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Sunday 3 April 2011

5 Further Top Tips and Truths for Twin Pregnancy and Birth

Following on from my previous blog.....

6.  Expect to lose a lot of weight when you give birth!  I lost 4 stone.  Not only are you carrying the weight of 2 babies but you will have more amniotic fluid, 2 cords and if they are non-identical 2 placentas.

7.  After the birth you will experience bleeding - this is a normal but not well publicised part of giving birth.  As with everything, after having twins you are likely to bleed more and for longer.  I’d recommend the disposal maternity knickers.  Who needs more washing when you have 2 new babies to get to know.

8.  Expect a lot of people in the labour room with you at the end as there are obviously 2 little bundles of joy to check, weigh etc.   I had a natural birth and it felt a little bit like being on centre stage at Wimbledon!   As well as 2 midwives, there was the consultant, a student doctor and the anaesthetist as I’d had an epidural. 

9.  From talking to my twin mum friends it seems that Cesarean births are quite common with twin births - so try and prepare for this.  At your first scan your babies will be named ‘Baby A’ and ‘Baby B’.  Baby A is the one nearest the exit!!  You will need at least Baby A to be head down a few weeks before your due date for a natural birth.  If Baby B is breech you may still be recommended to have a normal birth as the second baby can be manipulated into a head down position by the doctor after the first is born. 

You may be advised to have an epidural.  The reason I was given was that once Baby A is born, the second baby may turn into the breech position in the freedom of all that space - in which case the doctors will try and turn he/she back to the head down position.  Also if there is a problem at any point you will be ready for an emergency c-section.

10.  Rest, relax, enjoy every moment of the peace and quiet that you have during your pregnancy (assuming that this is your first pregnancy, if not you will already understand this).  If you want to spend the evening with your feet up watching trash on the TV please do it.  If you want to have a long soak in the bath and a nice meal - then enjoy!  These things will be hard to have once your bundles of joy arrive, although life will get back to normal (but not as you knew it) eventually!

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