Being pregnant is a wonderful experience in itself, but when you’re expecting twins, the joy is (literally) twofold! Being pregnant with twins is twice the fun of a normal pregnancy – you will get much bigger, your babies will kick in tandem and you will have two bundles of joy after nine months.

But how do twins grow inside the womb? Most mothers expect double the amount of morning sickness and double the pregnancy weight gain with twins, but this is not true. The symptoms of pregnancy will normally be as much in intensity as that of a single baby.

This is how a twin pregnancy goes week by week:

– In the first few weeks after conception, you will not have an idea that you are expecting two babies instead of one. The earliest this fact is revealed is in the second month by an ultrasound. By then, however, the process of development of their bodies has already begun. Both babies develop in separate sacs with their own amniotic fluid. Just like in a single baby, they will have started the process of developing a large head, paddle-like arms and legs and a largely undefined torso.

– By Week 8, your babies will have developed miniscule ear holes, toes, genitalia and the beginnings of eyelids. Meanwhile, their internal organs and brains are also in development. By the end of the first trimester, i.e. by Week 12, your babies will have grown as much as four times as the end of the second month of pregnancy.

– By Week 20, each of your babies will be about inches long. Your pregnancy will now be apparent since your belly will protrude noticeably. Your babies’ kidneys and lungs are in a crucial state of development at this time. The babies also start discharging minute amounts of waste by now. Each of your babies will weigh about one pound by now.

– By Week 28, both babies develop hair on their heads and they each weigh about three pounds. The best part is that your babies can now open and close their eyelids, which you can see on an ultrasound. They will also respond to the sound of your voice, sudden loud noises and even music. Reading to them and playing soft music is essential.

– By Week 32, your babies will grow to about four pounds and move quite a lot. However, you might not be able to tell which baby is moving. Since the babies have already grown quite a lot in size and weight, you will feel extremely heavy by this time and constant pressure on your bladder and pelvic floor.

– By Week 36, your uterus will have expanded to its full capacity, so your babies will not be able to move around as much as before. They will have reached about five pounds in weight.

– By Week 40, you will be about to go into labour quite soon. Mothers of multiple babies normally go into labour earlier than single baby mothers.

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Only 15 percent of twin pregnancies complete the 36 weeks gestational period. Twins and triplets are more likely to be born early, concurs NHS, UK. Pregnancy and parenthood may well be a life-changing event for a couple. Parents to-be often prepare their homes well in advance to welcome their little bundle of joy, their son or daughter. Wouldn’t it be all the more joyous if you were to find out that you are having twins!

6 Twin Pregnancy Symptoms

Twins may be a result of two separate eggs fertilizing with two separate sperms which results in fraternal or dizygotic twins. Or they may be a result of a single embryo splitting into two to develop into two babies who are called identical twins or monozygotic twins. Twin pregnancy symptoms are mostly similar to a singleton however, some symptoms may be elevated or increased. Gone are the days, when twin pregnancies were revealed during childbirth. Nowadays, twin pregnancies are confirmed in the very first trimester through an ultrasound. Here are common pregnancy symptoms that might lead you to believe that it is a double whammy.

A Rapidly Growing Belly

A rapidly growing belly or when the “uterus is too large for dates” may be an indication of twin pregnancy.

Elevated HCG Levels

HCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is the hormone that helps to detect pregnancy through a urine test. Twin pregnancies may have highly elevated levels of HCG. However, it may not necessarily be the case.

Doppler Heartbeat Count

A Doppler test is used to monitor foetal heart rate distinguishable in the late first trimester. A physician may detect more than one heart beat indicating twin pregnancies. However, it may be misleading, as the second heartbeat may be a background noise or may even sometimes be the mother’s heartbeat.

Excessive Morning Sickness

Early morning sickness may be elevated in some mothers expecting twin deliveries.

Early Foetal Movements

Mothers about to have twins may experience the baby or babies moving inside much earlier than a singleton pregnancy.

APF Results

APF or Alpha fetoprotein is a type of blood test mostly done on pregnant women to determine increased risk of birth defects. It is done in the second trimester. Twin pregnancies are likely to reveal positive or unusually high results.

Twin pregnancy symptoms being mostly similar to a singleton makes it difficult to tell for sure whether there is one foetus or two. Get an Ultrasound done as soon as possible to ascertain whether you are going to be parents to one or two babies. Twins are most likely to be born in a family with multiple pregnancy history.

Whether twin or singleton, do not forget to opt for Umbilical Cord Blood banking to secure your child’s future health. Cord blood banking helps preserve the cord blood stems cells that possess the ability to replicate host of other types of cells, therefore proving to be instrumental in myriad treatments of severe diseases.

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