Not sure if I have multi or not yet BUT

Mamasaurus · September 2011

Hi ladies! I tried asking this in another group and didn't get much info, although I did get a couple of rude replies. Basically, the situation is that I am gaining significant weight already, and I'm just shy of 8 weeks. People keep thinking I'm more along than I am, and an OB nurse I know said that many of the women she sees looking like this early on end up having multiples, so I should think about how that would affect my (natural) birth plan. I also called my OBGYN on Saturday for unrelated reasons, and the NP on the phone happened to ask me about my weight. When I told her, she said something about seeing if there's any "extra information" in my ultrasound next week, or something like that. Bottom line is, I know it may not mean anything this early, but I feel like it won't hurt to ask about having natural birth with multiples. I am finding a lot of conflicting info on it and thought the people here would probably know!

Thanks in advance for any info. I know it's soon to be asking, but having a natural birth if possible is important to me, and I know that as a first time mom I probably won't know all the things to ask the doctor/midwife that might help me do it.

gekeler6 · September 2011

You won't know for sure until the ultrasound if you are having multiples. I have two sets of twins myself (both sets are identical). I had one set natural and the other with an epidural (all four babies vaginally). It will depend on the babies positions whether or not they will allow you to deliver vaginally, lucky all my twins were head down for delivery. Sometimes they encourage an epidural incase you need an emergency c-section for both or one of them. I wouldn't worry too much about it since you don't know just yet, but I know how it can be wanting to prepare all aspects during your pregnancy. When I was carrying twins the most important thing to me was keeping the babies from preterm labor, I was more concerned with carrying them to term than what the birth would be like. Hope you find out soon so you can start planning your birth plan.

cookiemonster03 · September 2011

I think this is a weird thing for your ob to say before your first ultrasound! Good luck.

shellshavintwins · September 2011

My NP told me she had a feeling that due to my hormone levels in both pregnancies I had multiples on board, but she didn't say that ahead of time. I gained 14 pounds in the first 12 weeks of both twin pregnancies. I lost one the second time and it took weeks for my body to figure that out. I know lots of women who gain alot in the beginning with a singleton too. You get rude replies because we get questions alot like this!!!! I did not plan a natural birth, and needed a c section. and will have another. I do know one MoM who had a home birth with her twins, but she herself is a NP and NICU nurse and felt safe doing that with a midwife.

blondek8 · September 2011

I think you're putting the cart WAY before the horse. There have been women on the board who have successfully had a "natural" birth experience with their twins.

That being said, worry about that when and if you actually find out that you're carrying twins. There's a heII of a lot more to be concerned about throughout the pregnancy.

FWIW, I didn't gain any weight until well into second trimester, I didn't start showing until 18-19ish weeks and I didn't have any pregnancy symptoms other than some sore boobs. Exagerated symptoms don't always = multiples pregnancies.

Good luck with your scan and congratulations on your pregnancy

ETA: The comment about the OB nurse --- any RN worth her registration wouldn't say you were having multiples based on your "bloat" at 7 weeks.

robinsokj · September 2011

The word multiples should not leave a medical professionals mouth without a damn u/s.

SpinningJess · September 2011

robinsokj:
The word multiples should not leave a medical professionals mouth without a damn u/s.

This! You might want to watch your calorie intake until/unless you find out you are having more than one. Being pregnant isn't a free-for-all pass to eat whatever you want, you'll regret it later!

Waiting4Fred · September 2011

I didn't gain a pound until 17 weeks.

klr210 · September 2011

Are you curious if you're having multiples OR if you will be able to have a natural delivery in the even you're having multiples?

I'll just answer both

a) you'll find out at your ultrasound

b) you'll find out if you can have a natural delivery probably closer to or at your delivery -- this is true with single babies too. have a birth plan, but focus on what is safe for you and baby(ies)

also -- I agree with PP, if you are having more than one, than focus more on having a helathy pregnancy and doing everything in your power to keep babies healthy, growing and in utero as long as possible and less on for sure having a natural birth.

everam01 · September 2011

I didn't gain weight until 2nd trimester really.

punkin06 · September 2011

you could also be bloated! i was 8 weeks and really showing (noticeably for strangers, even) ... i had a lot of fluid in my uterus at 5 wks that caused a lot of pain and an early u/s to detect. it resolved itself with a lot of liquids around 10 wks or so, but you would have thought i was already in the 2nd trimester b/c i was definitely 'showing'.

i hope this isnt the case for you, but just wanted to share my experience of having extra weight in the beginning of a pg. good luck!

Mrs. Alice · September 2011

blondek8:
I think you're putting the cart WAY before the horse. There have been women on the board who have successfully had a "natural" birth experience with their twins.
That being said, worry about that when and if you actually find out that you're carrying twins. There's a heII of a lot more to be concerned about throughout the pregnancy.
FWIW, I didn't gain any weight until well into second trimester, I didn't start showing until 18-19ish weeks and I didn't have any pregnancy symptoms other than some sore boobs. Exagerated symptoms don't always = multiples pregnancies.
Good luck with your scan and congratulations on your pregnancy
ETA: The comment about the OB --- any RN worth her registration wouldn't say you were having multiples based on your "bloat" at 7 weeks.

Yes Yes Yes You are waaay ahead of yourself. I had already gained about 4-5 lbs when I was 7-8 weeks and I guarantee you that nobody at my OB's office mentioned the word multiples until we saw two babies on the u/s screen later on.

macchiatto · September 2011

By 12w I had only gained 2 lbs.

MrsClark8109 · September 2011

SpinningJess:

[This! You might want to watch your calorie intake until/unless you find out you are having more than one. Being pregnant isn't a free-for-all pass to eat whatever you want, you'll regret it later!

This, and even in a multiple pregnancy the caloric need during first trimester isn't that much higher than a normal diet provided you started at a normal weight.

My hormone levels were double normal levels and my OB didnt utter the word multiples until we had an U/S--and we'd done bravelle shots and triggered 3 eggs so we knew it was a possibility.

mmbench · September 2011

I wouldn't think multiples without an U/S, so I wouldn't worry about any of your plans at this point. If it does happen to be more than one, I would recommend finding a MFM or perinatologist more familiar with high-risk situations. Things can go bad quickly with a multiples preganancy, and it helps to be prepared.

Mye · September 2011

Weight gain means nothing...I am almost 25 weeks and have gained less than a pound with twins, and they are both big and healthy babies

violaplayer · September 2011

Echoing the PPs. I was still down a pound at 18w. Weight isn't a good indicator - an u/s is. :P

Mamasaurus · September 2011

Thanks for your feedback, ladies!

I do know it is a little early to worry about it, but my insurance is already pressuring me to decide now if I want a home birth or not, and they keep reminding me that coverage is different for more than one fetus. Of course they happened to do one of these calls the same day I as the weight/multiples conversation. They are being pretty vague about why they want me to tell them so soon, and I have had no less than three calls about it since first calling to ask some questions about maternity coverage in week 4. I should probably just tell them to back the hell off for a while.

natb22 · September 2011

Yes..ditto to all. I didn't gain weight until 4lbs at 16w. Weight gain early on means nothing but bloat. You'll have to wait for the u/s. Congrats

Krista99 · September 2011

In my first u/s they only saw one but I had gained about 10lbs already...which I assume was bloat because I lost about 7 of that within the next month. However, my hcg levels were much higher than those of a singleton, and the next u/s I had they found out it was twins. So while it is entirely possible you are having twins, gaining weight this early I would say is most likely due to bloating--just wait for the ultrasound and tell your insurance company they'll find out when you do!

E&RMommy · September 2011

Mamasaurus:

Thanks for your feedback, ladies!

I do know it is a little early to worry about it, but my insurance is already pressuring me to decide now if I want a home birth or not, and they keep reminding me that coverage is different for more than one fetus. Of course they happened to do one of these calls the same day I as the weight/multiples conversation. They are being pretty vague about why they want me to tell them so soon, and I have had no less than three calls about it since first calling to ask some questions about maternity coverage in week 4. I should probably just tell them to back the hell off for a while.

You don't even have a documented u/s.....your insurance company needs to cool its jets a bit.

hunt2005 · September 2011

I'm going to ignore the multiples part of this and comment on the delivery. Your goal should be healthy mom and healthy baby. One baby or four, you won't know if that can be accomplished with a natural (med free) birth until you get MUCH closer. Some contributing factors- are you gbs positive and as such will need an iv with antibiotics? How big is the baby? Is it head down? Is it tolerating contractions well? Are you tolerating them well? Do you develop pre-e or HELLP or GD or any other complications? Now if there are 2 or more babies, double all of the concerns. Add in there if they're identical and share a sac or placenta. There are MANY other things to worry about if you want to worry.

google123 · September 2011

You could probably do a natural birth if at least baby A is head down, and baby B could be breech extracted (if necessary). But I would highly suggest that you deliver in a hospital, since there ARE and CAN be many risks with a multiple delivery....even vaginal. Many times, baby B gets in distress and an emergency c-section is required. But theoretically, yes you can have twins naturally, without meds if that's what you want.

About the weight gain, FYI, I was pg with twins and I didn't start showing until around 17w. That's when I went out an bought my first maternity shirt. I was actually freaking out and scared that I wasn't pg anymore. So weight gain really isn't a good indicator of multiples. Weight gain/showing/ etc all depends on the woman and her body and hormones. Some women look huge and show within 9 weeks, others (like me) take 4-5 months before a belly starts to show.

Mamasaurus · September 2011

google123:
You could probably do a natural birth if at least baby A is head down, and baby B could be breech extracted (if necessary). But I would highly suggest that you deliver in a hospital, since there ARE and CAN be many risks with a multiple delivery....even vaginal. Many times, baby B gets in distress and an emergency c-section is required. But theoretically, yes you can have twins naturally, without meds if that's what you want.

Thank you so much! This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to find. : )

Fancy3Face · September 2011

Its pretty much all been said, but, u/s is the only way to know for sure. I didn't actually gain until I was closer to 20w. I didn't show until about 22w or later.

In the event you are carrying two: As far as a home birth, I'd be very leary of that. As pp said, so many complications can acompany multiples pregnancy and birth. I'll echo the strong suggestion to deliver in a hospital. They request a lot of vaginal twin births be delivered in the OR in the event that an emergency section is needed.

There are lots of factors that play into how you'll be able to deliver and when. I'd say at least half of us had complications that caused us to deliver prior to 38w. The other half had no issues and made it to their scheduled c-section/induction/due date.

Its weird that your insurance is being so pushy at 8w.

caden · September 2011

Mamasaurus:
Thanks for your feedback, ladies!
I do know it is a little early to worry about it, but my insurance is already pressuring me to decide now if I want a home birth or not, and they keep reminding me that coverage is different for more than one fetus. Of course they happened to do one of these calls the same day I as the weight/multiples conversation. They are being pretty vague about why they want me to tell them so soon, and I have had no less than three calls about it since first calling to ask some questions about maternity coverage in week 4. I should probably just tell them to back the hell off for a while.

What in the worldd kind of insurance do you have? I've never heard of this and I never had to tell my ins co that I had multiples.

tmbuchmann · September 2011

Mamasaurus:
google123:

You could probably do a natural birth if at least baby A is head down, and baby B could be breech extracted (if necessary). But I would highly suggest that you deliver in a hospital, since there ARE and CAN be many risks with a multiple delivery....even vaginal. Many times, baby B gets in distress and an emergency c-section is required. But theoretically, yes you can have twins naturally, without meds if that's what you want.

Thank you so much! This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to find. : )

Please also know, that my OB immediatley said I was considered high risk just because I was carrying two babies. I would hope that a mid-wife would say to deliver in a hospital, good god, there is so many things that can go wrong, that's also assuming you make it to any planned due date.

For me, Baby A was breech and Baby B was transverse, and I had a 14cent size cyst on my right ovary. I was in no way having anything other than a c/s.

georgiagirl1212 · September 2011

I only gained about 3 lbs. my entire 1st tri, and I'm having triplets, so the weight gain alone is hard to pinpoint as a symptom of multiples. I would sit tight until that ultrasound.

That said, you'll hear differing opinions about vaginal vs. C-section deliveries for multiples. I don't have a choice, as vaginal delivery of triplets is universally considered too high-risk. With twins, it will come down to the babies' presentation and any other possible complications you might be facing.

In my personal opinion, I understand that you want a natural birth, but you need to realize that the SAFE delivery of any baby or babies is more important than what you would prefer. I would rather not have my babies born prematurely via C-section and then whisked away before I can really see them, but that's my reality for the safe delivery of triplets, so I have to live with that.

Best of luck with your pregnancy!

Jen0204 · September 2011

I was told that I'll have to deliver in the OR rather then in a regular L&D room even if I deliver vaginally because with multiples there are so many more chances for something to go wrong, so they want you in the OR just in case (at least, in my hospital). While home births work for many people, I can't imagine trying it with multiples because there is an increased risk with multiple babies.

I'm also like a lot of PP - Up until last Thursday I was still down 5 pounds from when I found out I was pregnant. My sister, who just had her one baby, was already up 10 by this same point in her pregnancy. Weight gain has nothing to do with how many fetuses you have at the point that you're at. If your HCG levels (if you've had them down) are very high that can be an indicator of multiples, but mine always ran on the low end.

MrsClark8109 · September 2011

caden:
]What in the worldd kind of insurance do you have? I've never heard of this and I never had to tell my ins co that I had multiples.

This..my DH and I have different insurance companies and LOs will be covered under his insurance not mine. My maternity coverage doesn't matter if I'm having 1 or 7-- its just maternity coverage.

We've only had a hard time explaining to L&D when we preregistered that they should not bill my insurance but DHs insurance for the LOs portion of the bill.

Mamasaurus · September 2011

caden:
What in the worldd kind of insurance do you have? I've never heard of this and I never had to tell my ins co that I had multiples.

I have BCBS Illinois. They have a program called "Special Beginnings" that's only in a few other states right now. There are some benefits. If my OBGYN/midwife office is closed and I have a question, signing up for the program gives me a 24 hour line to talk to a OBGYN nurse. If I am out of town and go into early labor, I can call the hotline and get fast access to somebody who can tell me the nearest preferred provider, as opposed to waiting an hour on hold like I would if I called the 800 number on the back of my card. If I go to all my prenatal care appointments (and why wouldn't I?!?), they will send me a Babies R Us gift card. I think they offer a discount for La Leche League membership, discounts on birthing classes at preferred locations, and some other things like that. They are also mailing me pamphlets about the pros and cons of various tests like CVS and some of the fancier blood tests so I know if I want them or not, plus info about coverage for those things. The down side is, they want me to somehow magically know right now who is going to do all my prenatal exams and deliver the baby so they have it for the paperwork and followups. I already told them that I have my u/s and early blood work next week, and I won't decide until after that if I am switching to a midwife. I mean, if I have some complication like placenta previa, a home birth is out anyways, right? But they keep calling me anyways!

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