Although it may seem as though twin babies and multiples do a lot more crying than singletons, especially when they're taking turns sobbing, there's no evidence that they spend more time wailing than other babies. Individually, each baby probably cries about the same amount as others.
It is perfectly natural for your twins to cry because that is the only way they have to communicate with you. They cry to express their needs, their wants, and even their dislikes. The most common reasons for crying include hunger, a dirty diaper, sleepiness, boredom, overstimulation, or sleep regression.
Some say that twins are always hard (yet amazing), while others say they truly didn't find them to be difficult. A few said that the first two months with twins are easy (being in the rose-colored glasses phase), then reality hits from months 3-6 (when the sleep deprivation catches up), then it can get easier again.
The hardest thing about having twins is...
“Managing the movement of two babies. Carrying them both up and down the stairs, getting them into the car, etc.” —Simeon R. “Often having to make one baby wait!” —Catharine D. “Being outnumbered—the logistics of two on one is definitely the hardest.
If your twins are crying, it may be possible to distract them from whatever they're sad about. Focus them on something that would make them happy. It could be a change of venue. Move them from one room to another.
Adult twins will experience loneliness, which is inevitable and can lead to emotional confusion, depression, and being overwhelmed. Nontwins will not understand the depth of your loneliness, which will only gradually fade into the background as you make new friends and get engaged in life without your twin.
Mood swings, unstable, uncontrollable moods and being far more prone to tears are always normal symptom of pregnancies, but in twin pregnancies the symptoms are usually going to be far stronger and more intense, because of the higher concentration of hormones that cause this symptom. What is this?
Multiples are about twice as likely as singleton babies to have birth defects, including neural tube defects (such as spina bifida), cerebral palsy, congenital heart defects and birth defects that affect the digestive system. Growth problems. Multiples are usually smaller than singleton babies.
“Having twins is not twice as hard—it's exponentially more difficult,” says Natalie Diaz, author of What To Do When You're Having Two and CEO of Twiniversity, a global support network for parents of twins.
Babies who are multiples have about twice the risk of birth defects than singleton babies, including neural tube defects such as spina bifida and heart and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Cerebral palsy. Twin babies are more than four times as likely than single babies to have cerebral palsy.
At three months:
The three-month stage marks the end of the “fourth trimester” and your twins can better adapt to life outside the womb. For one thing, they'll sleep in longer stretches of about three- to four-hour chunks.
Age. People over 30, and particularly those over age 35, are more likely to conceive twins. 4 This is because the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) rises as birthing parents get older. FSH is responsible for the development of eggs in the ovaries before they are released.
What is Twin Escalation Syndrome? Twin escalation syndrome is the phenomena where one twin will start a behavior, then the other twin will start the same behavior. This multiplies exponentially.
Researchers from all over the world have found that when one identical twin is depressed, the other twin will also have depression 76% of the time. With fraternal pairs, the twin of a depressed person experiences depression only 19% of the time.
Parents Of Twins Run Higher Risk Of Depression Than Other New Parents : Shots - Health News Expectant parents of twins and other multiples may be ready for the joy and extra physical demands of caring for more than one baby. But few know the risk of depression and anxiety runs higher, too.
According to a study carried out in 2012, researchers found overall lower marriage and divorce rates in twins compared to non-twins. One reason cited is because twins “do not have the same need for marriage as singletons, but have more experience in maintaining a relationship if they do marry”.
This is called co-bedding and is perfectly safe. In fact, putting twins in the same cot can help them regulate their body temperatures and sleep cycles, and can soothe them and their twin. If you put your twins in the same cot, follow the same safe sleeping advice as for a single baby.
1 Multiples who are co-bedded seem to sleep better, gain weight better, have fewer episodes of apnea and bradycardia, and (as long as they're about the same size), keep each other warm.
What are the benefits for the twins? Their buddy is always there. They've known each other since they can remember and that is very comforting. They are also a little more social than the average child since they are used to being with another kid since the beginning.
Smith adds: "The prevailing view is that the burden of childbearing on women is heavier when bearing twins. But we found the opposite: women who naturally bear twins in fact live longer and are actually more fertile."
1.1 Twins (2) 1.2 Triplets (3) 1.3 Quadruplets (4) 1.4 Quintuplets (5) 1.5 Sextuplets (6)
The results suggest that twin fetuses are aware of their counterparts in the womb, that they prefer to interact with them, and that they respond to them in special ways. Contact between them appeared to be planned—not an accidental outcome of spatial proximity, says study co-author Cristina Becchio of Turin.
Because multiple pregnancies are considered high risk, expecting multiple babies can be a stressful and anxious time. Research has shown that rates of antenatal anxiety and depression in multiple pregnancies are much higher than for those expecting a singleton.