How long do you really carry twins ?

I am now 26 weeks pregnant with fraternal twin boy's and i am 5'1 and slinder.. I have been told that the longest you carry twins is 38 weeks due to twins developing faster than a normal pregnancy.. I however dont see how i can carry them that long seeing that i feel like i'm already about to pop.. I feel like when i stand up i have a lot of pressure on my pelvic area and was wondering if anyone else has the same feelings about this and whats the usual timeline on a small frame person carrying twins..

 

before i was pregnant i was 5'9 and 120 pounds....at about 27 weeks i literally felt like these babies were just going to "fall out"...i couldnt imagine making it much longer.....I am now at 38 weeks today so anythiing is possible i guess!!

 

It's not that they develop faster, it's just that you, as the gestational carrier, (usually) have no more ability or room for them to grow. Some people carry them for 40 weeks, most carry for less. I almost made it to 35 weeks.

 

Yes, as Bex stated, they don't develop faster. A 38 week old (gestational) baby is the same as 38 week (g) twins. Twins generally come early though. There are many different causes of premature birth. I am 5'3 and carried my twins until 38 weeks. I was uncomfortable, but they were comfortable. Just take it one day at a time.

 

I am 5'7" and carried my twins until 37w3d it is became hard after 34 weeks

 

I agree with the above posters, they don't develop quicker, they are the same as a singleton. :good: There were many times during my pregnancy that I felt that I could not go on any more, I was going to burst! But I made it to 39 weeks and didn't. :lol: Our bodies are amazing! :youcandoit:

 

I'm 5'8" and made it to 37.4 weeks. I think your goal should be 38 weeks.

 

I have had pelvic pressure since about week 25, where I looked "full term" for one baby. I am 38 weeks and two days and getting induced today as there is no sign of these babies coming out on their own! I am excited and freaked, but I am in such pain that it is ok at this point. Every part of me hurts!

Good luck!
You can do this!
Molly

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a HUGE difference between carrying to 38 weeks at 5'7 or 5'9 and slender and 5'1 and slender. Its not so much the build as it is the lack of torso that makes it so hard for shorter women to carry longer. You taller ladies are at a distinct advantage. There is literally not enough room and everything compresses so much more on the body of the more compact woman. That's not to say that making it past 36 weeks is impossible at your size, but it is much more of a challenge and your body simply may not tolerate it and your babies may go into distress from lack of space to grow. Your doctors will watch that very carefully as your pregnancy progresses. I'm 5'0 and not particularly slender but my doctor has always said that while 37 weeks or so is the GOAL, he would be satisfied if I make it to 34. I'm pushing 27 weeks now and like you I'm really starting to feel some pretty intense pelvic pressure and the aches increase daily. My belly is practically under my chin and my breathing is constantly restricted. It will not be an easy haul for these final weeks and this is definitely one time in my life that I wish I had a few extra inches.

Get lots of rest. Stay off your feet as much as possible and try not to do too much if you don't have to. I am not working and I have very little strenuous activity and I believe that will make a big difference in how long I am able to carry these babies, but only time will tell.

Good luck to you!! There are quite a few of us pint-sized mamas on here and I know that many of them have gone the distance so be hopeful.

 

I am a very proud 4'11 and carried my girls to 37.5 weeks - which was my scheduled c-section date :yahoo:

It is do-able :good: I did go on bedrest around 33 weeks, not strict but modified bedrest & that helped keep my little ones cooking.
It was hard due to the lack of room on my body, but the babies were just great!

Hang in there - you can do it!

 

I too am smaller, in height at least LOL, only about 5 ft 1. At 31 weeks I feel like I am bursting already and look like I did at 41 weeks with my last singleton. Everything hurts and it's so hard to do the simplest tasks. I have a sneaky feeling though that I will make it to 38 weeks (our doctors induce around that time) despite my lack of room. I still don't know how I can, but I am pretty sure mother nature and these babies will see to it that I do LOL.

I am torn every...single...day about wanting them out but knowing they need to stay in. I feel horrible for having such selfish thoughts but I also know that at least I can vent here cuz everyone understands.

It would be interesting to see some official data on this topic, wonder if there really is a difference for those who have twin pregnancies that have no complications between those of different heights. It would be interesting to see if it even matters.

Good luck and try to take it one day at a time, cry if you need to and post here for encouragement. :hug:

 

I agree. Official stats would be very interesting! My doc has always said though that his height-challenged ladies have a more difficult time with twins. That's not necessarily complications, per se, but just that the pregnancy is harder on their bodies. I don't have any medical complications (knock on wood) but the discomfort is pretty bad and I am already getting to the point where I can barely get around. I'm a sight, I tell ya.

 

Yeah me too, hubby likes to make fun of my walk every chance he gets, the brat! And chasing after my 13 month old is beyond hard. I just know that we thought our last one would come early and she was 10 days late so this time I am not letting me talk myself into an early delivery so I'm not so disapointed when they have to break down the wall to get to me to take me for my induction roflmbo! My doc never says anything about delivering early, but he doesn't like to start talking about delivery until later in the game anyway.

 

I carried mine twins to 37w3d. I am 5'5" and pre pregnant weight was 125 although I don't think size has anything to do with it. I was constantly feeling pressure from about 33 weeks on. Hold on to those babies as long as possible...the longer you carry the healthier they are!

 

I'm 4'11 and I was 115lbs pre-pregnancy. I haven't had my little ones yet (28 weeks this Friday), however, my doctors (I get a new one all the time thanks to the darn military) seem to think I'll go between 32 and 34 weeks. They will not induce me or schedule me for a csection until 38 weeks though, unless something starts to go wrong w/ the babies (like distress). I am starting to worry about whether or not mine are really growing much more inside of me. I've been measuring my belly (around & down) along w/ my weight and none of that has changed in about 6 weeks. I actually have lost a couple pounds the past 2 weeks. It's something I'll bring up w/ my doctor later today. I have been at 39 inches around my belly, 15 inches down (from under my breasts & down) and weighing 128lbs right now. I have yet to reach 130, it keeps going up and down a pound. I've had pelvic pressure since geeze like 20 weeks, but I quit working at 24 weeks by my own choice and I have noticed a HUGE difference. I don't get the pelvic pressure unless I have been up and around all day like I had been at my job. Now the only time I get up is to run errands and do minor things around the house.

You definitely want to keep them in as long as possible. I don't think there's any clear stats on how long us short people make it, maybe some day we will get that information.

 

Like you we are military to. It is hard to get answers out of the doctors here in Belgium, i think it's the language barrier we have. I had asked would i carry full term but he had said that if they dont come by 38 weeks that they would take them then..I had already been to the emergency room from sharp pains in my back and side and i also have braxton hicks contractions all the time. They monitered me and said all test came back a-ok so i was happy!! They said it could be ligaments streatching or tearing so just stay off my feet as much as possible until i see my doctor on my next visit. they said the braxton hicks would happen more with this pregnancy than my previous since it's twins.. But the pelvic pressure is all day everyday it is even hard to sleep, i guess that will be one of my questions the next visit. Hope all is well on your visit!!

 

I have contractions all the time as well, they say some are braxton, some are real, but none of them are really affecting my cervix. At least they weren't about 2 weeks ago when I to L&D because I was seeing little spots and had a horrific headache. I hate the fact that I see a different doctor every visit because it seems like the answers always vary, but what can ya do. Well off I go to my appointment!

 

I'm 5'2 and I carried my twins to 37 weeks 3 days. It was pretty uncomfortable at the end, but I blame that one the size of my boys rather than my height.

 

I'm 5'4" and carried my girls to 38weeks. Their birth weights are in my siggie. You can carry twins to term being shorter, yes you will be more uncomfortable but it's definitely possible!! No bedrest for me, no complications!!

 

I have had BH with all my single pregnancies--and at the end, they turn real with real changes in the cervix. They have started earlier this time (about 23-24 weeks) and I seriously think it is because I am horrible at drinking enough fluids and it was getting really hot weather-wise. I'm lecturing myself here, but if you want to postpone or delay the early labor and bh, DRINK DRINK DRINK (and I'm talking water and other water-based stuff)!!! You will feel SOOOO much better. Again--I'm preaching to myself--but for someone that never downs 8 oz water in a day, getting anywhere from 12-24 oz. is a boost (plus trying to munch on grapes, watermelon, etc. and drinking crystallight, kool-aid or something) and when I was drinking 32-40 oz., I felt really good!! Now, to get back into that habit now that it is REALLY important.......

 

I am 5'2 and weights about 120lbs when I got pregnant with twins. I am only 23 weeks and have had lots of pelvic pressure since about 18 weeks. My doctor told me it was normal as one of my lil guys is sitting in my pelvis with no intentions of going anywhere. I already feel like I am going to pop and feel guilty because I know they need to cook longer. My doctor promised at the last appointment to put me on mat leave at my next appointment which is Monday. I am having a really hard time with these ones. My son wasn't an easy pregnancy but it was so much simpler. Lol!
I have also had Braxton Hicks for the last couple of days and they have been painful to the point where I almost went to the hospital thinking I was in actual labour. But my doctor seems to think that I will make it to 38 weeks though he has hinted of possibly delivering earlier because he is sure they will be big babies like my son was.

 

I heard the average length of a twin pregnancy is 36 weeks, if that helps at all....

 

Good luck at your aapintment!! Tell us how things turn out..

 

I'm 5'8'' ... I carried my twins to 36w3d ... This set I'm currently 35w5d, and although I'm having lots of BH contractions ... I'm not effaced or dilated, so my doctor believes I will make it to 38w3d, which is when our c-section is scheduled for.

With my first set, I went to L&D for lots of BH contractions, and the doc decided to just do the c-section. The twins were big, and far enough along ... but I still wasn't dilating ... so I probably could have gone further if she had sent me home.

My friend also had twins. She is 5 feet exactly, and maybe 100 lbs soaking wet. She carried longer than me ... 37w exactly. So it's totally possible. The most important thing you can do is carry those babies as long as you can. Don't get me wrong, if there is a medical reason to get them out, by all means, get them out!! But your size alone will not determine your ability to carry.

 

I so agree, i think the shorter you are the harder everything is.. The babies are sitting so high it feels like i cant breath and also my rib cage is bending out. The doctor has said that in some cases he has seen a petiet lady getting her ribs broken by the baby and i believe him because i think my ribs are on the brink of breaking now at 26 & 1/2 weeks. I will take it easy and try to get alot of rest untill they are ready to come out!! After all it is up to them when there ready!! Thanks for the support!

 

Don't feel bad about wanting them out, i think when we get to a certian point in our pregnancys we all want them out LOL.
I know they had a show about twins in the womb on discovery channel and they did say that shorter women had more of a chance of going into labor before a taller women because of lack of room in our turso. The babies had stopped growing after 32 weeks on the shorter women so they took them early but both were fine.. So who knows. thanks alot for your encouragement!!!

 

Oh man!! Not the ribs. I'm sorry that must be agony. Havent experienced that so far.

I do have big giant boobies though and I keep saying that its too bad I cant carry the babies in those. If only each baby could climb up into a boob, they would have waaaaaay more space than they do in my truncated tummy. :laughing:

 

I'm 5'2 and I never thought I would last that long...but I went until 38w5d...and the only reason they even came then was because I had my membranes stripped which caused my water to break...I think I would have gone another week had I not done that! So, no...I don't think height has anythign to do with how long you carry them...but probably has bearing on how UNCOMFORTABLE you are!!! Our bodies are amazing, don't second guess them!

 

I am 5'1 and carried mine to 39 wks 2 days, my scheduled c-section date. I never had a contraction, couldn't even tell you what one feels like. I shudder to think how long these two would have stayed in had I not needed a c-section!! I was horrendously uncomfortable from about 35 weeks on, and was on modified bedrest due to some pretty bad swelling in my feet and legs, but otherwise had no complications. I was CERTAIN they would come early!! You just never know.

 

My water broke after 39 weeks and 1 day!
Gave birth vag. and no painmeds!

The gyn would induce after 38 weeks but I didn't have any dialation (?)
Sorry for not spelling everything correct.
Live in Holland (my mom is American).

I know a few ladies on my Dutch twinforum that went full-term!!

 

Well you are a trooper for having no pain meds.. Unfortunatly i will be having a c-section due to two previous c-sections but i dont mind them. Don't worry about the spelling as i live in Belgium and feel bad about not speaking Dutch so i guess were even haha!!

 

A neat little fact I read th other day was that really, ony 30% of twins are born before 37 weeks!

So, its actually less common than we think to have early bird babies!

 

i am 5'9" so on the tall side.
i was induced with the twins at 38 weeks and 4 days.