Congrats Momma to be, you’re expecting, not only 1 but 2 precious bundles of joy! Pregnancy can be both exciting and nerve wrecking, especially when you’re carrying two. So here are some things to expect in the next 9 months.
Just how every baby is different and develops at their own rate, the same holds true for moms to be. Not every twin mom’s experience will be the same, they may not even be similar at all.
While your anxiety of having twice as much nausea and morning sickness because you are carrying two babies may indeed be possible, it’s not actually a fact that you will experience this.
I know this to be true because I barely experienced a single episode of morning sickness throughout my entire twin pregnancy. I was lucky to receive the long end of the stick when it came to morning sickness and nausea, but this might not be true for you. Fingers crossed that it is though.
Just like any singleton pregnancy these symptoms may or may not appear during your twin pregnancy.
Twin Pregnancy: First Trimester
- Nausea; can begin in the very first month of pregnancy You may experience nausea just a few weeks after becoming pregnant
- Increased urination (can start as early weeks as two weeks into a twin pregnancy)
- You may experience some light headed or dizziness
- Bloating and fatigue are common symptoms felt during the early stages of pregnancy
- Strange Cravings is one the most common signs and symptoms of pregnancy as well as Morning Sickness/vomiting in the first trimester
In these early stages you may or may not experience some light spotting or bleeding, but it should not soak up an entire pantyliner or pad, if so you may be having a miscarriage.
Depending on a women’s Physique, Some women will begin to see a growing bulge, sometimes as early as 14 or 15 weeks.
Twin Pregnancy: Second Trimester
Some women’s morning sickness subsides during the second trimester, but this isn’t true for everyone
- Around 16 and 17 Weeks is when most women experience their babies’ first kicks or movements. Don’t worry if you don’t! Some women experience fetal movement a few weeks earlier or later. You should definitely have felt some fetal movements by week 20.
- As the fetuses continue to grow you will feel increased urges to urinate.
- You should have had an ultrasound or 2 by Week 20. Your doctor or physician should be able to tell the definite sex of your twins by this age, although some physicians are able to discern the sexes slightly earlier.
Twin Pregnancy is treated as a high risk pregnancy so you will be seeing your physician as frequent as every two weeks.
Twin Pregnancy: Third Trimester: 28-40 Weeks
Those who may have experienced a break from nausea and morning sickness in the second trimester may be unpleasantly surprised to find that their nausea and morning sickness may have returned.
- It is also common for you to experience a white or clear odorless discharge during pregnancy.
- Back and joint pain is common during this stage of the pregnancy as your little ones are growing outward.
- You may feel especially fatigued and increasingly uncomfortable at night due to fetal kicks, pain and insomnia
- Towards the end stage of the pregnancy you will begin to experience braxton hicks contractions (different from real contractions that are consistent and a few minutes apart.
- In the last few weeks you may lose your mucus plug
If your water breaks or feel you are having real contractions, head to the emergency room, and call your physician or midwife. Your own pregnancy experience will vary, remember to keep track of all your appointments, stay hydrated, maintain a healthy diet, and get plenty of rest when you need it.
