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Did Your Newborn Suffer Cerebral
Palsy or Another Brain Injury Before
or During Labor and Delivery?
Get a FREE guide of resources available throughout Ohio to children and families of children who were born with brain injuries.
Our guide can help you build a foundation of knowledge and tools that will help you help your child
now and in the future.
You take a pregnancy test and are thrilled at the positive see you see. You’re going to have a baby! You visit the doctor regularly to ensure your little one’s health. At one visit, the doctor announces that they are seeing not one but two babies on the ultrasound. You’re having twins.
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Besides the initial shock that you are carrying more than one baby, you may wonder what to expect. Will it be different than being pregnant with a single baby? Carrying multiples can be quite unique, but it is also a wonderful time if you know what to expect.
The only conclusive way to know you are having more than one baby is with an ultrasound, but there may be other early indicators. For instance, a doctor may hear more than one heartbeat. However, what sounds like a second heartbeat is often the first one from a different angle. The mother’s heartbeat may make enough noise to drown out the second heartbeat.
Some women experience more morning sickness or it starts earlier when they are carrying multiples. This isn’t a sure sign though because other women get very sick even if they are only carrying a single baby.
The average weight gain for women who are carrying multiples is ten pounds, which isn’t enough of a difference to tell if they are carrying one or multiples. Some women just gain more weight when they are pregnant.
If you discover you’re carrying more than one baby, the first thing you can expect is a range of emotions. You can easily go from feeling excited to panicked. Since women are often more emotional during pregnancy because of the hormone changes, it’s not surprising that this news would affect them in a big way. It can be a little daunting to imagine having two helpless infants to care for.
You should also expect to see your doctor more often. They will likely schedule regular visits closer together, especially as you enter your third trimester. There is a greater risk for complications with multiples, and they will want to watch you and the babies closely.
You’re also more likely to give birth earlier when you are carrying more than one baby. In fact, full term is considered to be 37 weeks with twins instead of 39 - 40 with a single baby. Many women who are pregnant with twins or more will give birth early. They are more likely to have a c-section for delivery.
You may be at a higher risk for many health issues when you carry twins or triplets. While issues like anemia and gestational diabetes can occur with any pregnancy, there is a higher risk for mothers of multiples. You should also not be surprised if one twin is significantly larger than the other twin or one is quite a bit smaller than the others with triplets. While it’s possible for the babies to be similar in size, it’s not considered unusual for one to have a significant difference in size.
Don’t let the feelings of fear or being overwhelmed keep you from enjoying the news of being pregnant with multiples. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have. They will work with you to have a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Besides the initial shock that you are carrying more than one baby, you may wonder what to expect. Will it be different than being pregnant with a single baby? Carrying multiples can be quite unique, but it is also a wonderful time if you know what to expect.
The only conclusive way to know you are having more than one baby is with an ultrasound, but there may be other early indicators. For instance, a doctor may hear more than one heartbeat. However, what sounds like a second heartbeat is often the first one from a different angle. The mother’s heartbeat may make enough noise to drown out the second heartbeat.
Some women experience more morning sickness or it starts earlier when they are carrying multiples. This isn’t a sure sign though because other women get very sick even if they are only carrying a single baby.
The average weight gain for women who are carrying multiples is ten pounds, which isn’t enough of a difference to tell if they are carrying one or multiples. Some women just gain more weight when they are pregnant.
If you discover you’re carrying more than one baby, the first thing you can expect is a range of emotions. You can easily go from feeling excited to panicked. Since women are often more emotional during pregnancy because of the hormone changes, it’s not surprising that this news would affect them in a big way. It can be a little daunting to imagine having two helpless infants to care for.
You should also expect to see your doctor more often. They will likely schedule regular visits closer together, especially as you enter your third trimester. There is a greater risk for complications with multiples, and they will want to watch you and the babies closely.
You’re also more likely to give birth earlier when you are carrying more than one baby. In fact, full term is considered to be 37 weeks with twins instead of 39 - 40 with a single baby. Many women who are pregnant with twins or more will give birth early. They are more likely to have a c-section for delivery.
You may be at a higher risk for many health issues when you carry twins or triplets. While issues like anemia and gestational diabetes can occur with any pregnancy, there is a higher risk for mothers of multiples. You should also not be surprised if one twin is significantly larger than the other twin or one is quite a bit smaller than the others with triplets. While it’s possible for the babies to be similar in size, it’s not considered unusual for one to have a significant difference in size.
Don’t let the feelings of fear or being overwhelmed keep you from enjoying the news of being pregnant with multiples. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have. They will work with you to have a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery.