Q & A--Time Flies When You Are Having Fun

Expecting Twins or More

Q.  Will I have to be on bedrest?

A. 
I was on bedrest from 20 wks on.  I have a bi-corniate and irritable uterus, which was causing painful contractions.  My cervix was starting to open also.  I was dilated to 2 from 20 wks until I delivered at 34 wks

A. 
None--I never had preterm labor but I did quit working at 31 weeks because we moved across the country so I basically took it easy most days after that.  DH was very protective and made me drink tons of water, etc.

A.  I was not on bedrest for my 39 week pregnancy.  Matter of fact I worked the day I delivered (office job, off of my feet).  Factors to be considered - First & foremost - health conditions of you & the babies of course. Second - type of work you do. I'm a desk worker and was training the person who was going to do my work while I was on leave. At the end, I was here to troubleshoot & answer questions. Obviously jobs that you are on your feet a lot will be harder to do late in your preg. Third - the attitude of your dr. My dr really wanted me to go on leave and take partial bedrest, but there was no medical reason pressing for me to do so. My blood pressure stayed great, I gained just right amounts of weight, babies did great & grew like they were supposed to. Have a real heart to heart talk with your dr. Some drs are adamant about bedrest, others take a case by case look. If you feel that your dr will be fast to want you in bed, you have time to shop around & find one who will work with you to do what is best for your family. Stress of worrying about paying bills can outweigh the good of bedrest if you don't really need it.

A.  I started having Braxton-Hicks at 24 weeks and was put on "limited bedrest" (basically no strenuous activity) I was still permitted to go to work.  When I went into PTL at 27 weeks I was told to quit working and rest as much as possible.  My OB was of the opinion that full bedrest doesn't really stop labor so he just told me to take it easy.

A.  That depends on you and your doctor.  My doctor did not do mandatory bedrest for twins.  I didn't end up on bedrest until I had pre-term labor at 32 weeks.

Q.  How much weight gain can I expect to gain?

A. 
I gained 30 pounds.  I only carried my babies 33 weeks though.  They weighed 4#, 13 oz, and 5#, 5 oz.


A.  I gained 60 lbs and lost 15 lbs at the end of the pg.  I delivered 45lbs over my normal weight.  FYI - most of my weight came off immediately, the rest within 6 weeks.  Not meaning to brag, just wanted to give multiple moms hope in getting their shape back.

A.
  I gained 50 pounds in the 40 weeks I was pregnant.

A.  I only gained about 20 pounds, but I was overweight to begin with.  I lost weight for the first half of my pregnancy.  I was smaller right after giving birth than I was when I got pregnant.

A.  I gained 21 pounds and I was a size 3 when I got pregnant.  I lost that weight by the third week (thanks to breastfeeding) and then lost even more as the weeks on.  It took some exercise to firm up my skin again but as far as pounds go, lost them quickly.

Q.  Will my stretch marks be worst than for a single pregnancy?

A. 
I didn't get one, not one and let me just add that my mother and my grandmother on both sides have stretch marks.  I was amazed and my husband was thrilled!  Not sure if this worked, but I used a mixture of Olive Oil and Vitamin E twice a day and ate a ton of protein.

A. 
I carried my babies to 40 weeks and had tons of stretch marks!  I used lotions and vitamin E oil throughout my pregnancy but you can't avoid them if you get very large and especially if stretch marks run in your family.  But the good news is that they fade to a transparent white color in time.  They don't bother me at all anymore.

A.  No comment other than I do like a road map.

A. 
Didn't have a single stretch mark.  I used that lotion by Motherhood twice a day so maybe that helped.

Q.  What is the difference between Pre Term Labor (PTL)  vs Braxton Hicks contractions?

A.
I could not feel my BH's if I had any.  My water broke at 33 weeks, so I did have PTL but also had no warning.  I was told at the hospital that I was having contractions but I could not feel them at that point (measuring only 1 cm though).  Later I could feel them.

A. 
I had trouble telling the difference.  When labor actually started the contractions were so bad that I couldn't stand, but they weren't consistent.  I knew it was labor because of the pain and I had lost my plug.

A. 
I had some PTL and BH contrax.  Basically the BHs were highly inconsistent in nature and timing.  The PTL was steadier.  If you suspect PTL, you should call your dr for more advice, but drinking a lot of water and lying down will often head it off.  Dehydration is the number one contributing factor to PTL.  I was admitted three times for PTL during my preg and all three times they rehydrated me and sent me home.

A.  PTL for me was when my contractions became regular in frequency and I began to dilate, BH were inconsistent in frequency and in duration for me.

A.  Braxton Hicks are irregular.  More than 4 an hour, contact your doctor.


Expecting Multiples FAQ | Q & A--In the Beginning | Q & A--Time Flies When You Are Having Fun | Q & A--In the Home Stretch | Q & A--Looking Past the Big Day (or Night) | Birth Stories and Helpful Links

To contact us:

Email me with additional questions or responses you want shared here: tonyan@ivillage.com

This information is provided as general information only.  It is not a substitute for discussing your situation with your health care provider.  If you are worried about a situation, please do not hesitate to call your health care provider.  Remember they are there for you and your pregnancy.