The birth process is similar to giving birth to a single baby. If you're planning a vaginal birth, your health team may recommend that you have an epidural for pain relief. This is because, if there are problems, it's easier and quicker to assist the delivery when the mother already has good pain relief.
Not surprisingly, labor and delivery can get a little more complicated when you've got multiple babies looking forward to their debuts. So remember that no matter what route they take from your snug womb to your even snugger embrace, the best way is the one that's healthiest and safest for them — and for you.
When you're carrying twins or more, you'll typically have a greater number of Braxton Hicks, although some women don't have any symptoms. It's just your body's way of helping you get ready for the real thing. Actual labor contractions are similar for twins and singles (and yes, we're sorry to say, they hurt).
Pelvic girdle pain
Furthermore, the anatomical changes associated with pregnancy are exaggerated in a twin pregnancy due to the increased size and weight of the uterus. PGP may be felt at the very bottom of your spine at the sacroiliac joints, at the pubic symphysis at the front of your pubic bone, or in both areas.
Labor is generally the same whether you're having one baby or two. During delivery is when things differ significantly. When it's time to deliver your twins, you will go to an operating room even if you are delivering vaginally.
The time between giving birth to your first and second baby varies from woman to woman, but the second baby is usually delivered within about 30 minutes to an hour after the first. In very rare cases, some women deliver 1 twin vaginally and then need a caesarean section to deliver the second twin.
About 1 in 3 of all sets of twin births are vaginal births. You may choose to have an elective caesarean, or your doctor may recommend a caesarean section because of potential complications. Even if you plan a vaginal birth, you may end up having an emergency caesarean section due to complications during labour.
The highest risk twin gestation is called monochorionic/monoamniotic, where identical twins share a placenta and an amniotic sac. In addition to the possibility of developing twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, these babies are at high risk for cord entanglement.
With a twin pregnancy, your body makes high levels of pregnancy hormones. So morning sickness may come on earlier and stronger than if you were carrying a single baby. You may also have earlier and more intense symptoms from pregnancy, like swelling, heartburn, leg cramps, bladder discomfort, and sleep problems.
Overall, it is considered that twin delivery should be around 37 weeks for dichorionic twins and 36 weeks for monochorionic twins. With singletons, the neurodevelopmental outcomes are best with delivery at 41 weeks, but the odds of death around the time of delivery are best at weeks 38-39.
The process of labour is more or less the same as for 1 baby, but your maternity team will usually advise you to have your babies electronically monitored because of the higher risk of complications. This means attaching belts with sensors (1 for each twin) to your bump.
Full-term for twins is the same as full-term for singleton babies, technically: 39 weeks pregnant. But if your twins are born at 37 weeks, that's as close to actual full-term as many twins get. At that point, they have full lung maturity and should be able to leave the hospital within a few days of delivery.
C-section delivery.
In some cases, complications after the vaginal delivery of the first twin might require a C-section delivery for the second twin. For higher order multiples, the more common route of delivery is a C-section.
What are the chances of having twins? Just over 3 percent of babies in the United States are now born in sets of two, three or more, with the majority — about 97 percent — of these multiple births being twins. So your chance of having twins is about 3 in 100.
Throughout your pregnancy, your twin babies will move in the uterus, but sometime during the third trimester – usually between 32 and 36 weeks – their fetal presentation changes as they prepare to go down the birth canal.
Always having to deal with comparisons is another negative that comes with being a twin. Jakeece explained, “Everyone always compares us to one another and makes it seem like we are the same person with the same personality. It gets so annoying, because although we look alike we have way different personalities.
Drink Alcohol, Use Drugs, or Smoke. It's never advisable to drink alcohol excessively, smoke, or take drugs, whether you are pregnant or not. When you are pregnant, doing so exposes your unborn babies to toxic substances, raising their risk of birth defects and chronic illnesses.
They examined reported levels of happiness in 1,300 sets of identical and fraternal twins. Identical twins reported similar levels of happiness, while fraternal twins exhibited greater variation in their reported sense of well-being.
Most twins are born healthy. A twin pregnancy can mean a higher chance of health complications so you'll need extra check-ups. Twins that share a placenta or inner sac need to be checked more closely. It's good to know whether twins are fraternal or identical for health reasons later in life.
It's equally unsurprising that a Danish study found that twins are less likely to get married than non-twins. As twins have a partner from birth, the study suggests that they may not have the same desire for marriage as singletons.
The typical C-section takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. After your provider delivers your baby, they'll stitch your uterus and close the incision in your abdomen. Different types of emergencies can arise during a delivery.
Expect around nine to 25 days after birth if your twins need to spend some time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). But remember, that not all twins need time in the NICU. Let's talk about the first ideal situation, which is when your twins are born, they're super healthy and they're ready to go home.
Dropping 30 pounds two weeks after delivering twins is not uncommon. All that excess fluid (extra blood volume, amniotic fluid and water weight) — not to mention the weight of your babies themselves — goes away rather quickly after birth.