Twins questions?

[indigomama]

It's probably none of my business, but..... I have a friend who is pregnant with twins and during her whole pregnancy she has been counting down till 36 weeks. I asked her why and she said that twins are full term at 36 weeks and they should be 5 pounds each by then and it will be time. I'm not sure if she is having a c-section or being induced but she plans on having them at 36 weeks. So, is this normal?

 

I am really concerned and don't understand why she can't just continue her pregnancy until she goes into labor. Why is full term not 40 weeks like a singleton pregnancy?

 

I know one other couple who had twins, she was induced at 39+ weeks only because her previous labors were very very short (twins were babies#4-5) and she lived a good drive from the hospital and one baby was breech.

 

So, any insight?

[Farrar]

Yes, 36 weeks is considered full term for twins. Twins are so much likelier to come early. If you make it that far, then you've almost certainly hit healthy weights, you'll avoid the NICU, your kids will have a better chance of coming home right away if it's a hospital birth. Of course, some people go "regular" full term, but it's less common. I went into labor the day after the midwife said it was safe to have them at home. I think the one whose water broke heard her and said, "Great. I'm getting out of here. Way too crowded."

[indigomama]

But is it normal to take them at 36 weeks like people think 40 is the time for singletons?

[LaxMom]

Yes, to expand on what Farrar said: twins are not only born earlier typically, they also mature earlier. The higher order the multiple, typically the earlier their lungs, etc, mature.

 

Mine were 6.5 # each, with fully mature lungs at 37 weeks. No vernix, as you would expect with a 37 week singleton, either.

[indigomama]

Ok, good. Thank you for the helpful information. I was just concerned she was rushing things. I didn't want any complications for her. Very excited for them.

[mlktwins]

As PPs have said, very normal. I had a scheduled c-section (scheduled when I was about 3 months along) at 37 week 5 days. The boys were 7 lbs 8 oz and 6 lbs 5 oz and perfectly healthy. Came to my room straight after and went home with us. We felt very blessed.

 

Good luck to your friend :-)

[chickenpatty]

I'm expecting twins & I've been counting down til 36 weeks, but it's looking more like it will be 38. I was thinking 36 b/c most of the other twin mamas I know didn't make it past that & I was hoping to go then. But if things continue like they have been I'll go to 38. Which, for the twins, is good. It was a tough emotional adjustment to make - expecting them at 38 instead of 36:) Being preggo with twins has felt like being 42 weeks with a singleton. For about a month now.

 

The maternal fetal specialist I am seeing said that the risk for still birth in twins increases dramatically after 38 weeks.

[Farrar]

Yes, that's what happened to my grandmother. She carried her twins too long and they were stillborn as a result. :( Seeing me have twins brought up a lot of memories for her, I think, but my happy ending of healthy babies with good weights made her feel very good.

[JeneralMom]

My friend who had twns was told that after 38 weeks the placenta begins to calcify rapidly and it becomes very dangerous for the twins. She was scheduled for a c-section for 38 weeks, but had to go in for an emergency one a few days before the scheduled section because her water broke. Turned out one of the twins had stopped growing/maturing at 36ish weeks.

[indigomama]

I'm expecting twins & I've been counting down til 36 weeks, but it's looking more like it will be 38. I was thinking 36 b/c most of the other twin mamas I know didn't make it past that & I was hoping to go then. But if things continue like they have been I'll go to 38. Which, for the twins, is good. It was a tough emotional adjustment to make - expecting them at 38 instead of 36:) Being preggo with twins has felt like being 42 weeks with a singleton. For about a month now. The maternal fetal specialist I am seeing said that the risk for still birth in twins increases dramatically after 38 weeks.

 

Congratulations on your twins!!! Wish you the best in labor and delivery and a smooth continuing pregnancy!

 

Yes, that's what happened to my grandmother. She carried her twins too long and they were stillborn as a result. :( Seeing me have twins brought up a lot of memories for her, I think, but my happy ending of healthy babies with good weights made her feel very good.

 

So sorry about your grandmother, how difficult. But what a sweet thing she saw your twins safe and sound:)

[Critterfixer]

Normal. I had mine by section at 36 weeks. Squid-boy was 6 lb 11 oz, Powerline-Boy was 7 lbs!

Big infants tend to run in my family, I can't imagine what it would have been like had they waited another week. They were more than ready to be out, and by that time I was plenty of tired of being pregnant.

They did better than I did...

[Matryoshka]

But is it normal to take them at 36 weeks like people think 40 is the time for singletons?

 

 

 

Well, it's more common for them to be born early (mine were, at 34wks5days), but I still think it's better for them to hold on longer. Mine were 4lbs. 9oz and 4lbs. 11oz and had to be 1.5 weeks in the NICU. I would've liked to have skipped that!

 

I have more than a couple of friends, though, who had 38+ wk full-term twins - over 7 lbs. each.

[JFSinIL]

Mine were 7 lb 6 oz and 8 lb 7 oz, nine days late (41 weeks+). I started out 5'1" and 120 lbs....

[Erica in OR]

Mine were born with a scheduled c-section at about 38 weeks, after 2 weeks of bedrest. I had heard 36 weeks was full term for twins too, so in my head was prepared for an earlier birth, but OB wanted to wait until 38. Had an almost 6 pounder and an almost 7 pounder.

 

Erica in OR

[Danestress]

My doc said it is not true that multiplies mature earlier in the womb, but it is true that going past 38 weeks is more dangerous with multiples.

 

At 38 weeks I was being monitored pretty heavily. I was calling the doctor asking if they might be ripping internal organ. They induced at 38 weeks.

[indigomama]

Wow, lots of twins on this board. It sounds like the consensus is 36-38 weeks for twins. Good to know. Thanks everyone for responding!

[sbgrace]

My OB said risks to the babies raise at 38 weeks. She wanted her twin births induced prior to that 38 weeks mark though she would have let us go longer with daily NST's and biophysical profiles. My boys were 37 weeks and not huge--6 lbs 9 oz and 4 lbs 5 oz (IUGR). I didn't particularly take it that the babies mature faster but rather that the placenta can start to degrade and, especially in first time and/or small moms, space can be an issue in terms of growth in the later stages.

 

We were always seeing 36 weeks as a huge milestone. Perhaps that is what your friend is thinking.

[Jaybee]

I was taken off meds to prevent labor at 36 weeks on a Friday, and on Monday went into labor. They weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and 5 lbs. 3 oz. Everybody was just fine and healthy. I could hardly walk by then, and wondered how much longer I could hold out as it was.

[mermo]

I think different doctors have different opinions on "full term". At 36 weeks most babies have adequate lung maturity regardless of singleton versus multiples. Some data shows increased likelihood of complications after 38 weeks for multiples but not all docs in the practice I went to agreed on this. I had my twins at 38 weeks and was soooooo ready to have them out!!

[cathmom]

My twins were born at 37 weeks exactly, weighing 7.5 lbs. each. They were not induced.

[soonermomma]

My doctor does not let you go past 37 weeks with twins. Mine were born at 33weeks. My water broke (baby A only) at 32 weeks and they kept me on hospital bed rest for a week before we delivered them. They each weighted 4lbs 8oz. One born completely natural and one born emergency c section. One spent 7 days in the NICU, the other spent 16 days in the NICU.