The Symptoms of Pregnancy With Twins

David Viniker
If your pregnancy symptoms are earlier and more pronounced than you'd normally expect, you may be carrying a twin pregnancy. However, only a health professional can tell for sure.
1. You just feel that you are carrying more than one baby. Some mothers of twins (or higher order multiples) say that they knew right from the start that they were carrying more than one baby.
2. You experience more nausea and/or morning sickness. If you are having more than one baby, you may have an elevated hCG level (hCG is a pregnancy related hormone). This hormone is the one associated with morning sickness.
3. Other typical pregnancy symptoms may be exaggerated. Many women -- but not all -- who are pregnant with twins have more intense pregnancy symptoms, probably related to the extra hormones circulating through their system. You may find that your breasts are extremely tender, you have to urinate frequently, you are hungry all the time and you are always very tired.
4. A higher than average weight gain in the first 16 weeks may be your first clue that you're carrying more than one baby. Good weight gain in early twin pregnancy is associated with a favourable outcome.
With each additional fetus a woman carries, the range of weight gain will increase. For example, a woman who starts a pregnancy in a healthy weight range might expect her weight gain to be as follows:
One fetus, 11 kg (24 lb) to 16 kg (35 lb)
Twins, 16 kg (35 lb) to 20 kg (44 lb)
Triplets, 20 kg (44 lb) to 23 kg (51 lb)
Quads, 23 kg (51 lb) to 25 kg (55 lb)
5. Your uterus seems large for gestational age. If your last menstrual period indicates an eight-week gestation, your uterus may feel more like 10 to 12 weeks to your obstetrician. This may prompt a request for an ultrasound examination.
6. You are told that you have elevated levels of AFP. AFP is one of the chemicals tested to screen for Down’s syndrome and spina bifida abnormalities. AFP levels are higher in twin pregnancies.
7. Your health care provider hears two fetal heartbeats. Two separate heartbeats can be distinguishable with a Doppler in your care provider's office from around 18 weeks. At around 28 weeks, it may be possible to differentiate two fetal heads and multiple small parts when doing an abdominal exam.
8. You have a positive ultrasound. If you believe you are pregnant with twins, an ultrasound can be performed quite early in pregnancy. With a skilled ultrasonographer, two gestational sacs, two embryos and two distinct fetal heartbeats can be seen six weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period. Many twins have been diagnosed as early as five weeks -- when you're just one week late for your menstrual period.
9. In later pregnancy, you may experience difficulty catching your breath, swelling (oedema) of the hands and legs, an unusual rate of weight gain and abdominal enlargement and excessive fetal movement. Anaemia or low iron (decreased haemoglobin) is also common with twin and multiple pregnancies.
10. There is considerable disagreement among medical professionals as to whether a woman carrying twins is more likely to feel movement earlier. But many mothers do claim that those early flutters and flips were their first clue that they might be having more than one.
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Hope and a High Risk Pregnancy

Sally A. Connolly
A young mother with a high-risk pregnancy combines hope with positive action to successfully deliver her pre-term son.
Baby Jack arrived, safe and sound. While his mother shivered uncontrollably from the effects of the anesthesia, Daddy and doctor hustled the newborn to the awaiting cubicle where he passed his first test with flying colors. But within minutes, the sigh of relief felt throughout the delivery room was interrupted as Jack’s prematurity manifested itself. Without explanation to mother, father, or grandmother, Jack was whisked away. With father in tow and Nani close behind, Baby Jack sped to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Preterm birth, the latest research shows, is the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States. According to CDC researchers, birth before 37 weeks of gestation accounted for at least one-third of all babies' deaths in 2002. Most of these, two-thirds, occurred within the first twenty-four hours. The technology and expertise of the special personnel in the NICU would give Baby Jack, born at 35 weeks, every opportunity to survive and beat the odds. If, along with nutrients, Baby Jack had acquired the indomitable spirit of his mother, his chances of survival looked good.
After two uneventful, textbook pregnancies, Kelly’s third pregnancy with her first son ran into problems at fourteen weeks. Continual bleeding, at times heavy, was diagnosed as placenta abruption. The large blood clot behind the placenta was reabsorbed partially over time, but ultrasounds also showed placenta previa, a low lying placenta that covered part of the cervix. These two major complications posed a threat to both the baby and Kelly.
Hope, though, burned brightly throughout Kelly’s ordeal. It enabled her to meticulously follow her doctor’s orders. She ate nutritiously and didn’t smoke or use alcohol. She visited her obstetrician regularly. Between hospitalizations that meant twice weekly visits to the office or the hospital. Non-stress tests and ultrasounds for the baby became routine.
Most difficult of all for Kelly was the imposed bed rest. Caring for two active daughters, ages three and five, meant enlisting additional help from the already overburdened dad-to-be as well as friends, neighbors, and family. Meals were pre-cooked, babysitters volunteered their time, and Nani resurrected her chauffeuring talents.
Kelly’s faith bolstered her. She prayed, she remained inactive, and she waited. All with the goal of prolonging gestation and increasing the baby’s weight. The amazement in the doctor’s eyes when Kelly continued to appear week after week for her appointments was subtle, but nonetheless evident to both Kelly and her mother.
During Kelly’s last hospital stay, with her high risk pregnancy doctor on vacation, Kelly faced her greatest challenge. The inexact science of medicine reared its ugly head. Two days after being dismissed from high risk care, Kelly once again suffered an emergency. The four doctors in her chosen medical practice couldn’t agree on what to do. Two wanted to wait and see, to give the baby more time in its natural environment. The other two wanted to go ahead with a planned delivery and thus avoid an emergency C-section. The hospitalist stepped in with another opinion. Each day the plan, or lack of one, changed.
Frustrated by the conflicting opinions and her worsening condition, Kelly and her husband decided to move from the community hospital to a major medical center in Boston. The evening the decision was made, nurses helped Kelly and her husband think through their options. Their expertise and caring gave Kelly the strength to listen to her inner voice. She urgently felt the need to bring Baby Jack into the world.
Kelly’s faith carried her through. The following day, in a planned C-section, the beautiful baby shed his yellow and cracking placenta and the grey umbilical cord that crumbled in the nurse’s hand. He wailed his first cry. Statistics show that only 7% of the deaths attributable to preterm birth occur after the first four weeks. Baby Jack made it through the first two weeks in the hospital, learning how to continue breathing on his own through the night and through his feedings and learning how to regulate his temperature. Now nine weeks old, Baby Jack has an emerging smile, and Kelly and her family maintain hope that the smile means all systems are go for Baby Jack.

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How To Calculate Your Pregnancy Due Date

by: Gen Mason
Finding out that you’re pregnant is a very happy time. There are so many things to do like buying a crib, diapers, stroller, and much, much more!
Nine months seems like an eternity when you first find out you’re pregnant, but it really is not. There are so many milestones that happen and so much to do it will go by in a flash.
So you’re pregnant, what is a due date and when is it?
Your due date is the date that is given to you of when you can expect to go into labor. The dates are not usually very accurate. More often women go into labor with 2 weeks of the expected due date.
The most accurate way to determine a due date is when the woman knows the day of conception. This rarely happens so normally due dates are determined by using the 1st day of the woman’s last period. Normally the total gestation time is added to the 1st day of the last period minus 2 weeks.
Example:
The total gestation time is 40 weeks (9 months). If the woman’s last period was on October 1st, 2005, you would add for weeks to that date and the date you would have then would be July 1st, 2006. You take away 2 weeks from this date and you have June 15th, 2006. So your due date would be June 15th.
This method is called the LMP Method (last menstrual period).
Two weeks are taken away from the 40 weeks because it is said that women can ovulate within 2 weeks of their last period.
Another interesting way to calculate your due date is called Naegle’s Rule. As with LMP, Naegle’s Rule also uses the first day of your last period.
Calculate the 1st day of your last period.
Count back 3 months from that day
Add 7 days
This is another easy way to calculate your due date.
Ultrasounds can also give an expecting mother her due date. Ultrasound technicians use the ultrasounds to determine the baby’s age by looking at different body parts and organs.
There are also many online websites for expectant mothers that offer pregnancy due date calculators. These calculators often use the LMP method by asking you to put in the first day of your last period and calculating your due date from there. The calculators not only give the mothers a due date to anticipate, but can also be used to mark the different milestones of pregnancy.
For example:
the time when a baby develops organs
2nd trimester
3rd trimester
and your due date
In ancient times women used the different phases of the moon. When a woman suspected that she could be pregnant she would look at the moon and what phase it was in. Over time she would count how many times the moon was in that phase. At the 10th time the moon entered into that phase and the 10th period she missed, the woman would know she was due soon.
Dr. Naegle (with Naegle’s Rule) determined that the ancient way was also an accurate way to determine a due date since a woman’s cycle seems to follow by the moon’s cycle.
Although the ancient way is no longer used it normally came pretty close. Whether you want to calculate the moon’s phases or use LMP to calculate it, there are many, many ways to find out a round about date as to when your new baby will be born!
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Exercise During Pregnancy - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

by: Colleen Langenfeld
Are you pregnant? Has your doctor told you to get moving in some way, to do some sort of exercise? (By the way, ALWAYS check with a doctor before beginning an exercise program.)
Exercise can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. Here is some food for thought if you are struggling with starting an exercise program during your pregnancy.
  • The Good.
You need to exercise during pregnancy. You need to gently stretch and stay as flexible as possible. This can make a huge difference in the quality of your delivery and recovery.
I know. I've had four full time pregnancies and I've experienced firsthand the difference staying flexible can make. Exercise also keeps your body working at a higher efficiency rate which will help you sleep better and improve your digestion, two things not to be taken lightly during pregnancy.
The difference exercise during pregnancy can make for your post-partum recovery is amazing. Again, I can tell you from firsthand experience, that a comfortable and reasonable fitness routine (simple walking is terrific) can help your body 'snap back' like nothing else.
Physical exercise has been shown to improve moods. Girlfriend, we know how to have moods when we're pregnant, don't we? Enough said.
And don't forget this vital point. A healthier mom means a healthier baby. How can you argue with that?
  • The Bad.
Exercise performed during pregnancy is different than exercise at other times. You've got to be extra-sensitive to your body needs. You've got to go slower and be willing to stop sooner. You must be willing to be flexible in your choice of exercise, too. If you like to run, you probably won't be able to keep that up your entire pregnancy. Of course, that choice will be between you and your doctor.
Still, all those points have a silver lining. A great exercise for pregnancy is swimming. And hey, no one cares what you look like in a bathing suit! In fact, being pregnant is a wonderful time to celebrate the beauty of your body. Take advantage, buy a cute suit, and head for the water.
An additional safety point to consider when you exercise is not to overheat. I've experienced this, as well, and it is not fun. I was only fourteen weeks pregnant, but the weather was hot and humid. I was playing horseshoes (hardly an aerobic sport), but after a short time I was feeling terrible. The people around me were commenting on how flushed I looked. When I went inside it took a very long time for me to cool down, much longer than normal.
So be careful. Exercise during pregnancy is meant to benefit you and your baby, but that means it needs to be moderate and regulated. Save the Olympics for later.
  • The Ugly.
You're pregnant. You feel sick. You're tired. Exercise?? Are you crazy?
It's true. Even the most die-hard fitness gal often finds motivation for exercise during her pregnancy much more difficult. So if you are not a regular exerciser, you're wondering how you can possibly pull this off. Even if you know it's very important to your health and your baby's well-being, it can be hard to simply get started.
The number one recommendation I can give you is to not to do this on your own. It's just too big of a leap during this season in your life. The great news is you have some excellent options that can make your exercise time downright fun.
Look for an exercise system or group specifically designed for pregnant women. (For a detailed review of such a system, see the author's resource box following this article.) Look for one that gives abundant support. This is crucial! You need to be in regular contact with other exercising pregnant women. This will give you the motivation you need to keep up your exercise program even when you don't feel like it.
Let's face it. You'll need someplace to vent and share openly about your pregnancy experiences. An exercise group of other moms-to-be could be a very, very helpful thing to you. I highly recommend it.
So do something wonderful for yourself and your baby today and get moving!
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The Early Signs of Pregnancy

by: Shalene Chamings
One of the early signs of pregnancy is morning sickness. Sometimes nausea is made worse by fatigue, temperature fluxuations, certain smells and even the sight of food. Morning sickness may even be accompanied by vomiting. The truth is while nausea is one of the early signs of pregnancy and labeled "morning sickness" it may not strike a pregnant woman just in the mornings. Morning sickness and all its discomfort can occur at any time . . . even in the middle of the night. While morning sickness is one of the early signs of pregnancy that generally goes away after the first trimester, there are women who experience morning sickness during their entire pregnancies. Smells, certain foods and other things may cause nausea in a pregnant woman at any time during her pregnancy.
Morning sickness is said to be brought on by changes in a pregnant woman's hormones. The human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone that is relatively high during the first few months of pregnancy. HCG, changes in estrogen levels and even changes in blood glucose levels can bring about morning sickness. One way to combat a drop in blood glucose is for pregnant women to always keep food in their stomachs. While eating may be the last thing on a woman's mind if morning sickness is one of her early signs of pregnancy, an empty stomach can make nausea worse.
Eating small snacks throughout the day can go far in helping a woman to combat nausea. Pregnant women who suffer from nausea can usually tolerate eating small snacks. This is usually easier for a woman that trying to consume two or three large meals each day. Pregnant women are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids. This can help to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can occur if a woman is having a lot of vomiting with her morning sickness.
While nausea and morning sickness is one of the most common early signs of pregnancy, it can be very frightening. If a pregnant woman has many episodes of vomiting and it is causing her to lose weight she should notify her OB/GYN. There are occasions when a pregnant mother may have to be put on intravenous fluids or given medication. It is important to note that a doctor will be able to determine if a pregnant woman is experiencing normal morning sickness or if she has an underlying medical condition that is causing her to vomit and lose weight. Other causes of nausea and vomiting could include peptic ulcer disease, gall bladder disease, appendicitis, hepatitis, infections, kidney insufficiency and more. If you are pregnant and you think you are experiencing more than just a dose of morning sickness that accompanies the early signs of pregnancy, you should consult your doctor immediately.
In addition to nausea, other early signs of pregnancy can include changes in breast sensitivity. Many women report that their breasts become very tender and feel full and heavy. Spotting very early in the first few weeks of pregnancy is also fairly common. However, this spotting should be reported to your doctor. Normal spotting will generally be accompanied with a yellow colored mucous. Lack of energy and fatigue is also one of the common early signs of pregnancy as well as frequent urination. Energy levels generally return during the second trimester only to fall again during the third trimester. Many women report they feel the need to frequently urinate throughout their entire pregnancies, while others report this as just a problem during the first and third trimesters.
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