendously from woman to woman and pregnancy pregnancy, it's not a truly reliable source for twins.

Please do not take any offense to this, I'm just trying to let you know from the perspective of somebody that has lost multiple pregnancies that occasionally doctors have to leave the room in order to handle emergencies. If you are not high risk and there is no reason for concern i.e. you have no signs of severe cramping or bleeding like the flow of a period and your bloodwork looks good, it is not unreasonable for your doctor to reschedule your appointment if he or she has to leave in order to handle an emergency. Is this disappointing? Absolutely. I have been in your shoes before where I have been rescheduled and I can tell you that I found it very upsetting. Being on the other side, having been in and out of the hospital this past week and a half with losing this pregnancy and then having bleeding that is making my blood pressure and pulse drop to emergent levels, I can much better understand why the doctor would have to walk out of a regular appointment.

Either way, I certainly hope that you find the answers that you are looking for and deserve to have. It is completely understandable that you want to make sure that your baby is growing at a healthy rate and that everything is progressing as it should be with your pregnancy. Hopefully this doctor will see ASAP as promised and if not that you get a new doctor that will treat you the way that you deserve to be treated.

Good luck mama and I hope everything turns out great for you!

rynney

My first appointment was at around 7 weeks. They did an internal exam and sent me on my way. My doc told me it was really too early to hear a heartbeat but that we would do that at my 11w appt. I ended up having some bleeding just before 8w and freaked out and they sent me for an ultrasound, where we discovered just the one baby. I asked the nurse "there's just one in there, right???" and she assured me there was one baby & heartbeat (167)!

SunnyD2015

Most doctors won't look for a heartbeat until 12 weeks.  It is hard to find it early on.  I am surprised they said they would look at 9 weeks.  I go to a single OB practice and there have been several times I either had to wait for the doctor to get back from being called in or had to be rescheduled because of an emergency.  Not uncommon since you never know when babies decide to be born.  

I am sorry for your frustrations but with first time pregnancies and you are not high risk, it is also no uncommon to wait to be seen for the first time between 9 and 12 weeks.  Hope you get to hear your beans heartbeat next week and that everything is going good.  

Erin

Snowy5

We found out it was twins at a dating scan at almost 7 weeks.
It was a huge shock as we already have 5 wonderful kids
The only thing that I noticed early in pregnancy was my boobs were HUGE from about five weeks. Other than that everything else has been the same as my other singleton pregnancies.
Hope you find a good ob. I would change now before you get too much further along if you are truly not happy.
Good luck

Nataliegz12

I found out I was havig twins at my second appointment when I was 8 weeks. I also heard the heartbeats soon after. I see a specialist because twins are considered a higher risk, not all doctors refer to a specialist. I am 13 weeks tomorrow and have had an appointment every two weeks between my ob and specialist. I am not a first time mom but with twins I switched doctors to an ob that is more familiar with twins and couldnt be happier. If you have any doubts now you should move to a doctor you trust.

tgaskin12

I'd be switching my doctors... TOMORROW. my first appointment which was when I was 7 weeks, I believe. 6 or 7. I had an ultrasound. Then when I went in for an out of routine appointment because of a respiratory infection I was 9 weeks and a few days, I heard my baby's heart beat. I just went back yesterday for my 12 week check up (11w3d) we heard the heart beat as clear as ever. Around 9 weeks the heartbeat can be detected by a fetal doppler.

The doctor seems very unreliable and I wouldn't want this man/woman delivering my child and having their life along with mine at the palm of their hand. Please, please switch doctors. If not for you, for the baby.

nnmitina

Ultrasound

VegetaElPrincipe

Hey, I know you posted this a while ago, but I am just checking in. I hope you have had some positive updates since this post and that all is going well.

kepoole

marymike21 said:

No I'm not at high risk. This is my first pregnancy. And my first appointment was to get my prenatal vitamins and nausea medicine second one was suppose to hear the heartbeat but the doctor had to leave and I have four doctors that I have to see but none of the other three where coming In that day. So they rescheduled me. All I want is to make sure the baby is okay. And that the baby is growing right.

Part of that first appt is also to get measurements. To make sure the fetus has attached inside the uterus and not in a Fallopian tube.(sp?) you absolutely should have had at least one u/s by now. I would insist on one at next appt and if they don't do it change drs immediately

taysun

I wish I had seen this so I could've told you that many offices only do one ultrasound between 18 and 20 weeks if you aren't high risk, not all doctors will do a dating ultrasound early on unless they have reason to. Hopefully everything worked out for you!

celainev

Do you mean you have had no blood test? Because you should have had one. At 12 weeks it's so early that they don't usually hear the heartbeat. They couldn't find my baby's at this time and it crushed me. I wish he never tried. And I don't get my first u/s until 18 weeks.
As for having twins, it kinda sounds like you think they are keeping this from you? If they did no tests how would they know you are having twins? You shouldn't need any other tests at 12 weeks except blood work, probably twice and that includes the first test for quad screening.
I think it's impressive they are seeing you every two weeks. That seems more intensive than necessary... Usually it's every 4 weeks til later on.

taysun

@kepoole many offices only do one ultrasound for the anatomy scan. I'm 15 weeks and have heard the heartbeat once, twice if I hear it tomorrow. Won't get an ultrasound until 19 weeks. This is normal for low risk pregnancies with no reason to question EDD. Not getting an ultrasound is not a reason to switch doctors unless an ultrasound is medically necessary.

kdoak2015

This post is hard to respond to as all doctors are different and depending where you are in the world not having as U.S. Until anatomy scan is normal(as per PP). I'm in Canada and I've had a dating us(8w) and 3 doc apts(where I heard the hb at week 10 & 15). I had an option to do genetic testing between 12-14 weeks but opted out(so I could have had another U.S. But didn't). I have another doc apt at 19w and my anatomy scan at 19w. Hope this helps.

mypeeps27

I had my first appointment at 7 weeks and heard the heartbeat. Second one at 11 weeks and also heard the heartbeat. I would look for a new doctor if this one keeps blowing you off. Will he/she even show up when you're in labor?

TomekiaB

I wanted to join in the low risk FTM experience. I have heard the heartbeat twice once at 11 weeks and once at 15 weeks. My LMP date was known and my cycle had been at 28 days so they didn't do a dating ultrasound. Unless they think something is wrong they don't do any ultrasounds at my doctor until 20-22 weeks for the anatomy scan. It took the nurse a long time (almost 5 minutes pushing deep) to find the heartbeat at 11 weeks but she did state if she couldn't find it not to panick she'd send me for an ultrasound before I left the appointment. At 15 weeks my husband was able to come to my appointment and the doctor let DH find it and DH found it really easily. 

I was in a book club and 6-7 out of 15 women of from the club got pregnant over the course of the club, one of the women is a FTM pregnant unexepectedly with twins I know she'd been TTC for awhile but it doesn't sound like she'd done any type of fertility treatments. Anyway she looked at me and one other woman in the club and said we were more likely to have twins because we were both "tall with tall husbands" like she and her husbands (we are all 25-30yo, no prior pregnancies etc. so it was a somewhat interesting conversation since we don't seem to fit the profile at this point for moms of twins--i.e. older, multiple pregnancies, higher BMI etc.). It made me wonder when they typically find twins since it doesn't seem like a doppler would find them very frequently. Would it be normal not to know before an ultrasound at 20 weeks? I never thought to ask the twin mom when she found out. The statistics on twins don't typically say what the frequency is of concieving twins without fertility treatments, so when they say twins are more common now I can't tell if that is because of reproductive technology or another reason. 

keallenrmt

My Dr won't check for heart beat until later in the 1st tri, I was 16 weeks this time and with DD my Mw wouldn't check until 12 weeks or so. I also didn't get a dating ultrasound either time but had one at 12+5 this pregnancy and about the same time last pregnancy. If you're having twins you would be able to tell by the hcg levels in your blood, it would be way higher than if it was a singleton pregnancy. You should have had a blood test to confirm the pregnancy by now. Also symptoms tend to be stronger with twins but weight gain might not mean much, I gained 14 lbs in 1st 12 weeks with DD, 50+ overall so that could be genetics or diet if you're like me and was only eating carbs (only thing I could tolerate was pasta).

dramaphile

I had my first Appt at 9 weeks, couldn't find the heartbeat, went back at 11 weeks and got the heartbeat (they let me come back just to try the Doppler) next appt was 12 weeks, couldn't
Find the heartbeat, nice strong heartbeat at 14 weeks when I went in for a urine dip because I thought I had a UTI. They often warn you, or just don't do the Doppler till after 12 or 14 weeks because some women freak out when they can't get the heartbeat. I also had a retro erred uterus and am plus size which made using the Doppler more challenging. My last appt (20 weeks) the little bugger kept wiggling away when the midwife tried to use the Doppler!

So, it's normal not to have heard the heartbeat or had an ultrasound (insurance sometimes won't even cover a dating ultrasound) at 12 weeks, they're probably trying to spare you the panic from attempting the Doppler and not getting anything.