Low amniotic fluid - OB says they will come early! Help twin mummy's....

Hi Twin mummies,

I had my OB appointment and scan today and I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and would be willing to share?

Scan looked good. 100% girls, great heartbeats, great brains (Dr present at scans words), kidneys good etc etc...

Then appointment with MFM - apparently the two umbilical cords are positioned at opposite ends - twin A is in a good spot with cord joining the placenta exactly half way between the centre and runt side of the placenta. This baby has a good amount of amniotic fluid and all looks great.

Twin B - the umbilical cord joins the placenta on the left side - right at the top of the placenta (MFM would have liked it further down towards the centre) this twin has less amniotic fluid (nothing to worry about though yet he says).

Both babies are currently the same size. There is no sign of TTTS and MFM says this is likely to remain the case because Cords are located at opposite sides of the placenta.

However he is concerned about one twin having more amniotic fluid than the other. He said he will be able to tell us more at next scan in 3 weeks - will be almost 19 weeks - but he says it's likely to be hospital bed rest from 30 weeks and delivery is likely to happen at around 32 weeks (he hopes closer to 34 weeks but isn't sure).

This has freaked me out! If they come at 32 weeks I know it will be a long haul in NICU....

Has anyone had news like this and gone on to get beyond 34 weeks?- in my mind I am now aiming for 35 weeks..... I was so shocked I didn't really ask any questions.

Any advice or good news stories would be much appreciated!

Mrs Cricket I hope you find this thread - I wanted to know how many weeks you were when you gave birth and how as a self confessed control freak (us Cf's have to stick together) - you handled it?

Thanks again lovely twin mummies xx

I don't know about twins, but my cousin was induced around 36w because of low fluid... That's all I know though :-/

I can't comment on twins, but I delivered at 34 weeks and DS was home 2 weeks later.

I think the dr might be making his predictions a bit early. a lot can change between now and when your babies are ready/need to be born.

it's good to be aware of potential issues, (and i don't know how the info was presented) but i would question whether he was grooming you for intervention already.

i haven't had twins, but close friends who did were given dire predictions and mutiple tests every appt which led to a whole lot of worry that was unfounded.

At some point in my pregnancy they were slightly concern with Twin B having less fluid - I can't find my hospital notes to see when it was but I think it was around about the scan that I had at about 15 weeks. It was just mentioned during the scan and then by my doctor but it was a 'wait and see what happens next scan', and by then it had corrected itself, so no more to worry about in that regard.
You sound as though you are recieving great care, and being kept well informed with everything. My doctor was very much 'if they survive' for much of my pregnancy which I just found terrifying, but have since learned off other twin mums that it is just his manner. Brilliant at birthing etc, useless at reassuring stressed mum's.

I made it to 35 weeks and 2 days. At around 33 weeks, they started getting concerned with the girls showing signs of TTTS, and really stepped up my monitoring and scanning. The Friday night, I recieved a call off my ob to saying he wanted me for monitoring on Sunday and then it looked like we'd probably get things moving. My waters broke 5.30am on the Sunday morning :)

To be honest, our SCN experience was absolutely surreal to me. I'd always been told by the midwives that if we made it to 34 weeks, we could birth at our local hospital. I never considered that the girls would be so small and require care. That was me being fairly naive though. Early on it my pregnancy, I spent hours research what could go wrong in pregnancy, so that if it did happen I could say to myself "I knew it would'. But as the pregnancy progressed and it started to look like we would get take-home babies, I made the decision to stop scaring myself and enjoy being pregnant.

When I was in labour, the midwifes started talking about which hospital they would send the babies to, because their nursery was full and didn't give high enough special care. It was a real WTF moment for me. I literally had no idea what they were talking about. They were transfered to a hospital renound for 'fattening up babies' :) which was an hour away from home. The care we recieved was amazing, and the nurses really guided us. I had one moment of really breaking down and feeling like they weren't 'my babies' but I was missing DH and DS like crazy, was in a strange place, was tired and afraid. I think now that if I had of looked into it a bit more before I had the girls, I would of had more of an idea about staying in hospital. A few girls I know with twins have organised tours of the SC nursery, just so they had a little bit of familiarity if they need a stay in there. Once we got back to our hospital at home (had 10 days in the city and about a week at our local hospital) I felt more in control. I could come and go as I pleased, bring DS in with me, stay as late as I wanted because home was 5 minutes up the road.

I'm not even sure if this all makes much sense because I am sleep deprived today lol but please try not to stress- impossble I know because I did, but I am really thinking of you and hoping this issue corrects itself for you. I found with a lot of my pregnancy, it felt very negative in terms of doctors and midwives. It seems like they are constantly giving you the 'worst case scenario'. The thought of being on bedrest or the babies arriving early was a big freak out for me too - I had a 3 year old, was working etc. If I was on bedrest, who would look after him, clean the house etc? Looking back I realise I had no control over anything that happened, but if it had, we would of worked it all out.

Hi All,

Thanks for taking the time to respond! Your insight and personal experience is so appreciated!

HotI I totally understand where you are coming from - it's very early days and much can change between now and 15 weeks down the track - fair to say that my MFM was preparing me for intervention, which I am actually quite reproved about, having had two difficult pregnancies with planned cs - for medical reasons.

There is no chance I can have a vaginal birth with the twins - unfortunately when I was 27 weeks pregnant with DS2 I had to have major surgery to remove my left ovary and what turned put to be a cyst. This required opening me from my belly button to my cs scar - so I know that I will be having another cs.

My MFM raised the amniotic fluid issue mainly I think to assist with making the decision, or preparing me for where the twins will need to be born - which is not necessarily where I want to have them! Likely, I will now have them at KEMH - which in Perth is a large public hospital with some of the best NiCU facilities in the southern hemisphere. For the babies if they come prior to 35 weeks - it would be best to have them there. Prsonally I would rather have them at private hospital SJOG subi - but their health and wellbeing is most important and at KEMH we wont be separated todufferent hospitals.

Based on Mrs Crickets experience - I'm actually glad the MFM has given me the picture as it is now. Mrs Cricket thank you so much - your experience is invaluable! I am quite calm today - long way to go! But I am at least considering all options and I feel calm because I know I have the best possible Dr for my situation. He is brilliant and specialises in very high risk pregnancies.

On a light note - I can't even imagine what bed rest would be like:) I am always working or looking after my kids - bed rest sounds kind of luxurious - I found myself thinking of all the books could read and movies I could watch today.....

I have always worried about them coming early. And I worry about going home without them - I really appreciate insight from those who have been through an early delivery whether singleton or multiple. TeniB thanks for the low amniotic feedback at 36 weeks - very interesting!

Hanging in there now til 19 week scan. I had a dream last night that if I drank more water the babies would have more amniotic fluid :) hahahaha

Xx

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I had a dream last night that if I drank more water the babies would have more amniotic fluid :) hahahaha

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I was actually wondering if there were things that could be done to increase amniotic fluid. I know they can take it out if there is too much. Wonder if there are thing syou can do to help :think:

I would like to be on bed rest today :)

I totally get what you mean about hospitals. I had the twins in our local hospital which is just beautiful, and if we'd stayed there, they were putting me in a gorgeous private room with a double bed so DH could stay. The hospital we got transfered to was completely different, and a little scary as a patient, BUT it was the best possible care for our girls, which in the end is the main thing. I will be crossing my fingers and toes that this all corrects itself for you :)

my cousin-in -law just had her twins last Thursday at 38 weeks - she was induced and delivered both vaginally. boy twin had low fluid throughout the pregnancy and was always the smaller of the two but she just had extra monitoring throughout the pregnancy. he was born at 4pds 9oz while his sister was 7pd 2oz. my cousin-in-law was discharged on Tuesday but only with girl twin as boy twin is still in SCN due to low blood sugar levels.

hth



Sent using my SamGal ;)

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I have always worried about them coming early. And I worry about going home without them - I really appreciate insight from those who have been through an early delivery whether singleton or multiple. TeniB thanks for the low amniotic feedback at 36 weeks - very interesting!

Hanging in there now til 19 week scan. I had a dream last night that if I drank more water the babies would have more amniotic fluid :) hahahaha

Xx

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As someone who has friends with prem twins- hang in there, often they want to you to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. As far as amniotic fluid goes the best thing you can do yourself is up your water/fluid intake even if it's by 1 extra glass per day. (if you are even a little dehydrated it can affect the amniotic fluid)

As a mum of a prem (my DS2 came unexpectedly at 33 weeks) I would advise asking to see the NICU/SCU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit/ Special Care Unit) and also contacting either PIPA (Preterm Infants Parents Association) or Miracle Babies Foundation for info on what to expect when your babies are born. I think aiming for 35+ weeks is an excellent idea!

Try not to think about too much stressful stuff

(like how prem, or coming home & babies being at hospital)
I know it's hard, I'm 22weeks pregnant & trying not to worry about this bub being prem.
Maybe that stuff might happen, but even if it does as mums we deal with it whether it be by crying all the way home or by rushing back ASAP to be with them or however we can.

Take each day as it comes- ups & downs.

I sincerely wish you the best- & sending as many boring uncomplicated pregnancy vibes as I can spare. :D

Thank you so much for your words of wisdom Chrispe and best of luck with your pregnancy - hopefully this time you will go full term and everything will be great!

You arespit on and I will definitely investigate those groups and also perhaps see if I can take a tour of NICU or SCN.

I keep going back to my appointment on Monday - and your feedbackis sointeresting about fluid intake! Pre all other scans I had drunk a lot of water! This time - I had hardly drank any water all day - I was busy and in and out of meetings:( no excuses, but the truth.

Since then ive been drinking 3 liters a day (and am weeing for Australia as a result!)

I am wishing you the best of luck for your birth as well.

X