(Closed) Antenatal Twin class – what questions should I ask?

posted 6 years ago in Pregnancy
Post # 1
Member
1315 posts
Bumble bee
  • Wedding: May 2011

I’ve just booked our place on the twin specific antenatal class, which is a two hour extra class provided by the hospital. The registrar told me to write down any questions I come up with, as they only take four couples for each class so there should be plenty of time to address everyone’s concerns. Of course the minute she said make a list of questions my brain just froze up. So what do you all think? What would you ask, if you were carrying twins and got a free half hour to quiz a specialist? I’d hate if I only came up with good questions after the fact!

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Post # 3
Member
1116 posts
Bumble bee
  • Wedding: August 2008

@aunt pol: Congrats! I’m 12w with twins, so here are some of the questions I have or will bring up with my providers:

*Pregnancy & Delivery

-Best steps to prevent pre-term labor? I’ve read a lot of different suggestions in terms of weight gain goals, rest, time off work, pelvic rest, and so on. 

-What is a goal gestation to prevent NICU time?  And approx how long can they be expected to be in the NICU at various weeks delivery – say 30, 32, 34, 36?

-How late will they let me go? My dr will induce at 39 weeks with twins, some only let you go til 37 or 38.  And what criteria and risks factor into that?

-What are my birthing options? If conditions allow, can I try to deliver vaginally, or do twins automatically mean a c-section?

-What kind of access do we have to the babies in the NICU, while they are receiving various stages of care?  How many hours a day can we be there? Can we be involved in their feedings/changings/baths?  Can I pump and provide breastmilk?

-If the babies have to remain in NICU after I am discharged, is there a facility/housing at or near the hospital where Darling Husband & I can stay – like a Ronald McDonald House – to avoid driving hours back and forth each day.

*After the babies arrive

-Suggestions for techniques of feeding/breastfeeding twins – positions, equipment? My hospital offers a specific 1 on 1 twin breastfeeding class, and I’m so excited 🙂

-What equipment is helpful to have 2 of, what things 1 is sufficient?

-What things do I need to keep an eye on with preemies, health-wise, after we bring them home?

-Any suggestions for situations when twins do better together or benefit from being apart (sleeping, tummy time, feeding, etc.)?

GOOD LUCK!

Post # 4
Member
1315 posts
Bumble bee
  • Wedding: May 2011

@MerryC:  Thanks! Sorry for the slow reply. You’ve given me lots to think about there. We were 20 weeks yesterday, so statistically well over halfway now! Have you had your dating scan yet? We had our anatomy scan monday but radiographer said it was too early, couldn’t see enough detail of heart lungs etc, so that might be something to check when you’re making that appointment. Are these your first or have you little ones already? We’re first timers anyway and it’s amazing the amount of people that say ‘Oh that’s good, at least you won’t have anything to compare it to, the amount of work.’ Eek! And a friend of a friend passed on the name of a paediatric icu nurse who ofers her services at a hugely reasonable rate to mind twins/triplets for a night so parents can get some sleep! Scary!

Post # 5
Member
4060 posts
Honey bee
  • Wedding: September 2018

Congrats on your twins.  My brothers are twins so there’s a special place in my heart for them. A little place inside me hopes I have them too.

Anyway.  Just from experience (or my mums experience) she was initially advised to feed them at the same time.  When one woke in the night she was to wake the other.  Did it work, no!  She ended up feeding them when they were hungry.  And eventually she had to bottle feed to give her boobs a rest, she got awful pain.  I don’t think you’ll need to hire someone so you can get some sleep.  My mum managed me, my brothers and her own business on her own whilst my dad worked away during the week (with some help form my gandparents).  You’ll do just fine!

Big good luck to you.

Post # 6
Member
1116 posts
Bumble bee
  • Wedding: August 2008

@aunt pol: Congrats on making it to 20 weeks!  I can’t wait for that.  We’ve had a number of ultrasounds already, and they are measuring right on schedule.  My doctor has in-depth scans scheduled for 16 and 20 weeks, but says we’ll probably have them about once per month after that too, so hopefully they’ll be able to see what they need.  How soon are they having you go back for another check?  I think sometimes the babies are just a little smooshed in there with two, so it’s harder to get clear pictures.  How long do the anatomy scans take with twins? I know my friends pg with singletons say it’s about an hour, so was it 2 hours?  I know radiology booked me for a double appt.  Oh and we’re first timers too 🙂 

@ladyartichoke: Thanks for the feeding tips.  I know they say with twins, schedules are really important, but I think being able to deal with one hungry/crying baby at a time would be helpful too!  While I’d like to feed them breastmilk, I’m definitely planning to pump and bottle feed, so I can take a break sometimes.

Post # 7
Member
1315 posts
Bumble bee
  • Wedding: May 2011

 

@ladyartichoke:  Eek, the feeding thing scares the bejesus out of me! I’ve heard pros and cons for both, and god knows if breast feeding it seems to make sense to feed both together so I can have some bit of rest between feeds! But of course what can you do if the babas decide otherwise… My BIL’s wife is a twin and her mum fed them every two hours, intially… it’s hard to see how you wouldn’t end up in the loony bin from sleep deprivation!

I hope to feed them myself, definitely, but have been recently told that if I find after 6 weeks I’m in a heap and just can’t continue, even those 6 weeks are enough to give babas a significant immune boost, so I’m not going to be dogmatic about it. My health is important too, including my mental health!

@MerryC: Yeah our anatomy scan is monday fortnight now, the 30th, and they gave us the last two appts of the day so we’re in at half four, they didn’t say what that equated to in actual minutes. I’d be stunned if we’re still in there at 6.30 though!

 

I just noticed today my preg app said to have hospital bags ready to go by 34 weeks for singletons, thirty!!!!! weeks for twins/multiples. Eek. That means I should be basically ready to go through all kinds of horribleness and to potentially bring home babies, in about ten weeks. Scary stuff!! time to get organised! Me & Darling Husband are usually the absolute masters of last-minute everything, we’re going to have to get moving!

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