pregnant woman belly and twin socks

 

Tales From A Twin Mom: 3 Things I Wish I had Known About A Twin Pregnancy

 

Finding out you’re having multiples brings on a mix of emotions. At one point, I went from being ecstatic to being absolutely petrified in a matter of minutes. It wasn’t until I was until further along in the pregnancy that I started to realize that this “multiples” thing was no joke; and even though I had gone through several pregnancies beforehand, this was a complete new ball game. My family was going to go from four to six in a matter of months, and there was no trial run or any calm before the storm to slowly usher in these worries running around in my head. I just wish someone experienced in this chaos had sat me down to tell what I was in for. It is for this very reason I have decided to write this article. Here are the top 3 things I wish someone had told me about a twin pregnancy:

 

2. Do Everything Earlier

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Unlike a singleton pregnancy, your chances of preterm labor are significantly higher. In addition, the longer it lasts, the heavier and more tired (and lazy) you will be. Over 30% of twin deliveries occur between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation, whereas the chances of a preterm singleton delivery hover around 8%.

Am I telling you this to worry you? No. I am telling you this because you should get your act together a lot quicker. Get your hospital bag ready by week 30 if you’ve had no issues; and even earlier if you’ve had any complications. Trust me, you don’t want to be caught off guard having to explain to your mother in law what your “good” bra looks like. Make the tough decisions asap-the crib bedding, your favorite baby blankets, paint colors and whatever else has been on your mind. Then, grab some diapers, ointments, wipes, burp cloths (about 1000 of these babies), and whatever else you'll need immediately upon coming home.

The early rule also applies to baby showers, pregnancy photos, birth plans and anything you would normally wait until you’re about to pop to do. It’s better to be safe than sorry and the worst feeling in the world is being stuck on bed rest at 26 weeks wishing you had planned ahead a little more. Trust me, that’s what happened to me.