Your twin belly bump is your way of saying “I’m pregnant with twins”. Usually bigger and rounder than a singleton pregnancy belly, your twin baby bump is your charm for 9 months.
While no two twin pregnancies are the same, there are lots of common symptoms and stages you will most likely go through, and your twin baby bump is the biggest indicator of what you’re going through. It’s like an open book you can always turn to and find the answers you need. It will also indicate if there are any anomalies going on.
As a twin mom you should learn to listen to your body and monitor your twins pregnancy week by week. Here is how.
5 Weeks Pregnant with Twins: It’s Just the Beginning
At 5 weeks pregnant with twins, you’ve either just heard the news of the year, or are just about to do so. The first ultrasound scan is when you find out that you’re pregnant with twins, and that usually happens between 5-8 weeks of pregnancy. It’s easy to recognize a twin pregnancy, because there are two gestational sacs on the screen instead of one.
Yes, this is just the beginning, but you’re given this time to psychologically prepare yourself for what’s to come.
8 Weeks Pregnant with Twins: Welcome the Symptoms
After the initial shock, you’re now thrown into deep waters with your twins pregnancy. At around 8 weeks pregnant with twins you’ll start experiencing your very first pregnancy symptoms. And I’m not going to lie, they’re the worst during this time.
Your twin pregnancy symptoms will be very similar to those of a singleton pregnancy, only more acute. Expect morning sickness, breast tenderness, drowsiness and frequent urination.
That being said, morning sickness tends to be the most common and unpleasant one of all. To alleviate the discomfort, we recommend you to use peppermint essential oil. The DoTERRA Peppermint Beadlet Essential Oil is a highly-trusted special blend with proven results. You can directly inhale from the bottle, put a few drops on a cotton pad or in a diffuser. Moreover, the convenient beadlets are ideal for traveling and on-the-go, because you never know when your nausea will strike.
Another thing that is really going to benefit you at this time is starting a pregnancy journal. If you’re wondering what pregnancy diary to get that includes prompts and is fun to write in, we recommend you the Pearhead My Pregnancy Journal. It features 74 colorful pages with guided sections to help you document every special moment of your twin pregnancy journey. Go ahead and write down your thoughts, emotions and symptoms to better monitor the progression of your twin pregnancy.
12 Weeks Pregnant with Twins
Congratulations, you’ve reached the end of the first trimester of your twins pregnancy! This marks the end of these horrible pregnancy symptoms prominent for the first trimester and your ease into a less turbulent trimester.
By 12 weeks of your pregnancy your twins will weigh four times as much as they did at the start! As well as that, by the end of the first trimester they’ll be fully formed tiny people, with all of their organs and everything else where it should be.
Week 16 Ultrasound
Week 16 can be really exciting for many twin moms-to-be, because it’s packed with so many wonderful things happening in your twin baby bump!
First of all, you will be able to hear your babies’ heartbeat for the first time. How amazing! At this stage, your babies are getting bigger and bigger every single day. At 16 weeks pregnant with twins, they will be around 3.5 ounces in weight, and around four and a half inches long, about the size of an avocado!
With your growing belly in mind you might want to invest in a high-quality maternity belt. We highly recommend you the AZMED Maternity Belt – a beloved pregnancy treat by many moms-to-be. In fact, it’s hard to imagine someone going through a pregnancy, especially twins pregnancy, without one! This maternity belt supports your baby bump, reduces pregnancy pains, relieves lower back pain and corrects poor posture.
It’s also quite relieving knowing that at this stage of your twins pregnancy the chances of miscarriage are very low.
Halfway through Your Pregnancy: Time to Chillax
During month 5 of your twin pregnancy between weeks 17 and 21, you’re going to have a really chilled time. Well, at least a little bird told us so.
As long as your babies are going through a healthy development in your womb, these weeks are pretty relaxed. Take the time to see your friends and family, and take it easy.
This is the time when your babies start to be able to hear what’s going on out there, so why not talk to your little angels and bond with them?
It’s in this month that you can normally find out the gender of your twins through an ultrasound scan, only if you want to. I bet you can no longer wait!
Third Trimester: The Long Wait
Wow, you’re almost at the final stretch. You’ve done so well so far, but it’s not the time to relax yet. This is a super critical stage of your twins pregnancy, because there are quite a few complications that might occur related to your twin birth. That’s why it’s super important to stay healthy, calm, and monitor the development of your babies as closely as possible.
Most twins are born preterm at 37 weeks or earlier, as opposed to 40 weeks for singletons, so it’s normal to feel a bit anxious about that, but don’t put too much thought into it, because as we said, it’s quite common. To learn more about what to expect during the third trimester of your twin pregnancy check out this article.
The third trimester of your twin pregnancy is also the time when you should definitely start getting ready for the birth of your babies, if you haven’t already. Have you compiled your twins baby registry yet? In case you haven’t, our 8 Twin Registry Must-Haves will help you choose wisely what items you will need the most.
The one thing you will have no doubt about getting is the Miracle Onesie by TwinStuff which will highlight your twins’ cuteness and is ideal for your very first family photos. Matching onesies for your double-trouble are the way to go!
Twin Pregnancy Journey: Take Care of Your Twin Baby Bump
Your twin baby bump is your charm and your way of letting the whole world know that you’re pregnant with twins. What a beautiful treat! Usually rounder and bigger than a singleton pregnancy belly, your twin belly can tell you a thing or two about what’s going on in your womb. All you have to do is listen! Each week of your pregnancy brings about an array of symptoms, fetus developments, and exciting news. It’s really important to take good care of yourself at this time and not to neglect any unusual signals your twin baby bump is giving you.
