Was your fundal height average or ahead with twins?

[HeatherB]

I've read that a woman's fundal height should be pretty much average until 20 weeks, even with twins. Was this your experience?

I'm wondering what's up with my 13.5wk uterus being as high (and full!) as an average 19wk - just a finger width below my navel. My older sister had naturally conceived twins 1.5 years ago, and the coincidence of timing (same edd months) and our close age (2y8m and so I'm only 8 months younger than she was at the time) have made me wonder early on. Now, I'm just wondering if it's due to being #5, multiples, or nothing at all.

[Brambleberry]

I had a noticeable growth spurt at 14.5 weeks, and at my 16 week appt was measuring 20 weeks.  There is a benefit to knowing early on, so that you can pack on a few extra pounds and get the placentas a good healthy start.  If your sister's twins are fraternal, I think that definitely ups your chances.  Good luck!

[HeatherB]

Yes, hers are fraternal. I've gone ahead and set up a quick u/s for this week to see what's up. I imagine it's just one, but as you say, knowing earlier has some advantages (as much as, in some ways, I'd rather wait!).

[Emelee]

Mine was ahead by about 12 weeks or so. I only measured 3-5 cm more than a singleton throughout the whole pregnancy (fraternal girls) but even that early on I could measure it and it was bigger. Let us know what you find out!

[~Caitlyn~]

I measured 20 weeks at my 16 week appointment. I felt my fundus at my naval myself before my appointment, thought it was high, and then chalked it up to it being my second pregnancy... Wrong

[HeatherB]

I was shocked to have her find the HB at 10.5 weeks, super clearly though it took time to find, but it was still low near the pubic bone. A week or so later I could feel it clearly an inch or so above. Then, suddenly, it seemed, it's so high I thought it couldn't be it! But it is.

I keep thinking it can't be, but...

[jessmn]

I think I've been ahead the whole time - my first appointment was around 11 weeks and the MW did a physical exam and then later brought in the portable ultrasound machine and we found out there were twins. She said she thought my uterus felt higher above the pubic bone than it should have been at that time.
 

[mylilmonkeys]

I measured ahead right from the getgo.  I could palpate my uterus above my pubic bone at 8 weeks instead of the usual 10.  I was 4 cms ahead at my first prenatal ~13 weeks.  By the next appt I was demanding arrangements be made for an U/S, though I hadn't had an anatomy scan since baby #1 and this was pregnancy #7.  The absolute tell tale for me was starting to feel concrete movement at 12 weeks in areas so far apart it was impossible it was one child at that stage.  Just impossible.  I'd get jabbed in the lower right just above my hip and then in the upper left fundus which by that time was near my navel.  But the not knowing for sure until 19 weeks about drove me crazy!  It can be hard to tell by measurements with a grandmultip, though, because the uterus can jump ahead quite quickly in the early stages and then just level out.  But, coincidentally, I was the same age when I had my twins as my grandma when she had hers, so I relate.  I told my sis not to get pregnant this year, cause she'll be 33 too. LOL

[Quinalla]

Mine has been ahead the whole time, though it is my 2nd pregnancy so some may be from my uterus just knowing what to do They are definitely making my uterus a lot wider and taller at this point (24weeks) than last time.

[HeatherB]

It's so hard to guess. I am getting lots of these sorts of twin stories, but also a good number of "it's normal" stories. I've never measured more than a tiny bit ahead through four pregnancies and none of the confounding factors I've seen people (elsewhere) mention seen to be affecting it. My fundus is solidly at my navel now at 14 weeks, clearly progressing daily.

I've been looking at risk factors for twins. I have a bunch:
- family history (my sister)
- lots of kids (4)
- overweight
- breastfeeding
- taking high doses of folate/folic acid (double doses of "Stress B Complex" for quite awhile)
- age (32)

One place said the folate alone gives a 40% chance! And now I keep, unthinkingly, referring to "these babies." I did that with my DD - used the right pronoun consistently but accidentally.

Counting down till we find out for sure. I'm still not sure it's my ideal way to do it, but I'm not sure waiting six more weeks would be good for any of us!

[mylilmonkeys]

Originally Posted by HeatherB 
 And now I keep, unthinkingly, referring to "these babies." I did that with my DD - used the right pronoun consistently but accidentally.

Counting down till we find out for sure. I'm still not sure it's my ideal way to do it, but I'm not sure waiting six more weeks would be good for any of us!

I totally did that, too.  And then would stop and correct myself.  It's maddening, and my midwife suggested we just wait and we'd know soon enough, but it was way too much torment.  I am not someone who jumps to ultrasounds, but I knew my uncertainty, and frame of mind weren't healthy.  I also knew that we would have to make special considerations for the birth because of my distance from midwife (and all hospitals) and history of rapid labors, combined with the probable weather conditions, I would just need as long as possible to work everything out.  We ended up inducing at my midwife's house literally a block from the hospital by rupture of membranes, and it turned out all right in the end, but had moments when it was all very questionable.  All that aside, I'm a big fan of finding out as soon as possible if you have that strong an intuition that you feel it is affecting your mindset.  

[Emelee]

It is funny that you mention you keep referring to "babies" because with our twin pregnancy we kept saying "one healthy baby, no multiples" right up until the ultrasound. And it was of course twins even though the only risk factor I had was still nursing DD1. We never even considered it was twins with our first daughter and it obviously wasn't. I remember you from the pregnancy board with your daughter because I was due in November 2010 also but just went 2 weeks late, that was back when I first started cruising Mothering but not really posting much yet.

[HeatherB]

I caught my son saying "babies" tonight, too! And my 2yo says there are 3 in there.

I was visiting with friends tonight and told them about the pregnancy. One of them had walked in and sensed there was a baby. The other went directly to thoughts of my having six children - which would be twins with my current four.

Did I mention I'm counting down the hours?!

[jessmn]

I had an inkling, too, but I've kept saying it's because I'm a twin, so they aren't a foreign concept to me. But I just kept feeling like something was up, and when it was confirmed, I wasn't at all shocked. The midwife was way more excited and shocked than we were. haha!
 

[HeatherB]

Could anyone palpate babies this early? I'm 14wks but have felt it for a week plus. At that point, it was a few inches. Now it's an area as big as my hand. Moves all over and I can feel pressure when it does. I think I'm also getting BH ctxs (trying to hydrate!). My MW seemed surprised that I can feel it so well and said things are looking more like twins. Eek! Exciting but I know I should be petrified.

[Emelee]

You mean actually feel the baby/ies in your uterus, feel kicks, or just the uterus itself? I felt movement at 12 weeks and the earliest I felt the actually babies' bodies through my uterus was about 17 weeks. It freaked me out so bad I started hyperventilating, haha! I hadn't expected to feel them so soon but I had gotten really skinny (dropped way more than what my pre-pregnancy weight was) after DD1 was born.

[HeatherB]

It's feeling where the baby is, not specific parts or movement. Not quite sure why I feel so much...

But the u/s, after initially making us ALL think there were two heads, ended up showing just one! Not that I would exactly wish for twins, but it's a bit disappointing to only see one!

[Emelee]

I'm glad your mind is at ease now! Sorry you're disappointed but I'm glad to hear you have a healthy little baby in there!

[1love4ever]

Hey everyone, I didnt know nursing was a risk factor for conceiving twins?  Why is that?  Where can I find more info on that?

THanks :)