How/when can you tell if you're having twins? - Page 2

[MamaRainebeau]

I am having twins, due at the end of March 31... Identical boys. As for signs and symptoms?

- Just had a "feeling" it was twins at about 5 weeks
- Looked like I was five months pregnant at 10 weeks
- I absolutely knew I was having a boy when I found out I was pg but I had had NO sickness etc when I was pg. with my boy and had horrible ms and exhaustion this time
- felt flutters at 10 weeks

I have no family history of twins. Interestingly, I went to my first OB appointment at 12 weeks and even though I told my midwife I was having twins she only heard one heartbeat and said I was measuring correctly for gestational age. It wasn't until I had an unscheduled US at 14 weeks because of some pain I was having that they saw there were two!

If you think there might be two press, press, press for an US. There is a serious increase in risk if there is more than one and chorionicity needs to be determined asap. I am dealing with a common complication of identical twin pregnancy now and your babies need to be looked out for. Check out the link in my siggy regarding ttts... knowledge saves babies.

Good luck!

Oh and by the way... You CAN do it if you are having more than one. I have a 2yo and a 1yo at home and wioll have 4 under 2.5 when these boys arrive!

[gloriousmom]

How do you check your HCG level?

[Free Thinker]

Here's my take At 8 weeks I suspected, my uterus was palpable and I could see it already! Freaked me out!!! By 12 weeks I knew, I was huge compared to my previous pregnancies. I told DH and several friends I just knew it was twins. At my 12 week appt (okay, it was almost 13 weeks) the Dr. was called to a delivery and they wanted to cancel my appt. and resch., but I insisited on seeing a nurse (I had been waiting a LONG time and wanted confirmation I wasn't crazy!). When she came in I told her I suspected twins and asked if I could schedule and US for my next appt. SHe told me to lay down, plapated my uterus (at this point about an inch below my belly button), put the doppler on my tummy and *boom*boom*boom* Baby! Immediately! HE was really high, and the nurse agreed it might be twins, so she scheduled and US across town that afternoon. As soon as the tech started I could see both babies! I was right!

[Kylahroo]

I'm in the same boat. Will be 17 weeks on Saturday and am having my first prenatal tomorrow. My uterus has passed my naval and is now a finger width or so above it. I've looked 5 months pregnant for about a month now. I've been able to easily find my uterus for months now and it's always been about 4-6 weeks ahead of where it "should be". Yes, I know my dates, right on. Everyone who sees me says it's twins. My 8 year old told me when I was 5 weeks that it was twins. I've had a feeling the entire time it's twins.

The reasons I don't think it is? I'm not sick, was hardly sick, only for a couple of weeks. I'm not overly tired (even with 4 kids and running my own biz). I'm not gaining huge amounts of weight (about 10# so far). Just started feeling movement this past week which is comparable to my other pregnancies. I don't know. We'll see what my MW thinks tomorrow. I measured about 4 weeks ahead with my 3rd and he was just a big baby (10#3) so it could just be another big baby. We'll see!

[DiannaK]

Kylahroo ... you'd better keep us posted!!!

I went in for a u/s at 14 weeks, to check my cervical length. I've had 2 LEEPs before, which can cause an incompetent cervix. They wanted to check the length at 14w, and 18w.

U/S tech checked my cervix, everything looked a-OK, and I asked her to take a peep at the baby as long as we were there. She agreed, and all I did was look over to see a heartbeat. She asked me if the baby had been scanned before, and I said no. She told me, "Well, I'm getting ready to rock your world!" I started crying immediately, just from the sheer shock!! I literally had no clue.

Symptoms for me were no different from previous PGs, except for the EXTREME fatigue. I was nauseated, but not horribly so. I had only gained 1 pound at my 14 week check. The OB did measure me at a 20 week size uterus that day. I'm just now starting to show, at 16 weeks.

I think symptoms are different for everybody. I'm just thankful I was scanned early .. I wouldn't have wanted to be surprised any later!!

[gloriousmom]

I'm not sure I can feel my uterus yet. Maybe it's too early? Where should it be at 8 weeks?

[Spark]

Originally Posted by gloriousmom

I'm not sure I can feel my uterus yet. Maybe it's too early? Where should it be at 8 weeks?

At 8 weeks it's most typically still inside your pelvis. Here's a link http://gynob.com/fh.htm with information. If you scroll down, you'll see the fundal height chart.

I'm wondering a little bit about twins for me, too. Although, I don't know, most people just have one. Even in this thread where there were signs of twins.

Let's see here's my list of reasons to wonder:
- Measuring big. (but it's still the 1st trimester, so I don't think it counts too much) I was 2-3 weeks ahead at 5 weeks, 4 weeks ahead at 8 weeks (both confirmed by MW) and now at almost 11 weeks, I'm just a couple finger widths below my belly button (not confirmed by MW).
- Wide uterus. Usually I might measure a bit ahead in the first trimester, but my uterus has always been super skinny. This time though, it's really wide and almost squarish. (confirmed by MW)
- Looking big. (but again, I don't think this really counts for much) Belly Pics
- Early movement. I *thought* I might be feeling something earlier, but I KNOW I've been feeling movement since 9 1/2 weeks. I started feeling it specifically in my low right part of my uterus, but nothing on the left part. But, after a full week of just feeling it on my right side, now I feel the movement on my left side, too. I think that's odd. But, there's probably something else to explain it. I mean, I don't think my inch long baby can be both places at once... or maybe it can.
- So so so much fatigue. I'm getting a little better but at its worst, I couldn't go more than 1 1/2 or 2 hours without needing to lay back down & sleep. I was like a newborn. Now, I still need 10+ hours at night and 2-3 long naps a day. See, better!
- So so so hungry! I have only lost weight in my first trimester. Now... oh, man, I'm embarrassed to say, I'm 10w6d and I've gained 19 lbs!!!!! Eeek! It's all good wholesome food though, no junk.
- Long family history of both twins and triplets

Anyway, that's my list. Who knows! We'll find out eventually!

[strmis]

can I hop onto the bandwagon?

I'll chime in too! I don't necessarily feel pregnant with twins or have any symptoms out of the ordinary, but I've been told by 2 completely unrelated incidences that I'm having twins. (one was Ananas and the other a psychic who is supposedly "very good" at what she does)

I'm just wondering, for the other's who have actually had twins, were the HB's or hospital births? I'd love a HB, but just want to be confident enough to feel that way (in cas there are 2)

ALso, can you palpate for twins? I'll be having my first M/W appt this sat at 12 weeks.

Congrats and good luck mamas!

[Kylahroo]

Originally Posted by strmis

I'm just wondering, for the other's who have actually had twins, were the HB's or hospital births? I'd love a HB, but just want to be confident enough to feel that way (in cas there are 2)

ALso, can you palpate for twins? I'll be having my first M/W appt this sat at 12 weeks.

I just had my first prenatal today (16w5d) and found out my homebirth MW has delivered 11 sets of twins (successfully) and 2 just in the past year. I was psyched to hear that!! Reassures me a great deal to continue with our HB plans were we to have twins.

To answer your second question, yes, but not at 12 weeks. Twins become more obvious (w/o U/S) by 24-28 weeks. By then you'll be measuring quite large (consistently), may possibly hear two HB's and hopefully the babies will cooperate and be side by side (vs. one in back of the other) which helps the MW palpate.

My MW is very curious to continue seeing me! She says we'll know more next month. Btw, I was measuring 20cm. So, not huge for almost 17 weeks, but definitely something to consider.

[gloriousmom]

HGC levels

i was wondering if anyone knows about the HCG level when twins are present. i know it is usually higher and wanted to know if anyone knows exactly how much higher for there to be suspicion of twins. i am 6 weeks right now and yesterday (day 3 of the week) my level was 30,089, which seems high if it is supposed to double by thursday or friday, which would put me at over 60,000, and normal high for this week is 56,500.[/QUOTE]

I found this interesting and was wondering how you check your HCG level. Where could I find more info?

oops, I'm trying to post a reply with a quote but I don't think I did it right, please excuse me until I figure this out.

[gloriousmom]

Spark, thanks for the link. I think I can feel that its about a third of the way to my belly button. Seems like a normal size, for one I think. I checked out your belly pics and Whoa! I haven't seen anybody show much so early before.

[Spark]

Originally Posted by strmis

I'm just wondering, for the other's who have actually had twins, were the HB's or hospital births? I'd love a HB, but just want to be confident enough to feel that way (in cas there are 2)

There are many twins born at home. Some MWs feel more comfortable attending them than others though, FYI.

[strmis]

Originally Posted by Spark

There are many twins born at home. Some MWs feel more comfortable attending them than others though, FYI.

yes.. this is true. When I told my MW I might be carrying twins she asked me if I really wanted to have the babies at home. Then she said she'd do it with another MW. I forgot her name....

Although I am "officially" 12 weeks and am not lookin all that big. So, I'm thinking singleton in there. hmmm...

[gloriousmom]

Go figure

Originally Posted by strmis

Although I am "officially" 12 weeks and am not lookin all that big. So, I'm thinking singleton in there. hmmm...

I guess everyone is just different. I've been reading that some women have more intense symptoms and show earlier, etc with twins, yet others have had easier pregnancies when carrying twins than they did when they carried only one. Some didn't even show signs of twins until an ultrasound or birth. Go figure.

I have had twin thoughts but don't have any other symptoms than being really sick to base a twin suspicion on for me, but I am so jealous of those who don't get sick at all- especially when they're carrying more than one!

[2ndtimearound]

Curious!!!

Hello to everyone in the forums;

I am 36 yrs old, 16wks and 4 days into my pregnancy, and I too am curious, actually very nervous to know if I am having twins. Twins do run in my family. I have a cousins that are twins and one of them had twins of their own and friends and co-workers of mine are saying that I too am having twins. I feel like I am bigger for this pregnancy. I have a 7 yr old boy. When I was pregnant with him I knew right off the bat that I was having a boy and did not start to show till I was about 5 months pregnant. But this one I started to show immediately and still having morning sickness, and extremely tired. I am still working, but I feel that I can longer take it. My boyfriend is nervous as well. This will be his 2nd child. He has a 24 yr old daughter. Yes he is older than myself. Actually he is 13 yrs my senior...lol. So, he is still shocked about the whole ordeal but at the same time loving it. He says he's not sure if our girl or boy (s?) will call him "daddy or grandpa"..lmao!!!

Anyhoo, I did have an ultrasound done when I was 13 1/2 wks and so far only heard 1 heartbeat. Even though it was very brief. The baby or babies like to play hide and seek..lol. On christmas eve at a family gathering, pretty much everyone noticed and felt 2 bumps. One on the far right side and the other on the left at the same time. Everyone was excited but I was extremely scared. From time to time I feel slight movements on either side of the belly. Maybe I am imagining things or hoping too much. I guess I just need someone to reassure me that it's gonna be ok. I've even had dreams about twins. And to top it all off, my mother says it's twins because of the 2 hairline swirls my son has on his head. She says that's a sign of twins. I don't know I guess it's some kind of latino superstitions..lol. Hopefully I will find out when I go for my sonogram on the 9th of January. No-matter what I am hoping for a little girl. And this will be my last pregnancy. For I feel I am getting too old..lol.:::

[NatureMama3]

I definitely would have known before 20 weeks had I not already, because they were positioned so that I had 2 different bumps top and bottom.

BUT.. positioning can make a big difference. I have a friend on another forum who had NO CLUE and only found out at that 20 week ultrasound (SURPRISE!) and an older friend who only found out at birth (before standard ultrasound). In those cases one baby was behind the other and was never picked up on doppler or by seeing/movement.

[AmamaAgain]

Hi Ladies,

I'm a little concerned. I'm 5 weeks pregnant and the bottom of my admomon is hard. Very hard already. This was not the case with my sons pregnancy. I also conceived this baby using a low dose of clomid. This all makes me wonder about the twin subject. hmmm

[eilonwy]

I actually know someone with three-year-old twins who only found out that she was having two when she was in labor. It still happens today.

[CourtneyATW]

I too was on Clomid, as well as having a prediction made by a fairly "accurate" psychic a year ago that I would get pregnant in November with twins. So yeah, getting anxious! I do have an u/s in a little over a week, so hopefully we get a clear answer then!

So far I am a LOT more tired and a TON more sick than my last 2 pregnancies. I always show really early, so I can't go by that.

[frontierpsych]

I'm suspecting this one may be twins, but I'm not too sure. (I'm like Spark, getting real big real early!) I'll definitely be around with updates though