Pregnancy blog #1! The first trimester

Welcome to the first blog series that is ‘The journey of my pregnancy, with twins!'

I hope to blog weekly, giving a real insight into my personal experiences, journey, exercise and nutrition. Where do I begin? I will start with the questions we are typically getting asked at the moment to give you a better understanding about our pregnancy.

Do twins run in my family?

Yes, however not immediate. So I, of course, assumed that I would never be blessed with twins! My 2^nd cousins are twins and my great uncle and aunt were twins.

Were they conceived using fertility treatment?

No, 100% naturally conceived.

Do you know if they are fraternal or identical?

At this stage they are more than likely fraternal, however the doctors are still not confirming 110% just yet. They are both in individual sacs, which typically means they are fraternal, however the egg may have split very early on, and that they could still be identical.

Do I have a preference?

No, as long as they are both healthy- I am happy.

When and how did you find out?

We found out very very early. I was about 3 and a half weeks pregnant (meaning I had only JUST conceived) I am very in tune with my body and was nauseous very early on. I did an at home test and it was a clear positive, knowing what I know now it was pretty clear it must have been twins, considering the at home test was positive so incredibly early. I booked in a doctor’s appointment for the following week and was given blood tests; this was very much inconclusive, as the results were: Monday 34 (very very low) Wednesday 440 Friday 1700 Monday 2840 Typically HCG doubles every 2 days, as you can see, the levels are well over doubling. Once the results came back, the doctor sent me for a dating scan the following week, as the HCG levels were not matching my last period. As soon as the sonographer placed the (INSERT HERE!) On my stomach we could see a clear 2 sacs, and babies to match. However, we were still early on, this was at 5 weeks pregnant. So we were told to come back again in 3 more weeks for another dating scan. Finding out it was twins was very scary, because unlike singleton pregnancies which are normally pretty straight forward, twins are instantly classified as ‘high risk’ – Which of course meant my exercises was decreased dramatically until the obstetrician could assess me. I had been given permission to ‘walk’ and only low impact training as my exercise. Which for someone as active as I am was making me go slightly crazy. However, I am allowed to exercise again now, since being assessed. Going back, 3 weeks later, was a really big relief, we had 2 sacs, 2 babies and 2 clear heart rates. This was back at 8 weeks gestation. We have decided to have the twins privately, so was referred to our obstetrician and have since had weekly appointments to ensure both babies growth is as expected.

Will we find out the sex of the babies?

Yes, I don’t love surprises and I really want to ensure we are as prepared as possible for the twins. There is SO much to buy, consider and organize before September!

Have you had morning sickness?

Wow, how do I describe this? I feel like I am sea sick, all day long with certain smells causing me to be sick on the spot. I had a little bit of morning sickness with the boys, however, nothing like this. My skin has broken out a lot too, no surprise though- considering my hormones are through the roof!! LOL

What has been the hardest part so far?

To be honest, peoples reactions to twins- especially from other parents. When you announce your pregnancy, it is a positive time, I have been really shocked by the parents who say things like “Say goodbye to your sleep” “Twins are hard work” “The first year is a blur” “I didn’t leave home for 6 months” “I hope your family can move in to help” All we want to hear is ‘Congratulations, what a blessing!” I honestly believe it is just your outlook on life; I am young, healthy, fit and have an amazing husband to help with those sleepless nights. As long as I have two healthy babies, everything else is a second thought.

Where to from here?

After I was given my assessment and saw the obstetrician, I was given full permission to exercise as normal. The precautions are to (obviously) listen to my body, ensure my heart rate is under 160BPM, and that I am drinking enough water. I am not too caught up on the weight gain side of things, however I do want to ensure that I keep my strength for the birthing process. I am attempting a natural delivery, so I know I will need to be strong, fit and healthy to ensure the best delivery possible. I am so super excited to start buying baby things, maternity clothes and all things babies! So if you know of any new products, brands or must have buys- please send me a message and let me know!