Happy Holidays from Gia & Liv

Every year at Twiniversity we use the month of December to highlight some of our amazing families. Some folks have the 12 Days of Christmas, but with twins, shouldn’t we have 24 days? So from Dec 1st through December 24th we will feature an amazing family and tell you a bit about them.

We asked their mom a few questions and here is what she had to say about her twinnies and the holidays:

Birthdate: July 2010 ~ they’re sweet and sassy little 16-month-olds!

What was your first thought when you found out you were having twins? SURPRISE! For 13 weeks we were told there was only ONE bun in the oven. After an initial sonogram, two heartbeat tests, and me asking repeatedly each time if there could possibly be “2” in there (it has always been my dream to have multiples—see below!), we were firmly told we were having ONE baby. At our 13 week appointment, little Miss Baby B decided to peek around the side of her sister on the screen. Yep…surprise! What a genuine blessing.

Know the signs of pre-term labor

Multiple pregnancies are considered high risk by nature and you will likely be monitored more closely than someone carrying only one baby.  However, you should be familiar with the signs and symptoms of pre-term labor so that you can respond quickly and seek appropriate care.

According to the March of Dimes, pre-term labor is defined as any labor that occurs between 20 weeks and 37 weeks of pregnancy.

You should familiarize yourself with the the symptoms:

• Contractions (your abdomen tightens like a fist) every 10 minutes or more often
• Change in vaginal discharge (leaking fluid or bleeding from your vagina)
• Pelvic pressure—the feeling that your baby is pushing down
• Low, dull backache
• Cramps that feel like your period
• Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea

Don’t let anyone tell you that these symptoms are “normal discomforts of pregnancy”! If any of them (you don’t need to have all of them) happen before your 37th week of pregnancy, you need to do something about it.