Twin Specifics - Issues that concern twins

Frequently Asked Questions about Twins.

How long does a twin pregnancy last?
A twin pregnancy is considered to be full term at 37 weeks. Whilst many twins arrive before 37 weeks, some twin pregnancies can last for 38-40weeks.

Is it possible to give birth to twins vaginally?
It depends on your particular circumstances, some mums will deliver both twins vaginally, others will deliver one vaginally and the other by caesarean, other mums will have a caesarean for both twins. It is best to discuss this with your health team, they will be able to look at your individual circumstances and decide which method will work best for you and your twins.

If you are worried about your twin’s birth please don’t hesitate to contact your health team who should be able to provide advice and reassurance.

If I give birth to my twins vaginally, will I go through labour twice?
No. You will go through the pushing stage twice but the rest of labour is the same as for a singleton.

Is it possible to breastfeed twins?
Yes! If you want to breastfeed your twins tell your midwife so she can offer advice and guidance about latching them both on properly. You may like to read Twinsonline’s Breast feeding Twins article.

My twins are monozygotic. What does this mean?
It means that your babies are from one fertilized egg that has split into two. People commonly call monozygotic twins identical twins. You can expect them to look very similar (obviously!) and they will be both be the same sex.

My twins are dizygotic what does this mean?
It means that they are from two fertilized eggs. They may not be any more alike than any of your other children, may have different hair or eye colour, may be the same sex or may be boy/girl twins. Dizygotic twins always have their own chorions and amniotic sacs. They are what people often refer to as non-identical or fraternal twins.

Twin Statistics.
It is thought that currently in the UK, approximately one third of twins are monozygotic (identical) two thirds are twins are dizygotic (non-identical).

Of the monozygotic twins, 33% are dichorionic, diamniotic i.e. have their own outer membranes (chorions) and their own amniotic sacs.

66% of monozygotic twins have one shared chorion but their own amniotic sacs, i.e. are monochorionic diamniotic.

The other 1% are monochorionic, monoamniotic i.e. have a shared chorion and shared amniotic sac.

Should I let my newborn twins share a cot/crib?
This is very much a matter of personal choice. Some mums feel happier having their twins in the same cot/crib whilst others prefer to put them in separate cots/cribs right from the start. It is advisable to follow current sleeping safety advice whatever you decide to do.

Should my twins share a room?
Again this is a matter of personal choice. Some mums find it easier having them in one room, others like them to have their own room each. As they grow older they may appreciate their own space and will learn to be responsible for their own space but not everyone has the luxury of having enough rooms for each twin to have their own room so you have to do whatever works best for you and your family. If they have very different sleeping patterns or you find that one keeps waking the other up and you have space it would certainly be worth trying putting them in different rooms.

Should I dress my twins alike?
Again – personal choice. If you want to get round town quickly without a lot of hassle, putting them in cute matching outfits is a very bad idea. But it does look cute having them in the same outfit. Some twins find it very annoying being put in the same outfits – others love it.

If your twins are very identical it would be a good idea to have some way of other people telling which one is which. This can be done by either giving them a slightly different hair style to each other, or by buying different shoes or hair slides or whatever, or teaching your friends how to tell your twins apart. Just make sure you choose something commonly visible as the difference. We’ve all heard the tale about the difference between Johnny and Freddie being the fact that Johnny has a birth mark on his bum. Not much help to anyone.

What happens when one twin gets invited to a party and the other one doesn’t?
This is a tricky one. Often the party hosts mum genuinely hasn’t realised that they are twins, and will often extend the invitation to the twin. BUT sometimes they really have just invited the one twin and in this case it is usually a good idea to do something fabulous and fun with the twin left behind so they don’t feel too sad.

Should twins always be together?
No! It can be really nice for them to go out somewhere with just mum or dad or gran or whoever without having their twin there. This is especially true for twins who tend to fight a lot. It’s amazing how a little space between twins makes them feel positive towards each other again. As they grow older they may develop different interests and its fine to let one go to football for instance without forcing the other one to go too!

Should I put my twins in the same class at school?
This depends on the individual twins concerned. Some twins love being together and will only thrive if together and in this case sometimes it can cause misery separating them, although some twins find that they come out of their shells when put in separate classes. It can go both ways.

If twins are very competitive and constantly looking over their shoulder to see how their twin is doing it may help to separate them so they can learn at their own pace and develop friendships with other children.

Some schools aren’t big enough to accommodate more than one class per year group. You may be able to get the class teacher to let them work in different groups so that they have opportunities to work independently of each other.

Disclaimer:- Twinsonline is here as a guide only - anything you do you do at your own risk
If you have a health concern please go see the relevant member of your health team (GP, Health Visitor, Midwife, Obstetrician)

www.twinsonline.org.uk