The hospital staff will look for whether or not twin a – the baby closes to the cervix – is head down. If twin a isn’t in a head-down position, you’ll most likely be offered a c-section in a few weeks.

Pregnancy diet, exercise & prenatal vitamins

Make sure you set aside time to rest during the day. A short nap in the early afternoon is good for your body as well as your energy level. It’s especially important you do it if you have trouble sleeping or don’t sleep well.

Remember to take your iron supplement. You may have to continue with your iron supplement until a few weeks after birth. It depends on the amount of blood you lose during labor.

Signs of labor at 34 weeks pregnant with twins

Contractions and pelvic pressure can be early signs of labor. You should react if your contractions increase in duration and strength and/or if you feel sudden abdominal pressure.

Minor vaginal bleeding may occur as well. You should contact your doctor or midwife if you’re unsure about whether or not the changes you feel in your body are early signs of labor.

If your twins are born at 34 weeks they are considered born moderate to late preterm.

Fetal development & baby weight

Your babies measure approximately 45 centimeters (17.72 inches) when you’re 34 weeks pregnant with twins. The median weight for dichorionic twins is 2300 grams (5lbs, 1oz) and for monochorionic twins, it’s 2183 grams (4lbs, 13oz).

Look at our estimated fetal weight charts to learn more about how twins grow in the second half of pregnancy. The main thing they need to do at this point is growing and gaining weight.

Their lungs also need to mature. The lungs are one of the last things to finish developing in a baby.

Pregnancy symptoms & belly pictures

Some women feel that their belly is very much in the way at this point in their twin pregnancy. They feel big and uncomfortable – maybe even miserable. Other common symptoms are:

• Pelvis pain. Your pelvis might be tender or sore. It’s heavy carrying two babies around.

• You can’t sleep. This can be due to your belly getting in the way, hormones or thoughts of worry.

• Braxton hicks contractions. They are your body’s way of preparing for birth and not necessarily an early sign of labor.

Previous week – 33 weeks pregnant with twins

Next week – 35 weeks pregnant with twins

Fathers are a resource

Based on conversations with parents and staff, Betty Nørgaard has developed eight principles for involvement of the fathers in Kolding Hospital’s neonatal department over the past six years. Among other things, it is now recommended that father and child has skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible to develop a relationship early on while the mother is being treated.

Fathers have different concerns

Premature children are often admitted to the term date where they should have been born. Therefore, some families are in the department for up to three months.
“In the past, dad might only have been there for the first 14 days if that at all was possible due to work and older children. This meant that he was lacking knowledge about his child’s situation because information was almost always conveyed through the mother,” says Betty Nørgaard.
Therefore, Kolding Hospital is planning to schedule important conversations and events such as transfer from the incubator or the first bath, so that the fathers can participate.
“Fathers have questions and concerns different from the mother. Mothers are interested in hearing about the relationship with the child and they accept that the samples “look fine.” Fathers need more concrete knowledge so that they can get an overview of the further process. This makes them better able to support their wives.”

Share frustrations with other dads

Another successful initiative is that the fathers are brought together in small groups. Here they share their concerns and frustrations with others in the same situation.
“We have experienced fathers who did not share their concerns with anyone through very long hospitalization. They did not feel they could talk to their wife because they didn’t want to burden her further,” says Betty Nørgaard.
Similarly, some people find it difficult to handle the monotony when the child has stabilized and slowly grows stronger.
“The fathers can lose their patience due to the same routine day in and day out. In the fathers’ groups we’ve seen that the men really have opened up to each other. It creates a very special bond, and afterwards they know and support each other as they meet in the hallways.”

8 Principles for a father-friendly neonatal department

• Early skin contact between father and child immediately after birth while mother is being treated.
• Planning of important events, so fathers can take part in the transfer from the incubator or the first bath.
• Fathers should be able to obtain information directly from the healthcare professionals.
• Planning so fathers can participate in conversations about the child’s development.
• Advice on economics and opportunity for leave.
• Formation of birth groups.
• The possibility that a family member or friend may sometimes help the parents in the department.
• Possibility that older siblings can stay at the department.