Second set of multiples

[katielynn]

Like a lot of people out there, I have watched "Jon and Kate Plus 8" a few times. The whole idea of having so many kids at the same age overwhelms me. I just can't imagine how hard it must be.

I'm wondering if there are any multiple moms out there, and what advice they would give to someone who already has one set of twins? Is it worth trying again if there's a risk of multiples? Is it better to have a bigger gap between the first and second set?

[mommyoftwins]

Yes, I would like to know that too! My twins are 5 months now, and I want to have more, just not right now. I want to enjoy them for a while. But I too have that fear of having another set. How long is long enough? I would like for my girls to be able to help, but I want them close in age. Any advice for an expert with two or more?

[gorgeousmom]

Ladies, I suffer so much during pregnancy. It is so miserable for me. I puke every 15 minutes, almost the entire 9 months. I get hospitalized and am required to have bedrest 24/7. I wish so badly that I could have multiples. I saw Jon and Kate on Oprah and I think they are so lucky to have 8 kids out of 2 pregnancies. I'm just 2 for 2. I always wanted a huge family, but I don't want to put myself and my family through another pregnancy. Good luck to both of you.

[MrsLowry]

I'm not sure of what it's like to have two sets. But, my twins are 16 months old & I just found out I'm pregnant again, and due a week after their second birthday. My husband & I partially want twins, but I'm starting to not because I want to be able to cuddle & love one baby. I haven't gotten to experience that & I want to. So.. I guess if I have twins, I'll let you know!

[Littleape]

I have twin girls and they are identical (18 months). My husband actually asked the doctor, who is specialist they referred me to, about it because he is terrified that if we have another baby that it will be twins again. (I would love to have just one the next time because I agree that you don't get that one-on-one cuddle time when there is two.) But the doctors told us that anyone that has twins does have a higher possibility of twins the second time around; however, you have a higher possibility of 2nd multiples if you have identical twins instead of fraternal. Both of my sister-in-laws (yes all three of us had twins - doctors are totally baffled about that) had only one child the 2nd time but they did not have identical twins (one had 2 boys; the other had 1 boy and 1 girl).

[Preciouspima]

I just found out that I'm pregnant with twins...I believe fraternal, I have another appt to confirm in two days. At any rate, this is my first pregnancy and I am having a horrible time with keeping food down. It has gotten a bit better, but the exhaustion kills me too. From the research I've done I see that most of the time the symptoms with a twin pregnancy are usually worse than that with a singleton. Does anyone have any advice on anything as far as ways or tricks to help improve energy? And what about work? I have a desk job but with the hours I work I know it will be hard to stick with and I can't go part time with this company. Any ideas?

[Littleape]

I just started taking short naps on my lunch break while I was pregnant and I also got my husband to take on more of the housework so I could rest more. I had some nausea at the beginning of my pregnancy but it got better. The exhaustion started at about 6 months, about the same time the heartburn did. I was lucky and was able to work until 2 days before delivery (was 35 1/2 wks). I worked as a receptionist in an animal clinic. The problem with work will depend on your cervix. The OB/GYN specialist I was sent to said that I was lucky and my cervix was extra strong. However, my sister in law had twins and she was put out of work at 4 months because her cervix was trying to dilate some. So it just depends on your body and how well it can handle the extra pressure from carrying twins. Good luck! and don't forget you will gain more weight with twins than you would with a single but you also have two babies instead of one so don't stress about it!

[Twinkies]

I must consider myself lucky then. I never had any morning sickness with the twins. I have fraternal twins, a boy and a girl that just turned one. I did have a desk job too. I had to make sure that my boss knew that I was carrying twins. It helped a lot. Food. I only gained 20lbs and yes, I was smaller after I gave birth than I was before I got pregnant. I did eat a lot of fruits, it is what worked best for me. I was getting worried when I thought I was not gaining enough weight so I chose to eat the right food that I know will be good for me and the babies.
GERD was my #1 enemy. I was on bed rest at 7 months, delivered @ 36 weeks.

[masonbrooke]

Okay, I am not a twin mom, but for what it's worth, I've taken care of 2 patients who had their second set of twins (I'm a nurse). Both ladies had two sets of identical twins, so I guess that would side with what the previous poster said about there being an increased chance if your twins are identical. However, I asked both women (one of which breastfed both sets of twins) how it was to have two, and they both said the same thing - it's pretty easy, because you already know how to handle two carseats, two feedings, twice the diapers, etc., and the older ones have eachother to play with and keep occupied. So, maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world. Then again, I'm sure Kate would beg to differ!

[DblBlessed]

Having twins is amazing! The benefits outweigh the challenges tremendously! My identical girls will be three in a couple months. I've stayed home with my girls thus far because the cost of daycare ends up more than an average salary. Which in this day and age is not cost effective, but what an amazing blessing it has been! How lucky I am that it turned out I didn't have a choice. It also let me be able to breastfeed them for ten months. As far as the morning sickness goes, it's different for everyone, remember with twins you have twice the amount of hormones coming from that placenta(s). For me the morning sickness was bad for the first trimester and then just ended. I felt so much better during the second trimester and then just huge for the third. I had a lot of medical issues throughout, but I certainly wouldn't want to scare anyone, ultimately I made it through with two beautiful healthy girls born at 36 weeks. One thing that helped with the milder version of the nausia were those preggie pops they sell at Motherhood stores. They're weird flavors but sometimes did the trick. Someone sent me a quote during all those changes at that time of my life that held true and has stuck with me: "Have Faith, Things Fall Apart So That They Can Fall Together". Change is the only thing in our lives that is constant and I wish you the best with all of yours!

[sjbelli]

I'm a proud mother of fraternal b/g twins who are almost 9 months. I am also 3 1/2 months pregnant (very, very, weak moment :) with my third. I was very stressed when I found out that I was pregnant again due to my having twins. It is genetic in my family for dropping two eggs during a cycle and has skipped generations. Thankfully, like the other four women in my family, my latest and last pregnancy will be with one. I love my two and couldn't imagine my life without them. I was fortunate to have had twins first because I didn't know any differently, so adding just one more seems like a piece of cake right now. Talk to me when the baby is here and the twins are running rampid. In all seriousness, although this last child wasn't planned, it is a miracle and we would have embraced our blessings if we had more than one. I did some research over the internet when I found out that I was pregnant and found that although there is an increased chance of having twins if you've already had a set, the percentage is still less than having only one child.

[shonda]

I have two sets of twins. The oldest will be nine this year and the youngest just turned one in january. The first set are fraternal and the second are identical. I would say that having them spaced so far apart has its pros and cons. The pros are that the older ones have their own lives with friends, each other, school, and chores so they are not so much into demanding my attention all of the time. Also I think that is due to them having my full attention when they were younger and still have my attention when they need it. They know that they have to go to dad for checking homework and looking at papers when they come home from school and he checks their chores before they can get their allowance. We started them with their chore list before I was pregnant so they knew what to do without me having to dictate it to them. Things have been going smoothly for the most part. They also help keep an eye on them while I'm cooking or cleaning. They are very good at making them laugh. On the downside of them being spaced so far apart, I had gotten used to the older ones being for the most part self-sufficient and I had time to myself when they went to school. Now once they're gone I still have two little ones to care for and it's hard to get any down time. When they are sleeping I try to get things done that they wont let me do when they are awake, but I'm usually so pooped that I don't want to do those things. I forgot to mention that I work full time, so that has to be factored into my daily routine. I wondered one time if things would have been easier if I had had them closer together, like only two years apart. But then I thought about how I couldn't get my older ones potty trained until they were four and the cost of diapering two children plus the cost of pull ups and how much attention the older ones needed and fighting over my lap and their toys and the time it took to give them baths and dressed and hair done (they are all girls) and the cost of clothes since they were growing so fast (the older ones don't grow out of their clothes as fast) and having to buy a van to house four car seats (I had a two door cavalier until they were five), I came to the conlusion that the time span between the two sets were just right! I was also starting to miss them being babies and now I get to relive all the good, cute, little baby stuff and the bad ("no no", "stop, don't bite her", "don't tear up the kleenex please", "don't pull the tablecloth off the table please", "No thank you. I don't want the soggy cracker from your mouth", "No, no that's not a toy", "No shoes don't go in the baby's mouth", "Don't climb the baby gate you can get hurt", "Get down from there", and "Don't take that diaper off". All in all I love being a mother of two sets of twins. It's hard but they are worth it.