Expecting Multiples Check-In!

TallMomma29

By popular demand!  (Requested by two people, which is a lot of demand...)

Let's have a check-in for those of us expecting multiples!  Who is out there?  Some intro questions:

How many babies are you expecting?

Do you know if they are ID/Fraternal?

What was your first thought when you found out?

Have you read any books on Twins/Multiples pregnancies?

carries2018

::creepily hiding in a bush gif::

TallMomma29

How many babies are you expecting?  2!

Do you know if they are ID/Fraternal?  They currently appear to be ID, and the OB couldn't find a membrane between them at 8w so they might be mo/mo twins (super risky).  Hoping to see a membrane at my appointment on 5/2!  

What was your first thought when you found out?  I yelled out "OMG IT'S TWINS" as soon as my OB started to talk.  I was totally shocked and freaked out but I'm starting to come around and get more excited than scared!  

Have you read any books on Twins/Multiples pregnancies? I binge read a bunch when I first found out.  I'll pull them out later and recommend the best one(s). 


Twin fun fact:  did you know that Mary Kate and Ashley are fraternal twins??   Mind blown!  That fun fact was in one of the books.  

curlyq423

Was gonna mention in the random thread I don't mind starting one, but didn't know what to write, haha. So thank you! 

1. Expecting 2!

2. Fraternal, most likely. Each have their own sac and placenta. Though if they are the same sex, could they still be identical?

3. Shocked and scared. My husband said my face turned white! Now I'm super excited. I know it will be so tough and exhausting, but I can't wait.

4. Haven't read any, just a lot of online reading. You know, everything you read online is true!
 

TallMomma29

@curlyq423 when I told DH on the phone (he was supposed to be there but couldn't get out of work) he sounded like I told him someone died.  

He's coming around though!

(I actually texted him an ultrasound photo first because good wives tell their husband life changing news via text! . And then he called me immediately asking "Is that real???")

curlyq423

@TallMomma29 Hahahaha! That's funny. I think I took it harder than my husband. In my defense, I have to carry them, not him!

My aunt called me right away because she thought I was joking around when I texted her a pic. I may be a jokester, but that's something I wouldn't joke about!

gheti

Yay! I have been hoping for this thread!

1. Expecting 2! Week!

2. Identical. Mono di to be exact. 

3. Freaked out lol! I laughed/cried for about 30 minutes. Surprisingly, my husband took it pretty well. Once the shock kinda wore off we announced on April Fools day. That was fun!

4.  Not too much book reading yet. Most just asking doctor google things and getting freaked lol!

TallMomma29

@gheti after I left my OB's office I was weirdly laugh/crying for around half an hour too (by myself in my minivan like a crazy person!)

buttercream_frosting

canonmom413

I totally starred this post to get updates. Oops.

fill me in on all the multies! 

jessafishy

Twins fascinate me so I already knew that fun fact @TallMomma29! I have identical twin sisters so I have read up on twins a lot (even though identical really means nothing in terms of familial likelihood of having twins myself).

TallMomma29

My neighbor's friend had twins last week and she had one vaginally and then had to have a CS for the other one.  My OB already warned me this was a possibility but   I can't imagine having to recover from a CS and vaginal birth at the same time!   ETA: while also dealing with newborn TWINS

bluejeanbabi05

@tallmomma29 seriously, if your DH complains about any kind of pain anytime, ever, just give him the JT stare.

curlyq423

I know I'm at a high risk for having a csection this time around and I'm totally OK with it, and honestly kind of starting to have the mindset that's probably what will happen. However, I'm terrified of it! I'm scared of the pain, the recovery, dealing with two babies and a toddler. Plus by working in the medical field, I'm aware of all the random and highly unlikely complications that can occur after surgery. Will I be able to use the stairs in our home? Hold my toddler? Get in and out of bed easily? It all scares me. 

hopeby2015

Gotta say i was secretly hoping something like this would get started.  I've lurked on the multiples board but seems way too quiet.

How many babies are you expecting?  2

Do you know if they are ID/Fraternal?  Fraternal - we did ivf - transferred 2 embryos and looks like both stuck

What was your first thought when you found out?  Holy Crap!  And then i started crying a little bit.  I wasnt expecting to have 3 kids.  Then i was like oh no the car - we will need a new one.  Lol!

Have you read any books on Twins/Multiples pregnancies?  Nope - just doesnt feel that real yet.  

@TallMomma29 - mind blown!  I never wouldve guessed they were not identical!

TallMomma29

@curlyq423 the getting up and down the stairs and holding my toddlers part is the main part that is making me so hesitant!  My DH is currently scheduled to be gone for THREE WEEKS during what will most likely be CS recovery time, and unfortunately I don't think "my wife just had a CS" is an excuse to get out of military stuff.  Thanks, America! 

curlyq423

@TallMomma29 You should have him check and see how long he could get off! My sister had a c-section and her husband came home (was deployed) for a week or two, I can't remember. Maybe only a week. I hope your husband can get more time off! Do you have family around that can help?

TallMomma29

@curlyq423 As far as I know he gets 10 whole days of leave (counting weekend days)   Ugh.   We don't have any family around but will definitely have to plan to have some grandparents come and stay as long as they can.  .  With my first, I had grandparents here nonstop for 5 weeks (after DH's week of paternity leave was up) because he had to leave again.   It was terrrrrible at the time.. I would have rather been alone!   But with two toddlers and two babies I'll take all the help I can get!  

curlyq423

@TallMomma29 I would help you if I could! 

TallMomma29

I am sure it is one of those things that seems daunting but will be fine when it actually happens! DH deployed for almost 7 months when my youngest was 5 months and the older one was 18 months.  So I had 2u2 by myself for 7 months while working full time ... I can totes do 4 under 4 for 3 weeks!  

hopeby2015

@TallMomma29 - Oh wow!  You will do it because it has to get done but it wont be fun.  I hope you can get some help while dh is away!   These maternity/paternity leave laws so need to change!

TallMomma29

My grandma had two sets of fraternal twins 2.5 years apart, and my mom just said she accidentally left a twin behind at church multiple times when they were young.  

Btw the fact that twins run in my family has always made me paranoid about the possibility of twins, but I never expected I'd end up with ID twins (not hereditary)! 

curlyq423

My maternal grandmother is a fraternal twin, but that's all. However alllllll growing up my mom would give me a hard time about me having twins. She would do it just to get in my nerves. So when we found out there were two I told my husband "My mother is going to say 'I told you so!' " even my step sister made the comment my mom would give me a hard time growing up, that's how big of a joke it was in our house. Oh well, I'm blessed and excited. 

curlyq423

And to add about my grandma...she and her sister both suffered from Alzheimer's. Her sister passed away just over a year ago and my grandmother is still alive, but both have/had it pretty bad. They don't remember anyone and my grandma hardly talks. However, the ONE person she would remember by name was her twin sister. That just amazes me and the bond twins have. 

dogperson11

TallMomma29 said:

My neighbor's friend had twins last week and she had one vaginally and then had to have a CS for the other one.  My OB already warned me this was a possibility but   I can't imagine having to recover from a CS and vaginal birth at the same time!   ETA: while also dealing with newborn TWINS

A mom in my Aug14 board had this happen with her twins. No thanks!

bookworm21

1. Twins
2. Unknown as of yet. I was sent for a high resolution ultrasound because my doctor could only see one placenta. But the high risk doctor assured us that there are two placentas after discovering the "twin peak" between the two of them. Their placentas are just squished next to each other. So they are definitely di/di but still have a chance of being identical or fraternal depending on when the egg split or if there were two eggs to begin with. 
3. I started laughing and then cried.
4. None yet. I want to but just haven't gotten around to it.

TallMomma29

Yesss another one of us!  

twinning2017

How many babies are you expecting? 2!! 

Do you know if they are ID/Fraternal? Fraternal. They've been in separate sacs from the beginning so I had a hunch but they confirmed when I went to the specialist!! 6% difference between the two. Which is good! Little worry from the doctor. 

First thought/ what did I do when I found out? I cried. My first had told me he thought there was two babies but I brushed it off. It was wilding finding out he was right. 

Read ad anything on twins? Not too much I helped my aunt with her twin boys. Which won't be the same as taking care of my own but still. Lol 

curlyq423

@twinning2017 What do you mean by 6% difference between the two?

twinning2017

@curlyq423 Like growth weight head size that type of stuff. 

Karrotelle

Hello!

We are expecting twins. No idea if they are identical or fraternal yet but we do know that they are di/di twins. So they have their own sacs and so anything is possible right now!

I started laughing and then crying when I found out. I was alone in the room so the tech went to get my husband and he came in, saw me crying and got instantly upset thinking the worst. When I managed to choke out "Look!" And pointed to the screen, the tech said "There's your baby....and there's your other baby." And his jaw hit the floor and he started to cry too. 

carries2018

Eee!! So many multiples! 

I can offer some help in the csection. Recovery without your uterus contracting (planned CS) vs going to csection after labor is much different in terms of recovery. But I'm sure planned csection with twins is not very easy to accommodate. 

That being said holding the babies will be fine, stairs are fine but you want to limit it as much as you can. More so bc you move so slow. It's more the action of getting out of bed that is hard. 

As for the toddlers H was gone a lot during recovery time bc it was his busy season. There were times I had no choice to lift my 19 month old. I'm not suggesting you do that. But those times happened. Just try to explain to them that mommy can't lift, and when sitting on the couch or whatever have them climb up. 

Its one of those things that probably sounds scarier than it is. It isn't a bed of roses but vaginal recovery I am sure isn't peachy either. hopefully it doesn't come to it, but if it does you will get through! 

curlyq423

@twinning2017 Gotcha!

@carries2018 Thanks for the advice!!

hopeby2015

@carries2018 - so which is worse in terms of recovery - planned csection or csection after some contractions?

carries2018

@hopeby2015 planned csection recovery is absolutely easier than csection after contractions. but i would guess it is hard to plan with twins bc you want them to cook as long as possible. but there is no telling when you would go into labor. if you think csection is likely i would talk to your doc about it, and the options. it isnt an easy decision!

also that being said i am not saying csection after contractions/labor is like months more of recovery. but i felt fairly normal after a couple days with planned csection and laboring one took over a week. and still in both situations i was still managing being a mom in the meantime. holding them, stairs, etc. you get through.

hopeby2015

@carries2018 - thats actually not too bad!  With dd, i had a vaginal delivery and was good within 3 days.  The meds they give you are hella good!  I just have this weird fear of going under the knife and getting cut up.  I kinda wanna do a vaginal delivery again but my biggest fear is vaginal + csection!

TallMomma29

For my first two a CS sounded scarier than a watermelon busting its way out of my vagina (in hindsight, why did I think that??  ) but now I'm mainly worried about taking care of the older two if I have a CS.  The "baby" loves to be picked up and she already weighs around 40 pounds.   Eeeeeek.  

momofboys37

How many babies are you expecting? 2

Do you know if they are ID/Fraternal? Fraternal

What was your first thought when you found out? Excited! We have adopted 3 boys in the last 1.5 years and this was our last try to get pregnant. My husband looked a little pale. I am almost 16 weeks, we have known since 5 weeks. We still look at each other randomly and say, "twins...Holy crap."

Have you read any books on Twins/Multiples pregnancies? Nope... But Google is great!

TallMomma29

@momofboys37 so exciting!   I have friends that did foster to adopt with three boys and shortly after found out they were expecting twins while the youngest was still a baby.   They went from no children to needing a van so quickly but they love it! 

buttercream_frosting

@momofboys37 Three adopted boys. That's amazing. I'm keen to know the sex of your twins! Will you find out?

momofboys37

@TallMomma29 I understand that! We bought a mini van after our first 2 boys and now we will need something even bigger for 5 carseats! My boys will be 7, 5 and 21 months when the babies arrive. 

@buttercream_frosting we are finding out the sexes by doing a huge gender reveal for friends and family! Of course everyone is hoping for girls, but I would be ecstatic with 5 boys.