Bumps & Mums of Twins....

Hi Ladies,

Just wondering how we are all getting on.  I am 14 + 2 today.  The sickness feeling has disappeared which is a welcome relief - still being sick, I am still being sick - but it isn't all the time so i can live with that! 

Anyway - just wondering how we are all getting on.

Widdle - have you had your 20 week scan yet?

Hope we are all OK!

xxxxxx

This time last year I had a twin bump... now I have twins who bumped heads this morning!

They are very well. Joe is off to the hospital this afternoon about his wonky toes... hoping nothing too bad to put them right. Granny and Grandad are coming with us.

Joe's sitting on my knee at the moment and David is bouncing in the Jumperoo.

They can both sit up now. D has one tooth and Joe has two! They're sleeping through from 6.45 to 6.45 now and very much hoping that continues for a long time!

Enjoy every minute... I still miss being pregnant!

x

I'm 11+ 5 with twins I have my Nuchal dating scan on Tuesday, I am slightly nervous even though I have seen them both at 6 and 8 week.  Still can't actually believe that I am pregnant, hopefully after Tuesday we'll beable to announce it to the world yay!  Its been such a long 12 weeks!  Today I've been feeling really sick which isn't good when your at work.  I find that I have to eat snacks almost constantly to get rid of the sickness feeling.  I spoke to the midwife the other week and she said that in a normal singlton pregnancy the sickness would stop around 12 weeks but with twins its just continues and that I won't feel normal until I've given birth!! Great! 

What I am finding is that there isn't much geared up to twins, especially in the pushchair travel system range, as we have a very narrow door way we are limited in getting some sort of tandem jobby, its a minefield.  Also can twins sleep in one cot for a few months,  the reason being that for the first few months we are possibly going to be staying in our 1 bedroomed flat which is going to be a tight squeeze with 4 of us! 

Sharrington did you breast fed your twins?  My mil has already told me that I won't beable to cope just because I mentioned that I wanted to try.  I don't how she knows, just because her daughter didn't even bother breast feeding her son, she thinks I am going to be a failure too, charming!  Also do Joe and David wear cloth nappies or disposables I am trying to weigh up the options on which would be best?  TIA

Good to hear from other twin mum's and mum's to be as its a very daunting prospect

Hi Sharrington/Mrs Cee,

Sharrington - I love hearing your updates.....you have always been a bit of an inspriation to me with the journey that you and your H have been through.  Pleased to hear that all is OK.  Hope the hopsital appointment goes OK today.

Mrs Cee - yeah I was told the same about sickness.  I have been really bad since week 7 - bleurgh!  Still it is signs of a good strong pregnancy!  Hope your scan goes OK on Tuesday.  It is mind blowing.  Even though I saw strong hearbeats at 7 weeks, seeing the babies is just a whole new ball game - I cried the whole way through my scan....attractive!!!!

As for prams - we are looking at the Jane Matrix Travel System - it looks really good, it is a single pram so no struggling through doors, also the car seats fold down to cots which will be ideal for those first few months.

I have taken advice from my cousin re: the sharing cot, and she has advised it.  So we won't be having moses baskets in our room, a cot will be in there and that is where the babies will be sleeping at night.  As for breast  feeding I am being open minded about it and my MW is up for it.  Either it will work or it won't - try not to be influenced by others.  You do what is right for you.

xxxx

Hello everyone! I'm glad you started a thread MrwBLJ... I have many questions!

Glad to hear you've stopped feeling nauseous Mrs BLJ, even if you're still being sick. I think the last time i was sick was at 15 weeks so hopefully you're nearly there.

Lovely to hear what Joe and David are up to, Sharrington. Our friend has offered us their jumperoo - her little one used to go mad in it!!

Mrs Cee - not long to go!!!!!! It's so wonderful finally being able to tell the world. I ate continually during the first trimester - keep snacking! I get a terrible headache if I don't eat regularly, I think little and often must be the way forward. Your midwife was nice and positive - if it makes you feel better, I'm feeling pretty good at the moment and much better than the first Tri!

Few queries from me which seem to be what others are thinking about too...

Breastfeeding - I really want to give it a go and make sure I'm as prepared as possible before they arrive. And then if it doesn't work out, it will help me to know that I tried my best. It sounds very very tough going with twins. Fortunately, my H and family will be very supportive whatever. Mrs Cee - that's not very helpful of your MIL! Do any twin mums have recommendations for expressing?? I have been offered a nearly new Ameda Lactaline double pump... and a single one from SIL.  Thought I'd buy in advance in case they come early and I need to express or if I need to keep my supply up if they're not managing to latch on straight away... Also, anyone have recommendations for books on breastfeeding? I'm also thinking about finding a local BFC person or similar beforehand, so that I can get them straight in to see how I'm doing once the babies arrive. Did anyone else do this?

Prams/buggies - I love the Nipper 360 and think this will be our longer term buggy. I had wanted a proper pram for the newborn days, but there just doesn't seem to be options available for twins. Unless you spend a fortune on something that you'll only use for a few months... my colleague who has twins has just gone straight to the Nipper from birth, and I'm wondering whether to give up on a pram? Any suggestions? MrsBLJ - will go and have a look at the once you've got your eye on.

Sleeping - I'm thinking two moses baskets (we can borrow them so might as well), just because a cot won't fit well in our room. But hoping they'll share a cot for a while once they move to the nursery...

All this stuff is in my head now because I've got past my 20 week scan!! It was wonderful! The detail on the images was amazing. Two little girls! One of my placentas is low and the consultant said that if it doesn't move and I end up with placenta previa, I'll have to have a caesarean fairly early. But as long as they get here safely, I don't mind. The longer they can stay in the better so I will be taking it easy to avoid any bleeding etc. He said I'm at higher risk of bleeding and would be admitted if I did... hmmm! But hopefully the cervix will stretch away from the placenta before the next scan (28w).

Anyhoo, I'm rambling and must dash to a lunch do. Looking forward to ongoing pram/sleeping/BFing discussions when I return!!

xx

Hi all

My girls have just turned 2 and are doing very well!

Sharrington- Good luck at the hospital. I know how worrying appointments are-the girls have a few a year between them (dislocated hips at birth but still checked up on, and M has mild ptosis -so eye appointments every 6 mths- and a fatty lump in her arm we have been having checked out)

Mrs Cee-good luck for your scan!

Mrs Blondelj-glad your sickness is starting to go!

NIce to hear from other twin mums!

hiya everyone,

Sharrington good luck at the hospital

Mrs Cee good luck with your scan

Mrs Blondelj nausea is wrotten isn't it, glad it's clearing up though

It's amazing how time flies isn't it?  I'm now 29+1 with boy/girl twins and keep getting told to be ready anytime.  Things are all change with me since the last time I was online.  Am bringing up Evelyn and the twins by myslef but to be honest, we're both happy so I guess that's all that counts.

Suffering badly from SPD together with pre-eclampsia so getting comfy is a no go just now but the babies are doing ok, hope they hang in there until boxing day, would love one more Christmas with just Evelyn.  We're off to London tomorrow for 2 days for my birthday and are taking Granny with us.  Have planned our Hamleys/Harrods toy visits and a theatre trip to see The Gruffalo, really can't wait.

Good to hear from other twin mums

Fiona x x x

Hello ladies!

Well all is well at the hospital so nothing to worry about.

So to answer some questions...

Sleeping - they boys started off in one moses basket for about 10 weeks, then they went into a basket each. They went into their own cots and their own room about a month ago at 7.5 months.

Pushchairs - we have an Out and About 360 Nipper and I love it. In fact all the twin mummies I know have them and all love them. They are light, easy to put up and down, comfortable for the babies and a joy to push.

Breastfeeding - my boys were born without a sucking reflex so they couldn't breastfeed. I consulted a Breastfeeding councellor and she got David breast feeding but it was a very long process and poor Joe would be screaming with hunger. I expressed and they were on entirely breastmilk for 12 weeks. I eventually stopped expressing at 23 weeks as the boys were getting so active that I didn't have the time to express for them any more. Whatever you do is the right thing. It's not easy, it doesn't come easy to everyone, but some people find it incredibly easy. One of my twin mum's did breastfeed and she could do both at once. However she couldn't cope with doing all the feeds through the night so she took the decision to give up breastfeeding at 4 weeks. Remember, even if you only manage one day of breastfeeding that you have done incredibly well.

Think that was all the questions.

x

Hi Everyone

Good to have a catch up with other twin mums and bumps.

I am 16 weeks today, and feeling loads better - I haven't been sick for about 5 days.  I still feel a bit squemish at times but nothing like before.  My bump is growing fast, I feel huge! 

I am hoping to breast feed and like Widdle said am going to be as prepared for it as possible and also prepared to change my plans!  I have beed looking at the icandy pear and the icandy peach blossom twin as really want prams with carrycots.  There is not a huge choice at all.  The other thing i was wondering about was slings - any one seen anything for twins?

Rooted 16 weeks

Hi everyone

Sorry to those feeling rubbish - I was very lucky and wasn't sick at all - but did keep snacking (and ended up putting on about 4 stone!!)

My girls are now 7.5 months and are sitting up unaided and learnt to clap at the weekend!

I have the Nipper 360 and it has been great. I didn't bother with a pram as well (too expensive) We have just bought single buggies for travelling and swimming etc when there are 2 of us and I made sure they can sit up and sit forward because the nipper is quite far back.

I bought 2 cotbeds and had one in the livingroom and one in our bedroom.  They slept in together as soon as we got home from hospital until about 5 months when they went through to their own room (we had been on holiday and were out of synch anyway). I then put them in their own beds at about 6 months when they started wriggling more and waking each other up.

I attempted to breast feed but because they were early (36+3) they never really got the hang of it. I expressed with a double pump (hired one) for the first 4 weeks and then they went onto SMA.  They are now on 3 meals and 3.5 bottles a day.

I have been very lucky and they were only up once a night to begin with and have slept from 7ish till 7ish since 3 months!

Iam hoping to go back to work PT in Feb

Can't think what the other questions/issues were, so Ill leave you with a pic!

Keep well xxx

Hi

Don't come on here very often anymore but can't resist replying to a twin thread.

My 2 (b/g twins) are now 30 months! Blimey! They have finally hit the terrible twos which I thought we had escaped and my fantastic 7 - 7 sleepers have now become much more fussy at bedtime! This too shall pass.

In answer to some of the questions.

Breastfeeding. My 2 were born at 29 weeks so were fed EBM through a tube to begin with. At about 33 weeks I started trying them at breast (James has his first breast feed when he weighed 1 lb 5oz! It was a blooming long process but thankfully they both came home exclusively breastfeeding at 10 weeks old. They continued to be exclusivley breastfed until we started weaning at just under 6 mohths. James gave up breastfeeding at 11 months and I encouraged Harriett to give up at 14 months. I continued to express when they came out of hospital (was expressing 3 hourly while they were in) and gave them a bottle of EBM once a day to put vitamins and medicine it etc. I used a Medela mini electric which was fine.

We got a 3 wheeler as our main pushcahir but were lucky enough to pick up a twin pram at a car boot sale for £20! We used this in the early days and then sold it on for £100!

Sleeping - Obviously for the first 10 weeks they were in incubators / hospital cots -  some of the time together and some apart. They then went into seperate moses baskets at home until 6 months when they moved into their cots. (I think we actually moved them into their cots in their moses baskets for a while!)

Hope all the other twins and Mummies are well and the twin Mummies to be are coping with it all x

Wow, Annie that was a profitable pram!! I think I'm veering towards just buying the Nipper and then buying a second hand pram (or borrowing a single from  a freind if the babies fit in it) just for those early days when they're tiny and I'm paranoid! Good to hear more good things about the Nipper.... although  guess the not going upright becomes an issue as they get older.

Great to hear all the feeding stories - it really helps to get a feel for what challenges to expect and different strategies to use. And KTD - I hope my girls sleep as well as yours!

Rooted, I have seen a couple of slings for twins...

Moby:

http://www.twins-store.co.uk/epages/62046134.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62046134/Categories/%22Going%20Out%20twins%20products%22/%22Baby%20Carriers%20and%20slings%22

And the Weego....

http://www.twinsuk.co.uk/more_details.php?id=100529

xx