Moms of Multiples!

EM0704

Here's a thread for those of us pregnant with two or more! Can't wait to share this with all of you! 

KellyT22

Guys. I literally JUST found out that I’m having TWINS!

There are no twins in our families. Four kids 3 and under omg. Plus I have a misshapen uterus and history of preterm labor. Basically freaking out. 

MamaMunn

Yay! I’m just here to say that I’m literally terrified of everything that could happen during this pregnancy. Also the fact that I have to figure out how to keep 2 tiny humans alive. I’m also over the moon excited. 

So. Many. Emotions.

highsteaks

thanks for starting this thread! i’m a boatload of emotions too, but i think i’ve mostly made peace with this excitement since we found out a week ago. with my first, i really tried to be minimalist with the baby stuff we brought into the house, so one of the biggest sources of anxiety right now is that we will need so much more stuff for two. also, a bigger car and a bigger house eventually! never ever ever thought i’d be a mom of three. 

EM0704

@KellyT22 YAY!!! Bless your heart! I think we can all relate to the nerves. I have three already too.. but it sounds like you may need a nanny! My doctor said our goal is to make it to 37 weeks. Did your doctor say anything like that or are they taking it appointment by appointment? I read the other day that there are doctors that specialize in multiples births. Some people see them as well as their regular OB. Just a thought since you've had preterm issues in the past. 

@MamaMunn Bless it. I know. I've tried not to worry.. I'm going to take it one day at a time. This is going to be so much fun! Even if we will live in a zoo!!! 

@highsteaks We are closing in the carport of our tiny house. I am not going to be able to teach next year (too many kids in childcare will eat my salary), so there's no bigger house for us right now. Fortunately, I already drive a Sequoia... But it's going to be PACKED with the oldest three in the back and the twins in the middle. My husband refuses to acknowledge the fact that we are going to need a Yukon XL. He's in complete denial! 

I don't know about yall, but I keep singing the Brady Bunch theme song (even if they are all ours). This is going to be hilarious. Our house is already so crazy... 

I've been sick as a dog, having to follow an extremely strict food schedule! I'm a little worried about how big my belly is going to be by the end of this! 
 

linz36

Great thread! I have to say that at first I was super excited and now I’m somewhere between excited and terrified. Our house is small and my sister lives with us so it’s going to be tight. 

Ive been pretty sick...vomiting most days of the week and I’m down 11lbs. But everyone says that’s normal especially with twins. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that second trimester is better!

highsteaks

can we talk about weight gain for twins? @EM0704 you mentioned you were on a food schedule; do you mind elaborating?
i had a very difficult time gaining during my first pregnancy, and dd was born via emergency induction 5lbs at 37 weeks. the APA suggests that gaining 24 lbs by 24 weeks for twins reduces the incidence of preterm labor. i’m almost 10 weeks and only up 2.5 lbs; this is a huge concern of mine, given my past history, so it’s really weighing on my mind lately. i am eating as much as i can possibly stomach. ob’s handout wants me to eat 3250 calories A DAY, even in the first and second trimesters. that seems unattainable.

24lbs by 24w basic reference: https://americanpregnancy.org/multiples/weight-gain-with-multiples/

KellyT22

@EM0704 My OB hopes I'll make it to 38 weeks. At that point she would induce. So due date is still 11/28, but babies will be born around 11/14 if now earlier. She does high-risk pregnancies (technically I would be high risk even without the twin factor), so thankfully she is well versed in twins. I will still see a maternal-fetal medicine specialist for a couple of ultrasounds just to check on the babies. 

I need to figure out my car situation. Childcare...do I quit working? I wasn't planning on it. Do I get a German au pair? Ahhhhh

EM0704

highsteaks said:

can we talk about weight gain for twins? @EM0704 you mentioned you were on a food schedule; do you mind elaborating?
i had a very difficult time gaining during my first pregnancy, and dd was born via emergency induction 5lbs at 37 weeks. the APA suggests that gaining 24 lbs by 24 weeks for twins reduces the incidence of preterm labor. i’m almost 10 weeks and only up 2.5 lbs; this is a huge concern of mine, given my past history, so it’s really weighing on my mind lately. i am eating as much as i can possibly stomach. ob’s handout wants me to eat 3250 calories A DAY, even in the first and second trimesters. that seems unattainable.

24lbs by 24w basic reference: https://americanpregnancy.org/multiples/weight-gain-with-multiples/

I have to eat every two hours. Currently lots and lots of protein, but I'm trying to be smart about it. I'm considering talking with a nutritionist. Right now I eat lots of cheese, yogurt, pistachios, almonds, (I feel like I'm forgetting something) etc. as snacks. I am trying to have eggs in the morning, but time constraints pose quite a problem. We eat a lot of chicken for supper. Lunch is another issue. I teach so it's just too bad if I don't have enough/what I want. I seriously look like I've packed a picnic walking into school! I'm really just starving all the time, and if I don't eat a filling/lasting breakfast my entire day is ruined with nausea and exhaustion. I cheated this morning and ate chicken minis from Chick Fil A. I FEEL GREAT, but I obviously don't need to spend the money on expensive breakfast every morning. I have actually gone over what I was suppose to gain with each of my pregnancies, which was why I was trying to be super smart this time, but I've thrown the initial plan out the door. From here on out it's purely survival. 
Sounds like you need to grab a burger!!! 

EM0704

KellyT22 said:

@EM0704 My OB hopes I'll make it to 38 weeks. At that point she would induce. So due date is still 11/28, but babies will be born around 11/14 if now earlier. She does high-risk pregnancies (technically I would be high risk even without the twin factor), so thankfully she is well versed in twins. I will still see a maternal-fetal medicine specialist for a couple of ultrasounds just to check on the babies. 

I need to figure out my car situation. Childcare...do I quit working? I wasn't planning on it. Do I get a German au pair? Ahhhhh

So glad your ob is highly qualified for the job! I too am hoping to make it to 38 weeks! I REALLY want those November babies! hahaha My due date is 11/17. My first two pregnancies were induced. I went into labor with my last right at 39 weeks and almost didn't make it to the hospital in time. I'm anxious to see how it all turns out! We live an hour from the hospital where I will deliver... Poses quite a problem in traffic! My husband had decided before we found out it was twins that we were going to have to move closer to the hospital or risk having a baby born on the interstate! 

Yes, lots of things to work out! We are all in this together! 

highsteaks

@EM0704 a chicken biscuit sounds really enticing right now; i wish chikfila served breakfast all day. 

smulrich16

We found out it was twins on April 2. While we are thrilled, we are equally freaking out - me more than my husband (I'm the planner, he's the "it'll all work out" type). I'm trying not to focus on all the risks. I know they're there but I keep telling myself that even with increased chances of issues, the odds are still on our side that we'll have 2, healthy babies. We have now had 2 ultrasounds and both babies look to be growing appropriately and we got to hear the heartbeats!!

I'm also trying not to focus on the costs! Two infants in daycare?!?! AH! One step at a time

KellyT22

Ladies. Is it crazy to be Team Green with twins? We were definitely Team Green if we were having a singleton, and were with our other babies, but now I'm not so sure. I love the idea of the surprise in the delivery room, but I also feel like twins are surprising enough! I have enough gender-neutral newborn and 0-3 stuff, so not really worried about not having stuff. 

highsteaks

@KellyT22 not crazy at all, imo!

MamaMunn

@KellyT22 we also were going to be team green until we discovered twins. Now I just feel like I have to find out. There are so many unknowns with this pregnancy that whenever I have access to some information I’m all over it!! I think it would be so fun to find out in the delivery room, i just don’t have the will power

preggersabroad

YEY! I have been waiting for this thread! I'm 9 weeks along and basically had a feeling it was twins from my first HCG test (4 rounds of IVF, so we were testing early and often) as it was super high!  We had a 20% chance of conceiving twins... and we did!

I had an awful scare over the weekend... as I was in the Dr office for our first appointment, I started to heavily bleed (at least it was good timing?).  I got a shot (cant remember of what) to make my uterus stop cramping (as i have been having non stop spotting since the beginning) and im continuing the massive dosages of progestrone (due to IVF).  However the Dr was happy as my cervix wasn't open.  Thankfully no bleeding since, it just feels like someone is tugging/poking at my vagina/uterus/cervix (no idea) all the time (TMI? this just me??).  I'm now on strict bed rest and hoping this helps sort it all out.  I've told my boss i'm pregnant, who was surprisingly understanding and I go into the office half days and work from the couch. 

I also found out twin b has a SH and it's gestational sac is super small, and twin a's is very big so its crowding the little one.  They are already having sharing issues it seems!  Anyone else having sac issues? 

I basically worry all the time. ALL the time. I'm nervous about how to carry to term and having healthy babies!  

Since we have the sac issue, I'm having weekly ultra-sounds.... so at least i get to see the little ones more often!

@MamaMunn - I'm the same- I think i have to mentally prepare if its going to be 2 boys or 2 girls! 

Anyone worried how they are going to carry 2 babies at once when they are born (like around an airport/mall)? One in the front and one on the back? This is nuts! 

highsteaks

@preggersabroad sorry that you had a bleeding scare at the doctor, but yea good timing if you had to have one. regarding carrying the babies, i’m looking into newborn tandem wrapping with woven wraps for the first few months, then will switch to soft structured carriers (two ergos front and back) when they are big enough. i’ve looked up videos online on how it’s done and it seems doable, so i’m feeling pretty optimistic about those options. 

smulrich16

KellyT22  We're going Team Green! We also were planning on it being a surprise if it was a singleton, but we decided we still want the surprise. We're also hoping not knowing the gender will encourage people to actually buy us things we NEED (two of...lol) for our showers instead of a ton of gender specific clothes. 

EM0704

@KellyT22 We are never team green. I'm a planner. I want to find out ASAP every time I'm pregnant. I've wanted to start my old wives tale list but with fraternal twins who knows what the could symptoms point to?! It doesn't seem as much fun. Hahaha I wish I was strong enough to wait -it seems like it would be so fun to find out at delivery, but my anxiety is always off the charts so having something to look forward to and then buy for keeps my mind occupied.  
@preggersabroad Welcome! So sorry for your scare! Glad everything is ok.I'm happy you're here with us on this exciting/emotional/(scary) ride! 

smulrich16

@EM0704 I'm usually SUCH a planner, too. I already have a list of things we need to get done (and which week they need to be completed), but for some reason I am 100% okay with waiting to find out the gender. I just think it'll make delivery an even more amazing moment for us.

KellyT22

@smulrich16 I am the same way! I have so many lists going and am already working on organizing things. But you can plan so much without knowing the gender. Especially in my case where I have everything gender neutral that I need already. If it’s girls, I get to shop. If it’s boys, we’re good! 

The only real question mark is what to do about the bedroom situation, but I figure the babies will be in our bedroom for a few months anyways. 

preggersabroad

Multiples moms to be- what prenatal tests will you be having?  My obgyn just gave me a pamphlet on the testing options, but for twins, we can only find a service that will test for: down syndrome, edwards syndrome and patau syndrome.  For singletons you are able to test for a lot of "deletion syndromes" that are not available for multiples.... whats your plan?

KellyT22

I’m able to do the full genetic screening (that tests for deletions). My appointment is next week. 

multiplesmum

I'm so excited to be here. I found out on the 23rd that I am having twins and I have been over the moon since then. October of last year was pretty hard for my husband and I when we lost our first pregnancy (a girl) at 21weeks but this time around, we had no idea that I am carring twins and we are so excited about that. I know I'll enjoy this group of multiple mamas.

smulrich16

@KellyT22 I figure we're just going to go neutral (grays) in the nursery and when they arrive, we'll add pops of gender specific colors. We may try for more children down the road, so that would also allow us to reuse the room if we have another (we have 2 other bedrooms that the kiddos will get when they're old enough). 

I'm so excited that someone else is with me on Twin Team Green...so many people look at me like I'm absolutely crazy when I tell them we're not finding out the gender in advance.   

Luccie

Hi all! I'm excited to be welcoming twins and am 13 weeks along.

multiplesmum

Hello everyone, I have a question on a topic no one wants to ever talk about. I'm sorry im gonna be blunt about it because we all do this everyday and we are going to be cleaning a lot of it when our multiples arrive. "My poop is green and I don't know why". I'm supposed to be concerned, is this related to pregnancy, are my the only one suffering from this? Help please .

KellyT22

@multiplesmum My pregnancy experience is that all bets are off in terms of digestion normalcy during pregnancy. Any chance you ate or drank something blue? Blue berries, blue juice, blue Gatorade? Our systems move really slow these days, so it's normal for things to be off. If it continues for weeks, ask your OB at your next appointment, but I wouldn't worry to much. 

multiplesmum

Oh my goodness, I have been craving and eating lots of blue berries, black berries,and strawberries. Could that have been the cause?

MojieJo

@multiplesmum Definitely.  Anything blue colored will cause green poop (like @KellyT22 said) and I get it when I eat a lot of berries or grapes.  Things with blue or purple dye are big culprits, but natural foods in those colors will cause it, too.

I wouldn't worry about it at all!

KellyT22

@multiplesmum haha yup totally the berries. I have two blueberry/blackberries obsessed babies who have the same green issue   

multiplesmum

@MojieJo And @KellyT22, thank you so much ladies.  I'll calm my nerves now .