New to the group...have SO many questions

FSBC

Hi all. Happy to be here...little worried though.

So,we found out a couple weeks ago that we are having identical twins (did IVF and egg split). I have not seen my OB yet, as my fertility Dr. just released me today from his service. We are not 100% sure as to what type of identical twins they are, but we do see two yolk sacs. They said that is a good sign for di/di twins. 

Questions:
how has your pregnancy gone so far? 
were you put on bed rest? when?
did/do you have to see a perinatologist along with your regular OB?

Any other info you want to share would be great to. I am a bit of the worried and stressing out side at the moment.

Thanks!

wmam35

Congratulations on your twins!

My di/di boys are almost 8 months old, so I figured I would try my best to answer some of your questions and hopefully be of some help.

I had a good pregnancy I think - I had pretty bad morning sickness until about 18 weeks (lost 10 pounds) and then the rest of my pregnancy was good.  I gained 65 pounds and was able to carry my boys to 38 weeks, and they were both over 6.5 pounds when they were born.  I was super uncomfortable starting around 28 weeks (I was measuring 36 weeks by then (fundal height)).  I was never put on bed rest, but I stopped working at 28 weeks, and I think that was a big reason why I was able to make it to 38 weeks.  I was having some blood pressure issues where I would have my blood pressure taken at work (I am a high school teacher so the school nurse did it) and then I would go to an appointment with my OB after school and there would be a significant drop in blood pressure.  I also experienced some nerve issues in my left leg (specifically my thigh) and had to wear a full length compression stocking starting at around 24 weeks until the end of my pregnancy.  I still have lingering numbness in my thigh which isn't so terrible and isn't as bad as it was during my pregnancy.  Honestly after typing it out, it sounds worse than it actually was. Then of course, there were the "classic" pregnancy things, like swollen ankles, feeling out of breath and very tired, and not being able to sleep.  I drove up until 2 days before my c-section. 

I saw a perinatologist during my pregnancy.  I believe after 20 weeks was when I would see them regularly in conjunction with my regular OB.  I started weekly NSTs around 32 weeks and then starting at 36 weeks I went twice a week (which only ended up being for 2 weeks since I delivered at 38).  I also always had to do a biophysical profile after my NSTs because the boys never cooperated. 

I had a scheduled c-section because Baby B was breech & transverse and, though they said I could attempt a vaginal birth since Baby A was head down, there were too many possibilities for Baby B to have issues that I just felt more comfortable with the c-section. 

The biggest advice I could give otherwise based on my experience is to just stay positive. I know that's easier said than done, but it's the truth.  You hear a lot about twins delivering early and that was what my husband and I were the most afraid of. And while that is true that multiples have a higher chance of delivering early, ever since I got pregnant with my boys I have heard of a lot of women who carry their twins to 36 weeks and beyond!  Someone I went to high school with carried her twins to 40 weeks!  So what my husband and I did was just set short goals - get to 28 weeks, then to 30, then to 34, then to 36, and then anything beyond that was something to be thankful for.  I think it really helped. 

Also don't be afraid to call your doctor.  I remember calling my doctor sobbing crying around 11 weeks because I DIDN'T feel sick (after I had been throwing up all day every day for weeks) and when I apologized they simply said that that was their job, to take care of me and my babies and if I felt like something was wrong, they would see me as soon as I could. 

I hope some of that helps!  Best of luck with your pregnancy!

sldp123

I'm just about 32 weeks with di/di boys. So far this pregnancy has gone just as smooth as my singleton pregnancy 8 years ago. The only difference has been some additional tests (had to do the GTT twice, and I have growth scans every four weeks). 

I have not been put on bed rest, and have no reason to think I will be at this point. Of course, things can change anytime, but so far so good.

I do not regularly see a perinatologist. We had a consult when I was around 14 weeks, but since then I have been seeing only my OB. I think this will depend on the type of twins you are having. I do have my growth scans all done at the peri's office, but I don't see the docs there unless there is a concern, which there hasn't been. 

Honestly, it took me a while to come around to the idea of twins. We did IUI with two follicles, so I knew it was a possibility, but it still felt like a shock when it was real. I was terrified at the thought of suddenly being a high-risk pregnancy, worried about preterm labor, and of course how we would manage with two babies instead of one. We needed a new car, our nursery is tiny, we suddenly needed double of what we thought we would, daycare will cost twice as much, etc. I still have moments of panic, but mostly now I'm just excited to meet these little boys and complete our family. It helped to talk to some people IRL who had perfectly healthy twin pregnancies and carried to 38+ weeks with no issues. I try to remind myself of that. 

Good luck to you!!

FSBC

@wmam35 and @sldp123
Thank you! It is so good to read your happy stories. I need to stay off google for sure! :]

I had my first OB apt today (8w4d) and have just as many questions as I did before the apt. You could tell that they were not familiar with identical twin pregnancies having not seen very many (if any) and pretty much told me there were no different then fraternal twin pregnancies. I have an ultrasound scheduled in about two weeks to determine the type of identical twins... was very disappointed they wouldn't do that today. I feel like not knowing THAT part is the most maddening. 

sldp123

@FSBC sorry to hear your appointment didn't provide many answers. I could be wrong, but I think it would be pretty rare for identical di/di twins to result from IVF with a 5 day transfer. I thought identical di/di occurred if the egg split on days 1-3. I'm not extremely familiar with IVF, but I would think they would be able to tell if it split before transfer? I think a more likely scenario would be mo/di since you saw separate sacs. Of course you will know for sure after your u/s. Waiting is the worst part! 

FSBC

@sldp123 EXACTLY - that is what I have been thinking the entire time, but no one in the medical community (including my ivf Dr.) has confirmed this in any way. They make it seem as though di/di are possible. I wonder if I would be out of line going to see a perinatologist on my own, before the 20 weeks they want me to be before I get a referral. 

pea-kay

Do you have an ultrasound pic? 

This might help. 
https://pyjammy.blog/types-of-twinstriplets/

If you know they're identical, then they're monochorionic. If you had two yolk sacs, they're almost certainly diamniotic. So mo/di. I can relate to the worry, we found out we were having identical triplets early on but no one could tell us if they had their own amniotic sacs. They did have three yolk sacs, though, and in the end, there were three amniotic sacs. Whew.

wabash15

@fsbc congrats on the twins, I had b/g twins with IUI (though we did not find out gender until birth) because of my age, TW previous loss and spotting with the pregnancy endTW I saw a MFM doc for my entire pregnancy. I had no complications and worked up until the night before my CS at 37+2. I was hoping for a vaginal delivery but like @wmam35 baby B was poorly positioned. So my advice would be to make an appointment with MFM especially if your not getting what you hope from your OB. GL and I hope those babies grow well

mamadomino

Hi and congrats!  My mono di girls are 12.5 weeks old.  My pregnancy was quite smooth with no complications.  It was difficult on me physically but I managed.  I was not put on bed rest and had no restrictions.  I was induced at 37 weeks and delivered both vaginally.  I was monitored every two weeks with the perinatologist plus regular appointments with my ob.  If you have one placenta you should be seeing a perinatologist at least every two weeks starting at 16 weeks to monitor for twin to twin transfusion.  My girls originally looked mono mono at our first ultrasound at 7 weeks but we were able to see a membrane at 9 weeks.  

Congrats and good luck! 

sldp123

@FSBC did you have your u/s yet? Just wondered if you got an update on the type of twins and your plan going forward, and if you're feeling better about things. 

TwinMommaCarrie

Congrats!  So exciting.  I have fraternal twins. So I dont have any experience with anything else but I do know that once I finally say my specialist he pretty much said that any and all info I was given by the US tech and some of the doctors we saw we wrong.  lol And honestly as long as they were healthy, growing, and safe I didn't care.  Most of my friends saw  MFS by 14 weeks and due to conflicting opinions I wasn't sent until 20 weeks.  My first US was at 10 and then not again until 20.  And then once a month after that and only done by my MFS even though I saw my regular PCP practice as well during that time.