TPC’s Top 10 Tips for Twin Pregnancies

1. Eat for 3. Twin pregnancies require an additional 600 calories a day. So a 5′ 5″ women who weighs 140 at the start of her pregnancy will need about 2500 calories a day. That doesn’t mean 2 extra Snickers bars. Focus on getting your 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Also, eat lean proteins throughout the day to help prevent hypoglycemia. A prenatal vitamin with at least 1 mg of folic acid and an iron supplement is encouraged for all twin pregnancies. Weight gain is recommended to be 37-54 pounds for a mom with an normal BMI.

2. Don’t fret your belly size. In The Pregnancy Companion, we talk a lot about worrying over your belly size. ‘Helpful’ friends and neighbors tend to constantly comment on the size of your belly. One neighbor comments you are too large, later the same day a co-worker will think you are too small. It’s also hard to not compare yourself to other preggos who are at the same point in their pregnancy. The shape of your pregnant belly really depends on your body type and how many babies you have had. If this is your first pregnancy and you are tall with a long torso and firm abs, you may not show until after 20 weeks.  If you have a short torso and this is your third baby, you may be in maternity clothes before you get out of the first trimester. Your doctor will be monitoring your size carefully, so listen to her, and not your mother-in-law.

3. Stay active as long as you can. Gestational diabetes is caused by the placenta secreting an anti-insulin hormone, so with twins you have twice the placenta and therefore an increased risk. Twins do often mean bed rest later in pregnancy, but not always.  Stay active as long as you can to help keep up your muscle tone and reduce your risk of gestational diabetes. Stay in communication with your doctor about your amount of activity. Even if your pregnancy is complicated by partial bed rest, ask your provider if you can continue yoga and pilates to help reduce back pain and hopefully maintain  muscle tone.

4. Buy Tums in bulk. Most pregnancy symptoms are amplified in twin pregnancies. Heartburn tends to be one of the worst. Often women will go directly from their first trimester nausea to heart burn.  The hormones of pregnancy cause relaxation of the valve between the stomach and the esophagus. Add in that two babies are pushing your stomach up towards your esophagus instead of just 1, and you get a wonderful burning sensation in your chest complete with disgusting sour taste in your mouth. Tums are safe in pregnancy but you will often need stronger meds, so talk to your provider if Tums isn’t holding your symptoms.

5. Lay on your side. It’s usually recommended to start sleeping on your side after 20 weeks, but with twins 16 weeks is more realistic. The growing uterus can compress your blood vessels, reducing the blood return to your heart, and making you feel weak or dizzy. Swelling may also start earlier than normal. Stay active, reduce high-salt foods and invest in compression stockings early on.