Anyone have or expecting Mono-Di's?

So many articles on the net seem to give such scary information on this type of twinning and all the negative things that could happen. I'm trying to keep my hopes up that everything will be ok and I did find an article on how best to describe this type of twinning - a 2 bedroom apartment sharing 1 kitchen meaning there might be some fighting for food...

At 29 weeks, babies were 2.8lb & 2.13lbs so far so good....

Anyone have mono-di twins? Any good reads or info you found? Thanks

 

So many articles on the net seem to give such scary information on this type of twinning and all the negative things that could happen. I'm trying to keep my hopes up that everything will be ok and I did find an article on how best to describe this type of twinning - a 2 bedroom apartment sharing 1 kitchen meaning there might be some fighting for food...

At 29 weeks, babies were 2.8lb & 2.13lbs so far so good....

Anyone have mono-di twins? Any good reads or info you found? Thanks

 

I am. I have to say, I am done with the worrying. I've been through the ringer with docs telling me that everyone's going to die and I might as well give up. No kidding! I was misdiagnosed for weeks as TTTS and MoMo, and then my cervix was too short for one doc, but fine for another.

My point is, I'm just over the scare tactics. There are some things I can do, and the rest is in God's hands.

Now as for your question, I have read a good deal of info about how to best support the placenta and keep it going strong for it's demand. It's mainly the tips you get from the Brewer diet and Dr. Luke's diet. Lots of protein for nourishment. I also take nettle and red clover supplements daily to support the liver and placenta.
Here's a link to the Brewer diet just in case you haven't seen it before:
http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/

That's all I can think of off the top of my head!

 

My dd Stephanie is 35+ weeks pregnant with di/mo twins originally thought to be mo/mo. While there are more complications with this type of twin with careful monitoring it's very manageable. In fact I believe 70% of identical twins are di/mo. My dd has been seen every other week since about 8 weeks and she has been fine. Both her peri and her ob preferred that she deliver at 36 weeks although that actually sounds pretty conservative compared to many of the di/mo moms on this site. Steph is having her c/s next Wed the 29th.
Try not to worry!
Lindy, mom to Stephanie and
soon to be nanna to Cameron and Corey

 

Hi,

Congratulations on your identicals! I just gave birth to mono-di boys a little over two weeks ago, and they are perfect and healthy in every way. I was terrified in the early months, and spent WAY too much time reading about TTTS and other scary statistics on mono-di. It was a bit of a waste of energy as I should have been focusing on the fact that everything was going so well with the pregnancy. If all is looking good at 29 weeks, I think you should feel really comfortable thinking positively and assuming your babies will be just fine.

I carried the boys to 38 weeks--they were both appx. 6lbs, no NICU time, and they breastfed the first day (unfortunately, these are the stories they don't tell you on the websites and in the stats). Good luck, and I know you will all do just great!

 

I'm expecting mono/di boys as well.

The chances are only between 5 and 17.5% for having TTTS... but I'm one of the not so lucky ones.

We're flying to Tampa tomorrow for Dr. Qunitero's TTTS surgery on Tuesday. Baby B is also diagnosed with IUGR as a result of the TTTS. So yes, there are more risks to a mono/di pregnancy... but it's not exactly likely to have TTTS.

 

Good luck on your surgery, Mommy2PJ. I hope it all goes super smooth for you and yours. Sending hugs your way!

Jude

 

I am expecting mono-di twins and have been thorugh it all: shortened cervix resulting in an emerency cerclage at 21 weeks, scary ultrasounds that showed potential TTTS, diminished blood flow to Baby B, etc. I have been on bedrest for for almost 9 weeks. So far everything is moving along. The babies are still growing at the same rate as always with Baby B a little smaller than Baby A. At 27 Weeks they estimated them to weigh 2.4 and 1.9. I have been having ultrasounds twice a week to check on fluid levels and doppler for both babies. Last week they finally "modified" my bedrest and seemed a little more optimistic about the ability to make it further along in the pregnancy than orginally expected. They will measure growth again on Tuesday. I am praying they are both at 2lb+ and that I can hold on until atleast the end of December.

If you have made it this far without incident chances are you are well on your way to carrying your twins to term! 29 Weeks is a good place to be. Good luck! Amanda

 

Our girls were mono/di and had TTTS as well but, as you can see, it's not exactly common. Just make sure you're being watched carefully and your doctor knows the signs. Mono/di pregnancies require more monitoring but that doesn't mean something is going to go wrong, they just want to be able to catch it and treat it if it does. Even with TTTS diagnosed at 19 weeks, my girls made it all the way to 35.3 weeks before delivery and only were in the hospital for 7 and 9 days. Once released they were perfectly healthy and you'd never guess we had a difficult pregnancy.

 

You ladies are the best. Thank you so much for all the positive feedback and info.

xox
Mariel

 

I'm a little late "chiming in" on this post. I'm expecting Mono/Di twins as well. And for me, it really IS scary because I lost identical girls last April to TTTS. Unfortunately, my doctor overlooked many signs and by the time we were told it was TTTS, it was too late. I don't know if things would have been different had we caught it earlier, but I sure would have loved to have the opportunity to TRY to save them.

Anyway, it's great that you've gotten to 29 weeks already, and it sounds like your girls are doing great! "Most" problems would probably have become apparent by now, I would think.

I don't have any "good reads" for you. I know there's a lot of scary stuff out there, but at least they don't sugar coat everything either. Sometimes there are problems, but most of the time things turn out fine. I guess I'm glad for the information that IS out there, because, even though it makes me worry, I feel sometimes more informed than some doctors! And that can help me push for the care I feel I deserve.

 

28 weeks with mo/di boys here and no problems. One is a little smaller than the other but he has a marginal cord insertion. The Dr's aren't worried so I try not to be. All the extra monitoring is nice, although sometimes I feel like I'm waisting their time. As a precaution I've been drinking protien drinks, just some GNC protien powder in milk, the boost and ensure are too expensive. I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm getting the same benefit from my protien powder without the high cost.

Good luck staying in the majority of mo/di healthy pregnancies
TJ
EDD 20 FEB b,b

 

32 WKS HERE WITH MONOCHORIONIC/DIAMNIOTIC TWIN BOYS.

Our boys have a whisper thin membrane between them, and were misdiagnosed as mo-mo twind as first.

Talk about SCARY ! No problems thus far (knock on wood) just hyperemesis for mom.

Hope all goes well.

 

My girls were mo-di twins and did have TTTS. There were born at 29w due to complications, but are doing great now! There is a lot of scary information out there, but if you have mo-di twins just make sure you are being monitored very carefully by docs with experience. Hope all your little mo-di twins stay in the oven until they are done and come healthy and strong!

 

My boys are di/mo twins- and were the same exact weights as yours when they were born at 29 weeks 3 days! We had no signs of TTTS the entire pregnancy - I delivered early due to a shortening cervix and PTL - and they were then diagnosed with TTTS - it didn't show up until delivery... although the scary stuff can be too much at times, I was also thankful that there was information out there so I wasn't as shocked as I could have been about what happened to me and the boys...and if I hadn't been monitored so closely we wouldn't have had the positive outcome we did!

 

I'm 18 weeks with mono/di twins. I agree with pposters: it's great to have information, but all too easy to make yourself insane and miserable. Sounds like you're doing really well, getting appropriately monitored. All the gloom and doom is a drag and doesn't help anything. After making myself miserable with reading about all the things that MIGHT happen to them, i decided that i would wait and deal with everything as it came up, since I could do NOTHING to control any of it. Although i guess i need to start getting more protein in; i've gained 12 pounds and my docs seem to think that is fine. But - ugh, the thought of eating meat is just grossing me out. Guess i'll have to eat more ice cream!