It may be hard to tell in the first few weeks of pregnancy if you are carrying one or two infants.
Different implantation sites and gestational ages for the twins are just two of the many variables that will make it difficult to make this conclusion. There are, however, a few telltale signs that could mean you're carrying twins!
Let's say you've been experiencing day-long nausea, spotting in between periods, cramping in one side of your belly, increased pelvic pressure, and prolonged cramps. If this is the case, it's likely that you're experiencing a straightforward, uncomplicated first-time-around pregnancy.
However, if these symptoms persist in addition to others, such as rapid weight growth or frequent bathroom breaks, then you may be carrying twins!
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FAQs About Baby Nursery
Adjusting to the nursery environment – this can take a little time as things can be very different from the general environment so lots of children and adults, noises, smells, routines etc. This can be a lot for a little one to adjust to so it can require time and patience.
Nursery provides a routine and structure to your child's day, which can include meal times, naps, indoor and outdoor activities. This routine helps them to feel more confident and secure, in control of their feelings and is great preparation for school.
While the majority of preschools admit children at age three, an increasing number are admitting children as early as 1.5-2 years. The decision to enrol children in playschool is determined by several factors such as a mother's need to return to work.
Three-Year-Old Kinder programs are for between five and 15 hours each week from 2023. As there are different hours available for Three-Year-Old programs, you may have more choice in session times. Some services have shorter session times, which might suit families with older children at school.
You don't have to. Education doesn't become compulsory until the term after they turn five (though most kids end up starting school aged four). You know what will suit your child best, but there is research showing that good quality early years education can really help their social, language and brain development.
Signs That You May Be Carrying More Than One Baby
Is There Any Way to Tell If You're Having Twins?
Physiological and hormonal changes occur as soon as a pregnancy is established.
Possible early pregnancy symptoms include these alterations. There may also be subtle variations in these symptoms if you're expecting more than one child.
Many people who have twins or multiples say they realised they were expecting at an early stage. The news, however, is shocking to many.
Signs that you might be expecting twins as early as the first few weeks of pregnancy include the following.
Routine Checkups and Appointments for a Twin Pregnancy
Expecting twins calls for a higher degree of care, so expect to see your doctor more often and undergo more tests than usual.
It's unlikely you'll need a battery of additional blood tests, but you will want to up your ultrasound schedule.
Ultrasounds are indicated at 12-13 weeks, 20 weeks, and then every four weeks until the infants are born if you are carrying twins with different placentas. Ultrasounds may be performed more frequently than this, however.
In cases of twin pregnancy where the babies are sharing a placenta, additional ultrasounds may be necessary beginning around the 12-week mark.
Pregnant women who are expecting twins will have to visit the doctor more frequently than those expecting one baby. This is because antenatal visits provide a great opportunity to obtain help with health and lifestyle issues, if necessary.
In addition, you can learn more about the various stages of pregnancy, labour, and the first few years of parenthood.
When Expecting Twins, How Early Can You Expect Them to Arrive?
Unless complications arise earlier or there is a compelling cause to delay birth, doctors typically plan for twins to be born between 37 and 38 weeks.
Single kids are typically born around 40 weeks of pregnancy, whereas about 60% of twins are born before 37 weeks.
Knowing that premature birth is a possibility for your twin pregnancies allows you to prepare for it.
Whether a Baby Is Born Naturally Or Via Cesarean Section
You and your midwife or obstetrician should discuss your options for giving birth to your twins, including whether a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section would be safer.
More than twice as many multiple births result in a caesarean section if the mother is expecting twins.
Talk to your obstetrician about when and how to give birth to your twins.
Getting Ready to Be a Parent to Twins
Being a parent to twins can be both exciting and exhausting. Tips for expecting parents of twins:
It's important to keep the lines of communication open with your partner if you want to keep your relationship strong. And speaking of the future, pregnancy is a wonderful time to talk about hopes and dreams.
You may find it helpful to read about pregnancy and healthy relationships and watch our video on relationships in pregnancy and early parenting.
Check out the materials we have about nursing. It's perfectly healthy for you and the baby if you choose to breastfeed them.
Consult your midwife or a lactation specialist for assistance. If you're expecting twins, you might also want to find out if the hospital where you plan to give birth offers any special classes for such parents.
Research available aid programmes here. You and your spouse will soon have your hands full with raising twins, so having the love and encouragement of friends and family around will be a huge help.
Sign up with the Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA). The AMBA provides new parents with a variety of resources and referrals, including those specifically geared at twins. If you have twins, you may want to sign them up with Twins Research Australia.
Possible Health Issues During Twin Pregnancy
Health issues and difficulties during pregnancy, including as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, early labour, and haemorrhage, are more common in women carrying twins.
Having a placenta shared by twins increases the risk of problems. Uneven blood distribution can be harmful to the health of both twins.
Either one twin may not receive adequate nutrition and so not develop to his or her full potential, or this may occur because of an imbalance in the way the placenta is distributed.
Some of these issues are unavoidable. However, if you go to your antenatal checkups and tell your obstetrician, doctor, or midwife if you have any physical symptoms or believe that something is wrong, you can lower your risk of having them or prevent them from getting worse.
Nausea and Vomiting in the Morning
The causes of morning sickness are not fully understood, although for many women it begins around the time they miss their period in the fourth week of pregnancy.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hGH) increases during pregnancy may contribute to nausea and vomiting at any time. (Yes, morning sickness can strike at any time of day.)
Women carrying more than one child may experience more severe morning sickness or a morning sickness that lasts later into their pregnancies.
Morning sickness can vary from person to person and from pregnancy to pregnancy, making it difficult to set a baseline for it.
If morning sickness persists until the 14th week of pregnancy, you may be carrying more than one baby.
Unfortunately, hyperemesis gravidarum can also manifest as severe or protracted morning sickness.
Check in with your OB-GYN if you're losing weight, feeling sick all the time, or vomiting multiple times a day.
Indicators Are Overstated on Your Part
Morning sickness, food cravings, exhaustion, and the need to urinate frequently are among symptoms regularly experienced by pregnant women.
It probably doesn't surprise you that having two babies at once makes these symptoms worse.
Some mothers of multiples experience more severe symptoms of pregnancy, such as nausea, exhaustion, breast tenderness, food cravings, and so forth.
More often, it occurs in women who have had previous pregnancies and may draw comparisons.
You've Got Traits That Boost Your Chances
Sometimes a pregnancy with twins or multiples "happens" for no apparent reason, but some factors increase a woman's risk of having them.
Multiple pregnancies are more likely when a woman is breastfeeding or taking hormonal birth control.
The presence of "the twin gene" in a woman's genome increases her risk of giving birth to fraternal twins because she is more likely to release more than one egg at once.
Some identical twins, formed from the division of a single embryo, may share genetic characteristics.
Ovarian stimulation through fertility procedures like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may cause the release of more than one egg at a time, increasing the likelihood of multiple births.
Twin pregnancies are more common in women with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher.
If a woman is over the age of 30, she is more likely to have several eggs released during ovulation.
Many instances of twins, however, occur by chance and cannot be traced back to a single factor. The twofold good fortune experienced by many families is thus entirely due to chance.
Your Hcg or Afp Levels Are Way Up
While pregnant, the body releases a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
A positive result from a home pregnancy test is attributable to the detection of this hormone in the urine. Blood tests can determine the exact amount of hCG in the body, while home pregnancy tests cannot.
The levels of hCG in your blood may be monitored as part of certain reproductive therapies.
Your OB will take initial measurements and monitor progress to check if your baby is growing normally.
Trusted Source, a 2018 study, found that women carrying multiples may have higher than normal hCG levels.
Early in pregnancy, doctors or midwives may undertake routine tests to measure the amount of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Multiple gestations may be the cause of high or accelerated levels.
Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) screenings detect chromosomal abnormalities and other congenital defects later in pregnancy.
Maternal serum screening, triple screening, quad screening, and Penta screening are all names for the same set of tests.
Additional testing may be suggested by doctors based on the results of the screening. Multiple births, such as twins, have been linked to abnormally high forces.
Any surprising findings warrant additional testing, which may reveal the presence of twins.
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Early On, You May Experience Fetal Movement
When you feel the baby move inside your womb, it is one of the most thrilling experiences of pregnancy.
That fluttery, swishing, quivering feeling in your belly is your unborn kid communicating with you and strengthening your connection to your child.
Some women have compared it as a swarm of butterflies, while others have seen a fish swimming. Quickening is a common pregnancy symptom that most women experience between the 16th and 25th week.
While there is less evidence to corroborate it, several mothers of multiples claim to have experienced movement as early as the first trimester.
It could be the first time they realise there are more than just two tiny people moving around in there.
Pregnant women who have been pregnant before tend to notice baby movement earlier.
After all, they can make comparisons and have a heightened awareness of the sensation, both of which lead them to the conclusion that there is more.
Having a rapid weight gain or being abnormally large for gestational age
There's no denying that the physical toll of bearing twins is high. Mothers expecting twins are more likely to experience weight gain, and their uterus may extend and enlarge to make room for their growing babies.
During prenatal visits, doctors and midwives typically check patients' weight and fundal height (the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus).
Multiple pregnancies can be indicated by an abundance of either, though there are other possibilities as well, such as an increase in amniotic fluid. If your care provider suspects you might have twins or more, they will conduct additional testing.
Initial Activity
This is also not an early sign, as most parents don't report feeling movement until beyond 18 weeks.
Even though your unborn child is already active, you probably won't start to feel any sensations until the second trimester.
While it's possible that you'll see foetal movement sooner if you're carrying twins or more babies, this is still highly rare to happen before the second trimester, even if you're carrying multiples.
Predictive Measuring
Having your belly measured before 20 weeks isn't a reliable indicator of whether or not you're carrying twins. If you haven't already had an ultrasound, though, you probably have one planned.
Even though some twin pregnancies are accompanied with an early onset of pregnancy symptoms, this is not always the case. Symptoms of pregnancy typically begin earlier in a second pregnancy.
A Suspicion Has Begun to Form In Your Mind
In some cases, the old wives' story that seeing two yolks in an egg means you're having twins might actually be accurate. If you're pregnant, it's time to start paying attention to your body and acting on your natural mother instincts.
Visions, dreams, intuitions, and hunches As a matter of fact, many twin mums recall having experienced these happy coincidences just before they learned they were carrying twins.
Methods Used to Identify Twin Pregnancies
Twin pregnancies can now be easily identified with modern medical equipment, a huge improvement over the past century. Ultrasound and a foetal Doppler can both verify a twin pregnancy.
An increase in weight gain
Like the previous indicator, this one may not become relevant until later in your pregnancy. Initial pregnancy weight increase is often modest.
Gaining 1-4 pounds in the first 12 weeks is the norm. For all pregnant women, the second trimester is the time when they gain the most weight.
Inquire further with your OB-GYN if you notice that your weight gain is more rapid than expected in the first trimester.
The following are recommended weight growth parameters as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Reliable Data, which uses the mother's BMI before she got pregnant to predict how much weight her twins will gain during pregnancy:
- Weight between 50 and 62 pounds if your body mass index is less than 18.5.
- Weight range with a BMI of 18.5-24.9 is between 37 and 54 kg.
- Body mass index between 25 and 29.9: 31-50 lb.
- Weight range of 25-42 pounds for those with a body mass index of 30 or higher.
In contrast, you might not gain any weight at all in the first trimester if you have to deal with morning sickness or another problem. Once again, if you're worried about your weight gain, it could be a good idea to consult a medical professional.
In this Ultrasound, There Appear to Be Two Babies
An ultrasound is a type of imaging technology that employs sound waves to provide an image of the uterus. With the help of a transducer, high-frequency sound waves are sent into the body, where they bounce off of various organs and structures to generate electrical impulses that are then used to create images. Early in a pregnancy, these scans can reveal two distinct babies or embryos.
In the past, ultrasounds could miss a twin pregnancy if, for instance, two embryos were so close together that one source masked the other.
More frequent use of ultrasound during pregnancy, along with the improved clarity and precision of current imaging, has reduced the likelihood that a twin may go undetected.
Heartbeat Number Two
Using a foetal doppler, your unborn child's heartbeat can be detected as early as 8 to 10 weeks. To gain a clearer picture of what's going on, your OB/GYN may recommend an ultrasound if they think they detect a second heartbeat.
Two Clearly Separate Heartbeats Can Be Heard.
A stethoscope, fetoscope, or Doppler monitor can all be used to listen for a foetal heartbeat during pregnancy.
When a doctor or midwife listens closely, they may be able to pick up on two or more separate heartbeats and suspect twins. If that's the case, an ultrasound scan will show it.
However, hearing heartbeats isn't always easy or reliable. If multiple hearts are beating at roughly the same rate, it can be difficult to tell them apart. And the beating of mom's heart can cloud the findings.
The likelihood of having identical twins, how high is it?
In 2018, the rate of twin births was 32.6% per 1,000 live births (CDC), citing a Trusted Source.
The yearly occurrence of many sets of identical twin births is influenced by a wide range of factors. Pregnancy with multiples is more likely as you age, and can be influenced by your genetics and any reproductive treatments you may have undergone.
Conclusion
It may be hard to tell in the first few weeks of pregnancy if you are carrying one or two infants. Different implantation sites and gestational ages make it difficult to tell. There are, however, a few telltale signs that could mean you're carrying twins. Twins are typically born between 37 and 38 weeks of pregnancy. About 60% of twins are born before 37 weeks.
Talking to your obstetrician about when and how to give birth to your twins can help you prepare for the possibility of a premature birth, if you're expecting twins. Morning sickness can vary from person to person and from pregnancy to pregnancy. If morning sickness persists until the 14th week of pregnancy, you may be carrying more than one baby. Check in with your OB-GYN if you're feeling sick all the time, or vomiting multiple times a day. Twin pregnancies are more common in women with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher.
While pregnant, the body releases a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) Trusted Source study found that women carrying multiples may have higher than normal hCG levels. Pregnant women who have been pregnant before tend to notice baby movement earlier. Having a rapid weight gain or being abnormally large for gestational age is also a sign you're carrying multiples. Some twin pregnancies are accompanied with an early onset of pregnancy symptoms, but this is not always the case. Ultrasound and a foetal Doppler can verify a twin pregnancy.
Initial pregnancy weight increase is often modest. Gaining 1-4 pounds in the first 12 weeks is the norm. The second trimester is the time when most women gain the most weight. In 2018, the rate of twin births was 32.6% per 1,000 live births (CDC), citing a Trusted Source. Pregnancy with multiples is more likely as you age, and can be influenced by genetics and any reproductive treatments you may have undergone.
Content Summary
- It may be hard to tell in the first few weeks of pregnancy if you are carrying one or two infants.
- There are, however, a few telltale signs that could mean you're carrying twins!Let's say you've been experiencing day-long nausea, spotting in between periods, cramping in one side of your belly, increased pelvic pressure, and prolonged cramps.
- Possible early pregnancy symptoms include these alterations.
- Signs that you might be expecting twins as early as the first few weeks of pregnancy include the following.
- Knowing that premature birth is a possibility for your twin pregnancies allows you to prepare for it.
- Talk to your obstetrician about when and how to give birth to your twins.
- Consult your midwife or a lactation specialist for assistance.
- However, if you go to your antenatal checkups and tell your obstetrician, doctor, or midwife if you have any physical symptoms or believe that something is wrong, you can lower your risk of having them or prevent them from getting worse.
- Nausea and Vomiting in the MorningThe causes of morning sickness are not fully understood, although for many women it begins around the time they miss their period in the fourth week of pregnancy.
- If morning sickness persists until the 14th week of pregnancy, you may be carrying more than one baby.
- Check in with your OB-GYN if you're losing weight, feeling sick all the time, or vomiting multiple times a day.
- Some mothers of multiples experience more severe symptoms of pregnancy, such as nausea, exhaustion, breast tenderness, food cravings, and so forth.
- You've Got Traits That Boost Your ChancesSometimes a pregnancy with twins or multiples "happens" for no apparent reason, but some factors increase a woman's risk of having them.
- The presence of "the twin gene" in a woman's genome increases her risk of giving birth to fraternal twins because she is more likely to release more than one egg at once.
- Ovarian stimulation through fertility procedures like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may cause the release of more than one egg at a time, increasing the likelihood of multiple births.
- Many instances of twins, however, occur by chance and cannot be traced back to a single factor.
- Early in pregnancy, doctors or midwives may undertake routine tests to measure the amount of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
- Multiple births, such as twins, have been linked to abnormally high forces.
- We have the best storage solutions for your baby nursery.
- While there is less evidence to corroborate it, several mothers of multiples claim to have experienced movement as early as the first trimester.
- Pregnant women who have been pregnant before tend to notice baby movement earlier.
- Even though your unborn child is already active, you probably won't start to feel any sensations until the second trimester.
- While it's possible that you'll see foetal movement sooner if you're carrying twins or more babies, this is still highly rare to happen before the second trimester, even if you're carrying multiples.
- Predictive MeasuringHaving your belly measured before 20 weeks isn't a reliable indicator of whether or not you're carrying twins.
- Even though some twin pregnancies are accompanied with an early onset of pregnancy symptoms, this is not always the case.
- Symptoms of pregnancy typically begin earlier in a second pregnancy.
- Ultrasound and a foetal Doppler can both verify a twin pregnancy.
- An increase in weight gainLike the previous indicator, this one may not become relevant until later in your pregnancy.
- Initial pregnancy weight increase is often modest.
- Gaining 1-4 pounds in the first 12 weeks is the norm.
- For all pregnant women, the second trimester is the time when they gain the most weight.
- Inquire further with your OB-GYN if you notice that your weight gain is more rapid than expected in the first trimester.
- In contrast, you might not gain any weight at all in the first trimester if you have to deal with morning sickness or another problem.
- Once again, if you're worried about your weight gain, it could be a good idea to consult a medical professional.
- More frequent use of ultrasound during pregnancy, along with the improved clarity and precision of current imaging, has reduced the likelihood that a twin may go undetected.
- Heartbeat Number TwoUsing a foetal doppler, your unborn child's heartbeat can be detected as early as 8 to 10 weeks.
- To gain a clearer picture of what's going on, your OB/GYN may recommend an ultrasound if they think they detect a second heartbeat.
- A stethoscope, fetoscope, or Doppler monitor can all be used to listen for a foetal heartbeat during pregnancy.
- If that's the case, an ultrasound scan will show it.
- However, hearing heartbeats isn't always easy or reliable.
- The likelihood of having identical twins, how high is it?In 2018, the rate of twin births was 32.6% per 1,000 live births (CDC), citing a Trusted Source.
- The yearly occurrence of many sets of identical twin births is influenced by a wide range of factors.
