What To Expect From A Twin Pregnancy: ABC's Of Multiple Birth
Imagine wishing and trying for one baby and ending up with two!
Statistics show that there has been an increase in twin
pregnancy the past few years and this short guide should answer
any questions you have to giving birth to multiples!
How do twins begin? There are two kinds of twins: identical
twins and fraternal twins. In the case of identical twins, the
egg is fertilized and then splits into two cells. Each cell
carries identical DNA and so both children will look exactly the
same with only slight differences such as height or birthmarks.
Fraternal twins are not identical. Instead of having one egg
that splits into two, there are two eggs that are fertilized by
two different sperm at the same time so they could be of two
different sexes with different physical characteristics.
Early signs of twin pregnancy An early sign of twin pregnancy is
excessive morning sickness and extreme fatigue. Morning sickness
is common with all pregnant mothers but those who are giving
birth to multiples tend to experience more morning sickness than
usual. Exhaustion is another early sign of twin pregnancy.
Again, it is not uncommon for pregnant women to be more tired
than usual but those who are having twins tend to undergo
enhanced exhaustion. Twins are hereditary and so if you are
feeling excessively tired, are often nauseous and twins run in
your family, you very well could be giving birth to multiples!
Twin pregnancy facts With twins, you'll have to prepare for
double the trouble! This means you will probably be gaining more
weight than with a single pregnancy. Due to this extra weight, a
pregnancy with twins can often be more uncomfortable - severe
exhaustion, stronger backaches and headaches, etc. So get plenty
of sleep and rest. Try a pregnancy massage, a great stress
reliever to those giving birth to multiples. Also be prepared
for a possible c-section, as with multiples this is the more
common way of giving birth. Because a twin pregnancy is
considered a high risk pregnancy, you will probably need to
consult your obstetrician more often than if you were having a
regular pregnancy. Do not be fazed as this is quite common with
twins.
Having a twin pregnancy is most certainly a mixed blessing.
Whilst having two children is an amazing experience, the
pregnancy itself can be tough so make sure to take care of
yourself.