Twin Trials (Multiple Pregnancy)

Member Name: Lunah_C

Product:	Multiple Pregnancy
Date:	09/07/07 (210 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Extra scans.

Disadvantages: Extra weight, Extra fat, Extra to carry......

My advice to anyone expecting twins would be to speak to others who have had similar experiences. Ask them to tell you if the horror stories are true. Ask them to tell you exactly what happens. When I fell pregnant with twins, I desperately searched for advice, but all I found wher outdated books that spoke of having x rays to confirm twins. If only I knew someone who could relate their experience to me. If you are in that situation, here's my story. Maybe you will have more of an idea what is going to or could happen. If you are not, sit back and enjoy.

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I had been married two months when I started to get a pain. Since my teenage years I had always had painful periods and suffered pain on ovulation. What made it worse was that I appeared to release an egg from both sides each month. At school I always joked that I would end up with twins. If only I knew!

Just in case we bought a pregnancy test. It came back negative. So I went to the doctor who decided I most likely had cysts on my ovaries, a few days later an appointment for a scan arrived. So off I trotted to the local hospital, with my new husband in tow.

By now we had been married 11 weeks. Being an abdominal scan my husband was asked to wait outside. In the small dark room, I had a cold gel applied to my middle region and my ultrasound got under way. The sonographer went straight to my ovaries where she immediately picked up on some masses. Yes, she said, you do have cysts. She then moved across to my womb. Whilst she swept the probe backwards and forwards I was convinced I spotted something. But I had never had a scan before and you know how you can make images out of all sorts of things…..She then caught my attention. "Did you know you were pregnant?"

She then continued "and there are two embryos here, however many women fall with twins but only one will survive. By the time of the first scan it will have absorbed into the body and the mother will be none the wiser." She took measurements and declared that I was five weeks. I explained that I had taken a test 2 weeks earlier. However apparently at around 3 weeks hormone levels can affect the test and give you a false result. The cysts were also caused by the pregnancy but would disappear in time.

I was instructed to come back in a fortnight for another scan. As I left she warned me. "Please do not get your hopes up; chances are there will only be one embryo next time." But I hoped different. Twins ran in my family. My mums' twin hadn't survived, and she had suspected that my brother was one of twins too, could these ones make it?

I emerged from the room, and left with my husband. Being quiet, he was concerned. So I sat him down outside. "Well, it's like this" I said. We were both more shocked that I was pregnant than the fact it was twins really. But we had discussed children and although we had not planned them so quick, we were quietly happy.

Two weeks later, after what seemed an eternity we returned for my scan. This time my husband was allowed in. The gel was applied and the probe began to roll. All four of us were glued to the screen. How many would there be? Slowly a picture appeared. We all counted….one…she moved a little…two. "Congratulations you are expecting twins." A scan picture was printed, and we went off the happiest people alive.

We couldn't keep the news to ourselves and soon were phoning friends and family. Some took it well, others not. We had not planned this pregnancy; I had been on the pill, however I had been on antibiotics at the time of our wedding, and unbeknown to us they must have still been in my system some six weeks later and caused the pill to fail. But it had happened and we accepted that.

Within a few days of that scan I began to bleed. I was immediately put on bed rest, and given a week's sick leave from my job as a carer for adults with learning difficulties. The bleeding persisted but my doctor would not sign me off for more than a week. He felt if I was going to lose them it would be whether I was working or not. My boss too was not happy. She told me that I would still have to pull my weight, lifting and carrying (the days before the new laws on lifting). Some staff was sympathetic, and gave me all the light duties, others made me continue as before. Two days later when the bleeding became heavier, I handed my notice in. We were determined to give these two every chance.

The bleeding soon subsided, and my 12 week scan revealed all was well. By now I was heaving at every slight smell, and my poor husband was unable to wear any form of deodorant or aftershave. Working in the same care home I had he would have to come home and have a thorough wash before coming anywhere near me!

At 14 weeks I went on holiday with my mum. It seemed a bit strange, especially as I had only been married for 5 months. But this had been booked the year previous. Before I had planned to get married, before I had met my husband even. (Bit of a whirlwind one it was, but that's another story) So off I went to check out the delights of Derbyshire. The weird thing was the sickness almost disappeared overnight, and so my poor husband got all the blame. After just 5 months of marriage he was making me physically sick! All went well and fortunately on my return, the sickness didn't. It seemed the break had cured that dreaded morning sickness. (That lasted dawn till dusk)

The pregnancy continued well, I began to eat macaroni cheese for breakfast, dinner and tea (Could've been worse) and we started attending antenatal classes. However each week my head would be full of questions, but I never raised them as they were all to do with twin births. We were taken for a tour of the water birth section, but I wasn't allowed to have one. We were enlightened about a natural birth, but I was told I'd most likely end up with a Caesarean. Nothing seemed to apply to me. I wasn't even sure if I would have one labour or two. The only thing that stuck in my mind was seeing the Epidural needle. Right there and then I decided there was no way I was going to have that!

My 20 week scan came and we were told we were definitely expecting a boy. The hamburger appearance of the other baby suggested it was a girl, but they could not be definite. (If confused draw a hamburger and turn it onto its side.) Regular examinations proved they were both doing well, and of good size.

At 26 weeks I was beginning to feel the pressure. At only 4ft 10 there was not much room for the twins to spread out. A foot was digging me under the ribs and kicks and punches were coming from all directions. I was having a scan every two weeks and the other weeks I was having a check up with the gynecologist. It was around this time that I started having problems emptying my bladder. I desperately needed to go but just couldn't. In the end I was admitted to maternity and a catheter inserted. I panicked at this point, especially when the midwife to do it turned up in a very male form. But he was extremely gentle and advised me to relax. Believe it or not it worked. Two days later it was removed…now that hurt!

A fortnight later I returned, the same problem, again a catheter was inserted, and left for a couple of days. My doctor told me that this was possibly how it was to continue till the birth. He was not prepared to deliver them yet as they were only 28 weeks.

Soon, I was unable to walk. I could not possibly describe the pain, but try to imagine a very heavy bowling bowl constantly sitting on your pelvic bone. It was heavy, it pinched and I'd had enough. I had another catheter inserted and was told to try to get to 34 weeks. Due to my height my midwife did not expect me to go much further in any case.

Then it was 36 weeks, then 38. Still all was going well; the babies had got themselves into position ready for birth. But by now I thought I was going to explode. Even my midwife couldn't believe it. It was now decided that I was to go no more than full term. The twins were due on February 14th, but this was a Friday, and they did not like to induce on a Friday incase labour was more than 24 hours and it went into the weekend. So I was booked in to be induced on Thursday February 13th. But all were convinced there was no way I would go full term.

Wednesday February 12th, 8pm. My bags were packed and I was off to have an early night. For tomorrow I was to be induced and would become the proud mother of twins.


This review continues in the birth section.

Summary: The ups and Downs of a multiple pregnancy.