Advice and Recommendations!

Hello,
I am almost ten weeks pregnant with twins. This is my second pregnancy- with my first ending in a miscarriage at 8w 5d. I am very excited, but very overwhelmed. I am reading a lot of posts, and looking for additional information. Any book recommendations, general knowledge or advice is very much appreciated. I am especially interested in trying to figure out whether to meet with a specialist or not as I will be 37 at delivery and was told I am "high risk". Looking forward to some feedback!
Thanks!

 

Welcome and congratulations on your twins pregnancy!!!

TS has so much information, and you could spend literally a few hours just reading page after page of posts in the Expecting Forum to help give you information.

I found only one book that I liked specific to a pregnancy with multiples and it was this one.

I am not sure about the criteria for seeing a specialist as I was 37 when I conceived my twins and saw my regular OB/GYN the whole pregnancy.

 

Welcome to TS!!! It is a wonderful place and learn so much about being pg with twins and then being with the twins once they are born. I love it here!!

I do not see a specialist. I see midwives/OB. I will be honest and have had some ups and downs with them. However, I was going to a specialist for my ultrasounds and it just got more confusing and frustrating so we all decided that it wasn't worth it.

I am not considered "high risk" but "extra special". I just get monitored more than one with a singleton. Right now I am super happy with them b/c Baby B is getting bigger than Baby A. I am very happy with the fact that it is being monitored more closely now with NST's, u/s, appts. and BPP's. I do not worry too much though cause she is a mover!

My only thing is that if I don't go on my own, I won't have a scheduled c-section til my 39th week. Yeah it is only 5 wks away but when you get this far along and this big....it seems like an eternity!!

Welcome and GL!

April

 

Hi! Welcome to TS!

I encourage you to join our Big Sister program. We will match you with a mom of twins that will be there for friendship and support through your twin journey. Click on the link in my signature for details.

I found out at 21 weeks that it was twins, and I was sent to a specialist that same week. I was 31 at the time. I loved going to the specialist, as they are very thorough. I had all of my u/s there. My ob and peri worked together as a team, as far as decisions on my care.

I did read one twins book, but found that the information on this site to be invaluable!!

 

I think it depends on the ob/gyn. I saw the perinatologist with my twins...They were "run of the mill" fraternals, no complications, and I was just 26 when I was pg with them. So probably the most low risk twin pg there can be. You have twins, a miscarriage and your age all as risk factors... in your shoes I think I'd prefer going with a conservative ob/gyn who begins to send you to a perinatologist somewhere around 15 weeks... At the practice I went to it was a cooperative effort between the peri's and my regular docs. I still had all my normal pg appointments, and in addition I saw the peri's. I started seeing them I think every 4 weeks starting at week 15, and then every two weeks, sometime after week 24 I think. Then twice a week for NSTs and BPPs after 34 weeks. Hope you have a healthy 9 months!

 

QUOTE(Erineliza @ Jul 23 2007, 01:31 PM) [snapback]341501[/snapback]
Hello,
I am almost ten weeks pregnant with twins. This is my second pregnancy- with my first ending in a miscarriage at 8w 5d. I am very excited, but very overwhelmed. I am reading a lot of posts, and looking for additional information. Any book recommendations, general knowledge or advice is very much appreciated. I am especially interested in trying to figure out whether to meet with a specialist or not as I will be 37 at delivery and was told I am "high risk". Looking forward to some feedback!
Thanks!


First of all congratulations on your pregnancy!! I found out at 8 weeks that it was twins!! Huge shock, they are "spontaneous", identical boys, and I'm only 20!! We have been at a high risk clinic since I was 16 weeks, due to a shared placenta and the risk of TTTS. It really depeds on the situation whether or not you will need any special attention, just ask your doctor, he's the only one who can tell you for sure!!
The biggest help for me has been this board of course, and the book "when you're expecting twins, triplets, and quads" by Dr. Barbara Luke. Its been a lifesaver!! There are no twins in my family, and we had barely decided to have a baby and we were pregnnt, got used to being pregnant and we found out it was twins!! Its a lot to wrap your mind around!!!

Good luck, feel free to ask questions, someone will have the answer!!

Shannon

 

Congratulations and welcome. I read all sorts of books while pregnant, but to be honest, most of my information I found here on TS. I felt very informed about my pregnancy and the level of care I was receiving, just by reading the posts here every day. (I was too shy to post back then! )

I did see a specialist (peri) once I began to have some issues with preterm labor. Lots of women here just see their OB/GYN, while others have a larger "team" during their pregnancy.

 

I am 26 weeks and have been seeing both OB/Gyn & perinatologists. the peri does alot when it comes to measuring and scanning everything. Then the OB does a quick but thorough exam himself just to be sure. I feel confident that there is alwyas two teams looking at my boys' & my health!

 

I have found this board to be as helpful as any book. I am also "advanced maternal age" with twins and thus high risk. I am 35 and unless they hit the 40 week mark, will deliver at 35 (they are technically due on my b-day). I have seen an ob and peri for most of my pregnancy. My OB practice is somewhat conservative and specializes in high risk multiples. Things have gone very well thus far. I did have an amnio performed due to my age and personal choices. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I am only a little ahead of you though.