What To Expect When Expecting Twins
Summary: The first thing you should know when you are expecting twins is that you're having TWO babies!  That's four little hands and four little feet that will pitter patter through your house and keep you busy as a bee.  Multi-tasking will become a daily part of your life, but mothers of multiples all agree that it's definitely worth the double time, double duty and double trouble.

A twin pregnancy can be found as early as five to six weeks into your pregnancy, although it can be easily missed at this point to.  This is due to the advances of in our technology - State-of-the-art equipment allows obstetricians to get images of embryos as small as 3 millimeters (1/10") long.  Twin births can only be determined by an ultrasound scan, where the radiologist or doctor can physically see the contents of the womb.  One in 80 live births are twins.  Many more are conceived than 1 in 80, but due to a strange phenomenon called 'vanishing twin syndrome'; one of the twins will disappear from the womb.   

For reasons unknown, many women conceive with an egg that splits (that should bear twins), and even though the two embryos can be detected on the early ultrasounds, one is missing in subsequent ultrasounds.  In cases of vanishing twin syndrome the one that does not survive the early stage of the pregnancy is absorbed back into womb with no harm to the surviving embryo.  Because of the emotional complications of vanishing twin syndrome, some obstetricians suggest to their patients that they should not get excited about twins until they have reached the twelve week mark, where the vanishing twin syndrome is no longer a concern.

As with any pregnancy, feelings of nausea, tiredness, fatigue, cravings for and aversions to certain foods or smells, along with morning sickness often present themselves when you are pregnant with multiples.  However, with a twin pregnancy, the fatigue can be much greater, due low iron levels (Anemia), the weight gain is steeper and many women suffer from constipation and bloating.  Other concerns with a twin pregnancy are back pain from the additional weight and shortness of breath from higher levels of Progesterone and the pressure applied against the mother's lungs and internal organs.

Once you learn that you are pregnant with twins you will begin seeing double for the rest of your life.  Your obstetrician appointments nearly double, as twin pregnancies require extra monitoring.  The organization and nesting that you were preparing the nursery for will likely double, you will need to have a place for everything and have everything in it's place to efficiently care for your two new additions. Your folic acid intake should likely be doubled to ward off birth defects- discuss this with your doctor.  The typical dose for a single birth pregnancy is 0.4 milligrams and a twin pregnancy is approximately 1.0 milligrams; your doctor can properly advise you.

Precautionary measures and proactive steps should be taken to ensure that you carry your babies as close to term as possible.  The danger signs of bleeding, pain and/or discharge are the same as that of a single pregnancy, but you should always err on the side of caution if you suspect that something is wrong or that you might be going into labor early.  Premature birth is always a possibility with twins, and with premature babies complications can arise.  Preeclamsia is closely related to Toxemia and Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH), and is also common among twin pregnancies.  It occurs in the 2nd and 3rd trimester or the middle to late portion of your pregnancy, and can be fatal.  Symptoms of Preeclampsia are severe headaches, vision problems that include blurring and flashing lights, pain in the upper abdominal area, vomiting and sudden swelling of the feet, ankles, fact and hands.  The presence of protein in the urine and high blood pressure are characteristics of Preeclampsia.  It is estimated that the condition affects 5%-8% of all pregnancies.

With a little double worrying and double weight gain, a double baby shower and double baby delivery later, you will be on your way to being a 'Mom of Multiples' in no time. Congratulations!