After-twin body...

I know that this may sound dumb but I'm worried about how big I'm going to get with this twin pregnancy. I'm currently 19w pregnant. I got back to pre-pregnancy weight fairly quickly with my daughter and now I'm just wondering what will happen with this one. I've heard story after story about "twin skin" and I'm just wondering if any of you came out of twin pregnancy with NO twin skin...? I'm still exercising at the gym about 4-5 times a week and my doctor said that will definitely help.. I just wanted some other stories..
Thanks!

 

I feel pretty fortunate that I lost all my baby weight within the first 2 months post partum, HOWEVER, I do have 'twin skin'
I do know that I have heard of quite a few moms on here that did NOT get twin skin (lucky!!!!)

 

What is "twinskin"?

 

QUOTE(nolatwins @ Mar 1 2009, 08:15 PM) [snapback]1210586[/snapback]
What is "twinskin"?


Take a look at this link: Raising Twins. The bottom of the page has a link to a picture of a twin skin belly.
Another good site to look at is Shape of a Mother
Twin skin is the skin under your belly button that is left crinkly, saggy, droopy and stretch marked after your twins are born. Some women say it's like elephant skin - gray, wrinkly, yucky looking. In some women it improves over time, in others it remains that way until they either get a tummy tuck or learn to live with it. Not all twin mothers get it, but certainly a large percentage of them, from what I've seen while perusing forums. But one thing all moms agree on is that it is all completely worth it! Try not to worry too much (I know it is easier said than done) - whatever will be will be, and when you meet your little ones you won't care as much about your battle scars... more than likely you will wear them with pride.

 

I believe "twin skin" has a lot to do with genetics. If your mom's belly is in good shape (minus stretchmarks, etc) than I believe have the odds in your favor.. I remember seeing a thread on here a while back when someone asked about stretchmarks/twin skin and there was a surprising number of twin moms who didn't have any! I just thought everyone did! Good luck!!

 

QUOTE(tamaras @ Mar 1 2009, 07:54 PM) [snapback]1210571[/snapback]
I feel pretty fortunate that I lost all my baby weight within the first 2 months post partum, HOWEVER, I do have 'twin skin'


Same here. I lost all the weight fairly quickly... but the skin is still sticking around.

 

Ok i know this post will make me hated by some or alot.Lol. But I got lucky enough not to get twin skin. I got my pre body back within about 6 weeks. I'm currently pregnant again, so hopefully i go back to normal after this one too.

There is hope.

Sorry if this upsets some of you.Lol.

 

QUOTE(walker006 @ Mar 2 2009, 06:47 AM) [snapback]1210839[/snapback]
Ok i know this post will make me hated by some or alot.Lol. But I got lucky enough not to get twin skin. I got my pre body back within about 6 weeks. I'm currently pregnant again, so hopefully i go back to normal after this one too.

There is hope.

Sorry if this upsets some of you.Lol.


On the contrary, it is great to hear this, I am thrilled for you and this gives hope to the rest of us! Genetics are in your favor and this is a wonderful thing - enjoy!

 

I don't have any tummy stretchmarks, but my lovehandles are another story. I also lost all my baby weight (+5 extra lbs) 6 weeks postpartum. My clothes still don't fit me the same now though. My butt and hips are much bigger. I have some twin skin, but nothing like the twin skin pics from the website mentioned by previous post.

 

QUOTE(mommymeg @ Mar 2 2009, 12:19 PM) [snapback]1211197[/snapback]
I don't have any tummy stretchmarks, but my lovehandles are another story. I also lost all my baby weight (+5 extra lbs) 6 weeks postpartum. My clothes still don't fit me the same now though. My butt and hips are much bigger. I have some twin skin, but nothing like the twin skin pics from the website mentioned by previous post.


I on the other hand closely resemble a tiger from both sides, LOL. This is despite the fact that I religiously applied tummy butter twice a day. Hoping they will fade at least a little bit after I give birth because right now they look truly scary, I startle myself every time I see them in the mirror. Hope I don't get twin skin....

 

My stretchmarks have faded quite a bit in the last 3 years. They're still visible, but not the dark color they once were. Twinskin, on the other hand, remains. I didn't lose all my baby weight, so that's part of it. Actually, now that I'm 29+ weeks pregnant, the skin is finally stretched out and I don't mind my naked body, LOL. In addition to genetics, it may also partly be due to how long you carry your babies. If you only get to 29 weeks, that may not stretch you out the way that reaching 38 weeks will. So in my mind, it's worth the tradeoff.

 

I do NOT have twin skin, and carried my twins 2 days longer then my singleton, I gain 30 pounds less lost all by 8 by my 6 w pp checkup… w/ my singleton it took until he went to preschool and I could work out longer than 20 min to lose that weight (and I was in my early 20’s then)… my DH says I’m in better shape now then I was when he meet me @19… I do run 5 miles at least 5 days a week… but that would not help twin skin even if I did have it…

My hips, though, didn’t go back “together” until I think they were 7-8 m old… just one weekend I look like I had dropped 10 pounds (and I had not) and none of my pants fit me… it looked like I was wearing DH pants…

i was very scared i would not weather a twin preg well... but i did

Elizabeth

 

size has not been a real issue for me. I was in pre-pregnancy jeans at my 6 week checkup. I gained 45 pounds with ds and not even a stretch mark with him. I only gained 40 pounds with the twins and still got major twin skin. It's the twin-skin that irritates me. Nothing you can do about that short of a TT.
I have heard of some ladies here who have gotten away with no twinskin after their twins.

 

I'm not focusing on that right now, but I don't think it's silly for you to think of it. My sister has lost everything but just has a little skin. It doesn't look too bad, she still wears a bikini that just covers that part up!

 

I'm 5'1" and gained over 60 lbs (at 33 weeks). I don't have stretchmarks or twinskin like those pictures. It is possible and I totally agree with the PP comment about taking after your mom. I have the c-section ditch and the skin is a little loose below my belly button but it's not like that. I'm back to pre-pregnancy weight though it took about 6 months. My stomach is still softer and my butt is bigger, my boobs have stretchmarks, my belly button is not the same and I have veining in my legs, so it's not all grand, but it's not all bad either

Good luck - that's all it really is

 

No twinskin or stretch marks here. But I'm having a hard time getting back in shape weightwise, mostly due to poor eating habits, no sleep, lots of stress and no exersize. But I'm hopeful that things will change now that the twins are craling and not as needy, sleeping more and it's getting warmer so I can get out and about more.

 

No twinskin or stretch marks here either. I still have to lose 6 pounds and my hips are still a little wider (most of my pants already fit), but I´m only 2 months pp. I can´t stop eating though, I´m always hungry breastfeeding so I don´t think those 6 pounds will come off very soon...

 

I gained 50lbs with mine, although at least 16lbs of it was water gained in the last two weeks! I had lost everything by my six week appointment, although my pants still didn't fit properly. I did end up with the beloved twin skin, thanks to my stomach stretching to gargantuan proportions. Its not too bad though compared to what it could be, and its relatively concentrated below my belly button. I'm currently losing a few extra pounds of pre-baby stress weight, which I think is helping (9lbs down, maybe another 9 to go) with the pant size issue but nothing apart from a tummy tuck would fix the twin skin.

 

I wanted to add that despite the twin skin, I never got any red stretch marks. they were all just skin color. Not that bad. It's really nothing to worry about since what will be will be.

 

I'm 5'1", short-wasited, and was ALL belly, gained 42 lbs. I've got awful twin skin, and my stomach never went all the way back in, even though I lost all the weight. I think the muscles were permanently protruded. I had just joined the Y and was going to try and see if exercising religiously would help...but then I got pregnant...oops.

I agree, it's totally genetics. My mom and I have no elasticity in our skin. I have a friend who had quintuplets (granted delievered at 26weeks) and her stomach is totally flat!

 

I lost my weight 3 mos PP, however I wasn't one of the lucky ones who avoided the twin skin.. I think mostly it's because I carried almost ALL in the front. My poor belly button, lol. During one of my last OB visits the nurse said to me, "oh my gosh, I can't even tell you're pregnant from looking at your back!"

About the gene thing.. well, my mom is Korean and after two kids she didn't get a scratch. She's a lucky woman who doesn't grow hair on her legs and has a nice complection. I got my dad's skin [genes], and I look full white. Although, my mom gained 40lbs with both pregnancies and my first stretch mark appeared at 27 wks [44 lbs later]. I gained a total of 72 lbs.

 

I gained 41lbs I think with my twin pg but only made it to just shy of 29 weeks. I don't have twin skin, I didn't know what it was till I just looked it up. I got back to my pp weight quickly. I know I lost 25lbs within the first 3 days (my hospital made you get on the scale before you left the hospital...that was cruel). I lived at the NICU so I didn't eat much and was running around all the time trying to see the 2 at the hospital and the 2 at home so I think that helped. I have one stretch mark that was very tiny after my first child, got bigger after the second and is now about 3 inches long. Its always been skin colored too. I wouldn't stress too much. Not everyone gets them!

 

I didnt get twin skin either..........But then again i barely gained 20 pounds with both of my twin pregnancies so i dont guess i really count. I think the thing that helped me a bit was that i was overwieght to begin with I actually lost down to what i weighed in my junior year of high school after having teh twins. I told everyone pregnancy was the best weight loss program i ever had that worked!

 

QUOTE(walker006 @ Mar 2 2009, 07:47 AM) [snapback]1210839[/snapback]
Ok i know this post will make me hated by some or alot.Lol. But I got lucky enough not to get twin skin. I got my pre body back within about 6 weeks. I'm currently pregnant again, so hopefully i go back to normal after this one too.

There is hope.

Sorry if this upsets some of you.Lol.


Actually, it's a relief to read!!! I was the same way with my girls, pre-baby body back quickly--nursing was a great benefit for that. I'm a little worried this time around with having twins, but I know it can happen. Never even heard of or seen pictures of "twin skin" before this thread & my jaw dropped!!! lol