Now a study suggests that the propensity for social interactions exists in the womb. Twins begin interacting as early as the 14th week of gestation.
Just like singleton babies, twins can sometimes get super-active in the womb. But not to worry — there's no real threat from it! Babies can kick or even hit each other (yes, really) in utero, but the good news is the amniotic fluid acts as a cushion to protect them from actually getting hurt by any of it.
If you're expecting fraternal twins, it's highly likely that one twin will move more than the other. Identical twins often move in unison or will take alternating times of the day to do so. Some think that the type of twin you have will determine how much you're feeling twins move in your womb.
Twins start to actually play with each other. Parents would notice that when one crawls away, the other one would follow. Or if one is playing with a toy – for example, a baby walker – the other twin will form an interest in that particular toy as well.
The five pairs of twins were studied during two separate recording sessions carried out at the 14th and 18th week of gestation. The first 20-minute recording sessions showed the unborn twins touching each other as well as themselves, and the uterine wall.
For women born 1870-1899, moms of twins averaged reproductive spans of 14 years 11 months versus 14 years for singleton moms. Both results were statistically significant. Moms of twins also were older at the time of their last birth.
“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.
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.
It is likely that twins' awareness of one another starts sooner than seven or eight months of age. An article by the late doctor, T. Berry Brazelton, observed that at age three to four months, an infant identical female twin seemed disoriented when her sister was removed from the room.
Twins start interacting in the womb at 14 weeks. Identical twins can develop different diseases. It is possible for twins to have different dads. Once you have one set of non-identical twins, you are 3-4 times more likely to have another set.
Most first-time moms of twins don't feel fetal movement, or quickening, until 18 to 20 weeks — about the same average for singletons. That said, if this is your second or later pregnancy, you're more likely to feel the flutterings faster.
The most common way for twins to lie is both with their heads down - the best for birth. There's not a lot of room in your womb, so it's quite common for one or both babies to be feet or bottom down (breech).
One Pregnancy Two Babies
Take all the heartburn, bed rest, uncomfortable sleeping, and misery of a pregnancy and go through it just once. In less than 9 months, Mom can deliver two babies that otherwise would have taken 18 months total to nurture to delivery. You instantly grow your family with twins.
Identical twins share a particularly intense bond. They are the result of one fertilized egg splitting into two, giving them identical DNA. (Fraternal twins are the result of two separate, genetically different fertilized eggs.) As a result, identical twins are as close as two people can be.
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.
Studies show several possible benefits of letting twins sleep together in the NICU. 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.
Fortunately telling twins apart is one fear that can be taken off the list. Most parents find that mixing up their babies is the least of their concerns. After only a few hours or days at most, they are distinguishable as individuals. Even if they look alike, parents just know the difference.
A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).
A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics indicates that the optimal time of birth for twins is at 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Twins are now being born more often because of an increase in the use of assisted reproductive techniques, in which almost a quarter result in twinning.
The doctor who delivered the babies says it's not uncommon to see twins born up to a couple hours apart, but 12 hours is rare.
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.
Being a twin has its benefits—tricking people, having a lifelong companion, sharing clothes—but it also has downsides. Many twins struggle to cultivate their own identities, while being so similar to one another. And that struggle lasts a lifetime, according to a recent study.
Severe Fatigue
Extreme fatigue is the most commonly reported complaint during pregnancy with multiples. Sleepiness, lethargy, and exhaustion during the first trimester can be enhanced because the body is working overtime to nurture more than one baby.
Monoamniotic-monochorionic Twins
These types of twins share a chorion, placenta, and an amniotic sac. This is the rarest type of twin, and it means a riskier pregnancy as the babies can get tangled in their own umbilical cords.
It is estimated that 1 in 250 natural pregnancies will naturally result in twins. While twin pregnancies can happen by chance, there are some factors that may increase your odds of having two babies at the same time. Let's learn about twins!