What to Expect When You're Expecting...TWINS
12:43 PM
At the beginning of my first
pregnancy, I had no idea what I was in store for. Excitement overtook me and
all I could think about was the day I’d finally be holding my sweet baby in my
arms. But by the second time I saw those two pink lines, I felt like a seasoned
pro. I’d already experienced the sickness, cravings, spotting, mood swings, and
weight gain, so bring it on! It was nothing I hadn’t already experienced
before, or was it?
No matter if you’re on pregnancy
#1 or #10, they’re all unique from the others. And let’s face it mamas, do we
ever really know what to expect? That answer is definitely “no”, but I do know
that a lot of us experience the same things during pregnancy.
As a twin mama, I’m here to share
some tips based on what I went through, in the hopes that it’ll be informative
and helpful to some other expecting mamas of multiples out there.
1. Morning sickness (or all day sickness for some
of us) will not necessarily be worse while carrying multiples. I was much
sicker with my daughter than I was with my twin boys. And you may not
experience any type of sickness at all.
2. You will more than likely show early on. I mean,
there are two (or more) humans growing inside of you! Embrace that bump.
3. Your heart is going to start beating very fast
around the middle of the first trimester. Your blood volume has more than
doubled to nourish multiple babies, and it takes a while for your body to get
accustomed to this. Once it does, your heart rate will go back to normal. Just
hang in there for those few weeks and take it easy.
4. Being tired takes on a whole new meaning. I
never had that second trimester burst of energy with the twins. It’s okay to
nap when you can!
5. You’re probably going to be very emotional at
times. This too is normal. My emotions where all over the place. One minute I
was crying over a cute kitten, the next I was ready to karate chop the next
person to ask me a question. You’ll eventually stop feeling this way. But, it
may take until after those babies are born.
6. You may have weird cravings. I craved certain
scents. I wanted to smell Pine Sol and spearmint all day, every day. Neither of
which I wanted to smell again after the babies were born.
7. You’ll gain a significant amount of weight. This
is true for any pregnancy, but especially true when carrying multiples. I was
only able to carry my boys to 32 weeks, so I only gained 25 pounds. It’s those
last few weeks where the weight really comes on. Just eat healthy, drink water,
and stay a bit active. You’re bringing two or more new lives into this world,
and you need that extra weight!
8. You will swell. And if you’re one of those women
that doesn’t, you’re lucky. So don’t be too hard on yourself when you feel like
the Goodyear blimp walking around. It’s short lived.
9. Say good-bye to sex. After the six month mark,
it gets very uncomfortable and somewhat painful (at least it was for me). You
will struggle finding a position to sleep in, much less have sex in. The belly
is big and the back aches. Just keeping it real, ladies.
10. You may not feel baby movements very often. This
is especially true the further along you get. They are cramped for space in
there and won’t have a lot of wiggle room. But it just makes it that much more
special when you do feel a kick here, or a jab there. I loved feeling and
seeing the boys move. It’s such an amazing thing to experience.
11. Breathing is very difficult in the last
trimester. The babies are getting bigger and there is only so many places they
can go in your abdomen. Your lung capacity will be compromised. Don’t be
alarmed when you start sounding like Darth Vader.
12. It’s not “two for the price of one”. I heard
this so many times during my pregnancy. No. Just no. You still have to buy two
of just about everything. Double the diapers, two cribs, two nursing pillows, double
the bottles, etc. etc.
When it’s all
said and done, your arms may be full, but your heart will be too. Every ache,
every pain, every bought of sickness, will all be worth it. And honestly, you
won’t even think about the hardships when you’re holding those beautiful gifts
in your arms. If you’re anything like me, then you may even miss being
pregnant. There is something so wonderful about the big belly, and knowing your
babies are safe inside of you and with you every step of the way.
Good luck and God bless all of you
amazing mamas to be out there! Try and enjoy your pregnancy as much as you can.
It comes and goes quickly. So relax and laugh every chance you get, and don’t
be alarmed if you pee a little while doing so. That’s normal too!
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