I imagine that when during the first ultrasound the gynecologist tells the mom something like…I see twins!! It must be a little disturbing. At first I imagine that joy prevails, but after the rush there will be many many doubts that the parents would like to resolve.
When the mother has two babies, it may happen that they are twins or twins. I briefly explain the difference.
Twins:
Two fertilizations occur at the same time, which is why two brothers are born at the same time. I say brothers because they are not usually of the same sex or have as much physical similarity as is the case with twins.
Here everything works in pairs: 2 sperm, 2 eggs, 2 placentas.
They are more frequent when, especially the mother, she has a genetic background.
Twins:
Babies will be born with many physical similarities such as eye color, size, the “same” hair… and also the same sex
In this case, there is only one fertilized egg. This can divide shortly after fertilization, giving way to each twin having its own placenta and its own placenta. If this division occurs later, they share a placenta and may also share a pouch.
Perhaps the geographical ones have a little influence. In Japan there is a very low rate of this type of pregnancies, quite the opposite in Cândido Godói, a Brazilian town where there are the most twins in the world. Spain, mind you, is already the third country in the world.
There are causes that lead to twin pregnancies. In the latter case, especially genetic inheritance, but there are other reasons for twin pregnancies:
treatments with assisted reproduction techniques.
medications to manage fertility
When the new mother is older, because if there are menstrual disorders, double ovulation is more frequent.
In the first vaginal ultrasound you can already see if the pregnancy is multiple or not. From here on, the mother will carry out more rigorous monitoring.
The symptoms of pregnancy become a little more aggravated (although there are mothers who do not suffer from them). The weight that the mother gains is greater as well as the probability of nausea, reflux, varicose veins, hypertension or sciatica appearing.
The changes that a mother undergoes are faster and more frequent than if it were a pregnancy with a single fetus. Additionally, there may be the threat of premature birth. This is why the cervix begins to be measured because it is an indication that the mother is in labor.
During this monitoring, both the mother’s and the babies’ health will be monitored because they can also suffer from feto-fetal transfusion syndrome where one of the twins takes away food from the other.
Let us not forget that natural births are possible and that surgical intervention is not necessary. It is also true that for this type of pregnancy it is recommended not to extend them beyond week 39.
When babies are born they will be a little smaller (between 2 or 2.5 kg) because they do not have as much space to move and develop.
Don’t forget that having two babies is not an impediment to exclusive breastfeeding. I understand that perhaps at some point it can become desperate because when one wants to eat the other doesn’t or the other way around. But it is also doubly satisfying because the emotions that mothers feel when breastfeeding are multiplied by two.
Pay attention, moms with multiple pregnancies, to what your body tells you. Take care of yourselves and let yourself be pampered because you have three hearts beating.
Happy Breastfeeding!
