Twice the prenatal appointments

I was already with a midwife before we found out about the twins so I was able to stay under her care, but because midwives specialize in normal, low risk pregnancies, I also had to have an obstetrician that specialized in high-risk multiple births. Luckily we found one that was willing to work with us. This meant we had twice the prenatal appointments, but we had excellent care. We were able to go to the midwife for our monthly visits and then saw our obstetrician after every ultrasound, and there were a lot of ultrasounds.

Flipped into a feet first breech position

We knew I would have to give birth in the hospital, midwives are not able to attend home births for multiples or high risk pregnancies. We had also been advised that the majority of multiples (but not all) are born by c-section, but I was hoping for a vaginal birth and as close to possible, one without interventions. That all changed when we went for our 30 week scan and found out that Twin A (Nemo as named by his 4 year old brother) had flipped into a feet first breech position, and that Twin B’s (Saturn) head was tangled up in twin A’s feet. If we wanted a vaginal birth we had to try and turn one kid around fast.

Lighting a piece of incense on fire

Thus began weeks of lunges, headstands, stretches, yoga poses, acupuncture treatments and Moxibustion (which involves lighting a piece of incense on fire and holding the ember close to your pinky toe – not painful, but not the most fun thing to do). All designed to try and turn a breech baby. I tried anything that our doctor, midwife or random google search advised to turn that kid, and no luck. Nemo wasn’t going anywhere. At 37 weeks our ob advised us that it was time for the babies to come out. They were born by c-section, both healthy and both weighing exactly 5lbs, 9oz (2523 grams).

Took time to get used to the idea of twins

We thought we would go for a second. Our son was 4, we were out of baby survival mode and even starting to feel like we had our heads above water again. We kind of knew what we were doing baby-wise, right? Why not have a second? We tried for 2, and got, well, two. Surprise! It took some time to get used to the idea.

Twin pregnancy announcement

When we broke the news to our families, we let our 4 year-old do the big announcement. Over Skype calls to the grandparents, he gleefully shouted:

“We’re having babies!”

“You’re what?”

“We’re having babies!”

“A baby?”

“No, babies…”

“BABIES?”

“BABIES! Yes, we’re having twins.”

“Twins?”

“Twins!”

There must be something in the water

Joy and excitement, fear and trepidation all mixed into one as the news sunk in. Turns out these feelings go along with twins every step of the way. We had so many questions. How would we fit two more kids in our small home? How would we afford daycare for three kids? How do you feed two babies at once? I sought out as much advice from neighbors and friends as I could – funny enough we have four sets of twins on our small neighborhood block. There must be something in the water.

What about the twin baby shower registry?

It’s good etiquette to ask whether or not there is a registry, and to take a look at it before you buy gifts. You don’t necessarily need to go with it, if you have a great idea of you own, but the family usually puts a lot of time and thought into the registry. Take a peek at it to find out if there’s something they really seem to need.

Twin baby shower gifts for twin boy and girlTwin Gift Basket
This cute gift basket for twins include two teddy bears,  a soft blue blanket and a soft pink blanket, a blue and a pink baby bottle, a blue and a pink bootie set, a blue and a pink baby cap, a blue and a pink embroidered bib, two brush and comb sets and a blue and a pink baby picture frame.

Twin Clothing Cupcakes
These cute clothing cupcakes are the perfect twin baby shower gift. It comes with six short sleeved bodysuits, four pairs of socks, four pairs of mitts, two bibs and two muslin squares. You can choose different colors making it a good choice for boy-boy and girl-boy twins as well. It’s available in pink, blue, white or pink and blue mixed.

Twin Diaper Cake
This diaper cake is available in pink, blue and neutral colors, in a range of animal themes. It’s made of Pampers size 2 diapers and inside you find two baby’s first piggy banks. There’s also one fleece baby shawl, three muslin cloths, two pairs of mittens, two pairs of socks, two baby’s first brush & comb sets and two zebra soft toys with built in rattles

Personalized twin gift frame
This frame for twins can be personalized with the names, birth dates and times, weights or other wording. You can choose between 2 handmade crochet pink or blue bunnies or elephants – or one of each. It’s a white wood deep box frame. It’s large, to accommodate the 2 bunnies or elephants, and has a 20 x 20 cm printed centre. It’s approximately 24 x 24 cm from the outside frame edge to edge. The frame is around 3.5 cm deep, and has a hook for hanging onto a wall on the back. It’s possible to request other colors for the frame design as well. The frame arrives in a white gift box, wrapped in tissue paper and a ribbon.

Crochet dinosaurs
These dinosaurs are made of 100 percent acrylic wool, and the filling is made of non-allergenic polyester fibres. They are appropriately 14 cm tall and width is appropriately 11 cm.
You can purchase two green dinosaurs, two pink dinosaurs or one pink and one green dinosaur. They also come in blue & green.

Twin memory boxes
These wooden memory boxes with ceramic hearts or wooden star tags are perfect for twins. There are two sizes available, and colors and decor can customized.

Twin Bibs
These bibs are made of 100 percent cotton and has a velcro closure. They come in black, blue, pink and white and can be mixed and matched as preferred. You can also change the writing so it fits boy-boy twins or girl-girl twins.

Twin girl baby shower giftsGift Basket
This adorable gift basket is perfect for twin girls. It includes two teddy bears, two baby blankets, two baby bottles, two bootie sets, two baby caps, two embroidered bibs,  two brush & comb sets and two baby picture frames. You can also get it for girl-boy twins.

Personalized twin bracelets
You can design these twin bracelets by choosing color, name or initials. The bracelets are handmade from 100 percent cotton thread. They come in sizes for babies, toddlers, kids and adults. The width of the bracelet depends on the size you choose and ranges from 1 to 1,5 cm. See more examples of bracelets for boy-boy twins and twin girls as well as triplets. The bracelets come packed in a organza gift bag with a handcrafted card.

Wooden sign for twins
These signs come in blue, pink and many other different colors. They’re perfect for the arrival of twins. The wood for these signs is hand cut, the signs are then given 2 coats of paint and then lightly sanded back to achieve the rustic, vintage style finish.
The signs in the picture measure approximately 4 cm high and are approximately 30 cm long. Custom orders are possible if you’d like a different size.

Twin baby shoes
These handmade crochet baby shoes for twins are with wooden buttons. They come in three sizes, baby newborn, 0 to 3 months and 3 to 6 months. You can choose different sizes if one twin is smaller than the other. The shoes are made of 100 percent acrylic. You can get them in different colors for instance black & green, brown & green, green & gray and black & beige. The shoes can be hand washed at 30 degrees.

Crochet set for twins
This handmade crochet baby set for twin girls come with 2 baby shoes and 2 baby beanies. They’re made from acrylic yarn.
They come in sizes 0-3 months and 3-6 months. Shoes and beanies need to be hand washed in cool water.

Twin boy baby shower gifts

Twin Clothing Flower Bouquet
This baby shower gift is perfect for twins because the clothing come in pairs. It contains two bodysuits, four pairs of socks, two muslin cloths, two bibs and a greeting card. It comes gift-wrapped in cellophane with a bow. You can buy the bouquet in different colors, so it’s also a great gift for girl-girl or boy-girl twins.

2-Set Of Bibs
These bibs can be washed in the sink or in the dishwasher. They are made of 100 percent food grade silicone and are BPA free.

Books about twins – for mom

There are quite a few twin pregnancy books for expectant twin mothers out there. Some also cover the first few years with twins.

What to Do When You’re Having Two:

This twin pregnancy book takes you through twin pregnancy in a well-written, fun style. It gives you advice on how to get comfortable when you’re struggling being pregnant with twins and how to handle all the questions and comments you’re likely to receive when people learn that you’re expecting twins. The author also shares her own twin birth story. 

Holy Sh*t…I’m Having Twins!: The Definitive Guide to Remaining Calm When You’re Twice as Freaked Out

This book on twins is the third edition of the best-selling “Ready or Not…Here We Come! The REAL Experts’ Guide to the First Year with Twins” expecting twins book. It’s been updated, re-titled, and new information is added. It’s a girlfriend’s guide to the first year with twins and is filled with funny practical shortcuts, real-world strategies, and clever advice. It covers breastfeeding, what to buy, marriage, handling unsolicited advice about raising twins and getting twins on a schedule. Read about the author.

Ready or Not…There We Go!: The REAL Experts’ Guide to the Toddler Years with Twins

This book about twins is the sequel to “Holy Sh*t…I’m Having Twins!” It’s for twin moms who are past the baby stages and are about to begin the toddlers years with twins. This funny tell-it-like-it-is guide covers how to manage tantrums x 2, childproofing, gear, maintaining your marriage and having another baby. Read about the author.

Multiples Illuminated: A Collection of Stories And Advice From Parents of Twins, Triplets and More

This book about twins is a collection of stories from different parents of multiples. It covers topics like infertility and hope, finding out and coping with a twin pregnancy, twin birth stories and stories from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). You get advice on breastfeeding from other twin moms as well as insight into the newborn, baby and toddlers stages.

Multiples Illuminated: Life with Twins and Triplets, the Toddler to Tween Years

This book on twins is the sequel to the “Multiples Illuminated: A Collection of Stories And Advice From Parents of Twins, Triplets and More.” Stories from 21 parents of multiples takes you through the different stages of parenting from the toddler to tween years. Among other things, you’ll read about the relationship between multiples and their siblings and starting school. 

Twinspiration: Real-Life Advice from Pregnancy through the First Year and Beyond

This book about twins is a hybrid of a prescriptive “how-to” guidebook and an intimate diary. It’s written by a twin mom and revolve around twin pregnancy and the first year with twin babies. However, being the second edition, it’s been updated with thoughts on toilet training toddler twins, and some essayed glimpses of life with twins beyond that first year. The author and her husband also give their responses to questions most-asked. Read more about the author and the book. 

The Multiples Manual: Preparing and Caring for Twins or Triplets

This book is written by an identical twin who is the mother of triplets and a singleton. It’s written to  help make the day-to-day challenges with multiples easier. It includes 1,002 tips that are guaranteed to simplify life, save time – and even save money. The author has written several books about twins and runs an online business at justmultiples.com. She has her own clothing brand designed exclusively for twins.

Books about twins – for dad

There are a few books out there targeted to twin dads or couples expecting twins.

Dads Guide to Twins: How to Survive the Twin Pregnancy and Prepare for Your Twins

This book about twins is written by a twin dad from the U.S. who was terrified, when he found out that twins were joining his family. It’s a guide targeted to soon-to-be twin fathers on how to prepare for the arrival of twins. It covers the financial aspects of having twins as well as the practical and emotional side of a possible difficult pregnancy and caring for two newborns at once. 

Dad’s Guide to Raising Twins: How to Thrive as a Father of Twins

This book on twins is the sequel to “Dad’s Guide to Twins.” It’s for the twin father who has brought his twins home from the hospital. It focuses on what to expect and how to handle the babies during the first couple of years and beyond. It covers topics like work, personal and family life, getting your babies to sleep through the night, feeding, siblings, potty training and travelling with twins. 

Twins: A Survival Guide for Dads

 This book on having twins is written by a twin dad from the UK. It has sections on all aspects of pregnancy, birth and the first few years with twins. It’s written in a humorous tone targeted at soon-to-be fathers with attention deficits. It’s written in short sections and is an easy-read.

Expecting Twins? (One Born Every Minute)

This book about twins is written for couples who are expecting twins. It’s written by a professor and consultant in fetal medicine from the UK. His co-author is the Director of the Multiple Births Foundation.  It covers all aspects of a twin pregnancy – from conception, pregnancy, potential problems, birth and the first year with twins. 

Books about twins – for children

There are several great books about twins targeted to children. Some books are well-suited for celebrating twindom and addressing some of the unique issues and challenges twins may face. Other books are targeted to siblings of twins. Reading a book can be a nice way to prepare older siblings for twins and help them balance their expectations. Books can also serve as an effective tool to initiate conversations and talk to children about their feelings and thoughts.

My Babies, My Twins Big Sister

This children’s book about twins is written for the 2-5 age range. It’s targeted to a girl who’ll soon be the big sister of twins.  It contains all the things she should anticipate about her mum’s hospital stay, when the babies come home, and what she can do with the babies. It’s written in a reinforcing tone, assuring the older sibling that there’s love for everyone. Read about the author.

My Babies, My Twins Big Brother

This children’s book about twins is written for the 2-5 age range and is for the boy who’ll soon be a big brother to twins. It’s the counterpart to the “My Babies, My Twins Big Sister” book. It covers all the stuff a young boy should know about his mums hospital stay, and what he should anticipate when the babies are brought home from the hospital. It’s a good choice if you’d like to prepare your son on the arrival of twins. Read about the author.

The Twins New Baby

This children’s book about twins is written for the 2-5 age range and is targeted to twins who anticipate a new sibling. A pair of boy/girl twins are getting a younger sibling. The book highlights facts about mums hospital stay and changes at home with the addition of a new baby. Read about the author.

Twins in Summer

This children’s book featuring boy/girl twins is written for the 2-8 age range. It can be read aloud or serve as a great book for beginning readers. It follows twins through a busy summer day. It’s written as a poem and plays with words that rhyme with twin. Read about the author.

Zoe in Double Trouble

This children’s book is written from the dog Zoe’s perspective. She usually has her owner all to herself but that changes when identical twin girls join the family. The book is written by a twin mom who’s a teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education. 

The Twiniest Twins

This children’s book about twins is written for the 2-6 age range and features boy/girl twins. It’s a great choice if you’d like to spark a conversation with your children about how they can be individuals and still share a special twin bond. It’s also a good way to address some of the situations and comments your twins will receive because of being twins. Read more.

Lucy and Henry Are Twins

This children’s book is about Lucy and Henry who are fraternal boy/girl twins. They have fun together, but they don’t always do things the same way. You follow them having fun together a day in the park. It’s written by Elizabeth Winthrop, and illustrations are done by Jane Massey. 

Got a great book about twins, you’d like to share with us? Please let us know in the comment field below this article or write us at [email address=”kate@about-twins.com”][/email].

Animal twin pregnancy journals

Elephant twin pregnancy journal book

This twin pregnancy journal book is 8.5 x 11 inches and has gender neutral colors of yellow, peach and mint. You have a choice of wire color, you can order in silver or white. The cover is thick cardstock topped with a clear laminate page. You can customize the pregnancy journal entering your babies names and due month for the journal cover. Other customization options are possible if you contact the seller, and let her know what you’d like. You can order the book with a baby whale or baby owl theme as well. 

Bunnies & hearts twin pregnancy journal book

This twin pregnancy journal book is 8.5 x 11 inches and has gender neutral colors of yellow, peach and mint. You have a choice of wire color, you can order in silver or white. The cover is thick cardstock topped with a clear laminate page. You can customize the pregnancy journal entering your babies names and due month for the journal cover. Other customization options are possible if you contact the seller, and let her know what you’d like. 

Rabbits twin pregnancy journal book

This twin pregnancy journal book is 8.5 x 11 inches and has gender neutral colors of yellow, peach and mint. You have a choice of wire color, you can order in silver or white. The cover is thick cardstock topped with a clear laminate page. You can customize the pregnancy journal entering your babies names and due month for the journal cover. Other customization options are possible if you contact the seller, and let her know what you’d like. 

Classic & vintage twin pregnancy journals

Footprint twin pregnancy journal book

This twin pregnancy journal book comes in several different cover pattens. It has handmade bead & paper charms on the cover. You can choose between eight different designs or have a custom charm designed. You can choose footprints, bonnies, elephants, foxes, giraffes, initial roman or script and twin wales. You can write your own message for the cover. The twin pregnancy journal book consist of 58 pages organized into trimesters and delivery. You can add extra pages for an additional cost. The book is 8.5 x 11 inches.

Week by week planner

This journal is a week by week planner you can use to document your twin pregnancy. You can note your weekly weight gain, your prenatal test results from your doctor visits, make to-do lists, budget and document your thoughts and feelings. The height of the book is 8.5 inches. 

Hearts twin pregnancy journal book

This pregnancy journal for twins is made of printed kraft card, jute twine, cream roses, pearl flower, white wooden hearts, recycled wallpapers, cream hessian and hessian crochet trim. It’s a blank album, perfect for photos and journaling. It’s made from kraft card and is 20cm x 20cm with 40 blank pages. It’s possible to use both sides so you get up to 80 pages in total. 

Vintage twin pregnancy journal book

This vintage twin pregnancy journal book is printed on a 120# double thick cardstock for the covers and the backers, while the writing pages are on a 70# txt French milled sheet. You can buy it with 25 or 50 lined or unlined sheets. You can customize the cover, and add your own favorite quote if you’d like. The binding is a bronze wire. It’s a blank album, no pages have been filled in beforehand.

Why do you need a twin pregnancy journal book?

You think you’ll never forget when you first felt your babies kick, and how you felt during your first, second and third trimester. However, as the years go by, certain milestones can become tricky to remember. Using a twin pregnancy journal book will help you record those special moments and milestones of your twin pregnancy. In some twin pregnancy journal books you’ll be able to choose your own design or pattern. Others let you add additional pages or whatever cover message you prefer. In most twin pregnancy journal books, you’ll find sections about doctor visits, ultrasound & twin baby bump photos, checklists, birth plan, gender reveal, baby shower, gifts received, birth details and more.

Hypertension and oedema caused a few issues

As with all pregnancies, each has its own specific problems and complications. Mine was no exception. The first trimester was uneventful, and it was just routine check-up’s and regular medication. But the second trimester increase in body weight and body fluids was a cause of concern. The scans showed good fetal development. All the organs of the fetuses were developing and showed no anomalies. This was a good sign. Personally my hypertension (high blood pressure) and oedema (swelling) caused a few issues. I was told to remain calm and stress free, for this the mind had to be trained. Meditation, prayers and exercises helped to a large extent. Taking medicine prescribed by the gynecologist on time and being regular with check-ups helped in easing the pressure.

A few tips I followed:

1. Avoiding salt and spices helped in reducing blood pressure and helped to stabilise it.
2. Increasing my intake of fluids helped, water boiled with cumin seeds was a natural cure to relieve indigestion.
3. Oedema and pain caused by fluid retention was treated with Ayurveda (ancient Indian medicinal system) oils. These oils also helped the skin during stretching and reduced soreness and dryness caused around the nipples.

Drastic weight increase and stress

The weight increase was so drastic that I was looking full term in my seventh month, and I did not disclose that I was carrying twins. This was done so that too much speculation during conversation with others could be avoided. My appetite was normal, and I tried eating healthy, but heart burn and indigestion was making it a little difficult. No matter how much advice is followed, or precaution taken, each day of a pregnancy poses new challenges. Anxiety and stress is a part of this situation. I was more concerned that my family should not be stressed due to my condition.

Delivery by c-section

On the night of 28 August 1999, 8 days before my due date, my water broke. I was rushed to the hospital. The doctors assured us that we had time and nothing would go wrong. With the spasms of back pain being severe, I was rushed to surgery for a c-section due to one of the twins being in breech position. I delivered my twins well past midnight each weighing 2500 grams (5lbs, 8oz) and 2000 grams (4lbs, 6oz) respectively.

My experience of pregnancy was unforgettable. The challenges were there, but the anticipation of happiness always kept me going. As the children were safely delivered all these trials seemed worth it.

Twin gender reveal cake

A popular way of revealing the gender of twins at a twin gender reveal party, is to do a twin gender reveal cake. Remember to take pictures or shoot a video when the cake is being cut. You can use the footage when doing a twin gender reveal on social media or sending it to families and friends who couldn’t participate.

This family announced the arrival of their daughters with a twin gender reveal cake. 

This family made a twin gender reveal cake. Their guests were told that they had to eat dinner before cutting the cake.  We were told that the guests eat fast!

This big brother got to help announce the genders of his twin baby brothers.

Twin gender reveal shirts & onesies

You can buy different twin gender reveal shirts for yourself or other family members. Some also choose to buy clothing for their twins such as onesies, which the babies will be able to use once they’re born. The family takes a picture of the clothes, and use the picture for the twin gender reveal.

Twin gender reveal balloons

When throwing a twin gender reveal party, you can take a picture of the balloons. Use that picture as your twin gender reveal picture on social media.

Twin gender reveal pictures & drawings

A unique idea for a twin gender reveal picture is to do your own drawing or collage.

The genders were announced on Snapchat. The friends who were not on Snapchat got this picture.

Easter twin gender reveal pictures

Pregnancy announcement picture followed by a twin pregnancy announcement as well as a twin gender reveal picture. 

Twin gender reveal ideas with shoes

Look at these real-life twin pregnancy announcement ideas from parents of twins. If you’d like to share how you revealed your twin pregnancy, we’d love to know.

Please e-mail us, and let us know how you did it. If you’re thinking about how to announce the gender of your twins, please have a look at our twin gender reveal ideas.

Twin pregnancy announcement poems & quotes

A cute way of doing a twin pregnancy announcement is to make or use twin poems or quotes. Have a look at how other soon-to-be twin parents chose to announce their twin pregnancy.

Twin pregnancy announcement shirts & onesies

There are many funny and sweet twin pregnancy announcements shirts, you can get for yourself or your family.

Some also choose to buy clothing for their twins such as onesies, which the babies will be able to use once they’re born. The families take a picture of the clothes and use the picture for the twin pregnancy announcement.

The onesies say “you can do it daddy” and arrows are showing where the arms and legs are supposed to go. They were shown to family and friends together with an ultrasound picture.

Twin pregnancy announcement pictures

You can use a drawing or an ultrasound scan picture of your twins to let the world know in a cute and personal way that you’re expecting two babies.

This drawing was made by the family’s two sons and was sent to the extended family. 

When this ultrasound scan picture was posted many people commented twice. They commented “congrats” and then commented again “OMG it’s twins.”

Twin pregnancy announcement riddles

Many soon-to-be parents of twins choose to do a twin pregnancy announcement picture where friends and families need to figure out the message. Look at how these creative couples announced their twin pregnancies.

The mother was very sick with hyperemesis gravidarum. She had to be in the hospital for a month. It was getting very hard to hide the pregnancy, so they decided to do their twin pregnancy announcement from the hospital.

This picture was published on Facebook. For most – apart from the immediate family and friends – there were multiple surprises in store. The mother was single when she became pregnant with twins by a donor. 

This family had their twin ultrasound scan picture projected onto a building in London.

Twin pregnancy announcement with siblings

Letting siblings help with the twin pregnancy announcement can be a great way to bond with them over the new pregnancy. Many children will think it’s funny to be included when surprising people with the big news.

This family had twins twice. In the first picture, the family put ‘two buns in the oven” for their first set of twins. When they got pregnant with another set, they put their three older kids on top of the oven like they were done, and two more buns in the oven again.

When this family did their twin pregnancy announcement on Facebook their daughter was 2,5 years old (in the picture to the left). When they were expecting child number 4, they took a similar picture and gave it to the extended family as a Christmas gift. 

This picture was used as a twin pregnancy announcement on Facebook. The mother was single and became pregnant by donor. She was inseminated with three eggs and felt two eggs attaching to the uterine lining. She wasn’t surprised to learn that she was having twins. 

This hockey family announced the arrival of their mo-di twin boys with this twin pregnancy announcement picture.

Higher rates of c-section and preterm birth

The study found that diabetes in pregnancy was associated with higher rates of c-section and preterm birth in both singletons and twins. It was also associated with accelerated fetal growth and jaundice. However, there were a few outcomes that only applied to singletons who had mothers with gestational diabetes. That was hypertension, preeclampsia, admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), respiratory morbidity and neonatal hypoglycemia.

Results

21.1 percent of the pregnancies with Vanishing Twin Syndrome resulted in a miscarriage of the second twin. The women in this loss group had the highest prevalence of earlier losses compared with the other groups. The researchers also found that the Vanishing twin pregnancy group had a higher frequency of MTHFR 677 and MTHFR 1298 – higher than those in a healthy population. The researchers concluded that MTHFR polymorphisms may play an incidental or factual role in connection with Vanishing Twin Syndrome.