THE MONO-MONO TWINS ARE CUTE, BUT MOSTLY THEY’RE RARE—AND FASCINATING

The same internet that brought you "otters holding hands" has delivered new viral gold: newborn twins holding hands. Photos of the infants, born in Ohio last month, and their mother went viral from their sheer adorableness.

But the twins' apparent affection for one another wasn't the only thing that made them unusual. They are also "mono-mono" twins—a very rare occurrence where they share a placenta and amniotic sac throughout the pregnancy.

I’d never heard of a mono-mono birth until I saw those headlines, which I assumed was a reference to some unique birth position that had something to do with monkeys. (“Mono” is monkey in Spanish.) But the term “mono-mono” actually refers to “monoamniotic-monochorionic.” Before we get to what that means, it’s important to know how twins typically come about to understand what makes mono-mono twins so rare.

Typically we hear about twins that are fraternal and identical. Fraternal twins come from two different eggs that were both fertilized and implanted in the mother’s uterine lining at the same time.

They’re as genetically similar as siblings that are born separately, and each is nourished by its own placenta—the organ that connects the growing baby to its mother’s uterine wall and nourishes the fetus—and in its own amniotic sac, where it grows and is contained until its mother’s “water breaks.”

Identical twins come from one egg fertilized by one sperm, forming an embryo that splits into two (or more) embryos as it develops. If the initial embryo splits more than a few days after fertilization, these twins would share a placenta, which means they are monochorionic. If the embryos also share an amniotic sac, which develops in the second week, they are monoamniotic. So mono-mono twins form because the embryo split 8-12 days after fertilization, and the fetuses will be in almost constant contact for their entire development in the womb. If the embryo split any later, the twins would be conjoined.

There are lots of factors that can determine a woman’s likelihood to give birth to twins (such as genetics, age, and fertility treatments), but on average one out of every 30 babies born in the US is a twin. But mono-mono twins are much more rare, reportedly only found in one in every 10,000 pregnancies.

Part of the reason they’re so rare, though, is because there are so many risks and complications that could happen to growing fetuses that are in such close contact.

The placenta could be compressed, limiting the nutrients to one or both of the fetuses. They also run the risk of Twin-to-twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTS), where one twin takes up more of the nutrients than the other, sometimes causing the other’s death. Or the fetuses could simply get tangled in the umbilical cord.

To avoid some of these issues, most twins are delivered prematurely, often by C-section, which can present other challenges.

Ohio’s mono-mono twins are rare because they so infrequently develop, but exceedingly so because they were delivered without any major complications. Knowing that background makes the twins’ post-birth hand-holding even more touching.






source: http://www.popsci.com/blog-network/ladybits/mono-mono-twins-are-cute-mostly-they%E2%80%99re-rare%E2%80%94and-fascinating

Twin Pregnancy Week by Week

Fraternal twins that are not identical are the most common type of twins. They are also known as dizygotic twins. What this means is that each twin forms from an individual fertilized egg.

By the third week of pregnancy, each fertilized egg forms into a ball of hundreds of cells and becomes known as a blastocyst. At this time, the newly formed embryo burrows into the lining of the uterus to be nourished and develop into babies.

Identical twins are a rare form of twin and develop from the same fertilized egg that splits into two babies. They will go on in pregnancy to share the same placenta and look exactly alike after they are born.

Important notes: Every pregnancy is different and this article about "twin pregnancy week by week" is only a rough idea of fetal development.

Twin Pregnancy Week by Week: First Trimester:

Fraternal Twins: Two fertilized eggs (zygotes) burrow in the lining of the uterus. They each have their own placenta and umbilical cord. They can be two males, two females or one of each.

Identical Twins: One egg has split into two babies and they are always either two girls or two boys. They have burrowed into the lining of the uterus and share the same placenta, same amniotic sac, but each has their own umbilical cord.

4 Weeks:

The Nervous System: At this stage of pregnancy, your baby’s neural tube is forming. This will turn into the brain, spinal cord and nervous system.

The Circulatory System: Tiny blood vessels are beginning to form and beginning to circulate nutrients between you and your baby. Their tiny hearts are already beating! All the major organs are beginning to form including the intestines and the tiny buds which will develop into arms and legs. They are about the size of small seeds at this stage and they have tiny depressions where the mouth, nose and ears will soon appear.

8 Weeks:

Organ Development: Twins’ hearts are beating at about 150 beats per minute and have two chambers already developed. The teeth, ears, brains and liver have formed and are continuing to develop into sophisticated organs. On the outside, their skin is very translucent and can be seen through. The tiny toes and fingers are beginning to separate. At this time, their eyelids are forming over the eyes.

12 Weeks:

Organ Development: The livers are beginning to function and their kidneys now produce urine. The babies take in the amniotic fluid by mouth and the kidneys then change it to urine.

This is actually a healthy process that helps with development. Because their brains continue to form and develop, the nervous system can now produce reflexes in the muscles, but you may not feel any kicks yet. The eyes are moving to the front of their faces and the ears are moving to the sides.
Size: Your twins are getting big! They are about 2.1 inches long.

Twin Pregnancy Week by Week: Second Trimester:

16 Weeks:

Size: This is a very rapid period of development. Your twins are almost 4 inches long. As a matter of fact, their bodies are growing faster than their heads and their legs growing faster than their arms. These little ones now only weigh 100 grams or two-tenths of one pound.

Organ Development: Their lungs begin to move in and out as if they are breathing. Female twins begin to produce eggs in their ovaries. At this time the spinal cord becomes covered with the myelin sheath to protect it. The bones are very soft and rubbery (cartilage). They can bend at the joints and the fingernails are forming at this time.

20 Weeks:

The Nervous System: This is a big time for your twin’s nervous system. Nerve fibers are beginning to connect and they are developing their senses of smell, taste, touch, hearing and vision. Your babies will know your smell right at birth.

Size: Your babies are now about 10 inches long each from head to toe. With twins, it starts getting a little crowded because they have grown so much and you may begin to feel lots of pushes and shoves.

Organ Development: During this time, your babies will have a very thick coating to protect their skin called vernix caseosa. This protects them from this long time immersed in the amniotic fluid and can also protect them from infections that can be passed at birth.

24 Weeks:

Organ Development: Even though your babies do not have an eye color yet, their eyes are fully formed now. They even have tiny little eyelids and eyebrows.

The endocrine system is now starting to mature and getting ready to produce hormones that will regulate their body functions. Their lungs are still developing and can move in and out developing the breathing muscles. However, babies born at this age usually cannot breathe on their own.

Twin Pregnancy Week by Week: Third Trimester:

28 Weeks:

Size: Twins at this stage already weight about 2 pounds each and are about 15 inches long. They are beginning to deposit layers of fat and their bones are beginning to harden.

Organ Development: Your twins are developing large amounts of brain tissue during this period. Their hearing is becoming more tuned and they can hear your voice.

They can also see bright lights that shine on your belly and will turn their heads toward the light. Sexual organs develop. Boys testicles descend and girls develop their clitoris.

32 Weeks:

Size: Twins during this time period begin to look more like newborns. They are about 16 inches long and weigh about 3.7 pounds. Twins tend to settle down at this time because there isn’t much room to move around.

Organ Development: Your twins may or may not have hair yet. Their kidneys are producing urine as they take in amniotic fluid and urinate. Their skin is filling out with fat and they are losing their wrinkled appearance. All of the bones in their body continue to become solid, except for their skull bones that remain soft to go through the birth canal.

36 Weeks:

Size: Twins on average tend to be slightly smaller than single full-term infants, but not always. At this stage, twins grow to about 5.5 pounds, but can be up to 8.0 pounds. They are about 20 inches long, more or less at birth.

Organ Development: The skin is beginning to shed the covering (vernix caseosa) and prepares for the outside world. The organs are now mature and ready for the babies to be born, with the exception of the lungs which need this final four weeks to finish maturing. In some cases, twins are born early so doctors have treatments to help the lungs mature faster.






source: http://www.newkidscenter.com/Twin-Pregnancy-Week-By-Week.html

Life with three sets of twins: 'It's like the ark round here'

Fourteen years ago, Karen and Colin Rodger had twin boys. Two years later they had another set. Pregnant again, Karen was sure it wouldn't be twin boys. She was half right …

The first time she was pregnant it didn't enter Karen Rodger's head that she might be having twins. Likewise, the second time. The third time she thought she had miscarried and wasn't having one child, let alone two.

Today, Karen and her husband, Colin, have defied odds of 88,000 to one to produce three sets of non-identical twins. Some mothers, having given birth to even one, let alone two sets of multiples, might have yearned for the relative simplicity of a single baby – but not Karen.

Throughout the afternoon I spend with her at the family home overlooking the river Clyde outside Glasgow, her smile never wanes. The newest arrivals are just a few days old: "I keep waiting for the hormonal dip," she says. "But it never comes. I'm elated."

A third set of twins, it seems, never had a more welcome landing, even though Karen and Colin had given away all their baby equipment, times two, after the middle set of twins, who are now 12. "We'd never have imagined it could happen again," says Karen.

All she did know is that, when she hit 40 a year ago, a little voice inside her whispered that she hadn't quite finished with childbearing. Could it have been because as the mother of four boys – Lewis and Kyle are 14, Finn and Jude are 12 – she was yearning for a daughter? Definitely not, she says.

"I didn't just want a daughter, I wanted another baby. I knew it wasn't very likely to be a daughter – after four of them, I thought we could probably only make boys."

Her most recent pregnancy started badly: no sooner had she discovered that she was expecting than she had what appeared to be a miscarriage.

Her doctor suggested she should go for a scan, but Colin had work commitments. "He felt awful about not being able to come with me, but I said I'd be fine: whatever happened, I'd cope," says Karen.

"There I was, in the middle of this meeting," says Colin, "when I got a text from Karen. I think I'd texted something like: 'Is everything OK?' And she texted back: 'Yes, and it looks like it's twins.'

I said something like 'that's not funny', excused myself from the meeting and went outside to phone her. And she said it was really true, that the scan operator thought that, though it was early days, it was going to be two babies again.

"Then I had to go back into the meeting and sit there, in total shock, without being able to tell anyone. Although part of me was actually laughing inside: because I was thinking to myself, why did we ever think it would be any different?"

Karen and Colin, who were both born and raised near Glasgow, met 20 years ago when she was a dancer (she now lectures in dance) and he was managing a band.

Her maternal great-grandmother had had twins, but they had no inkling of what lay ahead when she got pregnant with Lewis and Kyle in 1998. The discovery that she was carrying twins explained why Karen had been feeling so sick – hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme morning sickness, is more common in women carrying multiples.

All the same, when she got pregnant again two years later and started to feel terrible, she didn't think for a second that it would be for the same reason. "When I went for my scan, it was the same operator as the first time round, and when she said it was another set I said 'very funny'. But she said it's not a joke. Colin was in complete denial; he just couldn't take it in."

But the third time round really did confound the odds: although the Guinness Book of Records documents an 18th-century Russian woman who gave birth to 16 sets of twins, the chances of a third twin conception are very unlikely. "And, of course, no one even imagined I'd be having another baby at all, let alone twins – the older boys were so big, and people would have assumed childbearing was behind me," says Karen.

The first people they told, once the news was confirmed, were the boys. "They brought us all down to the sitting room and told us to sit down," says Kyle. "And I thought, this is going to be a big row about how untidy the house is. I was sitting there expecting to get shouted at, and suddenly Dad said: 'Mum's pregnant, and it's two.' We all sat there in total silence: none of us knew what to say. And then eventually I said: 'Well, I'm definitely never going to get my own bedroom now.'"

Karen and Colin decided not to find out the sex of the babies she was carrying but she was certain it was another pair of boys, which in turn convinced everyone else. As with the previous sets of twins, the new arrivals were born by caesarean.

"The obstetrician lifted Rowan out and held her up for us to see," says Colin. "And I said: 'There are some bits missing.' And she said, 'No, it's a girl,'" says Colin. "I was absolutely stunned. Then two minutes later they held Isla up and I could see straight away she was another girl. Karen and I were in shock for at least the first 15 minutes. It's a lot to take in after four boys."

Today, the hallway of the Rodgers' home is crammed with football kit and muddy boots, but the sitting room is a sea of pink, the room festooned in flowers, balloons and cards. "I wasn't sure how I was going to cope with all the pink – it's very different after 14 years of boys' stuff.

I'm getting my head round the idea that they'll be borrowing my makeup and sparkly shoes," says Karen. Lewis, meanwhile, is cradling Rowan and can't take his eyes off her. "I'd never held a tiny baby before, but I'm getting used to it," he says.

Not surprisingly, Karen and Colin are taking the arrival of the newest twins in their stride: they are old hands, after all. "We know how exhausting the early weeks are when you've got two babies, but we also know we'll come through it and things will move on," says Colin.

"We've got a huge amount of help – both sets of grandparents are very supportive, and I'd even say that we wouldn't be in this position, with all these children, if it hadn't been for them being right behind us."

As we're talking, Karen's mum is tackling some of the mountain of ironing (they have the biggest box of soap powder I've ever seen – a family with four football-playing boys and two babies would surely be a dream setting for a detergent commercial) and Colin says this is the first day since the babies were born when his mum hasn't been over as well.

But it's the overnight arrangements that are often most difficult for parents of newborn multiples; so how do the Rodgers cope? "Karen tends to go to bed early and I do the 11pm feed with her expressed milk in bottles," says Colin. "Then when the babies wake in the night either Karen will feed both of them or she'll breastfeed one and I'll bottlefeed the other. We change their nappies, Karen expresses some more milk, and then we all go back to sleep for a few hours.

"If I've got an important day at work I might sleep somewhere else. Karen has lots of friends in to help during the day so she tries to catch up on her sleep then." Karen, meanwhile, says that she's realised through her long years of caring for twins that the practical solution isn't always the best one: sometimes, even though it takes longer, she has learned to concentrate on them one at a time. "The temptation is that when one wants to be fed, you wake the other so you can feed them together and save time. But I see feeding time as bonding time, so I treasure the one-on-one experience when there's an opportunity."

One thing that's very obvious in the Rodger household – and both parents feel very strongly about this – is that they're not raising three sets of twins, they're raising six children.

"Our children are all very different," says Colin. "And in fact the boys are more like their brother who isn't their twin than their brother who is: Kyle and his younger brother Jude tend to be similar in that they're more compliant, they don't like to make a fuss, whereas Finn and Lewis are both more hardcore and resilient."

Karen says she has never dressed her twins alike or made assumptions that because one likes something, the other will too. "They've got their own interests, and as they've grown up they've developed their own friendships," she says. And indeed, the house today is full to bursting with a procession of teenage boys. Some of them are even being allowed tentative holds of the newborns, overseen by their protective big brothers.

The Rodger boys are reliving the moments when they found out about the birth. "Dad sent me a picture of these two tiny baby girls on my mobile, but I still didn't twig," says Kyle. "I texted back: 'Why did you send me that picture?' And he said: 'They're your sisters.'" Finn and Jude were called out of class to the staff room so their dad could tell them on the phone. "They were holding the phone between them and Colin said, 'we've got two little girls' and the boys said 'girls!' and the room erupted behind them," says Karen.

But there are some daunting elements to raising six children, not least money. "Having four costs a fortune, so six is going to go through the roof," says Colin. "We've got to get a new car, and it's going to have to be a big one. And we've told the boys we'll  extend the house, because the older two really do want their own bedrooms." Plus they've had to invest in a double pram, two cots and two car seats. As 12-year-old Finn puts it: "It's like the ark round here. Everything is two by two, by two by two – and now it's two by two again."

The odds of having twins:

• Non-identical twins are about twice as common as identical twins. The incidence of non-identicals in the UK is one in 112 births, compared with one in 227 births for identicals.
  
• Identical twins are down to chance: one egg is fertilised, but it then divides. Fraternal twins happen when a woman produces two eggs, and both are fertilised. So with identical twins the DNA makeup is exactly the same in each twin; with fraternal twins, the DNA is no more similar than in any two siblings.
  
• A history of non-identical twins on the mother's side increases her chance of twins; and a woman who already has twins has four times the normal chance of having them again in a subsequent pregnancy.
  
• Increased maternal age makes twins more likely, because older ovaries are more likely to release two eggs in the same month.
  
• The odds of having three sets of non-identical twins is about one in 88,000, but the chance of having three sets of identical twins is one in 11.7m.

source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/15/life-with-three-sets-twins

Pregnant With Twins: How It’s Different From a Single Pregnancy

I’m a proud mother of 4-year-old twins, Matthew and Noelle. My husband and I went through IVF treatment (In Vitro Fertilisation) to conceive in the beginning of 2007 and in July 2008 we became parents for the first time. The children are in primary school now, they grow up so fast!

Throughout my pregnancy and ever since the children were born, I have had so many people ask me if it’s been hard to have twins rather than “just” one.

But as I have no frame of reference, I can’t really say... what I can say is this: Nothing has given me more pleasure in life than my children and I haven’t found it to be hard at all. In fact, if my husband and I could have children naturally, I would happily have twins again... twice! Twins are not double the work, they are just double the joy.

So all I can offer in the form of tips and advice, is just that: Tips and advice... with my own twin pregnancy experiences in mind, and from my own experience with having twin babies, twin toddlers and twin primary school children. In this piece I’d like to share with you my general thoughts on twin pregnancy.

All pregnancies are different, of course, but generally twin pregnancies stand out from single pregnancies on a number of points.

1. First of all, you get bigger, faster. Ordinarily, at 4-5 months the belly of a mother pregnant with twins, is around the size of a the belly of a woman pregnant with one at 8-9 months.

Those who have tried to be pregnant with one, know what hardship it is in the last month, but at that stage of a twin pregnancy, you have 3-4 months left and you will just get bigger and bigger and get more and more uncomfortable.

In the last month of my pregnancy, I was as big as a house and SO uncomfortable! And although I do remember what it was like, I look back at that time with big love goggles because now I know what came from it so now it just doesn’t seem so important.

2. Secondly, when pregnant with twins, you are offered many more tests and examinations with midwives, doctors and obstetricians. You get multiple scans, you get a lot of information, (mainly about the things that can go wrong) and you will probably also be given the choice of a natural, vaginal birth versus caesarean section.

Now, all this information and attention is both good and bad. It’s good because you are well looked after, but it’s also a cause for concern because you will begin to think about what can go wrong rather than just enjoying your pregnancy and the anticipation.

I was very nervous and looking back, I think I could have done with a little less information... but people are different and that’s just me.

3. You need to sit down more! Sit down and relax, take good care of yourself. Twin pregnancy is not a disease and your life doesn’t stop, but you are carrying two babies inside of you and that is a strain on your body from much earlier on than if you were carrying only one.

You need to make sure your body can comfortably make it to the end of the pregnancy so before you start feeling the strain, begin to take good care of yourself.

Twins are normally smaller than single babies, so every day inside the womb counts, and stress and unnecessary strain isn’t worth the risk of early labor.

4. You need to gain more weight when you are pregnant with twins. 20 to 30 pounds is what you are advised to gain when pregnant with one child, 30 to 40 pounds when pregnant with twins.

Do listen to this bit of advice: Don’t take eating for 3 too literally!! When I was pregnant I ate for 3 (grown men, not one woman and two babies) and it’s so hard to lose all that weight after the pregnancy.

5. And finally there are the stories that you don’t need to listen to! Every other person you meet will have a wild twin story and they’ll be dying to tell you because, surely, you’ll want to hear this. It will most likely be their neighbors cousin whose friend had twins and it was a horrible pregnancy and the birth was even worse and “You Poor Thing, having two kids at the same time, what horror”!

Don’t listen... these stories are not only untrue, they are also completely ridiculous and, frankly, people should have more sense than to worry a pregnant woman just because they have a story to tell.

So if you are pregnant with twins: Take good care of yourself and BE EXCITED... you are about to receive the most wonderful gift anyone could ever have!! Enjoy x




source: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/mette-poynton/pregnant-with-twins_b_2614749.html

First Signs of Pregnancy - Early Symptoms of your First Trimester

Before my first pregnancy, I enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner and an occasional big, juicy chili dog. But even in those very first days after I conceived, the wine tasted flat and the hot dog repulsed me. Fast-forward a few weeks. With a positive pregnancy test in hand,

I realized that my body knew I was pregnant before my mind did. Of course, the earliest symptoms of pregnancy wax and wane and are different for each woman; in fact, some women may experience (or notice) none of them.

But several can crop up well before you even miss a period. If you’re the impatient type, here are the most common early-pregnancy clues to look for.

Clue 1} Breast tenderness Your breasts may be extra tender as early as a week or two after conception. “You’re making so much estrogen and progesterone in early pregnancy that the glands in the breasts start growing,” explains Jasbir Singh, M.D., an OB-GYN at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie in Texas. This hormone surge causes breasts to retain more fluids and feel heavy, sore or more sensitive than normal PMS tenderness.

What to do Buy a very supportive bra.

Clue 2} Implantation bleeding When the fertilized egg implants into the plush lining of the uterus about six to 12 days after conception, spotting—light vaginal bleeding—may occur. This is harmless, but if you suspect you’re pregnant, let your doctor know, just in case it’s something else. (If the bleeding occurs as late as 12 days after you conceive, you may think it’s your period.)

“In the first trimester, bleeding should be evaluated for three things in particular—miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy or certain types of infections,” Singh says. “Implantation bleeding is sort of a diagnosis of exclusion. That means we rule out the bad things before we can determine this is what it is.”

What to do Call your doctor if you notice any bleeding.

Clue 3} Fatigue During the first few weeks, your body is working 24/7 behind the scenes to support the pregnancy, and fatigue is a normal response. The extra progesterone produced after conception causes your basal body temperature to rise, which in turn contributes to a lack of energy, explains Karen Perkins, M.D., an OB-GYN with A Woman’s Choice at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Your heart also pumps faster, as it has to deliver extra oxygen to the uterus; this, too, can make you feel tuckered out.

What to do “Take prenatal vitamins early on, eat a healthful diet, drink plenty of fluids to keep your blood pressure high enough, and rest when you can,” Singh says.

Clue 4} Frequent urination You might think this comes later, when the baby presses on your bladder, but frequent peeing sometimes starts early. Not only can the swelling uterus put pressure on your bladder, but the extra blood flow to the kidneys (which begins right away) also causes them to produce more urine.

What to do Nothing, unless the frequent urination is accompanied by burning, urgency or other signs of infection. (If so, notify your doctor.) Do not cut back on your fluid intake.

Clue 5} Food aversions and nausea This can start as early as two weeks after conception. “Progesterone causes a lot of things to slow down,” Singh says. That includes your digestive processes, sometimes resulting in constipation or indigestion.

Since your stomach doesn’t empty as quickly as it normally does, it thinks there’s too much going on in there and wants to purge in some way—either into the gut or out through the mouth. Nausea also is related to human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone that can be detected in the mother’s blood or urine even before a missed period. The higher the HCG level (as with twins), the sicker you may feel.

“Another theory is that nausea and food aversions are a protective effect the body has toward the fetus,” Perkins says. If things like free radicals or nitrates in some foods could hurt a growing baby, you may naturally develop a distaste to steer clear of them.

What to do Many women find ginger and lemons soothing. Ask your doctor about special vitamin B6 supplements that may alleviate nausea. Acupressure wristbands also can help. If you’re vomiting frequently or can’t hold down any liquids, see your OB for possible IV hydration and medication.

Clue 6} Mood swings Find yourself weeping over a “Desperate Housewives” episode or raging because the DSL guy can’t come until Tuesday? “Because of the flux in hormones, you can go from being tearful to angry instantly,” Perkins says. Generally, mood swings in early pregnancy don’t require any medical attention.

What to do Wait it out. “Be aware of your mood shifts and make sure others around you also are aware of the reason and are supportive,” Perkins suggests.

Clue 7} Bloating, cramps and backache Many women mistake these common early signs of pregnancy for PMS symptoms, but actually they’re caused by hormonal changes and the growth of the uterus.

What to do Nothing, unless the pain is severe or symptoms are accompanied by bleeding. Clue 8} Dizziness and fainting

On soaps, the woman always faints before she finds out she’s pregnant. Progesterone can contribute to lightheadedness by making your body “run hotter” and causing blood vessels to dilate, which lowers blood pressure.

In addition, it takes a little longer than normal for blood that’s been diverted to the uterus to make its way back to your brain when you stand up. Dizziness also can stem from low blood sugar. “If you’re not eating properly, you can feel lightheaded,” Perkins says.

What to do Move slowly, and don’t leap out of bed or off the couch abruptly. Keep blood sugar stable by eating every three to four hours, and drink plenty of water to keep your blood pressure steady. Avoid overheating, and if you do feel faint, sit down with your head between your knees.

Clue 9} Headaches Some women have more headaches early in pregnancy. “They’re related to the increased progesterone levels; plus, headaches can result if you don’t drink enough fluids or if you’re anemic,” Perkins says.

The good news: Migraines become less frequent as pregnancy progresses. “Fluctuating hormones tend to make headaches worse, and estrogen levels are more stable during pregnancy,” explains Richard Gersh, M.D., an assistant professor of OB-GYN at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.

What to do Drink plenty of fluids, and get your blood work done to check for anemia. If headaches persist, ask your doctor about taking Tylenol.

Loss of a twin in the womb

Miscarriage of a twin in the womb:

Miscarriage in early pregnancy is very common, and sadly, the risk is slightly higher with twin pregnancies. With an identical twin pregnancy, where each baby shares the placenta or sac, there is a further increase of risk.

Early miscarriage of a twin in the womb:

Early miscarriage is almost always down to problems with the embryo not developing as it should, and is therefore not preventable, or caused by anything the mum has done.

Occasionally, mums who have had a very early ultrasound scan will be told they have experienced 'vanishing twin syndrome' further along in their pregnancy.

This occurs when women have been scanned before 12 weeks and two heartbeats have been detected.  At the mum's next scan, most usually the 12 week dating scan, only one baby will be seen, the other having been reabsorbed by mum's body.

As upsetting as this will be for a couple who have been told very early on that they are expecting two babies, it will have no detrimental effect on the rest of the pregnancy, or the surviving baby.

Miscarriage in the second or third trimester:

With the loss of a twin in the second or third trimester, your doctors will have more concerns for possible complications arising with your remaining twin.

If you do lose a twin later in your pregnancy, your medical team will work with you and your partner to decide the best course of action to ensure the safety and well-being of your surviving baby.

Factors such as how many weeks along you are, what caused one of your twins to die, and the health of your other baby will all be taken into account.

One potential problem for identical twins (babies sharing a placenta) is twin to twin transfusion syndrome, where abnormal connecting blood vessels in the placenta leaves one baby with a greater volume of blood than the other. It carries a high risk of miscarriage or stillbirth if left undetected and untreated. You can get help and advice from the Twin 2 Twin organisation.

Support available:

Losing a twin at whatever stage of pregnancy, or for whatever reason, will obviously be a very difficult time for you and your partner, and one where you will need lots of support and information. Organisations such as SANDS and TAMBA (Twins and multiple births association) have helplines you can call and literature you can download from their websites.

You can also talk to other mums for practical and emotional support in the Bounty Community.






source: http://www.bounty.com/pregnancy-and-birth/miscarriage-and-loss/loss-of-a-twin-in-the-womb

Best Fertility Pills for Getting Pregnant Fast

When you want to get pregnant fast, you might want to know which fertility pills out there can help you with that. There are several different options available, including some over the counter options, some fertility blends, and some prescription medications.

Option #1: Fertility Blends:

Fertility blends like Conceive Easy are a great choice for women who want to get pregnant fast. These fertility blends take the best all-natural fertility boosting ingredients in just the right amounts, and combine them into one easy to take, ready to use capsule. Fertility blends like Conceive Easy contain no harsh chemicals, and the ingredients are 100% natural.

Fertility blends like Conceive Easy are also available for purchase online without a doctor’s prescription, which makes them a very good option for women who do not wish to visit a fertility doctor. 

With Conceive Easy, for example, your fertility supplements are delivered to your door so you never have to worry about running out, and you can even get a free trial.

Option #2: Prenatal Vitamins:

For women who want something tried, true and inexpensive, a regular prenatal vitamin is a great place to start. First of all, prenatal vitamins do not require a prescription, and they can be bought very inexpensively at any local drug store or even grocery store.

Prenatal vitamins contain all the important vitamins and minerals that women need to be at their healthiest.


If you have any sort of nutritional shortcoming, a prenatal vitamin can help you to bridge those gaps so you will have a better chance of getting pregnant.

Also, if you do happen to get pregnant, taking a prenatal vitamin can help protect against neural tube defects and other disorders that normally occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy.

Option #3: Clomid:

If you are looking for a prescription medication to help you get pregnant fast, the most popular fertility drug on the market today is Clomid. Clomid is a medication that does not help you to get pregnant, however, it does help to induce ovulation so that it is easier to get pregnant.

It is one of the most effective and longest used fertility drugs on the market today. More than 85% of women who take Clomid will begin ovulating while taking it. It is a really great option for women who have trouble with ovulation, and can make pregnancy happen much faster than it otherwise would by inducing ovulation.




source: http://pregnantpills.com/getting-pregnant/boost-your-chances/best-fertility-pills-for-getting-pregnant-fast/

Fertility Pills for Twins

Everyone in this world has different choices and ideas and opinions. Thus, there are many couples who would want a single child, or twins or none at all for that matter.

Conceiving twins is difficult but if looked from the view point of undergoing fertility treatments each time one is trying to get pregnant, conceiving twins seems like a good deal.

Conceiving twins also reduces the amount of time spent in the hospital and doctor visits and even helps in recovery process as the woman will just have to go through the procedure once instead of a couple of times.

Another consideration of having twins is that the couple believes that having twins will make the children share a special and unique sibling bond, which might be important to the parents.

Becoming parents is a miracle in itself and becoming parents to twins is a bigger miracle. If one is trying to conceive twins, it is probable that one has read about the many fertility treatments and fertility pills available on the market that would improve a woman’s chances of conceiving twins.

One can find below the information on different fertility pills that can help parents in conceiving twins. There are some couples who are very eager to be able to conceive and have a child; however, there are also many couples who are especially eager to have twins.

Fortunately, the pills that assist in fertility can assist in conceiving twins. Below are the four fertility drugs that favor conceiving twins during pregnancy.

Clomiphene:

One of the best fertility drugs available on the market today to have twins is Clomiphene. Clomiphene helps a great deal in the conception process, especially in cases of no ovulation or irregular ovulation and even sometimes congenital or chronic problems that may act as an impediment for a healthy pregnancy either for one child or twins.

The Clomiphene fertility drugs can be administered to stimulate the production of eggs before turning to in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is an assisted reproductive treatment.

Clomiphene also helps men with fertility issues in preventing and curing hormonal imbalances that decrease the sperm quality and quantity, as well as the motility of the sperm.

Parlodel:

Parlodel is a kind of fertility drug that helps a woman conceive twins. Parlodel is usually administered in small doses and oral form, for an approximate period of five days each month.

Parlodel helps in lowering the levels of the prolactin hormone that impedes the ovulation process. Parlodel also helps in stimulating the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which thus assists the ovaries to release one or more mature eggs.

However, the release of one or more mature eggs depends on how often a woman ovulates in a normal cycle.

Pergonal:

One of the most popular fertility drugs to conceive twins is Pergonal. The treatment of Pergonal allows the hypothalamus to release the luteinizing hormone (LH), a good indicator of ovaries about to enter the fecundation stage and thus the stage of getting ready to drop the egg in the fallopian tube. Now, if a healthy sperm meets the released egg on its way to the uterus, conception happens and the woman becomes pregnant.

Humegon:

Humegon is considered very effective in conceiving twins due to the high menotrophin content that it comprises. Humegon stimulates the follicular maturation in infertile women and triggers the secretion of gonadal steroids.

Humegon is also used in assisted reproduction treatments and is often combined with Pregnyl for a combined improved effect.

All of these fertility enhancing drugs act at a hormonal level and thus it is very important that these drugs be taken only after a doctor’s recommendation and after a medical exam has been conducted to confirm that these drugs would actually assist in conceiving.

These drugs have the ability to encourage the ovaries to release more than one egg and thus increase the chances to conceive twins. Conceiving twins is often seen as a side effect of these fertility drugs. However, one should keep in mind that there is no guarantee that one will become pregnant with twins if a woman takes fertility pills.





source: http://www.checkpregnancy.com/fertility-pills-twins/

List of Fertility Pills Available Without a Prescription

If you are trying to conceive, fertility pills may help. Your doctor may write you a prescription for fertility during your check-up. You might not, however, be able to afford to see a doctor regularly or afford the prescription pills.

You might not want the harmful side-effects of strong chemicals that are present in prescription pills. You can always opt for over-the-counter fertility drugs to boost your chances of conceiving. Consult with your physician about over-the-counter fertility pills.

Ovulex:

Ovulex, with its registered trademark, claims to be 100 percent natural, which means it is devoid of harsh chemicals. It does not claim to make you pregnant right away, but it can prepare your body for conceiving by tuning your hormones.

A blend of herbs and prostrogenes are some of the main ingredients in Ovulex. Taking Ovulex, along with regular exercise, proper diet, frequency and timing of sexual intercourse, can help increase your chances of getting pregnant without the side-effects.

If you are suffering from hormonal imbalance, chances are you may not get pregnant easily. Ovulex balances your hormones to make conception more of a possibility. Balancing hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, human chorionic gonadotropin, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, are necessary to prepare your body to get pregnant.

Fertility Blend SP-1:

Fertility Blend SP-1 is available online and at many brick-and-mortar stores. It provides a gradual, gentle approach, without any undesirable side effects. Its natural ingredients and affordable price makes

Fertility Blend more desirable than expensive, prescription fertility pills and traditional fertility treatments. The Stanford University College of Medicine validated the effectiveness of Fertility Blend in a 2004 study. It features special blends for women and for men.

Some of the ingredients found in Fertility Blend are damiana (Tumera diffusa), eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), buckthorn (Rhamnus trangula), kelp (Laminaria spp.) and sasparilla (Smilax spp.).

Volume Pills:

For males who are having issues with fertility, Volume Pills is another product, aside from Fertility Blend, that can be taken without prescription. Volume Pills claims to enhance the number of sperm produced by the male reproductive system.

This product is available at online stores. The main ingredients included in Volume Pills are zinc gluconate, catuaba bark extract, L-arginine, epimedium sagittatum extract, muira puama extract, hawthom berry powder, panax ginseng extract and ginkgo biloba extract.

Maca Pills:

Maca, known as a libido booster, is an effective fertility pill that is available without prescription. It is a dietary supplement found from the processed tuberous root of Peruvian ginseng (Lepidium meyenii).

The Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, in Lima, Peru, conducted a study of adult men, aged 24 to 44, which resulted in a successful increase of sperm count per ejaculation after taking maca.

The sperm motility and sperm volume improved as well. During the study, nine men received 1,500mg or 3,000mg of maca. The scientists measure the hormone levels, which include serum luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, testosterone and estradiol. Maca is also available for women, which helps balance the hormones needed for conceiving.





source:http://www.modernmom.com/2e156b80-051f-11e2-9d62-404062497d7e.html

20 Signs & Symptoms Of Twin Pregnancy

Being pregnant is a huge milestone for most women. Creating a new life is a miracle for sure. But what if it is not ‘a’ new life but a couple of them?

If you haven’t guessed it already, we are talking about twins. Finding out that you are pregnant with twins can come as a jolt. It may take some time for the news to sink in. But once you make peace with the idea, you can let the celebrations begin!

Twin pregnancies are still relatively rare, and that is why they are so fascinating for most of us. Are there any factors that can predispose a woman towards a twin pregnancy?

You might be shocked to know, that they sure are! And, here, we talk about the twin pregnancy signs and symptoms.

Conceiving Twins:

You have a higher chance of conceiving twins if:

• You are over 30 years of age
• You are peri-menopausal
• You are taller than the average woman
• Your BMI is higher than 25
• You already have twins or have a family history of twins
• You have used Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) like IVF to get pregnant
• You belong to some particular ethnicity (e.g., African American)

So, if you fall in any of the categories mentioned above, you need to arm yourself with some ‘twin’ knowledge!

Twin Pregnancy – Early Symptoms:

Most women discover that they are pregnant with twins only after an ultrasound scan. But is there a way to find out a twin pregnancy before the scan?

We are sure that is the one question most women have in mind. Yes, you can get an idea even before you make a trip the doctor!

Here are some early signs of twin pregnancy symptoms:

1. A Very Positive Pregnancy Test:

That sounds a little confusing, doesn’t it? Well, for most women, a pregnancy test taken on the day of missed period often yields a faint line. But if you are carrying twins, it is likely that your test line will come out dark. Why is that?

Well, home pregnancy tests look for the presence of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in the body to confirm a pregnancy. When you are pregnant with twins, your body will produce more hCG and lead to a darker line!

2. Blood Test:

All bodies are different, so it is possible that your home pregnancy test fails to detect the extra hCG floating around in your body. But a blood test will surely catch it!

If you are carrying twins, your blood hCG number is likely to be 30-50% higher than if you were pregnant with a singleton.

3. Extreme Morning Sickness:

Many women suffer from morning sickness during their pregnancy. Unlike its name, morning sickness can strike any time of the day.

Nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy are the most visible early pregnancy symptoms. Morning sickness is a direct result of the presence of hCG in the body. It is why women carrying twins tend to have a worse case of this common pregnancy symptom.

Intolerance to certain foods, smells, textures are all part of the pregnancy journey but with twins, you’ll get more than you expect. So, if you find yourself heaving after each meal, and rushing to the bathroom to throw up, maybe, just maybe, you are pregnant with twins!Thankfully, you can reduce the discomfort through some simple measures:

• Avoid food that makes you gag
• Try smaller, more frequent meals
• Sip on ginger ale
• Drink more water
• Try medication (but only after you discuss it with your doctor)

4. Just A Hunch:

As a mother, you’ll need to start trusting your mama instinct. In fact, start watching your hunches right now! If you have a strong feeling that you are pregnant with twins, it is possible that your body is telling you something.

Most symptoms listed here indicate the possibility of a twin pregnancy. But you need to seek confirmation from your doctor before you assume anything!

Symptoms Of Twin Pregnancy:

So, now you know for sure that you are pregnant with twins! Congratulations! What now? Well, get ready for the journey of a lifetime!

As an expecting mother of twins, your pregnancy will deviate from the norm.

Apart from the excessive morning sickness, twin pregnancy comes with a unique set of signs and symptoms. Here are the major symptoms and signs of twin pregnancy you should watch out for:

1. Weight Gain:

It is a known fact that pregnancy entails gaining weight. But when you are carrying twins, the weight can be and should be more than average. But there is no standard number when it comes to weight gain.

How much weight you need to gain depends on your pre-pregnancy weight as well as height. In most cases, healthy women need to gain a mere 10lbs more than the norm while carrying twins. So, don’t binge on unhealthy food and gain excessive weight just because you are carrying twins!

2. Measuring Large For Gestational Age:

Have you noticed your doctor measuring your belly during your appointments? Well, what she does is measure the height of the uterine fundus to check your baby’s gestational age.

Gestational age indicates the age of a fetus or baby counted from the first day of the mother’s last menstrual period. It is a good way to ensure that your pregnancy is progressing the way it should. Women who are carrying twins always measure larger than a woman carrying singletons.

When you are carrying twins, your uterus expands more than it does with a single pregnancy, and that is why you look bigger! But there are other reasons that can lead to a baby measuring larger than its normal gestation age. Don’t worry, your doctor will keep an eye on it to rule out any complications.

3. Early Fetal Movement:

One of the most magical moments during pregnancy is to feel your baby move! And when you are pregnant with twins, the moment can come sooner than later!

Many women carrying twins report feeling their babies move before women carrying a single baby. But there is no scientific basis for this symptom.

There are several other factors that can help you experience your baby move sooner. For example, a thinner woman is more likely to experience early fetal movements. This is one of the pregnancy symptoms with twins.

4. Frequent Fetal Movement:

Another thing you can experience as a would-be mother of twins is frequent fetal movement. When you are carrying two babies, you can expect a lot of moving around. A prelude of things to come!

5. Extreme Fatigue:

Exhaustion, tiredness, fatigue – call it by any name, but the chances are high that when you are pregnant, you’ll feel tired like you have never felt before.

And if you are pregnant with twins? Get ready for feeling bone tired, all the time! Your body is working overtime to nourish two lives, so it is normal to feel extreme tiredness and lethargy, especially in the first trimester. But there are other factors, like anemia, that too can cause similar symptoms.

So talk to your doctor if you feel so tired that going through your day seems like a huge chore. This is one of the symptoms of being pregnant with twins.

6. Breathlessness:

As your pregnancy progresses, your twins will push against your diaphragm, making you breathless in the process. Breathlessness is common in singleton pregnancies as well but with twins you can expect double the fun! But if you feel breathless all the time, and feel too uncomfortable, do call your doctor!

7. Digestion Issues:

Constipation, bloating, indigestion and heartburn are all common pregnancy symptoms for twins. When your body is growing two lives, your digestive system will be hard pressed.

And as your uterus grows to accommodate your twins, it will take away space from your stomach. That is why these digestive issues are more intense during the third trimester. Yes, a little bit of digestive discomfort cannot be helped, but you sure can reduce the problems!

Some ways to a happier digestive system include:

• Opt for smaller meals at regular intervals
• Avoid oily and overly spicy food
• Drink a lot of water to keep your digestive system healthy and happy!

8. Back Pain:

Back pain is pretty common during pregnancies. But with twins, everything tends to be over the top. When you are growing twins, you gain more weight, your hormones are all over the place, and your center of gravity shifts.

Is it any wonder that your body groans under all this pressure? All these changes can take a huge toll on your back.But with a few tips you can deal with back pain (though you can’t banish it completely).

Some of the things that can help are:

• Stand up straight and tall
• Hold your chest high
• Keep your shoulders back and relaxed
• Don’t lock your knees
• Opt for low heeled shoes
• Try out a maternity belt

9. Insomnia:

Lack of sleep is a huge problem for new mothers. But here is some news! Sleeplessness can hit you way before your baby makes an appearance.

With your growing girth, you can expect a few sleepless nights (or many)! Discovering the right way to sleep can seem like a battle when you are pregnant with twins.

Add indigestion, fatigue, and back pain to the mix, and sleep can become an uphill task. But you need to sleep well, not just for your health but also that of your babies’.

Some ways to find a good night’s sleep include:

• You may prefer to sleep on your back, but when you are pregnant, sleeping on your side is the only safe way
• Use pillows to elevate your upper body
• Put a pillow between your legs or under your tummy to find your comfortable sleeping position
• Take a nap when you can to catch up on your sleep
• Exercises like swimming and walking can do wonders for your sleep
• Eat well and healthy

10. Depression:

A pregnancy is a life-changing event. And when you discover that you are to welcome not one but two babies, the change can feel earth shattering.

Many women with twin pregnancies suffer from depression. The hormonal change in the body can send anyone into a tizzy. But when you have twins, the whole surprise can take some time to settle down. In fact, you are more likely to suffer from pre as well as postnatal depression if you are expecting twins.Thankfully, with the right tools, you can beat depression and enjoy your pregnancy to the fullest.

Here are some tips to help you:

• Accept that you are about to give birth to two babies. Acceptance is a great healer!
• Try meditation or any other relaxation technique to help you out
• The right food can go a long way in keeping your mental health in top shape
• Talk to other twin moms. There are others who have walked in your shoes, and they are the best people to guide you in your journey.

11. Extreme Breast Tenderness:

Your breasts can feel very tender when you are pregnant, thanks to all the hormones flowing through your body. Add another baby, and the tenderness can become downright painful!

Many twin moms experience breast tenderness to such an extent that they cannot even wear a bra.If you experience the same thing, well, you can ditch the bra whenever you can. Or better still, go out bra shopping and find some amazing maternity bras.

12. Frequent Urination:

Did you always wonder why your pregnant friend was always rushing to the loo? Now you’ll know! Thanks to all the hormones and the pressure on your bladder, you too will now need to make frequent trips to the bathroom!But don’t let that stop you from drinking ample amounts of water. Remember, lack of water can cause dehydration, which in turn can lead to premature contractions.

13. Cramping:

Cramping during pregnancy can send any women into a panic frenzy. But relax! As long as you are not bleeding, do not worry about cramping.

As your uterus grows to accommodate your twin pregnancy, you can experience cramping or round ligament pains. Women can also experience pelvic pain during their pregnancy, which is again not a worrisome symptom. It is just your body getting ready for childbirth.But you can get some respite from the pain. Here are some tips to ease the pain:

• Whenever possible, give your growing tummy some support. You can buy maternity belts to help you out
• Slow down! Yes, you want to be productive, but your body does need a little rest now that it is growing two babies
• Avoid jerky movements

14. Water Retention:

With a twin pregnancy, you are more likely to experience water retention. So, get ready for swelling or edema, which can be pretty uncomfortable.

But it can also lead to more serious conditions like preeclampsia. That is why it is important to manage your edema before it gets out of hand.

Here are some things you can do:

• Avoid consuming too much salt and processed food
• Eat healthily to avoid gaining excessive weight
• Drink more water to flush out the extra water from your body
• Opt for foods like watermelon, cabbage, peas, apples and citrus fruits that act as natural diuretics
• Quit smoking, if you haven’t already

15. Abnormally High Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) Test Result:

Your doctor will test you for AFP during the second trimester. For many women, it is the first signs of twin pregnancy!

The AFP test measures a particular protein that is secreted by the fetal liver. If you are carrying more than one baby, your AFP test result will be ‘high’. But it is important to remember that a high AFP result can also indicate fetal abnormalities.

16. Fast Heartbeat:

As a mother, you can expect a racing heartbeat almost all the time, at least figuratively! But when you have a twin pregnancy, your heart can ‘literally’ race!

A fast heartbeat is normal with all that extra oxygen in your bloodstream, and all the extra work your heart needs to do to keep your babies healthy.A twin pregnancy can be scary and wonderful – both at the same time.

Like any other pregnancy, the important thing is to be aware of what is happening inside your body.

Complications To Watch Out For In A Twin Pregnancy:

Signs of being pregnant with twins is surely a cause for celebration, it is also a cause for caution! When you are carrying multiples, your pregnancy is automatically deemed high-risk. No, that does not mean something will go wrong. It just means that you need to keep a close eye on your health!

Here are some twin pregnancy complications that you need to be aware of:

1. Premature Birth:

A twin pregnancy is more likely to end in early labor and delivery simply because the babies run out of space! Babies born before 38 weeks of gestation are considered premature.

Although a slight prematurity does not often cause health issues in the newborn, it is important to let your babies gestate as long as possible.

2. Low Birth Weight:

Most twins are born with lower than average weight. That is why it is important to keep a watch on your diet and provide your babies with the best possible nutrition.

3. Drastic Weight Difference:

It is pretty common for a twin to weigh more than its sibling as it can receive more nutrition and space. There isn’t much you can do about this particular problem, though!

4. Preeclampsia:

High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to preeclampsia – a health condition that can prove fatal for both baby and mother.

During a twin pregnancy, your chance of developing preeclampsia goes up manifold. That is why it is important to keep your blood pressure under check during your pregnancy.

5. Gestational Diabetes (GD):

Most cases of gestational diabetes resolve by themselves with childbirth. But giving GD a free run can cause severe health damage.

Gestational diabetes is also a common complication for women expecting twins.6. Anemia: As your body makes more blood to help your babies grow, your body may lose some of its hemoglobin in return. That is why a woman with a twin pregnancy is much more likely to suffer from anemia (depleted hemoglobin levels).

What To Expect From Your Doctor?

A twin pregnancy does not warrant going into panic mode! Thousands of women give birth to twins each day without any complications.

But what you do need to do is work closely with your health care provider.There are certain tests that you should take to prevent the complications mentioned above.

Your doctor will prescribe additional scans and antenatal appointments if you are expecting twins. You will also need regular blood pressure and urine tests to avoid health issues like preeclampsia. Your doctor will prescribe blood tests at 24 weeks and again at 28 weeks to ensure that your hemoglobin levels are adequate.

What Can You Do?

Coping with a twin pregnancy is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one. Here are some easy tips that can help you navigate a twin pregnancy better:

• All that extra weight, insomnia, body ache and raging hormones can make you feel exhausted all the time. But you need to rest a bit to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
• By resting, we do not mean bed rest, which can prove counter-productive. What you need are regular naps and some laziness! Forget the household chores (or ask your partner to help you out) and just put your feet up.
• If you have a child already, ask somebody like a friend or relative watch her while you catch up on some much-needed sleep. Remember, once your babies are here, sleep will become elusive!
• If you are working, you may need to apply for maternity leave sooner than you expected.
• If you are feeling low and depressed, talk to your doctor. You may need some professional help to feel better.Finally, be nice to yourself. Pamper yourself. Get a foot massage, get your hair done – do whatever it takes to feel better!

Pregnancy is the most fulfilling journey. And when it is a twin pregnancy, the miracle becomes even more amazing. Don’t spend this journey worrying. Celebrate it! Are you expecting twins? What symptoms are you experiencing? Share your story with us!



source: http://www.momjunction.com/articles/signs-and-symptoms-of-twin-pregnancy_00382609/#gref

18 weeks pregnant with twins

I am sorry my belly picture simply isn’t going to happen this week. I hope you understand and I will continue taking pictures in the coming weeks. Thank you. 🙂

Babies are the size of sweet potatoes. Our girls are about 5.6 inches long and 6.7 ounces. It hurts to write about the babies right now so that is all I am going to say for this week.

I am sorry. Another week with a picture of just one baby in utero. I am sorry, but there really is no website out there that does week by week for twins.

How far along? 18 weeks

Weight Gain? 12 pounds so far.

Workouts? Pilates and yoga. Since, the appointment Monday and until further notice I will not be able to do any form of exercise.

Symptoms? Not very hungry lately. I don’t know if it is the stage of pregnancy or everything else going on right now.

Stretch Marks? None yet. I am still doing my lotion 2-3 times a day, drinking a lot of water and taking omega-3’s. I have read these all help with stretch marks.

Sleep? I have been exhausted but haven’t been able to sleep; too much on my mind.

Movement? Baby Girl B (the baby closest to my ribs) kicks and moves a lot. We saw that on the ultrasound as well.

Genders? Two little girls. We are so excited. Having four girls is going to be so much fun.

What I miss: Right now I just want everything to be okay. I miss not worrying all the time.

Food cravings? Protein and salads.

Food aversions? Not too much these days.

Labor signs? A few braxton hicks contractions. The doctors say not to worry about those.

Belly button in or out? In.

What I am looking forward to this week? Going to Philadelphia to see the specialists on twin-to-twin transfusion. I am ready to get some answers and help our girls. This waiting period is awful.

Random Thoughts from this Past Week:

1. To be honest I just keep thinking why us? Why is this happening to our girls?
2. I love my girls; all four of them.
3. I will do anything for my family.
4. We have amazing family and friends.
5. I am not sure how I am going to not be with my girls for 10 days or more. I seriously am having anxiety over leaving. I am not worried about them being well taken care of I am just going to miss them like crazy and I hope our girls are okay without me. We are seriously together all the time.
6. We thought our biggest concern was whether or not I was going to have to be on bed rest. We never thought that TTTS would happen to our girls. I guess you just never think these things happen to you. But was are going to fight for these little girls and I hope they are ready to put up a fight themselves

source: http://fitformotherhood.com/18-weeks-pregnant-with-twins/

17 weeks pregnant with twins

17 weeks pregnant with Twins… Hello from the Mothership!

Welcome to The Twinkle Diaries!

This is my very first post of my pregnancy diary with twins and today I am 17 weeks pregnant. Well 17 weeks and 6 days pregnant with fraternal twins — if you want to be pedantic!

Our darling Twinkles.

It’s been a long, long journey to get to this point, but little by little I’m starting to believe that this is actually happening and my boy and I are finally going to be parents.

A twin pregnancy diary:

I have been dithering for some time about whether I should start a blog, charting my pregnancy. I was too scared to, at first… it was almost like tempting fate and I was convinced that if I started to get too comfortable with the notion that I was pregnant, it would all start to unravel again and I would lose these precious babies.

We had a consultant’s appointment yesterday and the midwife let us hear the Twinkles heartbeats with a doppler… amazing to think that my body has 3 heartbeats at the moment!

I am like Dr Who (actually, I think he only had two!).

Everything is looking really positive; my belly is growing as it should and — apart from stuffy sinuses — I am feeling really well and happy. I am booked in for my 20 week scan in 10 days time. That’s the biggie and will show whether the babies are healthy and have no problems. I am keeping everything crossed that they’ll pass their tests with flying colours.

I love these Twinkles more than words can say, even though they are only currently the size of two sweet potatoes! What an impact these tiny people are having on our lives — and they’ve not even been born yet!

I’m feeling so positive about the future.  I am starting to really enjoy my twin pregnancy and look forward to writing all about it in my  ‘virtual’ diary!

Me — 17 weeks pregnant with twins!






source: http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk/17-weeks-pregnant-with-twins/

FOODS TO AVOID WHILE BREASTFEEDING

While many will agree that breastfeeding is very beneficial for your little one, there are also a number of restrictions that go along with it. No, we’re not talking about feeding your baby in public. We’re talking about certain things you shouldn’t consume for danger of passing it along to your child.

Here are 17 foods to avoid while breastfeeding:

1. Coffee:

When you drink coffee (or soda or tea), some of the caffeine ends up in your breast milk. Because babies aren’t able to excrete caffeine as quickly or efficiently as adults, too much in their systems may lead to irritation, crankiness, and sleeplessness. The solution? Cut back on coffee. As tired as you are, a fussy baby who won’t sleep just

2. Chocolate:

Proceed with caution if chocolate is your sweet indulgence of choice. Just like coffee and soda, chocolate contains caffeine. (Though not as much—a 1-ounce serving of dark chocolate contains between 5 and 35 mg of caffeine; a cup of coffee generally contains up to 135 mg of caffeine). If you suspect chocolate is the culprit behind your

3. Citrus Fruits:

Certain compounds found in citrus fruits and juices may irritate a still-immature GI tract, leading to fussiness, spitting up, and even diaper rash in some babies. If cutting down on citrus seems like a good idea for Baby’s sake, compensate by adding other vitamin C-rich foods to the menu, including papaya and mango.

4. Broccoli:

Lactation consultants may tell you that it’s just an old wives’ tale that eating broccoli, cauliflower, and other “gassy vegetables” leads to irritable, gassy babies.

But ask any nursing mom about broccoli’s ability to create misery in breastfed infants and you will probably hear a very different tale. Is your broccoli-loaded lunchtime salad the culprit? Possibly!

5. Alcohol:

It’s not the occasional glass of wine with dinner that you need to worry about. One drink or less per day likely poses little risk for babies, experts agree.

But if your drinking habits fall into the moderate or heavy category, you are treading into murky waters.

6. Spicy Foods:

Some nursing moms can add extra jalapeños to everything and still have completely content babies. But you might find that just a dash of pepper is enough to make your baby irritated and fussy for hours. How to spice it up food without causing Baby discomfort? Look for flavors that add zest without the heat.

7. Garlic:

That wonderfully warm slice of garlic bread you just inhaled might not taste so wonderful to your baby. Eating garlicky foods often leads to breast milk taking on the slight flavor of garlic (garlic odor can enter milk up to two hours after a meal). Some babies may grimace or fuss at the breast if they detect garlic’s telltale aroma.

8. Peanuts:

Do you, or other members of your family, have food allergies? Proceed with caution before including peanut products in your diet. According to La Leche League International (LLLI), if you have a family medical history of allergy, it is worth being careful about your diet and avoiding known allergens, like peanuts.

9. Wheat:

If eating a sandwich or plate of pasta before a nursing session results in your baby developing such symptoms as inconsolable crying, obvious pain, or bloody stools, it could point to a wheat allergy. To check for an allergy or sensitivity, eliminate wheat-containing foods from your diet for two to three weeks. If your baby’s symptoms progress, have them checked with a doctor for allergies.

10. Dairy Products:

Ditch the dairy? It’s common knowledge that many babies are intolerant to cow’s milk-based formula. But when you drink milk or eat other dairy products (yogurt, ice cream, and cheese), these same allergens enter your breast milk.

According to LLLI, symptoms of an allergy or sensitivity to dairy include colic and vomiting. We certainly don’t want that for our little one.

11. Corn:

Allergies to corn are common among young children, but how can you be certain your baby’s discomfort and rashiness are really due to those tasty tacos you had for dinner?

If you are not quite sure if corn is the food you need to eliminate, start keeping a detailed food diary. Be specific about what you ate (write “corn chips” instead of “chips”).

12. Shellfish:

Experts have found that the stronger the family history is for a particular food allergy, the greater the risk and the earlier the infant is likely to show symptoms.

In other words, if your child’s father has a shellfish allergy, but you have no problem with shrimp and lobster, you still might want to give shellfish a pass while breastfeeding.

13. Eggs:

Egg allergies (usually in the form of a sensitivity to egg whites) are common in young children. But because eggs lurk in all sorts of foods, from bread and snack foods to ice cream, it may be a difficult allergy to pinpoint.

Another tactic for breastfeeding moms who suspect their child has a food allergy is to eliminate all of the most allergenic products from their diet entirely.

14. Soy:

Many children who have dairy intolerances also show signs of a soy allergy, bad news if you thought you could swap out that morning glass of moo juice for a cup of soy milk.

If you suspect soy in your diet is causing problems for your baby, look at the kind of soy you are eating.

15. Fish:

It might not cause fussiness or even gas, but because mercury found in fish can find its way into breast milk, the same rules for fish consumption during pregnancy still apply when you are breastfeeding.

According to the FDA, nursing women should eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

16. Peppermint:

Love the soothing power of peppermint tea? Unfortunately, certain compounds in the minty herb may reduce your milk supply, especially if you guzzle several cups a day, according to herbalists (peppermint tea is often used as a holistic remedy to help halt milk production once weaning is complete).

17. Parsley

Related to the mint family, parsley is another herb that may reduce your milk supply if ingested in large quantities. If you are a fan of herbal remedies, double check to make sure any supplements you take don’t contain significant amounts of parsley.

However, dressing up your dinners with a garnish of parsley, or eating the occasional bowl of it won’t make much of an impact.




source: https://www.babble.com/baby/foods-to-avoid-while-breastfeeding/

How to Get Pregnant With Twins Naturally?

How to get pregnant with twins naturally? The very essence of a woman is to bear a child. Being pregnant is one of the highlights in the life of a woman. Some may have goals in life as to pregnant. Being pregnant is not an easy task.

A couple may dream of having a child or children because kids bring joy to the family and strengthens the bond between the parents.

Some wanted to have twins because it saves them from being pregnant more than once. Though taking care of twins may be tiresome, it is still worth it. Preparing two of the same clothes or shoes for the twins is common.

The couple always perceives that when they know they’re having twins, everything must be the same. Taking care of two children at the same time may drain you of the energy you have but the joy and happiness that they bring will never be replaced.

How to Get Pregnant With Twins?

If you are planning to have twins, it is a good idea to know how they are formed. A single egg is fertilized by a single sperm, in which a zygote forms. And then for some reasons, the zygote divides into two or more zygotes in order to form multiple pregnancies.

There are two types of twins; it is either fraternal or identical. Fraternal twins result from two egg cell and two sperm cells. The twins may or may not have the same sex and that they may not look the same. In other words, they are two siblings born at the same time.

How to Increase Changes to Get Pregnant With Twins?

Family history of having twins, ethnicity and age are the predisposing factors in conceiving twins. These factors are the things that we cannot change, but there are things that we can do to increase the chances of having twins.

1.) Intake of Dairy Products to Get Pregnant With Twins

Eating milk products or drinking milk can increase the chances of conceiving twins since cows are given growth hormone treatments.

2.) Green Leafy Vegetables and Folic Acid Supplement to Get Pregnant With              Twins

Green leafy vegetables are necessary during pregnancy because these vegetables contain minerals and vitamins such as folic acid. Folic acid is a vitamin that aids during pregnancy.  This vitamin prevents neural tube defects in babies and is also claimed to increase the chances of getting pregnant.

3.) Pregnancy at a Later Age to Get Pregnant With Twins

It is said that having pregnancy at the later age increases chances of having twins. Chances of multiple pregnancies increase manifold. Using donor eggs may enable you to have multiple pregnancies.

4.) Weight Gain to Get Pregnant With Twins

Weight gain may help you to get pregnant with twins. But based on studies, being obese or overweight, have its risks during pregnancy. And being obese or overweight is a problem that needs to be solved.

5.) Conceive Immediately After Withdrawing from Birth Control Pills to Get              Pregnant With Twins

Birth control pills are composed of hormones such as progesterone and estrogen. These female hormones may halt pregnancy. Immediately withdrawing from birth control pills may cause your body to ovulate more thus increases the chances to get pregnant with twins.





source: http://lethow.com/pregnancy/getting-pregnant/get-pregnant-with-twins/

How to Conceive Twins Baby Boy and Girl Naturally?

Ideas and notions of people change according to the environment they live. Some cultures have good omen for twin babies and other have different approach altogether. But what really matters is the stance of spouses. How to conceive twins is based on many factors. Those are discusses here in this article in detail.

How to Conceive Twins – An Insight:

Making twin babies needs understanding. A thorough insight to imply in the actions of sexuality to make it happen fast.

Identical Twins:

As we know there are identical and the opposite type. When one sperm is fertilized and later splits into two is the call for identical twins. These two babies in the womb carry food from one placenta.

Non-Identical Twins:

Two different sperms from two different eggs is when they form non-identical twins, medically termed as “Dizygotic”. Genetic combination of these twins are not same and have two unconnected placentas.

Factors to Govern the Reproduction of Twin Babies:

There are definite ways to implement and practice in order to conceive twins. Some of the major factors which govern the reproduction of twin babies are:

Fertilization Treatment:

Taking drugs which can make conceiving faster always help in fertilization. What they do is to keep your ovaries receptive. It also helps in rearing follicles of ovaries to bring more stability towards the growth of sperms. Aim of these drugs is to eject one or more eggs.

Ethnicity and Background:

If you are from the American or African ethnic backgrounds, then the possibilities of conceiving twins (one boy and one girl) is increased. It is because these heritages have more rate of pregnancies with two embryos.

First Time Pregnancies:

In comparison to those who haven’t has a single baby before. Those women who have had one or more kids in past are more prone to conceive twins. There is also a theory of making more babies. For the sake of increasing the chances of getting pregnant with twins.

Contraceptive Pills:

Oral contraceptive drugs boosts the chances of getting pregnant while taking pills. Naturally, it does not mean that you have to keep on taking pills and expect to get pregnant.

This would be a call for fooling your own self. So, for the needful, you should try to get pregnant right after stopping the pills. The reasons behind the notion is based on a fact. The reality of hormonal imbalances which a woman goes through right after stopping medicines till few months of menstrual cycle.

Supplements:

Folic acid and certain other supplements are best to take prior, during and even after getting pregnant. The best way, or call it more of a remedy of not getting pregnant is to take folic acid supplements right before a month of conception.

Eating Habits:

Male partners should have following items to make female partners pregnant:

• Oysters
• Green veggies
• Seeds
• Wheat germ
• Cereals
• Bread
• Sweet potatoes
• Conclusion

All in all the question, how to conceive twins is possible through multiple ways. Some of them are mentioned in this article. These, however, are all those which are taken are home remedies or aids to help in getting pregnant with twins.




http://www.digitalcure.net/how-to-conceive-twins/