Expecting Multiples Check-In!

TallMomma29

Have we done one of these yet?  It seems like there are a lot of us expecting multiples and it would be great to have a multiples thread to support each other, and discuss things specific to pregnancies with multiples!  

Maybe to get things started:

How far along are you?
Twins, Triplets, More?
If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet?
How are you feeling?
Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations? 

ETA:  Also, moms who already have multiples, feel free to chime in on this thread with your experiences!  I'm sure all of us newbs are going to have a lot of questions!

TallMomma29

How far along are you?  8 weeks today. 
Twins, Triplets, More? Twins!
If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet?  No, but the OB couldn't find a membrane yesterday so at the moment her guess is identical.  She's going to check again at my next ultrasound in 4 weeks!
How are you feeling?  So far not many symptoms, but my OB told me to be prepared for increased nausea and vomiting (thanks, doc!).  Emotionally speaking... equally parts scared and excited.  Every time I look at my ultrasound pics from yesterday with two little peanuts though I feel like I could burst with .  I can't believe I'm growing two little humans right now!!
Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations?  I looked some up on Amazon yesterday but have no idea.  Hopefully one of you have a good rec! 

bklynchica

Thanks for starting this thread! I had been wondering if we'd do one.

How far along are you? 9 weeks today - cherries

Twins, Triplets, More? Twins

If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet? Must be identical since they're in the same chorion sac.

How are you feeling? The last two weeks I felt like I was dying. This week I've started to feel like a human again. Still gagging a lot, but not actually puking and not curled up in a ball of misery. Also feeling incredibly anxious.

Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations? Hadn't even thought of this as a thing, but now that I know about them, yes, and would love recommendations.

bklynchica

I love this chart and have found it helpful to share with those I've told. 

darlabauer

Yay for multiples! I've shared a bit that I'm a mom of twin mo/di boys 22months old today! Rather than a book I found websites the most help for specific articles and resources of all kinds https://www.twin-pregnancy-and-beyond.com
Remember this really is a different experience from singletons as you have double the hormones and double everything
The best advice I can give which was given to me is plan for help the first 3months after birth. I created a signup schedule for close family and friends to stay with us. Or you could have a post partum doula. 
Please feel free to ask any question and I'll try to answer.
Best wishes for healthy babies and pregnancies!! A pic of my littles

TallMomma29

Thanks so much @darlabauer!   I was just thinking this morning that I need to figure out a schedule to have grandparents here at least for the first several weeks.   With my first I had grandparents lined up for 5 weeks straight and it ended up being pretty terrible and I would have rather been alone, but now with 2 bigger kids and 2 babies, I could DEFINITELY use the extra hands!!  

captainfoxtrot

How far along are you?
From LMP I was 8 weeks 3 days, but I think I'm gonna move my EDD to my ultrasound, which means I'm about 2 days behind that (on track if measuring from ovulation though) - so 8 weeks, 1 day.
Twins, Triplets, More?
Twins! 
If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet?
No idea yet.  I only found out through an ER ultrasound at 6 weeks 1 day and they were barely finding the heartbeats that early and I was in shock so I didn't think to ask.  I will definitely at the 12 week!
How are you feeling?
I got AAAALLLLL the symptoms.  Nausea, sore boobs, chills, fatigue, headaches, super smell, RLP, etc.
Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations? 
Probably not! I'll prob just google questions I have or ask my OB. I already bought a normal pregnancy book (mayo clinc).

TallMomma29

@captainfoxtrot I keep forgetting it as a symptom but I get chills all the time and I'm pretty much cold all the time!  I'm usually really hot natured so it's crazy for me to constantly be under blankets in the house!

megmralph

Fun!

How far along are you?
7w4d

Twins, Triplets, More?
We have four. We met with doctor last week who strongly suggested reducing at our 12-week appointment. So we're considering reducing twins depending on the results of that scan. Hard choice but it makes the most sense to get healthy babies on our DD.

If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet?
They're all fraternal.

How are you feeling?
Nauseous unless I've eaten in the last hour. Eating a lot and tired all the time.

Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations? 
Probably! Haven't googled which ones yet but I'm open to suggestions.

captainfoxtrot

Four! 

TallMomma29

I just ordered a book because I needed to spend an extra $11 to get one day shipping for fish food (no idea how long our poor koi have been out of food.  Oooops!).  I'll let you ladies know if I like it!  

samsterrr

I'm 7w4d along
not sure if they are fraternal or identical yet. 
I am beyond exhausted and nauseous all day. I never actually got sick with son but I've thrown up at least once(more like 2-3) a day for the last two weeks. 
If y'all have suggestions of books for multiples I would love to check them out but no guarantee I'll read it lol

darlabauer

@megmralph wow!!!! Congrats but what a difficult decision to face down the road, hope you have a positive 12 week check in.

katyms7

I am so excited that this post was started! 

I am 7weeks and 1 day. 
Fraternal twins 
I have been feeling pretty rough to say the least. I am eating small and frequent meals but sometimes that doesn't even help the nausea. I also get dizzy at certain points of the day. I have noticed my worst time of day is from 2pm- 5pm. That is when I feel the most nauseous, tired, dizzy. 
I have not thought about any books yet but looking for recommendations. 

xomarisaxo

How far along are you? 6 weeks 6 days

Twins, Triplets, More? Twins!

If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet? fraternal 

How are you feeling? Boobs just started hurting a little. Tired . Other than that pretty good . 

Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  I'll take recommendations  

TallMomma29

@Karrotelle here is the check-in!   Congrats again! !

Also, I started reading "what to do when you're expecting two" and it seems like an especially good read for first time moms that are expecting twins.   I've skimmed through a lot of sections because they were repetitive of first time mom stuff, but for you FTMs I think it could be a good read!  

I also just ordered a book that looks like its week by week with things to fill in and a place for weekly pictures, specifically for twin mamas.  I'll let you all know if I like it!

Karrotelle

How far along are you? 8 weeks
Twins, Triplets, More? Twins
If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet?  Unsure but they have separate sacs so does that mean fraternal?
How are you feeling?  Shocked
Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations? All of them lol 

TallMomma29

@Karrotelle how old are your older two kids?   Do you have a minivan yet?? 

Karrotelle

My other 2 children will be 5 & 2 when the twins arrive. We don't have a mini van but will have to get one because we have a Ford Explorer and a Jeep Compass lol Neither will fit 4 car seats easily. My husband wants a cargo passenger van hahaha

TallMomma29

We have the Honda Odyssey and it's great!  We can open the sliding doors and our current two climb right in and climb into their carseats and all we have to do is buckle them.  The remote sliding doors will be extra handy with newborn twins!  There are some SUVs you can get that will work with 4 in carseats, but trust me.  SLIDING DOORS.  They are God's gift to us!  

We joke about needing to upgrade to one of those fancy vans that look like an airport shuttle!  

knewton785

Hi everyone. I'm so happy to find this thread. We are first time parents and we just found out yesterday that we are having twins! 

How far along are you? 7 weeks 3 days
Twins, Triplets, More? Twins ❤️❤️
If twins, do you know if they are fraternal or identical yet? Fraternal
How are you feeling? I overall feel better than expected, but I am definieltey having some pregnancy symptoms. Biggest issues are sore, swollen breasts, mild cramping, mild nausea, no appetite, food aversions, and weirdly dry skin. 
Are you going to read any twin pregnancy books?  Any recommendations? I will read everything. It's totally unnecessary, but it will help me to feel more in control. 

Question for all of you: Yesterday we got to hear two strong, healthy, gorgeous heartbeats. We are so happy but also a little concerned bc one baby is measuring two days smaller than the other. The doctor wants to see us for another ultrasound in two weeks to check progression. The doctor said this is pretty normal, but should we be worried?

TallMomma29

@knewton785 since they are fraternal, I think it is pretty normal. Since they were fertilized at separate times by separate sperm they really are completely different babies!  (Just like two moms here who are pregnant with singletons might have one right on track and one a few days ahead or behind).  I think it might be a little worrisome if it was identical twins measuring differently so early on.  FX for a good appointment in two weeks!  Congratulations!! 

bklynchica

@knewton785 My identical twins measured a couple days apart at 8 weeks 5 days (one was 8+5 exactly, the other was 9+1). Dr said not to put too much stock in it. I don't think these measurements are an exact science. I wouldn't be worried unless they were drastically different or the heartbeats weren't strong.

srh18

Hi, everyone!! I'd love to join!

im 8 weeks 5 days

triplets!! Mono/di identicals and a singleton

so super tired, acne is the worst. I also have had some serious issues with bleeding--last week I had a mild subchorionic hemmorrage and today I have a moderate to severe one. The bleeding is scary, ya'll. But everyone's hanging in there!

I got When you're expecting twins, triplets, or quads and have enjoyed it a lot!!

@knewton785 I've been to an MFM who said they don't worry about size differences too much unless it's significantly different-he said he prefers within about 5 days. Mono/mono and mono/di twins have a more difficult time being the same size because they're competing for nutrients from the same placenta. Fraternal twins are gestationally safer, so that's good news for you!!

anyone having a hard time brushing their teeth or have suggestions for making it easier? I end up dry heaving every time I try to brush and say screw it. Lol. That's not going to work forever.

TallMomma29

@knewton785 also, the measurements with the machine are just estimates and not perfect, so another reason why a couple of days is NBD.  My OB's machine said "+/- 4 days" for each of my twins!  

TallMomma29

Welcome @srh18!   Congrats!!  I saw that book on Amazon and was thinking about getting it too!

knewton785

Thank you all for your responses. I feel so much better!!

srh18

@TallMomma29 thank you!! I will say that the book is quite heavy on some pretty extreme nutrition suggestions (i.e., it suggested I consume at least 4000 calories a day, which is wayyyyy more than any of my drs have indicated) but there's some awesome info about types of twins, ways multiple gestations are different, etc. I really recommend it!

TallMomma29

36 weeks with twins vs singleton!   (ignore the 27 weeks part.. that was a different photo that is cut off).

knewton785

@TallMomma29 that is so crazy. Thank you for sharing!

TallMomma29

Update on twin book recommendations:  I've been binge reading twin pregnancy books and I think the "when you're expecting twins, triplets, or quads" one is the most helpful one so far!  I wanted to know as much as possible specifically about twin pregnancies and some of the other books seem to glaze over the pregnancy part with only minor mentions of how it is different than a singleton pregnancy.

However, the book "Twins 101: 50 Must Have Tips" is a helpful quick read and has some super interesting random twin facts if random facts and statistics are your jam (like me).   For example, did you know that Mary Kate and Ashley are actually FRATERNAL twins??  Mind blown!

The book "what to do when you're having two" is a pretty good, quick read but I think geared more toward FTMs.  I skimmed over a lot of the stuff, because it has eeeeverything (like what to pack in your hospital bag). 

TallMomma29

Also, someone gave me a copy of "What to do when you're having two" even though I already bought one.  So if any of you want a copy, I'd be happy to send it to you for free!  A twin mama gave me a stroller and some books yesterday, so I want to pay it forward a little bit and share!    Just PM me if interested!  

knewton785

@TallMomma29 Thanks! I've just started reading "When You're Expecting...". I'm really only through the introduction and starting to get into the more in depth information, but so far I like it a lot. As a FTM, I will definitely check out "What to Do..." and "Twins 101" sounds like a really fun one to read when you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all the details in the other books. Also, I think it will be fun to read with the hubby! Thanks again for the recommendations!

SeekingSmall

@Karrotelle

My identical twins were in separate sacs with separate placentas (though those fused at the very end). We thought they would most likely be fraternal but very much identical. 

TeacherMama7

Hey! I'm not having twins but I am a twin, so sometimes I look at this page. I kind of wish I were having twins though! Good luck to all you twin mamas!

Karrotelle

Is anyone experiencing A lot of CM? I have so much that I'm wearing a panty liner. It is freaking me out but my OB said it's very common for multiple Mamas to experience a lot of CM. 

Also, I'm so crampy! Some days I'm okay but other days, like today, I'm crampy and it's actually painful but again, my OB said it's normal and just my uterus growing with two babies and not to worry unless I start bleeding. (I'm not)

knewton785

@Karrotelle I've been super crampy as well, and my doctor said the same thing. It's hard not to worry when it's happening, but the explanation makes a lot of sense. Every pregnant woman goes through changes, but we've got ALOT going on in there

NYTino24

Bumping to tell you ladies that Zulily has tons of twin stuff right now!

Karrotelle

@NYTino24 my husband bought me a Cricut last Fall so I ordered myself some heat transfer vinyl so I can start making my twins some matching onesies! I saved a bunch of the Zulily ones for ideas lol