Weight Gain In A Multiple Pregnancy
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
How much bigger will my bump be carrying twins?
The size of your bump is not the only difference between carrying one baby and carrying two, but it is a big difference. By the time you’ve reached 28 weeks you are likely to be the same size as a woman carrying one baby to term at 40 weeks. By the time you’ve reached full term the inner volume of your womb will be almost 10litres, double that of a woman carrying a single baby.
How much weight will I gain carrying twins or triplets?
As with single pregnancies, weight gain for twins and triplets will vary from one pregnancy to another and will depend a lot on your size before you conceived. For twins and a multiple pregnancy, a recommended weight put on by 24 weeks is around 3½ stone, and for triplets it’s over 4 stone.
Why am I more likely to get anaemia carrying twins?
With more than one baby developing so rapidly inside you, your folic acid, vitamin and iron reserves will be depleted faster, making anaemia more common in multiple pregnancies. Your iron levels will be tested during routine antenatal blood tests and your midwife can advise you on the right treatments for anaemia. If you do need to take iron supplements, take them with fresh orange juice, rich in vitamin C, which is known to help your body absorb iron.
Taking folic acid and prenatal vitamins is important for every pregnancy, but even more so for multiples, so make taking pregnancy supplements part of a daily routine.
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
10681 Revised November 2012
comments powered by Disqus