Lauren and Charlotte are nearly 12 years old and have their own opinions on EVERYTHING! As a parent of twins myself, I often wonder how their relationship will be when they are older. So to find out, Twinfo conducted a Twinterview with Lauren and Charlotte separately and it is interesting to hear the similarities and differences in their answers.

Are you identical twins or fraternal twins?

C: Identical

L: Identical

What do you like best about being a twin?

C: You always have someone there for you.

L: My twin is always there for me as a friend.

What do you like least about being a twin?

C: You have to share your stuff

L: Sharing

Were you in the same classes at school? Why was that?

C: Yes, until year 6. Because of Mum!!

L: Yes, until year six because Mum wanted us to be independent.

What is your favourite thing about your twin???

C: She is a great drawer and she plays with me so I am never alone!

L: She comforts me when I am sad.

What similarities do you have with your twin?

C: We are good drawers and have curly hair.

L: We wear glasses and are good at drawing.

What differences do you have to your twin?

C: More confident and more sporty

L: Faces are different shapes. I have earrings and she does not. Her hair is longer than mine. I like dogs and she likes cats.

What is the stupidest question someone has asked you about being a twin?

C: Are you twins?

L: Are you two twins?

Author: Twinfo

About our twins

Our twins were born six weeks early, right in the middle of June. In QLD, the cut off for the school year is 30 June. We immediately made the decision that they were NOT going to school ‘the year they were meant to’. If they did they literally would have been the youngest in their year. I’m so pleased that we made this decision right from the start as it removed a lot of the angst later on. I saw so many of my friends struggle with this decision, but for us it was an easy decision. Of course there were some moments when I questioned if we were doing the right thing, but we stayed firm and stuck to our original decision. We have now completed our first year at school, and I am grateful for our decision.

Twins starting school – choosing a school

While we didn’t have any dilemmas in holding our children back a year, we had major dilemmas about which school to send them to. Initially the school I really was keen on was a larger, well-established, public school, with a good reputation, about 10 min drive away. We were guaranteed, due to the size, that we could always split them up into separate classes if needed. However I didn’t get a community vibe from them. Then one day I drove that way for an appointment at school drop off time and realised that the traffic and parking was absolutely hideous. It would take me at least 20-25 minutes to get them to school each morning. So we investigated our much smaller, but very local public school, which had a fabulous community feel and ended up choosing that.

Eventually we may face the issue of there not being two separate classes (ie to separate them if needed), but we will face that when and if it happens. Since starting school, we have discovered that 4 of their classmates live within a block of us, and there are lots of people who live within walking distance to the school who can collect the kids if needed and we can now ride our bikes to school. If we were going to the other school it would mean we wouldn’t have that easily accessible and local support network. Once they start going for unsupervised weekend playdates I feel like I am going to be grateful again that we live so locally to our school community.

Other points to put into consideration

Other points I took into consideration when looking at schools were the extra curricular activities the school offered, what languages they offered, if they have an onsite pool and the size of their school oval. The reason for the last two points is that it can get quite expensive if they need to be bussed to another school or council pool for swimming lessons or sports days. It also is quite time consuming, so they lose out on a significant chunk of learning time each week.

First year of school

Our twins are girl/boy and we decided to put them in the same class. Because they are girl/boy, they naturally have different interests/behaviours /skills etc. So for us, there was no need to separate them as they are generally always treated as two different people, rather than “the twins”. Initially they were playing together at lunchtime, but I think that was more because all the Prep kids were playing together in the separate ‘Prep only’ area. Now they are more confident at school they are venturing to other areas within the school, such as the sandpit, the library or the tennis courts and thus not spending every lunchbreak together. I did also ask the teacher to ensure they were separated for group activities, which she was fine about and has always ensured that this happens.

Why Prep is Important

Someone once said to me that if you could take any time off work, to do it while they were in Prep. And now I see why. Prep is the main opportunity to meet all the kids AND all their parents. You will be spending the next 7 years with these families. So I feel it is important to build those relationships right from the start. In Prep you need to drop off and collect your kids from the classroom, so there are lots of opportunities to meet the other families.

It only took a few weeks before a group of us were meeting at the school at least 15 minutes before the bell for a chat about our day. And since then we have all had to call upon each other to pick up our kids as we are stuck in traffic or sick etc. It’s given me a great opportunity to meet the local mums and dads, and no doubt in the future (once we no longer need car seats!) we will be helping each other out by taking care of each other’s children in the afternoons. By forming these friendships I feel very comfortable that there are a number of people I fully trust, should something happen and my kids need some help.

Prep is HARD work

Let me assure you – no matter how much they tell you it’s play based. It isn’t!!! It is so full on. Our kids have learnt such an amazing amount of “stuff” in just a few terms. I am constantly blown away by how much they suddenly know. Unfortunately they have also learnt a whole lot of “stuff” I would have preferred them not to have learnt in the playground!!!!!

Initially we had a bit of an issue with trying to do their homework and learning their sight words, as they would keep ‘helping’ or ‘telling’ the other person, which sometimes even lead to arguments. I’ve managed to get around that by developing strategies such as playing games with them both at the same time to learn their sight words. We got this cool big foam dice that has a slip in pocket on each side. So they roll that back and forth and say their sight words to each other. Means I can get on with cooking dinner whilst being nearby to assist as needed.

Currently both our children are on the same level in all things at school

One is a better reader and one is a much better hand writer, but they are both at the same levels. I know a few friends with multiples who have had issues with one child being on a higher level than the other, but I can’t offer any advice on this. I do recall when our first lot of sight words came home, and our boy basically already knew them and just wasn’t interested in doing them. Our girl however didn’t know them and just didn’t seem to grasp she had to ‘learn’ them. As a result he got all of his correct and went on to the next ones. Whereas she was sent home with the same ones!

I didn’t realise that she didn’t understand that she had to get them all right to move onto the next ones. And she cried and cried and cried when she found out he was doing new words and she wasn’t. However, she got over it and promptly decided to learn both sets (hers and his) for next week and she insisted that her teacher tested her on both. She passed all 12 words and they both moved up to the third level together and since then have always been on the same level.

Term Four

On term four, they were both put into the same group for group work. I couldn’t work out why they were together as I had specifically asked them to always be separate in group activities. It turns out that the whole class has been split up into “reading levels”, and because they are in the same level they are in the same group. Which makes sense now.

Twins starting school – an overview of our first year

We have had a few “twin issues” along the way. For example, the kids were in different groups for group activities, and each week one group gets a prize for the most points. Our boy twins group (blue group) got first place and they were allowed to select something from the lucky dip box. He promptly selected something that he saw that he immediately thought his twin sister might like, as she wasn’t getting a prize. So he took that and gave it to her. The teacher witnessed this, and thought it was “so sweet” that she allowed him another lucky dip prize for himself. While I can see it from her point, I was not as enthusiastic about it. As this meant that the blue group PLUS our girl twin (who was in the red group) got a prize and no one else in the red group did.

All in all Prep has been fairly smooth sailing. I just know that if they had started a year earlier they would have really been struggling. While I suspect they would have held up their own academically, there is just no way emotionally they were ready. We have had no issues with keeping them in the same class and we are looking forward to starting year one this year.

Author: Twinfo

As published in Essential Baby – link here

When it comes to multiples starting school, the main question every parent has to consider is “should they be in the same class, or should they be separated”. This obviously is only a point of consideration if your school has more than one class per year. It is also worth checking your schools policy, as some schools may have a policy regarding multiple birth families.

As parents of girl/boy twins who started school this year, this was something that we discussed a lot. In the end, we decided to keep them together for the first year. Then we will reply on teacher’s advice, the kid’s personal input and out thoughts to make the decision for next year.

These are the reasons that we decided to keep our twins together for the first year of school.

Why we decided to keep our twins together for the first year of school.

1. There is currently no research to state that splitting multiples up in the first year of school is beneficial (unless there are underlying issues).

2. Should the there be a problem, they would be of comfort to each other during the transition to school. Also, if they struggled with making friendships they would have each other.

3. Being a girl and a boy they naturally have their own interests and have different strengths and weaknesses.

4. Being non identical, and girl/boy the teacher is less likely to compare them to each other.

5. When speaking to their previous kindergarten teacher, they had no concerns that would warrant us splitting them up.

6. They are not dependant on each other. They do comfort each other, and they do know that the other ‘has their back’. So to speak if they feel the need for some reassurance. I’ve seen them be a bit uncertain in an unfamiliar location and hold each other’s hand. But as soon as they are confident they are off and away and doing their own thing.

7. They get along amazingly well and when they do have conflict, it is relatively minor.

8. All of us (them and me) are ‘learning’ how school works. I’m hopeful that between the three of us, one of us will know whats going on!

9. If there is an ‘event’ happening in their class, it’s easier for me/my husband/grandparents/aunts and uncles to attend.

10. Our girl twin has a speech disorder. While we do not rely on her twin brother to interpret, we know that should she be really upset about something in the classroom that he will be able to tell the teacher what is wrong with her.

11. It’s easier for me, as the parent. Let’s be honest, I realise that I’m not the most important person in this scenario, but trust me, if life is easier for me, then life is easier for everyone!

    • Same homework

    • Same class timetable (ie PE on the same day, library on the same day)

    • Same room for drop off and pick up

    • Only one class of kids to get to know

    • Only one class to try to remember the parents’ names!

    • Same day for ‘special events’ ie morning teas etc

    • Only one class of friends to invite to the birthday party

    • Back to back parent teacher interviews

    • Easier for me to speak to the teacher, if required

    • There is a likelihood that BOTH kids may be invited to the same birthday party

    • I get to know ALL the kids and the parents in the class. Whereas my friends with one boy seem to know only the boys names/parents and the same with the parents of the girls in the class.

    • I don’t feel torn between two classes so can spend more time in the classroom i.e. helping with reading and helping with swimming etc.

Reflections on our twins first year of school

As I reflect on our twins first year of school, I can honestly say that I have had no problems this year in them being in the same class. The only niggling thing that I can think of, that may have been slightly unfair is for my boy twin, is in that he gets into minor trouble occasionally (i.e. not listening, or talking to his friends when he should be working etc.). He is pretty good at telling me straight away, but if he doesn’t do it before we get home my girl twin will tell me all about it!!! It’s never anything major, but he now feels compelled to tell me about the smallest incident in case his twin beats him too it!

A few weeks ago we spoke to them both, both separately and together. They have no real preferences so will be staying together next year, in year one. Our approach for the future is to be flexible. We will discuss it with their teachers and with them at the end of each year and see what is best for everyone. Our school is quite small, and there is no guarantee that there will always be two classes. Obviously when they get to high school they will probably do different subjects, thus they will be in a lot of separate classes.

Author: Beth Pettrey

About our twins

Our girl/boy twins, Claire and Owen, have always had a disruptive relationship towards each other. Prior to school we had not had an opportunity to trial splitting them up as neither our daycare nor our Kindy (or preschool in other states) had separate rooms to suit their age bracket. At Kindy they managed their behaviour towards each other by making sure they never sat next to each other during group time (i.e. normally opposite sides of the circle) as they would distract each other. When it came to school we had already decided to spilt them into separate classes. However, this was reinforced when Owen told us directly that he didn’t want to be in the same class as Claire. Considering this was literally the only comment he ever made about going to school we thought it was important to validate his comment!

About our school

Our school has nearly 600 students and has four Prep (the first year of school in QLD) classes. Additionally, there are four sets twins in their year. Two of which have been spilt up and two sets which have remained together. Owen has G/G twins in his class and Claire has one of the split twins in her class. Our school will always have more than one class per grade. So we will always be able to have them in different classes if we decide this is best for them.

Things to consider when having your twins in separate classes

We were asked at the Prep interview who of their Kindy friends we would like in our class at Prep. There were five children from our Kindy attending our school. However, once the classes were allocated, Claire ended up with 4 of their Kindy friend’s and Owen only had one in his class. So consider who each twin friend’s are and don’t be surprised if there’s not an even split. For us, Claire having the “friend’s” wasn’t a bad thing, as she would have had more of an issue if they were all in Owen’s class. Whereas Owen didn’t particularly care who was in his class.

School information nights

The Prep information night was held on the same night, but held by the individual teachers in their individual rooms. My husband, Matt, works FIFO and was away at the time. Rather than flit between different rooms and potentially miss important information, I had to rope in my brother in law to attend one and take notes for me while I attended the other one.

Check how far their classrooms are apart

Ours are in adjoining classroom and do have a connecting area between the two classroom. However parents aren’t allowed to use this so we have to leave one classroom and go outside to classroom during drop off and pick up. For pick up at the beginning I stood outside between the classrooms so both of them could see me. The teachers knew to look out for me, as they are not allowed to let them go until they physically see someone is there to collect them.

Tell people they are twins

The teachers and parents will not automatically know that they are twins. So it is worth mentioning to the teachers so they understand why you are potentially ducking in and out. Some of the parents didn’t know until their birthday in July that they were twins!! It was also strange to be call just ‘Claire’s Mum’ or just ‘Owen’s Mum’ after 5 years of being Owen and Claire’s (or the twins) Mum!

Friendships with twins in separate classes

Claire and Owen are capable of forming their own friendships. However, due to their volatile relationship Claire likes to try ‘borrow’ Owen’s friends and make them hers but thankfully this has diminished as the year has gone on.

Readers and sight words

Both children have pretty much stayed at the same level for both. So this has made it easy for homework and has reduced any potential for argument. Readers often show up in one classroom, and a week later in the other room, so you do think you live a bit in groundhog day. Sometimes they go to class already knowing some of the books, (not a bad thing in our world!)

Different days for library and PE etc with twins in separate classes

Our Library days are different so I’ve put a reminder in my calendar to make sure Owen took his books back on Monday and Claire on Thursday. Also need to keep an eye on which book belongs to which child to ensure they go back on the correct day. As the year has gone on they know what day is their Library day and books so not as big an issue. PE days are also on different days, so they need to wear their sports uniform on different days.

Different teachers mean different rules

One thing that surprised me is that each teacher does things quite differently, for example with their reading groups. One teacher uses parent helpers (Owen) and the other the other teacher doesn’t (Claire). As parents, Matt and I have both volunteered for Owen’s class, which has raised questions from Claire as to why we don’t come to her class, so we have had to explain to her that her teacher hasn’t asked for parent helpers. She’s happy with this explanation but it’s worth finding out what each Teacher does if you’re looking to volunteer.

Volunteering in the class with twins in separate classes

Swimming lessons were both on the same day. So I would go a volunteer for both class (not in the pool just spotting from the side) as it was either both classes or neither class to stop any questions or fights.

Birthday Party’s

We have made an effort to only send the invited child to the party, but now most people know they are twins the invitation is often extended to both of them. Also I think because Claire has befriended a lot of Owen’s classmates then the connection between the two classes is stronger.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Don’t do back to back timeslots as we tried this for the first interviews. One of our teachers was running late so we missed the next interview slot so had to sit around to be slotted back in. I now do them with one interview timeslot in between. Then you don’t feel rushed to be at the next interview.

Deciding to keep twins in the same class!

Author: Shannon Badke

Finally after 2 years of trying, 30kg weight loss and 2 months of hormone injections I got a positive test. After bloods and waiting for an ultrasound I found out was 6 weeks pregnant. The scan showed 3 sacs and 2 heart beats!! I was so shocked but excited. We went back 2 weeks later at 8 weeks and had 3 heartbeats! Still so shocked but so excited.

Triplets: High-Risk Pregnancy with Loss and Hope

As I was in a high risk category, I sent off paper work to the Mater Mothers hospital to ask to be seen by midwives there. Our 12 week scan showed that we had lost one of our precious babies (MCDA twin to Jaxton) and one of the others (now baby A) had oligohydramnios which is a condition where baby has low fluid volume (less then 2cm). The hospital told us there was nothing they could do except wait another 4 weeks for another scan. We waited anxiously until out 16week scan. It showed baby B (DCDA twin to Jaxton) was a boy and perfectly healthy, but baby A’s sac still had near to no fluid.

The specialist did his talk and explained my waters was slowly leaking and to expect the worse. He told me about all these horrible things that COULD go wrong. Being that he didn’t have much fluid and even asked us if we would chose to terminate my pregnancy. This option was completely off the table; if he was still fighting I was not giving up on him. From 20 weeks I had weekly scans to check fluid levels but they never went above 1.8cm in the biggest pool.

Determination to Keep my Triplets

Although the doctor didn’t believe bed-rest would help, I decided to do it anyway. Spent the next 9 weeks sleeping on my recliner and moved around my house on a computer chair to minimise leakage. I had a few bleeding episodes where I was admitted overnight but everything else was fine. I had to keep a log of my temp and heart rate and stay off my feet as much as possible. At 29+3 I went into labour at home by the time I got to the hospital I wasn’t feeling well. I had developed a fever and had an infection. They tried to stop the contractions but decided it was time for them to come. As both boys were breech I was taken for a c section.

At 10:04 Jaxton Willoe (1350g) was born. I didn’t get to see him, as they ran off with him straight away because he wasn’t breathing. At 10:06 Leonardo Ace (1390g) was born. I got a quick look in the mirror but he was not breathing either they were both resuscitated and intubated. I had to wait in recovery for hours, as I keep having apnea episodes. Once I was stable they wheeled the bed into the NICU so I could see my boys. They were the most beautiful sight I could see. So tiny and hairy. Jaxton has some physical issues that stood out, and of course was horrible to see him look so squished.

I felt responsible and heartbroken

We were told his chances of living through the night were slim. So my immediate family met us in the room to say our possible goodbyes to my sweet baby. After a long night hand expressing my liquid gold, in the morning I got a call asking permission for Jaxton to have chest drain put in as his right rib cage was showing fluid, it was a success. It had been 24 hours since my 10 minute visit after they were born, and I was aching to see them. They were doing great, considering, and I was finally able to go down and see my boys again.

Healing and Hope for Jaxton and Leonardo

This was the start of our NICU stay. I wanted to spend as much time as possible as I could with them. However the pain of the c-section, and what with sitting all day, I wasn’t healing and my wound reopened. However I wasn’t worried about myself. I just wanted to make sure my boys were okay. Every day was a new adventure. Walking into the hospital to ask the nurse how my boys were overnight, what they had achieved and to hand in my bags and bags of expressed milk. Both had jaundice episodes, but other then needing help because of their premmie lungs they were very lucky healthy babies.

Leonardo only spent 24 hours intubated, and 9 days on c-pap with a total of 10 days and 14 hours with breathing support! Jaxton, whose waters broke at 16 weeks, was diagnosed with chronic neonatal lung disease. So he spent 6 days and 4 hours intubated and a total of 26 days 22 hours on c-pap and high-flow. Now at 7.5 months, he is on continuous low flow at home.

The Emotional Struggle

It was mentally exhausting going into hospital day in and day out, and having to leave my boys in hospital to go home to my husband and daughter at home. I felt judged by the other mothers and the nurses even if they weren’t, you still feel it; “was I in here enough today”, “did I ask the right questions”, “did I help enough”, “will they look at me weird if I talk to my babies through their incubators”.

Leonardo was 3 weeks old and wanting to breastfeed. It was an amazing feeling but I couldn’t help but feel pressured into it. I asked them to start offering bottles but they refused and said to just keep offering my breast near feeding time. Over the following weeks I fed Leonardo and tried to with Jaxton, but with all his tubes it was a lot harder. He also had horrible reflux and his tongue was always on the roof of his mouth. so breastfeeding wasn’t easy for him. Luckily the wonderful nurses at Logan hospital helped and were more then happy with me trying bottles. We got a few successful breastfeeds but he was exhausted within minutes, so I stuck to expressed milk in bottles for him and Leo. Plus breastfed Leo every feed I was in for.

Physiotherapy in Jaxton’s Recovery

Jaxton was seeing a physiotherapist daily for his feet and arms for stretching. She was great but not very informative on what she thought his condition was. This left us in the dark for a long time. Until we met an amazing physio at Logan hospital whom we still see today. She gave us print outs with photos oh how to do stretches for myself and the nurse on care looking after him. We were at Mater Mothers for 6 weeks waiting for Jaxton to come off high flow onto low-flow oxygen.

Then we were transferred to Logan Special Care, as it was closer for us to get to. We were there for for 2 weeks for Leonardo and 3 weeks for Jaxton. Both hospitals were amazing, and the staff were so helpful. I will never forget the ladies that helped save my boys. In the 62 and 68 days and I only ever stayed at home twice; once for my own mental wellbeing and the other was the day before Easter.

Overcoming Challenges and Embracing the Journey with Jaxton and Leonardo

I am so extremely proud of myself, and my two beautiful miracles, for what we have been though. The road never felt like it was going to end, but eventually we got there. And so began another journey for Jaxton, with feet casting and boots and bar for his club food and congenital vertical talus, and hand splints for both hands. We are still waiting for a MRI for his shoulder dislocation and underdeveloped shoulder sockets. I await the day we have a plan to help fix his arms so he can achieve all he is meant to. Jaxton and Leonardo are how 7.5 months old or 5 months corrected. Both are amazing sleepers and fill my day with endless love, laughter and smiles.

About our twins

Our twins were born six weeks early, right in the middle of June. IN QLD, the cut off for the school year is 30 June. We immediately made the decision that they were NOT going to school ‘the year they were meant to’. If they did they literally would have been the youngest in their year. I’m so pleased that we made this decision right from the start as it removed a lot of the angst later on. I saw so many of my friends struggle with this decision, but for us it was an easy decision. Of course there were some moments when I questioned if we were doing the right thing. But we stayed firm and stuck to our original decision. We have now completed our first year at school, and I am grateful for our decision.

Making the decision about delaying twins entry to school

We decided to do two years of Kindy (in QLD, Kindy is the year before school), at the same kindergarten. We chose to send our children to a stand-alone Kindy (as opposed to them attending a Kindy program in a long day-care setting). They started the year they were first ‘meant to attend’. My reason for that was to get them used to being with the exact same kids every day, just like at a school.

And wow, the difference in those kids in their first year of Kindy as opposed to their second year of Kindy was amazing. They were so much more confident, so much happier and so much more developed. By the end of the second year I could see such a huge difference between the kids that were at the youngest end as opposed to our two, who were now at the older end. There were four children (including our two) who repeated in their Kindy class. It was lovely to watch these four shine and take some of the newer, younger, kids under their wing and show them where things are and how things work.

We also decided to stay in the same room with the same teacher and assistant. Having the same teacher meant she knew their strengths and weaknesses. She focused a bit on this in order to make them as school ready as they could be, whilst in a 100% play based environment. Our twins are also only children, so they don’t have older siblings to learn from. Which was another reason why we thought that keeping them back would be beneficial.

Deciding whether to stay at the same Kindy or change Kindys?

Some people choose to delay Kindy. Some people choose to change Kindy after the first year. And others may decide to do their first year in a day-care setting. While their second year in a stand-alone Kindy. This decision will predominantly come down to personal circumstances. Such as finances and if you require specific hours of care for work.

We did find the last month or two of their second year of Kindy. Plus the school holiday period prior to them starting their first year at school, quite challenging. They were very ready to start school. And it was quite tough ensuing they had enough stimulation to satisfy their inquisitive minds.

Delaying twins entry to school: Our first year of Prep

All in all Prep (first year of school in QLD) has been fairly smooth sailing. I just know that if they had started a year earlier they would have really been struggling. While I suspect they would have held up their own academically, there is just no way emotionally they were ready.

I am lucky enough to spend a bit of time in the classroom with the kids (our twins are in the same class). I look at some of the youngest children in the class and see how much they are struggling with their emotional maturity. People generally immediately think of academic readiness when looking at school readiness. But emotional readiness is far more important, just ask any teacher. The teacher is qualified to teach them, regardless of their academic level. As a side note, there is one girl who is one of the youngest in their class. Academically and emotionally she is doing exceptionally well. However she is the youngest of 4 children and has been exposed to school life from almost the day she was born. So there are other aspects to consider than just date of birth.

In today’s society, many families are choosing to hold their children back a year. It is now widely accepted and not many people will question your decision. I have spoken to many people regarding this topic and I have never had a single person say they regret holding their child back. But I have had countless people say they wish they had held their child back.

Delaying twins entry to school: Things to consider for the future

The only two things that I can see that may possibly cause a problem, but these can also cause problems if they were on the younger side, is the fact that they will possibly be driving while they are still at school and some of their peers won’t be. Some may also be of legal age to drink alcohol and others will not be. However, I was schooled in NSW and this was the norm, and we all survived. The other issue is that stage I’m not looking forward to (but this is regardless of what year they started school!!) is the development of sexual maturity between 11-13 years. However, as with every other aspect of parenting, we will cross those bridges as they appear. Along with any others that may crop up along the way.

Author: Chelsea Millemaci

I was booked in for an elective planned caesarean section for twins on the 18/10/16 to have my little boys. Good date. I like even numbers. Why an elective section when both babies were head down? To put in simply and after having a year to look back and think about it. Fear. I was so scared of three things. One – being induced. I have only heard horror stories about induction, and most of these stories end up in emergency sections anyway. Two – pushing one out and the second one getting stuck and ending in a section anyway. Three – something happening to the babies during vaginal birth, the option of having a section made me feel more in control. If my babies were to get distressed, no worries. We had the support of a full medical team anyway.

Did I discuss these fears with a doctor? No. Should have I? Probably. Do I regret it? NO. I am proud of myself and confident I made the right decision regarding the birth of my baby boys. It was safe, swift and perfect. I have a glimmer of regret that I never felt labor. I feel a glimmer of sadness that I never got to push out a fresh beautiful baby and bring it to my chest. But who am I kidding? How much more can I ask for? I have two beautiful, healthy, thriving baby boys. I am the luckiest lady alive.

Preparing for a planned cesarean for twins

I was admitted to a large public tertiary hospital on the Monday 17^th October, the obstetrician wanted to give me a steroid injection to boost the strength of the babies’ lungs, as they will be born at 36+6 weeks gestation. Also, due to my gestational diabetes, my sugar levels needed to be monitored. I was calm. Not nervous, not anxious, I was excited. I was incredibly uncomfortable. I just couldn’t wait to feel not like a swollen, pained, tight incubator covered in itchy burning welt-like stretch marks (pregnancy is beautiful).

My Mum and husband Andrew kept me company that evening (I wont go into detail about the biggest needle I’ve ever seen that went into my butt containing wonderful lung strengthening steroid),. They went home at about 8ish and I wrote in my diary. That night I didn’t sleep a whole lot. Hospitals are obviously quite loud and busy. They aren’t compatible with a restful night. Neither is two almost full term babies kicking about inside you and having a dance off.

Planned cesarean for twins: The next morning Andrew arrived at about 6:30am

My lovely midwife Mel came and introduced herself. Mum popped in about 8am (my Mum is an RN who worked in the Special Care Nursery at the hospital and wanted to keep an eye on everything). I was due to go into theatre at about 8am, however it got delayed due to an emergency. At this stage I would say I wasn’t nervous. I was kicking back in bed in my hospital gown attached to the monitor watching the Today show. Mel popped in and said the last thing to check off was a catheter for me. It could either be popped in now while we were waiting or have it in theatre. I thought hey why not pop it in now, kill some waiting time. Mel was a professional and popped the catheter in, simple, easy, not painful just slightly uncomfortable.

Planned cesarean: It was this tube hanging out of my urethra that undid me.

I freaked out and I’m blaming pent up nerves, as I could have sworn I was weeing around the catheter. I could have sworn I was wetting the bed, this feeling amplified my anxiety (I am a Registered Nurse and I know very well that I wouldn’t have been weeing around the catheter), I needed to be out of bed now. NOW. Andrew didn’t really know what to do with me. In my flapping open butt baring gown and my pee bag I needed to be out of bed STAT. I hobbled to the toilet insisting I needed to wee (DUH Chelsea you had tube draining your bladder. You’re a NURSE. You KNOW THIS) and demanding poor Hubby and Mum to change my bed linen because I had wet the bed.

I can still feel the sensation now, like I was holding onto the biggest bladder full of wee and it was escaping. A full blown anxiety attack was heading my way. Luckily the orderly came to collect me as I remember thinking ‘God Chelsea, pull yourself together’ so people wouldn’t think I was crazy. So, deep breath, collect my thoughts and my sanity, clench my vagina muscles together to grip that bloody catheter, and get on the bed.

(Side note: later a more experienced midwife had a little laugh as I was telling her the worst bit about the birth was the catheter. She said NEVER put a catheter in a woman who has two babies, two placentas and a tonne of fluid pushing down, the pressure is too much to bare. Yeah. I’d agree with that.)

Undergoing a planned cesarean for twins

We ended up waiting in the theater waiting room for 45ish minutes. Andrew entertained me so I could think of something other than the catheter. It was weird. I was more focused on that bloody thing than the fact I was about to go into an operating suite, be sliced open and in an instant be made into a mother to two small infants? Yeah no biggie. Suddenly it all happened fairly quickly. We were wheeled in and introduced to the anesthetist.

At least 20 people buzzed around me purposefully doing their jobs. Obstetricians, a paediatrician, midwives, nurses, anaesthetists, interns, a team of professionals for myself and for each of the babies. Such an AMAZING well operated system, if I wasn’t overwhelmed I would be in awe.

Spinal injection – planned cesarean for twins

The anaesthetist asked me to wiggle over onto the operating table (“Um hello, no I can’t move, there is a tube up my vag” said my inner mind, “OK no worries” said Chelsea). He explained my spinal injection while the junior anaesthetist canulated me with the biggest needle I’ve ever seen (bigger than the one with the steroids) – they even used local before it was inserted. That didn’t hurt, honestly I could barley feel it, same with the spinal injection. Must be adrenaline, because they were some seriously big needles.

Before I knew it I was lying down and I couldn’t move my heavy legs.

I was fairly comfortable lying flat on my back. This happened faster than I could explain, too quick to become nervous, but not quick in an anxiety provoking way. More in a ‘wow they are so professional I feel so safe’ kind of way. The anesthetist was lovely. The obstetric team were trying to find the boys heart beats and they were having trouble finding twin ones (I wasn’t nervous, twin one was always hard to find). To distract us the anesthetist reassured Andrew he wasn’t in the way, encouraged him to feel comfortable, and informed us how many people in the room. Holy hell we were in good hands.

Planned cesarean for twins: At 10:52am a healthy little boy was born

Laying there, watching up at the lights trying to see exactly what was happening in the reflection. I felt some slight tugging but not even uncomfortable. They dropped the curtain and lifted my head up. I was surprised at myself. In the movies the mother gets overwhelmed with joy, she cries out “oh my baby”, and has tears of joy streaming down her face but all I remember seeing was a scrawny baby screaming.

I looked at him and felt calmness, relief and satisfaction. He was healthy, certainly a boy and was a splitting image of my brother Sam – weird. They delayed his cord clamp for 60 seconds as per protocol. My head got placed down and the curtain was tugged up again, and again I tried to watch for the reflection.

Planned cesarean for twins: 10:54am twin 2 was born

My head was guided up, and HOLY HELL I could breathe again! Yeah yeah there was my beautiful baby, slightly less scrawny than his older brother, again looking like his uncle Sam. However, these were fleeting thoughts because oh my god I could breath RIGHT to the bottom of my lungs!!!!! Again, 60 second wait before they clamped the cord and I lay down again.

A delicious sense of relief

An amazing combination of two healthy babies, a happy husband, the ability to breath to the bottom of my lungs and morphine. What a heady delightful feeling. I was happy just lying back letting the doctors stitch me back up. Andrew cut the cords for both boys, even after he always confidently stated never would he ever cut the cords – I guess he got lost in the moment. The nursing, midwifery and medical staff were all very excited. They were asking if the boys had names – of course they had names!

We found out at 20 weeks they were both boys.

We argued and wrestled with countless names. Twin one was always going to be Leo, Leo Mack was decided on quickly. I don’t really know why, mainly because we both agreed. Sidney Lloyd took a lot more discussion, but we got there in the end. I remember being a bit flustered when we were asked the names. I didn’t want them written down wrong, or I didn’t want them misheard. But we got them out, we told them – twin one is Leo and twin two is Sid. One by one the babies were placed on my upper chest, I can’t remember who I got first.

This was an awkward moment, again, not as amazing as I imagined. I could barely see my babies, they were beautifully wrapped with their heads tucked in to protect them from the cold theatre. I wasn’t wearing my glasses and to be honest I was getting a little nauseated. Andrew, Leo Mack and Sidney Lloyd left to go to the special care nursery to be properly assessed. I was taken to recovery. It was an incredibly busy day in the hospital on October 18^th. The staff were flat out and I kept bleeding. My midwife didn’t have a break all day, so it was a couple of hours until I got to see the boys again.

Planned cesarean for twins: Special Care Unit

I was wheeled into the special care unit, Andrew was there with Mum. Leo was tiny, he had a feeding tube down his nose, both boys had been given a formula feed. They were perfect really and I had another awkward cuddle in the middle of that unit before I was wheeled to my room. Thankfully, that afternoon Sid was cleared from special care nursery so he came to room in with Andrew and I and it was then I really got to study my little boy. I fed him and cuddled him and loved him. Leo stayed in the unit over night, but he came up to me for breastfeeds where I got to cuddle, study and love him. He was cleared from the unit and the feeding tube removed the next day.

My thoughts about my planned cesarean for twins

There were a few factors about having an elective cesarean section that made me feel like I was missing out on having a wonderful birth. Mainly missing out on immediate skin to skin time. As a registered nurse who has always been interested in midwifery I did a lot of reading. I read countless birth stories, blogs and articles and almost everything I read stressed the importance of immediate skin to skin time for Mum and baby. For bonding, for breastfeeding, for temperature regulation, for the prevention of PND. So many important benefits I would miss out on.

However, in my particular circumstance none of that mattered as when all the visitors had gone home I had my special bonding time in our hospital room. And when the staff had left us to our own devices I was able to hold my babies close, whisper to them, smell them and look after them.

Author: J Moore

From the moments I was told I was expecting twins it was so surreal. I would never have thought at the time that I would have a viral twin baby momma dance! I was laughing and crying. Crying only because we had planned baby #3 thinking we would be able to be financially stable enough to have “one more”. I didn’t have morning sickness or any big complications but the biggest hurdle for me was my OB. At my 12 week appointment my OB told me that he’d be booking in a cesarean at 37 weeks, after 2 natural births. My friend who was also a twin Mum having hers naturally, I knew it was possible.

However they weren’t giving me any options to have them naturally. I left the appointment in tears and my partner and I vowed to at least try to see if I could find an OB that would help me attempt a natural birth – don’t get me wrong, if the babies were breech I’d take the doctors advice and go for the cesarean, but I wanted the option of natural if everything lined up.

Twin baby momma dance: Having twins in the public system

Being in the public system we really didn’t have many options without paying out of pocket. However there was one junior doctor at one of my many appointments that saved my bacon. At about 27 weeks I was going to my fortnightly doctors clinic, and saw a junior doctor. I ended up bursting into tears in that appointment. When he asked me what was wrong I let it all out. I was scared about being forced into the cesarean. I wanted healthy babies and would do it if needed, but didn’t want it booked in so early. After calming down and talking he told me he would transfer me onto the service of another OB who was the only person in the hospital that successfully helps twin mums have the option of natural IF twin A is engaged. I’d never been more excited and thankful to another person!

Twin baby momma dance: Feeling a lot more at ease

After meeting with my new OB I felt a lot more at ease. I’d have my natural birth with an epidural (you win some you lose some) as long as twin A was engaged. I was 30w at this stage and both babies were breech! I was going to the pool daily trying to get them to turn. At a routine scan at 32w showed that twin As cord flow was slower and had to be admitted to hospital for monitoring. It was scary to think of things didn’t improve then I could be delivering my little cherubs! It was at this stage I went on maternity leave from my job as a supermarket manager.

I had reached my goal of 30w at work but I was in so much pain. Walking was hard I felt like this was the final straw. The next morning at the ultrasound it showed that the cord flow had improved. The baby may of been squishing the cord, but I was fine to go home but come in for ultrasounds every second day. It was hard juggling a 4yo, 2yo and going to all of these appointments, but I managed!

A twin baby momma dance

My friends and I had always joked about doing a “baby momma” dance, and after a vivid dream of giving birth, at 36+5w I decided to do it with my friends! I posted it online and received over 30k views – but later that night I was feeling a pain on my right hand side, like I pulled a muscle. As the night went on it got worse and worse! It got to the stage where I couldn’t move without being in tears. Didn’t feel like contractions, but blinding pain. It was midnight when we called my mum and the maternity ward to let them know I should get checked out. My partner literally carried me to the car as I was in so much pain down my right hand side and every small bump on the way to hospital had me screaming in pain.

Click on the link to watch my twin baby momma dance!!

We got to the hospital and they checked me and I wasn’t turned or dilated. However both of the babies heart rates were all over the shop, slow, fast, slow and fast, and after looking at my history of previous births being less than 2 hours from no dilation to baby being born, the head midwife made a call to get the babies out and called in the team to deliver the babies via cesarean. I was fine with the decision because I wasn’t risking my babies and they were also both breech, it was the safest and only option at the time. I was terrified!

Abigale and Oliver were born

At 4:49 and 4:51am, respectively, Abigale and Oliver were born. We got to hold the babies for a few minutes before being taken away to the Special Care Baby Unit for a check over. I insisted Daddy look after the babies and I’d be fine, and I went to recovery for a few hours. When I got out I had been told Oliver had problems breathing and was being monitored however Abigale seemed fine. Oliver declined over night and had to be placed on CPAP and started on antibiotics. Abigale was on the ward with me and she was very lethargic, hardly feeding, and temperature always .1 or .2° too low.

I didn’t think anything of it as I wanted one healthy baby. However the doctors insisted on placing her in SCBU with her brother and start her on antibiotics as a precaution. I completely fell apart. Was it my fault both babies were in Special Care?!

Abigale had to be flown to Melbourne

My partner took me out to lunch to try and get me to relax when we received a phone call. Abigale had taken a turn and had to be placed on CPAP. There weren’t enough nurses to care for 2 babies on CPAP so Abigale had to be flown to Melbourne. I was heart broken. With two older kids not getting my attention and the twins in 2 locations 2 hours apart, how could I justify my time? Do I go with Abigale? Do I stay with Oliver? I ended up staying home and going to see Abigale every second day.

Seven days post birth I was still in so much pain from my cesarean but ran out of pain medication. I spoke to my doctor that because of my situation I haven’t been resting much and received a few more days worth of pain medication which was a godsend. I kept going between the two hospital and the babies were finally diagnosed with prenatal meningitis. The recovery was slow and by day 15, Abigale was transferred back to our home hospital. By day 24 we were able to go home. We still have to have regular checkups with neurologists and hearing tests. But currently just over a year on, both of the twins seem to be reaching their milestones and are happier and healthier than ever!

I love to look back at the video of my twin momma baby dance. It is such a special memory to have captured.

Author: Chris Scott

Finding out we were pregnant with twins

Our story started many years ago when Cathy warned me that for some reason since she was a little girl and dreaming of having kids when an adult, that she would always have twins. Guess what, we have twins, a boy and a girl. So, I was forewarned, but not prepared.

That being said at our 6 week scan where we knew we were pregnant and the doctor performs an internal scan; I was standing behind the doctor and could see the screen of the ultrasound machine, he said that’s one embryo, oh and there’s a second one. I could see the two embryos on the left-hand side of the screen. He announced that he was going to have a look around and all of a sudden there were two embryos on the right-hand side of the screen. Four. Cathy will tell you I went white, but I can’t confirm that. The doctor picked up on our (my) fright and said no there are only two, and that he had turned the probe to a different angle. As if two embryos was an everyday thing.

32 weeks pregnant with twins

Moving forward, we went to see our OBGYN’s registered nurse at 32weeks for a check-up, but more as a lesson on where to come, what was involved in a C section, etc. Our OBGYN was at the North West hospital, which is where we were planning on having the kids.

Cathy had not been feeling the best, and we mentioned it to the OBGYN as we walked in with the nurse and he replied “the fun of having twins”. The nurse took Cathy’s blood pressure, standard thing, and walked out to see the doctor. He came back in and found a specimen jar and asked Cathy to go pee. They stuck a litmus paper into it and promptly rang the hospital and said that we were coming over. Cathy was 3 days short of being 32 weeks so we were bound for the RBWH and NICU if the kids arrived (forcibly delivered) early; as she now had preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia and twins

4 hours and a steroid shot later an ambulance arrived to transfer Cathy to the RBWH. I followed in car and had no idea where they took her when I arrived. Thankfully I was a member our Multiple Birth Clubs Facebook page and had explained our little issue and asked about parking, never having been to the hospital before and couldn’t think straight. After a few scares of over the next couple of nights, on the Saturday when we hit 32 weeks, the hospital transferred Cathy back to the North West as the hospital could handle 32 week+ babies if they didn’t have any complications. So back we went, which we preferred, closer to home for me, and just easier to deal with.

After a few days they thought they had Cathy’s blood pressure under control. I went back to work during the day and Cathy was going to be able to have “home visits” as long as she was only out for 3 to 4 hours every second day or so. We would just play a wait and see game and hopefully make it to 36 weeks+. Ha.

We were going to be parents to twins the next day!

On the Tuesday night while eating a lovely hospital roast dinner (sarcasm) the nurses came in and did a normal check-up. We were told that her blood pressure was up and that they would be calling the OBGYN’s office/on call doctor. He came flying in not 10 minutes later (was at the hospital for a meeting) and was very upset that Cathy was still eating dinner. For if he had his way we would be off to the operating theatre and she would be under a general and we would be parents not long after.

Our OBGYN was more relaxed and had told the on call doctor to get her blood pressure under control and he would operate in the morning. We were going to be parents.

Twins at 32 + 4 weeks born by C-section

We never did have that chat with the registered nurse about what is involved in a C-section. Given that the on call doctor wanted a general we had not thought more about it. In the morning, the anaesthesiologist came in and offered Cathy a choice of general or spinal block with an epidural. This sent her into a spin as neither of us like needles (who does really). But we hadn’t been thinking about it. We went a spinal block and epidural, at least this way she could see our kids when they were born. The recovery was going to be faster than a with a general and I could support her.

The anaesthesiologist had four goes at getting the spinal block needle in. Actually bent one; and I mean bent like the letter Z, not just a nice slight curve. Trying to keep calm is hard when you are excited and panicked all at the same time, and you really don’t function. It is reassuring that when you look over at the waiting nurses and doctors that there was a team for Cathy and a team each for the kids.

When they asked if I wanted to cut the cords I jumped at it. A lot tougher than I expected. A few quick pictures of Cathy and kids, a last kiss with her and off I had to go with the kids, I wasn’t expecting this, but as the kids needed to be checked, etc. and no name tags/bands had been placed on them yet. I needed to stay with them to ensure that they were my kids.

Special Care Nursery and Twins born at 34 + 4 weeks

Down to the Special Care Nursery (SCN) we went, and I just stood back out of the way and let the nurses and doctors perform all their checks. All the while I was in a daze. I even met a couple from our Multiple Birth Club who were doing their final bath and weigh of their twin boys before leaving SCN and we had a brief chat.

After a few hours of being in SCN with the kids, getting to hold their fingers for the first time, just looking at them and taking about 300 odd photos, I was released and could go and see Cathy and how she was fairing. Unfortunately she was still in recovery as the surgery had played havoc with her blood pressure. But I didn’t know this; I just thought I had misunderstood the timings. I knew that Cathy wouldn’t be up and about until at least the next day. Given the kids were in SCN they couldn’t leave it just yet. I loaded all the photos I had taken onto our laptop. Set it to cycle through them and left it on her side table, and back to the kids I went.

Cathy finally got released and we were able to talk. I could make sure that she was ok and tell her about the kids. We decided on names to provide to the nurses for our two bundles of joys. It would be 36hours before Cathy got to see our babies again as they had to manage her blood pressure and to make sure she was getting better.

Twins born at 32: Leaving the SCN without my wife and babies was hard

Leaving to go home, I left my wife and my two new babies at a hospital. That is hard and a does a job on your mind and emotions. I cried when I got home, happy, frightened, scared, excited and alone. So alone. Neither Cathy’s or mine family live near Brisbane, so our support was limited.

Read all my tips from a Twin Dad perspective on SCN and twins HERE.

Our Special Care Journey with twins born at 34 weeks and four days

At this stage the kids were in the humidicribs, hooked up to all kinds of monitoring equipment and feeding tubes. Twin A (boy 2.25kg) we found out was suffering bradycardia (heart rate issues) and apnoea (breathing issues). While Twin B (Girl 1.65kg) had had a couple of apnoea episodes. But her biggest issue was bilirubin so she had to undergo light treatment. Twin A’s breathing worsened and he had to be placed on C-pap (assisted breathing). Thankfully he strengthen up after about 5 days and could breath by himself again. But was still receiving caffeine to help his heart in a regular rhythm.

Twins born at 32: Expressing for twins in SCN

Looking back on even the first week in SCN, it moved so fast, but when we were living it. It seemed to go so slow, and everything was a set back. We wanted to try and breast feed, but Cathy’s supply wasn’t coming in. So we were trying everything to try and help. Natural medicine, medicines, pumping every 3 hours trying to set the rhythm, etc. Walking in with our 1 to 5ml of milk, and seeing other mothers with 50 to 100ml bottles and their child was only born yesterday, was hard to handle.

The day that Cathy was released from the hospital became the next hardest day, as this was the first time that she had to leave the kids. While at the hospital she could wander down to the SCN even in the middle of the night, but when she was released, our house was 30minutes away. This was a very emotional time for us both, trying to set a rhythm to help with the breast feeding but not being near your kids which is meant to help the process.

Twins born at 32: Some of the better memories of our twins in the SCN

While in SCN we met some lovely couples and we became our own support network. Most of us were there early in the morning delivering the milk we had expressed overnight, doing the morning feed, eating breakfast, bathing the kids, doing the next feed, etc. And on and on it went. We got to know each other quite well, and helped each other through the tough days. And there will be some.

Both Twin A &B progressed well. Twin A once he was off the c-pap machine and the caffeine just blossomed and gained sufficient weight to get out the humidicrib. While Twin B took about a week longer, but we eventually got them into a twin crib. This was a happy day, to have the kids side by side, and looking at each other. We still had feeding issues and they kept their nasal tubes in for quite a while. But we eventually got to try tandem breast feeding. Other than helping get the kids on and burping, we can’t do much but support them. But it is all the other things that we can do to help them and the kids that count and make us useful.

Bathing the kids was a joy, having them float in your arm and just looking at you. We have so many great photos from bath time.

Twins born at 32: Learning CPR while our twins were in the Special Care Nursery

We got taught baby CPR while our twins were in the SCN.

The real scary thing about the baby CPR was that not 5minutes later. The nurse that just taught us had to use it for real on a fresh baby. Her first time in 40 years of nursing that she had to hit the emergency button and do CPR on a baby. I would strongly suggest that you take up on any offer to learn baby/child CPR. As we have seen it first hand, and had friends have to use it.

Your life will get into a routine, all around the kids and the hospital. The rest of the world including friends just doesn’t exist. We were lucky enough that by having twins, I was able to be fed as the guardian of the second child, so we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hospital. Our hospital had a room where the parents of SCN kids could eat, sleep or just rest in between feeds. This made the support for each other easier, and we lived in this room if we weren’t with the kids.

Bringing our twins born at 32 + 4 home from the hospital

Our hospital wouldn’t let babies leave the SCN until they reached 2.8kg. This is what took the time with Twin B, although she proved to be the stronger of the two. It just took ages for her to gain the weight, but we eventually made it. We had made our way up through alternate suck and tube feeds, to all suck feeds, most still on bottles, but we made it. And we could take Twin A & Twin B home, where the real fun began – reflux, illnesses, breathing difficulties and more. But we have unconstrained access to the kids, and the love keeps growing each day.

Read all my tips from a Twin Dad perspective on SCN and twins HERE.

Author: Kate Lucas

31 Ultrasounds Later…

I have always loved babies, and so I was thrilled when, after 6 years together, my husband agreed we were ready to have one of our own!

After a fairly uneventful pregnancy, and a fast but fantastic water birth, we were blessed with a beautiful boy – Hudson. A delicious, fun-loving, bright, adventurous child – and thus a good advertisement to sell hubby on the idea of having more! I promptly started to hint that another child would complete our family.

As we also had a 13 year old daughter from my previous relationship, a new baby would make 3, so it would be a bit of an adjustment. But we wanted Hudson to grow up with a sibling close to his age…and hopefully a daughter so Adam would have a son and daughter of his own.

Not one to leave things to chance, I followed my cycle with a vengeance. I ate all the stuff to “make a girl”, we took all our zinc and folate and everything else that was recommended…..then New Years Eve…a few drinks and a fun night out and…Success! A positive test 8 days after ovulation! We could hardly believe it.

10 weeks check-up for our MoMo twins

I was soon tired and nauseous, but we were thrilled and excited. After a nasty bout of the flu at 10 weeks, I dropped in to see my Ob before my first scheduled appointment – just to check all was ok.

“Let’s just listen to the heartbeat and check there is only one” he joked. I laughed absently.

As I lay on the bed looking at the blob on the screen, I couldn’t understand why the Dr was giving me the peace sign with his fingers.

“There’s 2.” he repeated.
“What?” I was confused.
“2 babies.”

MoMo twins: Monoamniotic/Monochorionic

Well that moment changed our lives forever!

As I lay there gob-smacked and freaking out, the Dr went on to tell me that the babies were Monoamniotic/Monochorionic identical twins, due to the egg splitting 8-13 days after fertilization. So I had known I was pregnant before they even became twins! Splitting just one day later could have meant conjoined/siamese twins. He continued explaining they have no dividing membrane – they share the same amniotic fluid – and are given a 50-70% chance of surviving the cord entanglement they create by twisting and turning around one another. Only 1% of all identical twins are MoMo.

As they grow, it gets more and more dangerous, as the larger the baby the less room there is. Thus they can actually compress each others cords and cut off the vital supply of blood and nutrients from the umbilical cord. My MoMo twins also have a much higher rate of defects and anomalies. Thus we would have all the risks of a normal twin pregnancy… and much much more.

The Ob declared I should probably not tell anyone I was pregnant and wait for nature to take its course – a likely miscarriage. Needless to say I decided he was not the right Dr for me.

On shaky legs I left the clinic and phoned my husband – his first day at a new job. A memorable day for sure! We weren’t sure if we should rejoice or cry. We did a bit of both.

Seeing maternal fetal specialist for our twins

We started seeing a maternal fetal specialist, with fortnightly ultrasounds. There were so many decisions to make – how much monitoring, when to deliver, when to start steroids for their lungs etc.. There is so little research on these twins – they are so rare, making studies hard to conduct. Through the one support group in the world at the time (www.monoamniotic.org) we learnt of the most successful treatment plan – and we fought for it every step of the way. Our new specialist agreed to allow us to be part of the decision-making process. She was wonderful, compassionate and positive; a pioneer in her field and world-renowned. In a tragic twist of events, she took her own life when I was 19 weeks pregnant. We were saddened and bewildered.

Assigned a new specialist, we fought all the battles again. A plan was roughly laid out: weekly scans from 24 weeks, then by 28 weeks to be inpatient at the hospital to be monitored daily. Then if all went well we would deliver by c-section at 32 weeks. A vaginal delivery was out of the question due to the danger created by the cord entanglement, as well as the risk of cord prolapse. We were given the option of termination due to the stressful nature of the pregnancy, and the uncertain outcome and risks. But we had already fallen in love with our little blobs!

2 little bodies wrapped around one another in a tight cuddle

When MoMo’s survive they are known to be the closest twins of all as they have been in physical contact since conception. They have been seen holding hands and sleeping forehead to forehead in the womb…. and then similarly once born. Some of the ultrasound pics are amazing. 2 little bodies wrapped around one another in a tight cuddle……2 faces looking eye to eye at one another. We couldn’t wait to see our girls share this bond. Through our 31 ultrasounds we were indeed witness to much cuddling and spooning – and some kicking and poking!

The weeks slowly passes – my concerns allayed with frequent MFM appointments, and a home hand- held Doppler for reassurance.

MoMo twins at 28 weeks

At 28 weeks I became a resident on the maternity wing. I cried for days – missing my children, my husband and my home. Frightened for my babies and daunted at what lay ahead. My poor husband had the task of running the household, cooking, cleaning, working full-time, taking kids to school and day care etc etc. As well as making sure he visited me every day without fail! He was a true hero – my rock. My wonderful mother brought Hudson in twice a week to spend time with me. While my daughter Xani often came after school and sat on my bed and kept me company.

We were told not to set up a nursery as it would make it too hard if we lost one or both the twins. So I spent time pouring over catalogues wondering what if anything I might need. We discussed what car to buy to accommodate our large family…and we discussed whether we would get the same car if only one baby survived. Then discussed whether we would want to try for another baby if they both died. We could hardly believe the things we were discussing…..

I had CTG’s 3 times a day to check their heartbeats. An ultrasound every 2nd day to monitor the cord entanglement (which was evident from 12 weeks), and steroid injections weekly to prepare their tiny lungs for their early arrival.

5th week in hospital

Finally my 5 week stay in hospital was coming to an end. We had reached 32 weeks with few scares, only to be told the NICU was full and we would have to wait another day. After a sleepless night, we awoke to again be told all of Brisbane was full, and we would be flown elsewhere – to just await the announcement.

As we ate breakfast suddenly midwives arrived with a gown and the news 2 beds were now free and we were to deliver our babies immediately.

MoMo twins born at 32 weeks

I was terrified, so the lack of time to ponder what was about to happen was probably just what I needed. As well as some expert hand-holding and brow-stroking from Adam. I had previously had 2 natural drug-free, full term births. So this preemie, high-risk c-section was daunting to say the least!

In no time at all our 2 tiny girls were born within minutes of each other. The girls screamed as they entered the world, and continued to breathe on their own! Harper 1.9kg and Cleo 1.5kg – tiny but perfect. They got an 8 and a 9 on their apgar scores. The twins never needed oxygen, or any meds at all. They were even brought straight to us (after a quick once over) for a cuddle. I cried and cried as I never expected to see their little faces before they were covered in tubes, and put in humidicribs. I really had never let myself believe they would make it…. It was an incredible moment!

Cord Entanglement

As the cords were examined a shocked silence fell over the room. The girls had survived horrific entanglement, with a true knot at one point. We delivered them just in time…..they were truly our miracle MoMo’s.

My MoMo twins were in NICU overnight, then much to everyone’s amazement moved straight to Special Care. They had gastro tubes for feeding…but breastfed from 33 weeks once a day…by 34 weeks it was twice a day… I pumped hourly to increase my milk supply…day and night. Let-down was so hard to achieve without my babies. Often I wondered if I had even had babies as I rarely held them. There was no nursery for them and I hardly fed them. But we were lucky – we saw many other families facing much harder journeys in the nursery. Still, the Special Care experience can hardly be described…it is an exhausting roller coaster ride, of guilt and worry. But for us it was a strange relief to see them in the crib with their monitors and tubes! This to us was the best possible outcome of a treacherous pregnancy.

This pregnancy was a test on our marriage

After 2 previous singleton, natural, yoga-filled, water-birthed pregnancies and babies, this fully monitored, medically overdosed, terrifyingly uncertain pregnancy with a caesarean and long term hospital stay, plus NICU and SCN for our premmie babies…sure was a test on our marriage, our strength, our positivity, our emotions, and our ability to look beyond and into the future.

We made it and will be forever grateful we were lucky enough to be blessed with our miracle twins.

Today: my “Twirlies” as they are affectionately known, are now 10! Double digits (sounds much nicer than double trouble – which they have never been!). My twins are like chalk and cheese and yet they are alike in so many ways. They giggle and play all day long…and we struggle to get them to stop chattering in bed each night its permanent slumber party. The early years were so hard – with 3 under 3. A teen as well, and all the feeding and sleepless nights exhausting! But I found having 2 became even easier in many ways as they got older – they do everything together and are the best of friends!

Author: Anonymous

We found out we were pregnant with twins at 12 weeks. Our original scan only showed one bub so finding out it was twins later on was a complete surprise. But we were also filled with pure excitement having always wanted twins but never thought it was possible as they don’t run in either of our families.

My pregnancy went pretty smoothly compared to some. I had no morning sickness however did end up with gestational diabetes. Which was very disappointing considering the life I lived before falling pregnant.

Twin 1 (Lexi) hadn’t grown in a couple of weeks

At about 33 weeks my husband went away for work somewhere. It was extremely remote to the point there is no phone reception only a satellite phone. I remember saying to him “something is going to happen, I can feel it please don’t go” and of course he thought I was being silly so off he went!

A couple of days later I went in for one of my fortnightly routine scans. Then found the Twin 1 (Lexi) hadn’t grown in a couple of weeks. So I was being sent to Perth to be monitored and birth at King Eddy. So my mother in law drove the 4 hours to pick me up and my mum drove the 1.5hrs down to say goodbye. We were to leave on Monday morning. The 2 days that followed that scan I was sent to have an injection that would help the babies lungs develop. Looking back now was a god send.

The Saturday night which would have been 34 weeks my left leg swelled up like a balloon

I had never had any swelling my whole pregnancy. Which I thought was very strange but didn’t think any more of it. 5am Sunday morning my waters broke, so I called the midwives and explained our story and I was told to come in. My husband was unreachable till 7am. When I was admitted I was already 3 cms. I was given tablets to try and stop labour – they didn’t work. I was then given an injection which also didn’t work. Then I had jumped from 3-7 cms in about half an hour. So we were admitted the RFDS was cancelled and we were staying put.

I was then given an epidural which worked so well. Twin 1 was trying to exit but I felt absolutely nothing. So didn’t know and I wasn’t really being monitored that well. When my doctor came back everything went from 0-100 in about 2 seconds. Lexi had been pushing and her head had turned sideways which ended up in a forceps delivery. Zara (Twin 2) arrived 15 minutes later and took what felt like forever to start breathing, hearing her cry was the most amazing thing I could have heard because it was touch and go for a while.

Twins born at 34 weeks

We spent three weeks in hospital. 2.5 of which were in the SCN, both girls needed feeding tubes, which eventually transitioned to bottles of EBM and both had jaundice at one time or another. I was expressing and getting up to feed them every 3 hrs around the clock. I was determined to give them the best start to life after arriving early. They reached 2.5kg and we were allowed to go home.

Once home I was determined to exclusively breastfeed. It took time but we got there and I fed them for 8 months, before bottles were easier and they no longer wanted me. I ended up with post natal depression, from having no family or close friends nearby and not getting out of the house. My life was my babies and that was all. We are just over the moon we now have the most beautiful, healthy and happy girls we could have ever asked for.

Have a look at this fascinating story about a twin mom who also gave birth at 34 weeks and 2 days.

Author: Kristie Miller

The day we found out I was having twins, I wasn’t really that surprised. After my two Singleton pregnancy so close together (15 months) I thought I got this. It seemed breezy until I hit 18 weeks and had my first small unexplained bleed. I had never had a bleed before during pregnancy so the panic really set in.

The scans seemed normal then at 22 weeks a passed a large clot in the toilet followed by bleeding. I was hospitalised for a week on bed rest as I was still not considered a viable stage in my pregnancy. I was discharged and told to take it easy as the bleeding was still unexplained, and this is where it started to get Tricky. Twin B wasn’t putting on weight over the next few weeks and was diagnosed with IUGR. His cord Doppler’s where low and soon his sister Twin A was almost a kilo heavier. I was on twice weekly ultrasounds and was allocated a twin specialist to scan me to keep a close eye. Our aim was 32 weeks for delivery.

The delivery of fraternal girl/boy twins

On the evening of 29 weeks & 6 days I passed a very large clot in the toilet followed by a large amount of blood & was rushed to my hospital. I tried not to panic but I knew it was time. Having only moved to the Gold Coast 1 year prior with no family made it tricky with or older 2 children, but we had to do what we had too. They decided it was time to deliver immediately because Twin B was in distress. Because I was at a private hospital they decided to ambulance me to Gold Coast University where there is a NICU. I was wheeled straight into theatre, it was a stressful time. I got to hear both babies cry then I blacked out.

As it turned out during delivery I had placenta acreeta (Tysons placenta grew into the uterine wall). I haemorrhaged and my lungs collapsed. Life saving surgery followed, including a hysterectomy. I was in ICU for four days. I first saw my twins on day 3 via FaceTime, followed by wheel chair to meet them on day 4. It was a hard time healing myself as well as my being able to hold my two new babies.

Tyson was intubated and Chanel was on CPAP

Laying tiny in there isolates they were in two separate rooms, Tyson was intubated and Chanel was on CPAP. All the wires and tubes made me burst into a million tears every time I would enter the room. Chanel also had hip dysplasia so they prepared a cast for her hips. I had my first kangaroo cuddle at 5 days old. Tyson had 2 brain bleeds and was a lot more fragile so I had my first skin to skin at 2 weeks old. He also developed ROP in his eyes and NEC in his bowels which resulted in 3 surgeries.

The words CPAP, Brady, desat, naso gastric tube where all new words to me but became our home for 10 weeks. We spent 5 weeks in NICU and 5 weeks in special care.

Having had 2 full term Singleton pregnancy’s with natural labours it was a different start to life for my twins and our bond. It is something you could never imagine unless been through it. Still to this day I have triggers and burst into tears. But I have my beautiful 2 year old twins, as well as my own life, so I am grateful for that.

Author – Kirsty Smith

The nursery was all set up, it had been for five years, a cot that that I had found at the markets and painted white matched the change table and drawers. The linen was in neutral pastel colours.

Month after month and still no pregnancy, it was time for medical intervention. We tried artificial insemination several times with no luck, then on our very first IVF attempt it worked!!!! We could not believe our luck! At seven weeks we went for a scan, I was so nervous, I expected them to say it was a mistake and that we would be back to the drawing board.

Then the sonographer very casually said “Okay, there is a heartbeat, and there is another one.” What the? Two? Surely not! My head was spinning, my husband was beaming! TWINS!!!

We left the clinic in the city to head home to country Victoria, on the freeway I told hubby to pull over and I vomited on the side of the road! I continued to vomit for the next 18 weeks! To this day I cannot stomach corn flakes!

The pregnancy was great (apart from the vomit), we had 2 embryos implanted so we were pretty sure they were non-identical and in their own sacks. I decided to stop work at 23 weeks due to some sciatica in my leg. I was a lady of leisure, spent my days watching day time TV and walking the dog. Had a scan at 28 weeks and everything was looking good. I had decided to find out that we were having two girls, but hubby didn’t want to know!

The moment my water broke

On the 11^th November 2003 at 5am I was woken by a loud pop and a gush of water between my legs. I was 31.6 weeks gestation. This was not in the plan, even though my hospital bag was packed, this was obviously far too early. Surprisingly I was calm, I rang the local hospital who straight away said “There is no way you can deliver them here, call an ambulance, they will bring you here, then off to Melbourne you go!”

My GP arrived at the local hospital around 7 am, patted me on the leg and said, “Don’t worry, it will be another 24 hours or so before these babies arrive.” I had the steroid injection to help develop their lungs. At this point there was no pain, but I was getting anxious. It was an hour and a half journey into Melbourne.

Finally, we were on our way in the ambulance, they told Justin to follow behind, he popped home to feed the dog and collect some things for the hospital. The paramedic was reassuring “Don’t worry I have delivered a premmie baby before”. Hmmm, but not two I thought to myself, and we had no idea what position they were in. Then the pain started, it intensified very quickly. The next thing I know it was lights and sirens, going up gutters in peak hour traffic. It was panic time.

The arrival at the hospital

We arrived at the hospital around 9:30am, by this time I was in agony and I was vomiting. They rushed me upstairs, my obstetrician was waiting, it was frantic, nurses were stripping my clothes off, asking a million questions. They rang Justin and said to get there immediately-leave the car at the front door! The doctor did an internal examination and I saw his face; “We need to go to theatre immediately.”

There was just enough time for me to have a spinal block, at least I would be awake. There was a weird tugging sensation, then silence. The longest silence ever. Finally, a tiny little cry; the best sound in the world. “It’s a girl!” Justin cried. More tugging, more silence, another little cry. “It’s another girl!” I released the breath I had been holding forever. Then it was chaos, they had to be rushed to the NICU. I told Justin to go with them, not to leave their side.

Fraternal twins: The recovery

I was in recovery for what seemed like forever waiting for the spinal to wear off. No-one could tell me anything and they wouldn’t let Justin in. It was agonising, I didn’t know if they were even alive.

Finally, I was wheeled down to the NICU, they took me to Kaitlyn and I was able to hold her. What an amazing moment. She was twin one, she had been in a footling breach position and only 1294grams (2pd 14oz). She had been resuscitated at birth but was breathing on her own now. I couldn’t hold her long, she needed to be in the humidicrib to keep warm.

Next, I went to Alanna, I couldn’t hold her as she was being ventilated-that was heartbreaking. She had been in a transverse position and was only 102grams bigger at 1396gms (3pd 1oz). They made me go to my room then, it is the hardest thing to leave your babies, but I had no choice.

Meeting my fraternal twins for the first time

The next morning, I had my first cuddle with both! They had survived! You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face! It was going to be a long road ahead, but I was ready. I wanted to breast feed so we painstakingly hand expressed the liquid gold (colostrum) that was put through a syringe into their feeding tubes.

Soon enough my milk came in and I was like a jersey cow and even though I would still get up through the night to express I managed to develop mastitis. It was like I had been hit by a Mack truck! By this time, I had been kicked out of the hospital and was staying at a hostel down the road from the hospital. However I spent every waking minute in between their humidicribs, and had as many skin to skin kangaroo cuddles as they would allow!

The girls gradually progressed through the six NICU rooms. I remember giving them their first baths at two weeks of age! I was petrified! They had several tests and scans. Both were severely jaundiced so spent a lot of time under the special lights, but neither required any surgery and things were looking good. We were so incredibly lucky.

Fraternal Twins: After two weeks

At two weeks we were able to move them to a hospital closer to home, (it was still an hour journey each way, but at least I could sleep at home). They remained in the humidicribs for a further three weeks, so there I sat every day from about 8am to 10pm in between the two, a hand on each baby. Kaitlyn had sleep apnoea, so every time the monitor started beeping I panicked. Otherwise, they were well, they just needed to grow!

One of the best moments was when they went into an open crib! Together! They were finally back together, side by side! From that moment they thrived and grew! After two more weeks we just had to get them suck feeding and we could go home. We got day release for Christmas day as a test.

Kaitlyn cried and fed the whole day-Alanna would not even wake up for a feed! The night before we were due to go home they made us all have a sleepover together at the hospital. I was struggling to get them to feed and was crying because I thought we would never get to take them home. “Just give them a bottle!” I cried. My amazing husband who was sleeping on the floor (or at least trying to) reassured me that I could do it, and sure enough they let us all go home the next day after 7 weeks in hospital!!!

The challenge of having baby twins

Then the real challenges began!!! Life became a blur of feeding (one at a time because I couldn’t manage twin feeding!), nappy changes and trying to get them to sleep at the same time!!

They reached their major milestones albeit a bit slower than other babies. Alanna crawled around 9 months and walked at 14 months. She was diagnosed long sighted and developed a severe turned eye. Alanna had to start wearing glasses around 8 months, and had corrective surgery on both eyes at age 4. She still needs glasses now but otherwise is thriving!

Kaitlyn’s developmental delay

Kaitlyn was diagnosed with a developmental delay at 12 months. She didn’t crawl until 22 months and finally walked at 23 months. She needed to get glasses at 18months and has had a life of therapy, you name it she has had it! Speech, physio, occupational, psychology, vision etc. She has small amount of brain damage which they say is from in utero. I wonder if it was from birth, we will never know for sure! The damage affects her vision and she has a mild intellectual impairment. Having said all that, she is a happy and healthy (she never required surgery or had major injury or illness) and is thriving as well!

As I write this we have just celebrated their 14^th birthday! We are surviving the teenage years! The girls could not be more different, they have nothing in common and don’t even hang out together, but I know they will always be there for one another. It was heart-warming when Alanna came to a level of maturity and realisation that Kaitlyn’s difficulties were real and life long, and she doesn’t hesitate to show her the way. We are so incredibly lucky to have two beautiful girls that we are so proud of every day.

Author: Beth Pettrey

My husband (Matt) and I have fraternal twins (girl/boy), Claire and Owen.

I had a very interesting pregnancy. Claire and Owen were conceived in Spain while on R&R from our jobs on a Gold Mine in Egypt after a very expensive dinner (one that we can no longer afford!). We confirmed I was pregnant by Matt bring home a pregnancy kit from a work trip to the UK because we were living in a small remote town in Egypt at the time. We headed back to Australia on our next R&R break to catch up with our GP. Because we knew the dates we didn’t do a scan at this stage and also the GP said it wasn’t likely to be twins because I had really mild morning sickness. While I felt sick a lot I was only physically sick 4 times and twice of these was after eating slightly under ripe bananas (didn’t do this again after the second event).

Post-trip to Oz

After our trip to Oz I headed back to Egypt and Matt to the UK to start some engineering work. The plan was for me to head to the UK for the 13 week scan. This is when things started to get really interesting. My 13 week scan was planned for the Friday; however there were major demonstrations in Egypt then. So getting out of the country wasn’t easy. I end up having to tell the Site GM that I was pregnant because he wasn’t letting ex-pats leave site.

Fortunately the two camel town we live in was near some of the resorts on the Red Sea and we had an international airport. I was able to get a flight from Marsa Alam to Zurich but there was a bit of drama with this too. The flight I was on was a chartered flight and because I wasn’t a Swiss passport holder they weren’t going to let me on. Couple of phone calls back to site and some paperwork to say that I worked in Egypt I was let on the plane. Stress levels were pretty high at this point.

Back to UK

So finally in the UK off we head to the OB for the scan. Scan (not a tummy scan…….the other one!) went well and we could see one baby and all the measurements were adding up. Right at the end of the scan the OB moved the probe (god that sounds awful) and says “Um, what’s that, it looks like another baby”. Thank goodness I was lying down, but Matt was standing up watching the TV screen so I had to check that he hadn’t fainted! So at this point we started the scan again!! By the way it was Owen we could see initially and Claire was hiding behind him. She was always really difficult to scan throughout the whole pregnancy.

Matt was based in the UK and it was planned that I would fly back and forth between Egypt and the UK. But with the news that I was having twins, this plan changed. I was lucky that work agreed and my work could be done remotely, away from the site. So I stayed in the UK until mid May, 28 weeks pregnant. I went through 3 OB’s at the clinic that we were using because of insurance problems. But because we were having twins they had sent us off to the Fetal Medicine Centre in London, who were wonderful and they did all the detailed scans. It also meant a trip into the centre of London every couple of weeks for another scan which meant some shopping and a night out.

It wasn’t fun to fly from the UK to Australia.

Originally we had planned to have “the baby” in the UK but with the news of twins we decided to head home. So I flew home at 28 weeks. Flying long haul flying from UK to Australia wasn’t fun. I had my letter from the Doctor saying that my pregnancy was normal, and that I could fly. But being a short person carrying twins I was a bit on the large side and there were a lot of questions from the 3 different flight crews. I was very lucky to be able to upgrade my ticket (work paid for the base ticket) and went 1st Class for one leg and Business Class for the other two which made it a bit easier. The twins were pretty happy until we got to Singapore but the flight from Singapore to Brisbane was pretty bad.

Once we had decided that we were heading home I thought I should sort out the Hospital and OB before I arrived. This was a bit of a pain because my GP wouldn’t deal with me via email and with the timezone difference it was really difficult to call. So I ended up resorting to sending them a fax to organise the referral. This actually worked and my OB’s admin staff were actually happy to deal with me via email. So first appointment was already booked for a couple of days after I arrived.

Up to this point my pregnancy had been pretty uneventful

I was starting swollen hands & feet but they would recover overnight. But once I got back to Oz this all changed.

Within a week of being home I got diagnosed with borderline gestational diabetes (I’m over 35, was having twins and with family history of type 1 & 2 diabetes I was ticking all the boxes) so out when the pasta and onto the diet and finger pricks. I was fortunate that I was able to control via diet but it was a shock to the system. It also explained why I felt sick every time I ate something sweet.

Then came the heartburn and fluid retention. I had a couple of really bad nights with the heartburn that I was nearly ready to say “that’s it, take them out” but I soldiered on. It also meant that I was only sleeping two to three hours before being up for an hour. So this was good practise for their arrival. The water retention was soooo bad that I didn’t just have cankles. I had knankles (pretty much my whole legs were the size of my thighs and you couldn’t find my knees or my ankles). Matt ended up having to massage my feet to push the fluid up my legs so I could put shoes on.

Matt headed back to Oz in mid June (he quit his job because he was definitely not going back to Egypt after the twins were born) to find me a lot larger and a lot less mobile (we had been walking to work every day in the UK).

Considering Natural Birth

My OB was pretty happy to consider a natural birth. Since Owen had his head in my pelvis and Claire was semi pointing down at the top of my tummy. About a week before they arrived, Owen decided to move from the right side of my tummy to the left which put Claire more head up. But the OB was still happy to give a natural birth a go.

This discussion took place at the beginning of our appointment at 35 wks & 5 days. But by the end of the appointment I was heading off to the Labour Ward to have steroid injections because my low to normal blood pressure had started to rise (just in case). We headed back to the Doctor the next day (Friday) after the results of my blood & urine tests. We were then booked in for a C-Section on the next Monday. The next two days were extremely uncomfortable with heartburn, extreme water retention and my blood pressure rising.

By the Monday morning my blood pressure was so high that they couldn’t get a reading on the automatic cuff. At this point they were talking GA rather than an epidural. But they pumped me full of blood pressure medication and I was able to have an epidural.

Owen was born first and Claire a minute later

Owen (2625g) was born on the 18th July at 8:05am and Claire (1750g) was born a minute later (feet first). While all the scans had shown that Claire was smaller than Owen we weren’t expecting her to be this much smaller. Everything was checked out and she’s just a small baby (she’s still about 2kg smaller then Owen). They headed to Special Care as Owen had some initial breathing difficulties, and because of their size & being 4 weeks early.

I didn’t have a good recovery because of my blood pressure. I ended up having to stay on the Labour Ward for 24 hours because they were doing hourly observations. To make things a tiny bit worse my blood count was also low. So I end up having to have a blood transfusion. So over the first 36 hours I didn’t see a lot of Claire & Owen. But the Special Care Nurses let Matt bring them to me because I was still on the Labour Ward. They were doing fine, it was just Mummy that wasn’t.

I didn’t realize how sick I was

At the time I don’t think we realised how sick I was. Which I think was a good think but it wasn’t until a couple of days later when one of the Special Care Nurses pointed out that I had been very sick that it all hit home. Matt was also wonderfully during this time because I wasn’t up for anything and took over and made all the decisions (pain medication made me very spaced out)

After all of this my blood pressure has returned to normal. The diabetes has gone and the massive amount of fluid I was retaining meant that I loss 25kg in the first week after their arrival. I am one of these horrible people that weight less now then when I got pregnancy. But I still have a wobbly tummy so not celebrity mother level).

As for Owen & Claire, they were in Special Care for 4 weeks and came home on their due date. Owen was ready to come home a week early. But Claire took a little bit more time so he stayed to keep her company.

Putting together a nursery for twins or more can be so much fun.

Congratulations! Not only are you expecting a baby – you are expecting more than one baby!!!

Once you are over the shock, you can start to begin planning the nursery for twins or more. However, before you can start you need to make two important decisions:

1. Where will they sleep when they first come home from hospital? Your room, their room or their own rooms?
2. Once you are past that initial newborn phase, where will they sleep? Will they share a room or will they have their own rooms?

These decisions will obviously depend on the size and layout of your house and personal preference.

Regardless of how you plan for your multiples to sleep, ensure you check the SIDS guidelines:

SIDS Red Nose Safe Sleeping guidelines

SIDS Red Nose Cot sharing

Once those initial, practical decisions have been made you can move on to the fun part! Planning and decorating for your babies.

As with most things multiple, being prepared and organised is the key. Bear in mind that your babies may arrive a bit early. Even if they don’t arrive early, you certainly won’t feel like moving furniture and building cots when you are heavily pregnant with multiples! In our case, we had planned to have the babies sleep in our room for the first few months, so we didn’t set up their nursery until several months after they arrived.

Here are some Twinfo Tips for putting together a nursery for twins or more

Lighting

You will probably be visiting you little babies a lot during the night!! So you need to be able to see what you are doing, without blinding them or yourself as you flick on the main light switch. You will need either a night light, or if you can, get your lights changed to include a dimmer switch. We were lucky that our house already had them installed, but a dim nightlight works just as well.

Cots

There is no need to rush out and immediately buy two/three/four brand new cots. There are lots of second hand cots available, just check Gumtree or go online and find a multiple birth buy, swap and sell page. Just a reminder, that if you do buy second hand, a new mattress is always a good idea and you must also check that it meets the Australian standards:

SIDS Red Nose Australian Cot Standards

Alternatively, if you are planning on your babies sharing the same cot initially, you can purchase one cot now and the remaining ones later down the track.

With our twins, we initially had one cot in our bedroom, which they shared, and one cot in their nursery. This way we could separate them if one was unsettled or ill. Most cots these days convert to toddler beds down the track, which will save you money. The whole “buy one; get one (or two!) free” thing is a total myth. The only thing they will share is your womb! Having multiples is expensive, so try to be savvy where you can, and a cot that converts into a toddler bed is one of these ways you can save a bit of money.

Change tables

You are going to be changing a LOT of nappies. Get one that is a good height for you and also has good and easy accessible storage. We had two; one in their bedroom, but we rarely used that one, and one in the lounge room, which was our main one. We also had an old table with a cheap change mat on it in the bathroom, which really saved my back. One way here to cut costs, and to save on space, is to get a change pad for the top of the dresser. Once you no longer need the changing station you can simply remove the pad and you have a dresser. If you have a two story house you will almost certainly require two change tables. It’s just not practical to have to run upstairs each time you need to change a nappy.

Feeding Chair

Asides from changing a lot of nappies, the other thing you will be doing a lot of is feeding, be it breastfeeding or bottle feeding. As a result, you need to ensure you have an adequate space to do so. Those plush glider rocking chairs that they sell at great expense in baby shops would be lovely if you had a singleton baby, but with multiples they just don’t work.

If you have room, a cheap two seater sofa is ideal. There is room for you to sit in the middle and have a baby each side. Ours had a single sofa bed built in, which was very uncomfortable, but great for the odd occasions we needed to sleep with the babies if they were ill etc. Make sure you leave some space next to it to store your twin feeding pillow. Our twins are now 6 years old, and we still use it every night for night-time books.

Chests of Drawers

Again, this is will come down to budget and room size. You will certainly need one (or more), but if your babies are sharing a room, maybe to start with they could share a dresser and then you can get a second one later down the track. Also, while “matchy matchy” may look nice, it can be very costly. One idea is to look for plain white cots, as then it is fairly easy to match with a cheaper set of chest drawers from another shop. The baby shops certainly seem to charge the most!

Storage

Think ahead a bit here. Do you plan to have toys in their room/s, or will you save their room/s just for sleeping. In our house the toys were all stored in the lounge room (we don’t have space for a play room) and we kept their rooms for sleeping. In regards to storage, you need to consider your preference for enclosed storage (looks much neater, but harder for them to access) or open storage (like baskets, racks or shelves).

Seats for parents

While its not integral when setting up a nursery for twins or more, it can sometimes it’s useful to have a chair or stool that you can perch between two cots while simultaneously patting two babies at once.

Black out curtains or blinds

These are worth their weight in gold! And don’t panic, there are lots of options available if you are renting, such as suction cap blackout blinds and the humble tinfoil. If you are fortunate enough to live in sunny Queensland, you can blame the cows for the sun coming up at 4.30am. For those unlucky enough not to have daylight saving, may I suggest a double layer of defense against the sunlight. In our place we have blackout blinds, plus I have stuck tinfoil to the windows!

Bouncers/Rockers/Swings/Exersaucers etc

While technically none of these are “necessary”, they are certainly very helpful. There is no need to buy two of each though. And there is a huge market of second hand bouncers and swings. We chose to purchase several different second hand ones (ie one swing and one bouncer), rather than purchase new ones, as this way we could “rotate” them in it for play time if we were busy with another baby.

Here are some tips for choosing rockers and bouncers for twins, triplets or more.

Some final tips!

Remember – Just because you are having multiples doesn’t mean you need multiples of everything!! Things like separate car seats are a must, but you certainly don’t need two baby baths for example. You can always get extra items if you need.

Finally one of the most important pieces of planning your nursery for twins or more is to remind you to ensure you secure all furniture to the wall. Even though they aren’t crawling and getting into mischief at the moment, they soon will be.

Enjoy this special time. Your babies will be here before you know it.

A – Advice. Once pregnant, you become a target of every woman who has given birth. Remember that all these bits of information come with good intentions. You may be surprised at what you’ll learn.

B – Babies. Once you have more than one at a time, everyone wants to see them. Try not to get irritated with them. Instead, be proud and enjoy it, as once they start getting older people don’t notice it as much.

C – Crying. Get used to it!!! In stereo!!!!

D – Disposable or cloth – no matter which type of nappies you choose, people will still try to convince you to use the other style!!!

E – Energy. Your little bundles of joy come heavily equipped. You, on the other hand, will question your ability to breathe.

F – Fingerprints. You will have twenty (or thirty or forty!) on every wall, window and mirror around.

G – Grandparents – You will suddenly appreciate your parents a whole lot more. Especially if they are available for baby sitting!!

H – Housecleaning. Accept that while raising multiples, your house will not stay clean for intervals exceeding ten minutes.

I – Incredible. Raising multiples will be the most incredible, fun, rewarding, crazy, unique and challenging experience of your life

J – Jumbo. If it comes in jumbo size, buy it. You will need it! From coffee to baby wipes.

K – Kisses. There’s nothing better than kisses from your little ones. They even come in a variety of flavours. Chocolate and dirt are two of the most common.

L – Laughter. Try to laugh at your daily mishaps. Will your children really remember the time you wore odd shoes to the shops?

M – Mobile phone. Your link to the outside world!

N – Netflix. No other description is necessary!

O – Online shopping. Your new best friend.

P – Potty Training. Good Luck!

Q – Quiet. In the rare instance that children are simultaneously sleeping, savour the quiet. If they are awake and quiet………be afraid……be very afraid at what they are up to.

R – Remember. Remember these days. You will one day wonder how it happened so fast. Take lots of photos and videos so you can look back and wonder how you ever survived.

S – Sacrifice. Who wanted to go out for a night on the town anyway?

T – Terrible Two’s. Be brave and remember these are your children and you love them. Their behaviour is a force of nature and uncontrollable.

U – Umpire. This is what you will become once they get old enough to play with toys. No matter which toy one baby is playing with, another baby will suddenly want it!!

V – Voices. No, you’re not crazy. There really are little people saying your name over and over and over and over again.

W – Washing Machine. This will become your most used appliance.

X – Xtra Help – Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Help can range from asking a friend to call in and helping hold a crying baby, to hiring a nanny or lactation consultant.

Y – Yawning. They wont be babies forever. And one day they will hopefully sleep right through the night.

Z – Zzz’s – Try to catch some – whenever you can.

Biting is a stage that all toddlers seem to go through. Biting is certainly not just a problem if you have multiples, all toddlers seem to do it at some stage. It just seems doubly (or triply!) bad when you have several toddlers of the same age who bite each other. I don’t know if it was just me, but I was always relieved that my twins tended to only bite each other, rather than other children. Infact, as far as I know, my twins only ever bit another child three times between them (unfortunately it was the same child each time!). However, they did bite each other occasionally.

Do you have a biter? If so, Twinfo has put together some strategies to help you.

Triplets or Twins who bite. Why do they do it?

Children generally bite for a reason and before they have the language skills to express what they are trying to convey. They may be trying to express their frustration at something, someone maybe in their personal space, they may not want to share a particular toy, or it may simply be because they are tired, overwhelmed or are teething. The best way to understand why your toddler has bitten someone is to evaluate what prior to the bite occurring. If you can identify this, then you can hopefully prevent it from happening again.

With multiples a lot of the time that biting seems to occur is due to the fact that someone else (their twin/triplet/quad) is in their personal space, or they are frustrated with their sibling, or they don’t want to share a toy. Unfortunately when there are multiple children with the same limited level of communication, biting seems to be more frequent between them.

So, what can you do? Twinfo asked several other multiple birth families, and these were their responses:

Physical separation may be needed

Allie: Thankfully, only one of mine used to bite. The biter would be popped into the portacot (which we had in the loungeroom) with a firm ‘no biting’ and I would comfort the bitee. Physical separation was the key for us. Our biter soon worked out that if she bit, she would be put into the portacot (or pram if we were out). And that she would be ignored while I played with her twin sister.

Sandra: We always just used the “no biting” and then paid attention to the one that was bitten. Our twins seemed to do it when they were over excited – they even bit if they were happy!

Louise: There is a great book called “Teeth are not for biting”. We found that reading that every night for several weeks really helped. We then made sure we read it once a week or so until it stopped.

Distraction is the key when you have triplets or twins who bite

Peter: I learnt to be able to predict when it was going to happen, so I played the distraction card – “ohh, look at that red bird….see over there…..oh no, its gone”.

Amanda: Distract, ignore . Repeat.

Cathy: We used to separate them as soon as it happened. For us, it was generally because one was in the other personal space. So we found that separating them for a while, with some different toys, worked.

Beth: Say very firmly (and in a dominant voice) “no biting!” and then move the biter away so that they cannot interact with you or the other children. Then spend time with the bitee, so the other feels like they are missing out on special time.

Offer an alternative

Simone: A behaviour specialist told us to offer an alternative to bite (such as a teether). And to say “you can’t bite your sister, but if you want to bite something then bit this” and give them the teether.

Leah: I generally just ignore it (even if they bite me) as I find that with ours, drawing attention to it makes it happen more. Our twins are 23 months.

Bek: If they bite us, we say very loudly “Ouch! That hurts”. And try to verbalise how much biting hurts.

Jane: Depending on how old they are, we would make the biter apologise to the bitee. We show them the bite and explain that biting hurts.

Triplets and Twins who bite

Remember, this is just a phase. They will eventually stop doing it!

Hopefully these tips from Twinfo readers will help. If you have any more tips that worked for you, please don’t hesitate to share them with us by commenting on this blog.

SCN is for sick and preterm babies. A lot of multiple birth babies do not need to ever go to SCN. Some may have to go just for a few hours for monitoring; others may have an extended stay in there.

Premature babies and the Special Care Nursery

If your multiples are in there as a result of being preterm, then you can usually expect to be able to take them home around the same time as their projected due date. While there is great relief in finally taking your babies home, it is also the start of a different set of challenges. It is perfectly normal to have conflicting emotions. Remember, the hospital won’t release them until they are confident that the babies will be fine at home with you. Hopefully this also means your babies will no longer require any medical equipment, such as oxygen or feeding tubes at home.

The hospital will have been “preparing you”, maybe without you even being aware of it, by getting you to do as much of the babies’ cares as possible. However, in saying that, it can be very overwhelming. Do not feel ashamed to reach out for some help, be it from family or friends or from professionals.

“Rooming in” with your twins or multiples

Before you leave the hospital, you will probably spend a night or two “rooming in” with your babies. This means you are totally responsible for all their care, but have medical and professional help at the touch of a button if needed. This period of time will also allow you to bond a bit more with your babies, away from the eyes of everyone else in the nursery.

Bringing twins home from the Special Care Nursery

Make note of the routine the hospital have them in before you leave and, if possible, continue with this routine at home. This is one “advantage” of having your babies in the SCN for a longer period of time. Be warned though, particularly if you take your babies home around their due date, that this coincides with them “waking up to the world” and working out how to get attention. Those lovely, quiet babies who slept all day and never cried may start having short awake periods and letting you know in no uncertain terms when they are dirty or hungry!

Transitioning your babies from the SCN environment to your house environment

Be aware that in SCN there is always a lot of light and ambient noise, with people coming and going and nurses talking. You may find that the babies are unable to settle in the darkness and the peace and quiet of your home. If their sleeping area is receiving enough daylight, there is no need to add additional lighting, however at night, some sort soft lighting at night may be needed. For example, if your lights have dimmer switches, the lowest setting may work or alternatively a bedside lamp placed on the opposite side of the room. For the background “white noise” that the babies have become used to, you could trial using a CD player, or a radio on low volume. Additionally, there are purpose built white noise machines on the market.

Remember, your babies have spent their whole life inside the hospital. The car ride home and the arrival in your house will be all very different for them. Try to keep visitors to the minimum until you have all settled in. Premature babies’ immune systems are not like full term babies and a simple cold can send them back to hospital, so remind your friends and family that if they have any sort of illness that they need to stay away.

The majority of babies who have to spend time in the Special Care Nursery will go on to be healthy and active children. The Special Care journey may not be what you planned when you first found out you were having multiples, but it will soon hopefully just be a memory.

Bringing twins home from the Special Care Nursery – Using “corrected age”

One final point to remember is that if your babies were preterm; always refer to your babies corrected age when speaking to medical professionals. The general consensus is to use your babies corrected age for growth and development until they are two. Corrected age (or adjusted age) is your babies’ actual age, minus the weeks/months they were born early. For example if your one year old twins were born two months early, then their corrected age is only 10 months.

Don’t forget to say “thank you” to your caring nurses before heading home. Here are some thank-you gift ideas you can look into.

Author: Naomi Burgess

I didn’t start baby wearing my oldest until she was a few months old. So when I fell pregnant the second time I was looking forward to being able to wear a newborn. I had visions of wearing my little baby while dropping my oldest off at preschool and avoiding the hassle of getting the pram in and out of the car every time I went anywhere. Then at my 12 week scan I discovered I was having twins…

Suddenly the whole idea of baby wearing was up in the air.

Could I wear two babies at the same time? Was twin baby wearing even possible? I had so many questions but many got pushed aside as I dealt with more urgent twin related decisions and research. I quickly checked that my beloved sling I had with my oldest could handle newborn twins and left the rest to deal with later.

When my twins arrived I soon learned at sometimes you really do need 3 hands and bumbled around trying to get my twins in my sling. It worked for emergencies but wasn’t a practical option.

Finding a carrier I could wear my twins in at the same time was hard

A desperate late night Google search unearthed a twin carrier that looked the part but on arrival wasn’t ideal and a massive struggle to get the babies into. They didn’t like it and with twin newborns I didn’t really have the time to constantly fiddle with it to try and get it right.

Over the next few months I cobbled together various combinations using the collection of carriers I already had. My husband would often come home from work to find me with both babies strapped to me. One in a sling, the other in a baby bjorn.

Some days it would just be one and I’d be holding the other one awkwardly. It wasn’t ideal but it stopped the crying and gave me at least one free hand to care for my oldest.

Then I discovered the world of Facebook baby wearing groups.

The tandem wearing groups taught me so much. I discovered a whole new world of carriers beyond the standard few available in baby stores. I learned new ways to wear my twins, both singly and in tandem. And best of all, I gained enough confidence to try wearing a baby on my back. Which suddenly made it so much easier to wear two and still be able to do things. With knowledge I gained from there I was able to get a few new carriers that made wearing my twins so much easier. As they got bigger, even more options opened up to me and soon it became my preferred way to transport them around out of the house as well as a way to comfort them at home while still leaving me with free hands to get stuff done.

My favourite was the Twingo

When they were 13 months old the Twingo Carrier was finally released and it was a life saver. Designed by a twin mum who had also struggled with baby wearing it was just what I needed. Finally I had a tandem carrier than wasn’t only easy to use but comfortable to wear for long periods. Day trips no longer meant lugging the double pram around as I could happily wear them for hours as we explored zoos, museums, etc. My oldest started school soon after I bought it and every day I’d use the Twingo to wear the twins for drop off and pick up. I become known as the crazy mum who wears her twins but on the rare occasions I let them walk, people would understand why I wore them!

When my twins started day care the Twingo made getting through the car park, security gates and locked doors with twins so much easier. I used it so often it became quicker for me to get them into it than to get out the pram and buckle them into it. My twins are almost 4 and we still use the Twingo on occasion and I regularly wear them one at a time, especially my cuddly boy twin.

The practicalities of twin baby wearing

Many singleton parents will go on about the more emotional side of baby wearing. They’ll talk about the bonding, the comfort and the joy of being able to have your baby snuggled on your chest but as a twin mum I’m more about the practical aspects which comes down to the fact it helps you get stuff done.

It means you can get around with 2 babies without a massive double pram, or cuddle both at once during witching hour while still making sure your other kids get fed or travel places your pram won’t fit through the door (like my GP’s office. I discovered that one the hard way!).

It means you can keep both babies close and happy while still helping your other kids down the slide at the playground and it means you don’t have people sticking their faces into the pram at the shops to have a sticky beak at your twins.

Reflections of a baby wearing twin mum

However our baby wearing days are almost at an end, but it has been an incredibly useful skill. I honestly don’t know how I would have survived twins without it.

With a singleton, baby wearing is handy but with twins it’s a must.

Whenever I’m asked what is an essential thing to buy when having twins I always say some type of carrier. If they then make the mistake of asking what kind I’ll tell them to get a Twingo before waffling on for ages about other options for various stages and what works and what doesn’t.

Having used so many different styles, brands and types of carriers, there are very few things I haven’t tried in my twin baby wearing journey. And I’ve loved (nearly) every minute of it.

If I’m ever having a down day and am really struggling with life with twins, I’ll pop them both on and go out. Guaranteed I’ll have someone stop me to tell me how amazing I am for wearing them both and getting called supermum is often just that little boost you need on days like that. I highly recommend baby wearing your twins even if it is just so you too can get lots of compliments and feel like a supermum too!

Author: Anonymous

Behind the apprehension of being parents to twins, we were filled with love and joy and relief that we were growing two healthy little baby boys. Having a bit of a pained history trying to conceive and losing a few of our precious little creations along the way, it seemed fitting to be bringing to life not just one beautiful baby, but two!

Twins conceived using clomid

We had conceived our twins through the drug serophene (more popularly known as clomid), that helps stimulate ovulation. A side effect of the drug includes conceiving (fraternal) multiples due to the release of more than one egg. Due to our history, it is a bit annoying when people ask “do twins run in the family” (the apparently polite way of asking if they’re natural or not), as it dredges up the past which is not really anyone’s business unless I decide it is!

We turned to the drug at the advice of our obstetrician after my cycles had completely blown out as a result of the trauma / hormones of our last pregnancy loss.

Thankfully my twin pregnancy was completely boring. I had no morning sickness, and all the scans came back with wonderfully amazing results. I didn’t really have many side effects of pregnancy besides a few weeks of a very uncomfortable PUPPP rash, some reflux, and growing bigger and bigger by the minute!

37 weeks pregnant with twins

At 37 weeks in the middle of summer, I was hugely uncomfortable. It was was hot, I was massive, and just all around exhausted. And I was more than ready for my boys to come. I headed off to my checkup and was (perhaps wrongly?) relieved to hear my blood pressure was way too high and my elective cesarean was being brought forward to TOMORROW! I could barely think for the rest of the day, let alone sleep that night! Excuitment had taken hold and I was so wired, and so thankful that I could put aside all of the pregnancy anxiety because I would finally be bringing my boys into life!

I turned up to the hospital bright and early for surgery, and everything went so smoothly. I remember thinking about how “easy” a cesarean was while i was on the operating table (and now I laugh at that thought when I think about the following recovery!). My boys were born not long after and both came out healthy and screaming and it was such a surreal moment to have them finally in my arms.

Twins born at 37 weeks

We were all so lucky that the boys could come and room with us straight away. The week in hospital was a blur, it was the busiest time of my life in between feeding and settling our bubs, the million hospital staff that all come in and do various things, and the visiting hours.

It was wonderful to finally be back into our house with our new additions to the family. The weeks & months that followed were certainly challenging, there were times of absolute exhaustion, a lot of tears (from all of us!), a lot of uncertainty and lack of confidence. We slowly found our feet, and now at 6 months we have reached a pretty good point, found our confidence and our parental stride! I don’t imagine this will ever be “easy”, but there are lots of moments of absolute joy, happiness, and love! I wouldn’t change it for the world.