Labour With Twins Or More
Twins and Multiple Birth Videos
Think you might be expecting twins? Find out the differences to expect from a multiple pregnancy, including bump size and weight gain.
Worried about your multiple pregnancy? Find out about the pregnancy complications you might face when carrying twins, triplets, or more.
Are you expecting twins? Learn the symptoms of premature labour and find out about pre-term birth in this short film.
Are you expecting twins? Find out the options for your labour and when a vaginal birth is recommended for twins.
Click here to learn about the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and why your twins or triplets may need neonatal care.
Dr Carol Cooper shares her advice on how parents can stay involved in their babies’ care whilst in the SCBU
Is it really possible to breastfeed triplets? Dr Carol Cooper explains how you can make breastfeeding triplets work.
Should I feed my twins one at a time or both together? Is breast or bottle best? Dr Carol Cooper shares advice to guide you on how to feed your twins.
Will I have time to bond with each of my babies? Dr Carol Cooper offers practical advice on bonding with multiples.
Struggling to cope with crying babies? Dr Carol Cooper offers practical advice and answers why do babies cry?
Is the guidance for weaning twins and triplets different from the advice given for one baby? Find out from Dr Carol Cooper here.
How can I make sure my twins or triplets develop their own identities? Get tips for creating seperate identities for your twins from Dr Carol Cooper.
Why are my toddlers always getting into trouble? Find out about the terrible twos for twins and multiples here.
Potty training can instil dread into the parents of single toddlers, so how do parents of multiples cope? Find out here how to potty train twins and multiples.
Why are my twins naughtier than their friends? Find the answers from Dr Carol Cooper in this short film.
In the following short film Dr Carol Cooper explains some of the factors that lead to poor language development in twins and multiples. Also in this section, learn what you can do to encourage speech development and when to seek help.
How do I choose a good preschool for my twins? Dr Carol Cooper explains what to look for in preschools for twins.
Are you trying to decide whether to place your twins in separate classes at school? Dr Carol Cooper can help
What type of delivery should I expect for twins?
Labour with twins or more can lead to complications. The more babies you are expecting the higher the likelihood is that your babies will be born by caesarean section. In the UK 60% of twins are delivered by caesarean, compared to only 25% of single pregnancy babies.
Elective caesareans, which are those planned in advance, are very common in multiple pregnancies. You will be booked to deliver your babies on a specified date, which for twins will be as close to 37 weeks as possible.
Can I have a natural delivery with twins?
Vaginal births are possible for twins, although a lot will depend on the position of your babies in your womb. If both babies are head-down and you have reached 37 weeks gestation, then with close monitoring a vaginal birth may be recommended by your consultant.
If your first baby is head-down, but your second baby is breech (bottom-down) then a vaginal delivery is still possible. This vertex-breech combination can still be delivered vaginally with the second baby needing to be turned by your obstetrician after your first baby has been delivered.
It is rare, but not unheard of for one baby to be born vaginally and the second born by caesarean due to an unforeseen complication with the labour of your second baby.
Can I have a natural delivery with triplets?
It is possible to have a vaginal delivery for triplets if your first baby is head down, but as it is impossible to monitor three babies at one time there is a risk involved. After your first baby is born you may still need a caesarean if your other babies don’t move into the right position. So from a medical standpoint, and from yours, there is safety and logic in planning a caesarean for triplet births.
Dr Carol Cooper, GP
Author of Twins and Multiple Births
All information used in this article was sourced from:
Cooper, C., 2004. Twins and Multiple Births. 2nd ed. Chatham: Vermilion
10684 Revised November 2012
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