Breaking Down Singleton vs. Twin Pregnancy

When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I was petrified – probably the normal response to learning the news! My daughter had just celebrated her first birthday, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out we were expecting again – but the news of twins really threw me for a loop. That first night I lay awake in bed for hours, breaking down every little thing in my head. From the normal – “Will I ever sleep again?” – to the intricate – “How can we fit three car seats in our vehicle?” There were SO many things giving me anxiety.

Luckily, we are months further in now, and I’m much more at peace with everything going on – and even getting very excited for two! The one thing I didn’t count on was dealing with twin pregnancy – at this point I am into week 25, and let me tell you – this pregnancy is kicking my ass. Nothing has prepared me for it! I wanted to breakdown this pregnancy vs. my pregnancy with Ana for any other twin expecting moms.

Please note – I’m NO doctor – these are simply MY experiences with both pregnancies.

Early Signs of a Twin Pregnancy

Morning Sickness: I remember thinking before I knew I had twins that I MUST be having a girl again, because of how sick I was. I have a sensitive stomach at the best of times, and suffered morning sickness a lot during my singleton pregnancy, but this was on another level. I was sick EVERY morning for three months. And not just a little sick – absolutely, down for the count, could barely get off the couch sick. I worked from the couch on my laptop for weeks because I couldn’t even manage to sit in my office! It was WAY more intense.

Exhaustion: From weeks 4-8, I would wake up in the morning, get Ana ready for daycare, and then go back to sleep as soon as Rick and her left for the day. I’d get up and work, and then take a nap on my lunch. And then I’d go to bed by 7:30/8:00 every night. The amount I slept was just insane. I could NOT stay awake. This passed within a few weeks, but it was definitely more extreme than I remember the first time being.

Showing Early: I remember looking in the mirror a few days after my positive pregnancy test, thinking I was going crazy – I couldn’t be showing THIS early. I assumed it was some severe bloat…but it wasn’t! I literally started popping a bit right around 5 weeks. It wasn’t much, and not aggressive, but it was noticeable to me.

Second Trimester Woes

Unfortunately, being pregnant with twins I have not had the “second trimester bliss” most women talk about. My main ailments have been:

• Physical Exhaustion: I’m not talking about “going to bed early” type tired, but my body simply gives out quickly these days. I can’t walk very far without needing a rest, stairs completely wind me, and forget about any other types of physical activity.
• Reflux: I had AWFUL heartburn in my first pregnancy. I learned my lesson and asked to go on an acid reflux medicine very early on – so I haven’t had as much heartburn, but I have still had reflux if I lay down. I’ve had to be very cautious of what I eat for dinner in order to avoid being up for hours uncomfortably.
• Congestion: This has been the WORST recently. Pregnancy paired with winter in Upstate New York has been absolute torture on my sinus’ and keeps me up at night. I just bought a new humidifier which has helped tremendously with nights.
• Braxton Hicks Contractions: I had BH a lot with Ana, too, but they have definitely been more intense with the twins. So uncomfortable.

The Best Parts

I have to throw this in here – it’s not all bad being pregnant with twins! There are some great changes with this pregnancy:

• Movements: It’s so fun to feel them both move around. I used to wonder how you can even tell there’s two in there – but you can! I can’t even explain it, it’s just been the best part.
• Health: Overall my health has been really good compared to my pregnancy with Ana. I had blood pressure issues (I have hypertension even when I’m not pregnant, it just got worse with her pregnancy) – I’ve had no issues so far, knock on wood.
• Prenatal Care: When you’re pregnant with twins, you get the best prenatal care – I had no complaints of that with Ana, but you really get treated like a queen at the OBGYN. Which come on – us twin moms ARE! You also get a lot of ultrasounds, so all the more times to see those sweet babies grow!
• Going By Fast: The best thing I can say about this pregnancy is that it is FLYING by. I really can’t believe in a little over two months these crazy boys will be here! I’m so excited to meet them and bring them home to complete our family.

Overall – this pregnancy has been no walk in the park, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Some people, I think, are just meant to be pregnant and enjoy it – I am not one of those people! 🙂 But, I feel so blessed that I was chosen to be a mama to these special boys. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us!

xx

P.S. Check out the best pregnancy products and my 34 Q&A for more twin content!