twininfo.co.uk

Babies

During this time, the babies’ brains, bladders, livers, kidneys, spine, extremities, reproductive tracts and hearts are all beginning to develop. The first time your twins are visible on the ultrasound around week 6, they will be about 2-4 mm long-which is less than a grain of rice.  You can often see their heartbeats on ultrasound around week 6.  By week 8 tiny fingers and toes are beginning to grow and the upper lips and tips of the babies’ noses have appeared. Although the babies’ eyes are still on the sides of their heads, eyelids are starting to form over them.  Each baby is now about 2cm long and weighs around 2 grams.

Mum

One of the first signs of any pregnancy is often an increased appetite and with twins you could have a marked change . This usually happens between 4-6 weeks and may continue for the rest of the pregnancy. Because you are carrying twins, you should listen to what your body is telling you and eat accordingly. A woman expecting twins has about one and a half times the caloric intake need of those carrying a single baby.

You may start to feel exhausted.  Your body is working overtime to produce two healthy babies. You should try to get extra rest at night and rest as much as possible throughout the day.

You might need to urinate more often.  The uterus is growing which puts pressure on the bladder, therefore making it hold less urine than normal.  If you experience burning or pain during urination, contact your midwife or GP.

Morning sickness and nausea may be worse when carrying twins.  Nausea and vomiting can happen at any time of the day.  Eating frequent, small meals can help ease your stomach. Many women also experience a heightened sense of smell and may experience an aversion to certain smells and tastes.

Breast tenderness is a common symptom of early pregnancy and seems to increase in women who are expecting twins. You may also notice a darkening of the areola-the circle around the nipple on the breast.