38 weeks pregnant with twins or multiples

You made it, congratulations! Many twin and multiple pregnancies are over by now, and though you’re probably feeling ready to just meet your babies already, the fact that they’re still gestating is helping to make sure that they’ll be as strong and healthy as possible when they meet you.

Preparing for delivery at 38 weeks

Many twin parents feel like they’ve heard that they may end up delivering through C-section so many times that the possibility of delivering vaginally takes them by surprise. If your healthcare provider hasn’t recommended scheduling a C-section by now, it’s a good idea to start keeping an eye out for signs of labor. Signs of labor for twins are the same as signs of labor in a singleton pregnancy, including your water breaking or strong, regular contractions. Signs of a serious change, like vaginal bleeding or a sudden drop in kicks when you’re doing your regular kick counting may be signs of labor as well.

Getting ready for twins

It can feel like preparing for twins is double the work of preparing to bring a singleton home, but your twins can actually share many of the same things, from clothes to toys to nursing pillows, depending on your preferences. The truth is that your twins won’t notice that they’re sharing most things for many months, and that when they do realize, they’ll have more practice and understanding of sharing than most toddlers do before kindergarten.

One thing that can be helpful to prepare for is that you may have trouble telling your twins apart at first. Even if they’re fraternal twins, babies all have a habit of looking like, well, babies. It’s very normal to have trouble telling your twins apart at first, and as they grow, you’ll get to know their individual ways of moving, talking, and expressing themselves as individuals. Until that time, there’s no harm in keeping their hospital bracelets on for a few weeks or marking one of their toenails. Having a system in place for telling them apart will be especially important if either or both of them have any health concerns that require medication after they come out of the hospital.

Sources

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Multifetal gestation: Twin, triplet, and higher order multifetal pregnancies.” National Guideline Clearinghouse. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, May 2014. Retrieved January 25 2018. https://www.guideline.gov/summaries/summary/48025/multifetal-gestations-twin-triplet-and-higherorder-multifetal-pregnancies.
• Stephen T. Chasen, Frank A. Chervenak. “Twin pregnancy: Labor and delivery.” UpToDate. Wolters Kluwer, December 2017. Retrieved January 25 2018. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/twin-pregnancy-labor-and-delivery.
• Richard A. Ehrankranz, Mark A. Mercurio. “Periviable birth.” UpToDate. Wolters Kluwer, December 2017. Retrieved January 25 2018. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/periviable-birth-limit-of-viability?search=viability%20milestones&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=2.
• William Goodnight, Roger Newman. “Optimal nutrition for improved twin pregnancy outcome.” Obstetricians & Gynecologists. 114(5): 1121-1134.
• Atsushi Kuno, Masashi Akiyama, Toshihiro Yanagihara, Toshiyuki Hata. “Comparisons of fetal growth in singleton, twin, and triplet pregnancies.” Human Reproduction. 14(5): 1352-1360. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/14/5/1352/766210.
• http://www.mfmsm.com/media_pages/MFM-Optimal-nutrition-for-improved-twin-pregnancy.pdf.
• Kenneth J. Leveno, J. Gerald Quirk, Peggy J. Whalley, Robert Trubery. “Fetal lung maturation in twin gestation.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. 148(4): 405-11. March 1984. Retrieved January 25 2018.
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Twin pregnancy: What multiples mean for mom.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, December 13 2014. Retrieved January 25 2018. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/twin-pregnancy/art-20048161.
• “FAQ: Multiple pregnancy.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, July 2015. Retrieved January 25 2018. https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Multiple-Pregnancy.
• “Tracking your weight, for women who begin a twin pregnancy at a normal weight.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 25 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/pdfs/maternal-infant-health/pregnancy-weight-gain/tracker/twins/normal_twin_weight_tracker__508tagged.pdf.
• “Twin pregnancy obstetric care guidelines.” Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, June 28 2016. Retrieved January 25 2018. http://www.brighamandwomens.org/Departments_and_Services/obgyn/Services/twin-pregnancy/twin-pregnancy-obstetric-care-guidelines.aspx?sub=6.