You’ve already found out that you’re expecting twins and that’s incredibly exciting news of its own. But now comes the follow-up question that doesn’t leave you in peace: What gender are my twins?
When do you find out the gender of twins depends on quite a few factors, such as are expecting fraternal twins or identical twin babies, and many more. We’re going to look at those factors, as well as, the different ways you can get a sneak peek into your babies’ gender.
Once you know the gender of your twins, you can start preparing for your new family members, but we’ll get to that in a little bit.
When Is Gender Determined?
The earliest you can find out the gender of your twins is when you’re 10 weeks pregnant with twins through blood tests, and your twins will also be tested for Down Syndrome. If you decide to have an ultrasound around the 12 to 13 weeks of your twin pregnancy, you will also find out what gender your babies will be. Many couples find out their baby’s gender at the fetal survey appointment, which is around 20 weeks.
And others decide to keep the gender reveal a secret and be surprised at birth. That way, you’re only letting your motherly intuition guide you. As much fun as this might sound, some parents might feel a bit intimidated by the unknown and might start stressing out about getting ready for the arrival of their twin babies.
How Can They Tell Gender from Blood Tests?
For the impatient parents, and also the concerned ones, any type of chromosomal testing will determine the gender of your twins as early as week 10 of your twin pregnancy.
Noninvasive parietal testing (NIPT), or also called Cell-free fetal DNA testing gender reveal (cfDNA), is usually done to screen for Down Syndrome – something which is definitely worth getting checked for. As a bonus, you will also learn the gender of your twins, because the blood sample will include DNA from both babies.
If your NIPT test indicates the presence of a Y chromosome, which is present in the XY chromosomes of males, you’re expecting at least one boy. Regardless, you will still need to wait for your ultrasound to give the final determination of two boys or boy/girl twins. If NIPT doesn’t show any Y chromosomes, it’s most likely that you’ll be having twin girls.
When Do You Find Out the Gender of Twins?
Ultrasounds are a must during twin pregnancies; because there are quite a few complications that might occur. But that shouldn’t worry you, because that’s what ultrasounds and other tests are for.
If you’re lucky you might even be able to find out the gender of your twins during your very first ultrasounds at around weeks 12 to 13. By lucky, we mean that your babies must be positioned in a way that is easy to read both of their genders. Oftentimes one of the babies might be blocking the view of the second one, but it’s worth giving it a try.
Nevertheless, if you wait a little bit longer ultin week 16 to 18 and are in the hands of a competent physician you will most likely find out the gender of both twins during your ultrasound.
The Chinese Baby Gender Predictor: A Fun Gender Reveal Method
Are you a fan of old traditions and non-scientific approaches? If the answer is yes, then you might fall in love with the Chinese Gender Predictor. This gender predictor guesses the sex of your babies based on an ancient Chinese gender chart and the Chinese Lunar Calendar, using your age and when you got pregnant.
It’s worth giving it a try even if it’s just for fun.
What to Do Once You Know the Gender of Your Twins?
Having boy/girl twins or same-gender twins? Congratulations! Now that you know the gender of your babies it’s time to start getting ready for welcoming your new family members to the household.
There are tons of things you’ll need to get but here is a quick checklist of the very first items you’ll need for your newborn twins:
- Lots of bibs for your messy eaters. The Drinking Buddies Twins Baby Bibs are the perfect solution, which is comfortable, practical, and fun at the same time
- Breast pump. The award-winning and best-selling Haakaa Manual Breast Pump is recommended by nursing mums, magazines, celebrities, doulas, and lactation consultants all over the world
- Nipple breastfeeding balm. To soothe and moisturize sore nipples during breastfeeding, we recommend you the Organic Nipple Cream by Earth Mama, which is made with ethically sourced organic beeswax that’s been gathered in a bee-centric manner
- Other feeding essentials: burp cloths, nursing pillow, nursing bras, breast pads, and milk storage containers
- Lots of diapers. Either disposable ones by Pampers or reusable cloth diapers, such as the ones by ALVABABY, which are eco-friendly and super stylish
- Onesies for comfort and ease. There is nothing more convenient in terms of newborn clothing than cute, breathable onesies, such as the Best Friends Onesies by TwinStuff. TwinStuff has a wide range of funky twins’ clothes, so feel free to browse around.
- Other baby clothing essentials: nightgowns, newborn hats, socks and booties, scratch mittens and pants
- Soft blankets, because you will have your babies wrapped up in one pretty much all the time. The Upsimples Baby Swaddle Blanket is super adorable and comes in a variety of cute patterns. But most importantly, it’s extra soft, made from 70% Bamboo and 30% Cotton. The blankets come in a set of 4 and are easily machine-washable for extra ease.
- Bathtime essentials: an infant tub, washcloths, baby soap and shampoo, soft-hooded towels
- Twin Crib. There are multiple choices in terms of the sleeping arrangements that would best suit your needs. You might decide you want to go for co-sleeping, or that you want to first get twin bassinets and then switch to toddler cribs, or a convertible crib might be your best option. To find out which is the right one for you check out this article: What Are The Best Cribs For Twins? Time To Find Yours
While there are many other items that you will need for your twin parenthood adventure, this checklist gives you the top essentials you can’t live without.
Twin Pregnancy: When Do You Find Out the Gender of Twins?
As your twin pregnancy progresses your curiosity about your twin’s gender starts kicking in. You’re wondering when do you find out the gender of twins. Luckily for you, you might be able to get a sneak peek into your babies’ gender as early as week 10 of your twin pregnancy via blood tests.
Other methods that can aid you in the gender reveal include an ultrasound during week 12 to 18, or the Chinese baby gender predictor. Once you know the gender of your twins it’s time to start preparing for the big welcome home to your new family members.
