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Well I found out last Thursday that I was expecting twins, not sure if they are identical or fraternal yet. Just overwhelmed as I don't really know what to expect etc, the shock is starting to wear off a bit, just feel so out of my depth. Any advice would be welcome.
Congratulations! Twins are an amazing blessing. My first advice would be to find out if they have two placentas and sacs or not as that will be the information that guides your treatment in pregnancy. I'm on my phone so I can't see but how many weeks are you?
Congratulations! I agree finding out what sort of twins is the first step. Then I just started googling what different types meant lol
When is your next appointment or scan?
Traveller I'm 8+4, they are in separate sacs that's all I know for now.
bellany my next appointment is the 26th of June, I think it is my booking in one with the midwives. No one has mention another scan yet.
My advise is to take each week as it comes. Being in 2 sac's is great as it can help reduce a lot of twin pregnancy complications although they could still have 1 or 2 placentas.
To be honest you won't know if they are fraternal during pregnancy unless you find out that you are having boy/girl twins if they are the same sex twins then they could be fraternal or identical (depends on how early the egg splits as this determines how many placentas and sac's are formed) here are some stats:
2 placenta & 2 sacs – 60% of Frat’s and 18% of ID’s (egg splits before day 5)
1 ‘visible’ placenta & 2 sac’s – placenta’s can implant so close together they fuse and appear as 1. This occurs in 40% of Frats and 14% ID’s
1 placenta & 2 sac’s – More than likely ID (egg splits after day 5) – unless placenta’s have fused (see above) only physical differences or DNA can confirm.
1 placenta & 1 sac – Definitely identical (egg splits after day 11)
The remaining 68% of ID’s will have 1 placenta & 2 sac’s or 1 placenta & 1 sac.
During my pregnancy (with a private Ob) I had ultrasounds every 4 weeks to monitor growth and from 28 weeks I was having weekly CTG monitoring as well. At 28 weeks I was measuring full term for a singleton so my Ob gave me a course of steroids to develop babies lungs in case of early delivery. They arrived at 37 + 4 via scheduled c/s.
Also use your local Multiple Birth Association as well - most of them run Ante Natal information evenings to help parents of expectant twins - I'm the Ante Natal night Co-Ordinator for my local MBA and we have an Ob, Anaethetist, Midwives, Lactation Consultant, Maternal & Child Health Nurse and other parents of multiples talk at our evening to assist and hopefully provide information that will be useful. We hold ours 6 monthly so always good to make contact and find out when the next Ante Natal evening will be for your local group.
Good luck, it is an amazing experience being a mum of multiples.
You've bene given some great advice on the risks, and 2 separate sacs is a fantastic start in lowering yours :) Have a read of my birth story in my signature if you like, I had a spontaneous labour and birth at 38 weeks with my twins but as with singletons, every pregnancy is different and it pays to consider your options and be flexible if things change from low to higher risk.
The main advice I will give you is enjoy your growing belly. You are doing an amazing thing, nurturing two people to life. Revel in it even when you are sore, tired and over it, because this time will not come again :)
How are you going ? Has your belly popped yet ? :-)
woooza Amanda!! couldn't read this without say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
Thanks HJ :)
I'm going good Bengal, yeah I feel huge already, but I think I'm only slightly bigger then I would be at this stage. I've been feeling them move which is great. I found out about 2-3 weeks ago that they are DCDA but their placentas have fused, my big scan is in 3 weeks, I can't wait to find out the sex of them and to feel the movements stronger.
:cheer: :cheer: