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I have written a few post about being pregnant with twins but it has mainly been updates on my pregnancy. I decided to switch it up a bit and write about some of the differences in being pregnant with twins versus a singleton pregnancy.
So lets jump right in…
Doctors Appointments…when I was pregnant with Emma I would go to the doctor every month up until the end when I started going weekly. Even with finding out she was going to be born with a cleft lip, nothing changed in the amount of appointments I had. This time around I am at the doctors ALL THE TIME! I went earlier this week, and everything was good. The babies are growing, however, Baby B is weighing 1 lb 14 oz and Baby A is 1 lb 8 oz; to us that’s not a big difference but in the world of twins the difference is 19% and they don’t like the twins being 20% in difference in size because they want to make sure one baby isn’t taking the nutrients from the other baby since they share a placenta. So I received a call stating that I am now required to come for weekly ultrasounds so they can keep a close eye on their growth.
Aches and Pains…with Emma I had regular aches and pains nothing too serious. Actually I didn’t have much pain until the end because she was a big baby (yes…she was a 9lb baby…I miss her all her chunky goodness). Well this time around I have all over aches and pains…I have lots of pressure in the bottom of my stomach, and lots of vagina pain. Yes, you read that right (we are all adults) my lower region hurts…on a daily basis its hard to move from side to side in the bed, or get up and sit down because I have so much pressure in my lower region! Occasionally, it goes away but for the most part this symptom sticks with me at all times…it even hurts to walk at times.
Another part of my “pains” includes my feet swelling…JESUS my feet look like sausages at times. I noticed once I got to 25 weeks they stay swollen, I put them up but sometimes the swelling just doesn’t go away. Early in my pregnancy I noticed that many of my shoes weren’t fitting so I have now gone up to a size 10 in shoes…I sure hope they go back to regular size because I have lots of shoes that need to be worn after I have the babies. However, even with my feet swelling I was a little worried that maybe my blood pressure had gone up but I was told at my last appointment that I had excellent blood pressure! THANK YOU JESUS!!!
Anticipating their Arrival…with Emma I carried her 40 weeks and 2 days. The ladies in my family have a history of carrying to term and usually going over, and I pretty much followed that path with Emma. I was told that I would be delivering around 36-37 weeks (which is full-term for twins), no matter if they are ready or not. Since I had cesarean with Emma I will have a scheduled one this time around unless they decide they want to come sooner! I have read lots of stories about twins coming after 25 weeks and since I am now 26 weeks I am playing it safe…if I am tired I rest, I am taking this time to listen to my body because I would like to let them bake until 37 weeks hopefully. With twins since everything is so different…I have already started working on my hospital bag and their bag.
Movements/Kicks and Ultrasounds…I have to admit this is one of the best parts of being pregnant with twins. It amazes me to feel the movements and kicks on a daily basis, I drank an orange pop at a church function because that was the only thing left to drink and they went wild! I was amazed as if this was the first time I was pregnant! LOL! I usually feel movements on each side of my stomach…and sometimes they are close to the same areas so I guess that means they are positioned close to each other.
Ultrasounds are amazing to see while being pregnant with twins! On one of them, Baby B had his arm around Baby A, then on another ultrasound they were cuddled up in a ball together (in a spooning position)…we are amazed at all the things they are up to in there!
WATER, WATER, WATER…one of the first things I read when I found out I was pregnant with twins was to drink LOTS of water. Some sources say a gallon a day…I try my hardest to drink as much as I can! I have a bottle that I carry around with me daily to try to get in my gallon I usually fall a little short but I come close! Being dehydrated is known to be one of the common causes of preterm labor when you are pregnant with twins…so I do my BEST to stay on top of my water intake!
THICK SKIN…Having a thick skin is already something many pregnant women have in order to deal with the comments they receive on a daily basis. If you are pregnant with one baby and you are big then you get all kinds of comments about “are you sure it isn’t twins”…well being pregnant with twins makes the comments even worse. Usually you start showing very early as I did…it was like I found out I was pregnant one day and showing the next. Well I have heard all kinds of comments about how I look like I am ready any day, to I wonder how much bigger you can get. Most comments I take in stride (as I think most people just don’t know what to say…but in private some have made me cry)! I am VERY thankful for women who have taken the time to tell me how beautiful I look because I don’t feel very beautiful right now. But as always I think if you don’t know what to say, or you don’t have something nice to say…you probably shouldn’t say anything at all!
I think I covered a chunk of the differences that I have noticed in being pregnant with twins versus a singleton pregnancy! Overall…many of my symptoms take A LOT out of me, but it is truly a blessing to be blessed with a baby but especially with twins…I can’t wait until they get here!
