Baby Care

Posts Tagged ‘Twins’

Having twins is not a rare fact, but three, four or more babies who are born at the same time – this is really rare. Many people say that it’s a game of nature. Despite the external attractiveness (birth of two at once – this is great!) the pregnancy can be dangerous for both mother and children. Therefore, a woman with a multiple pregnancy should punctually comply with all the requirements of a doctor.

What is a multiple pregnancy?
Multiple pregnancy occurs with the development of two or more fetuses. The heredity is among the main causes of multiple pregnancy: there are families, where from generation to generation twins and triplets were born.
Multiple pregnancies can happen with the fertilization of two (three, etc.) eggs, and then develop twins of different fetuses. But sometimes a single fertilized egg develops two fetuses.
Fetal egg and its structure
Twins can share one egg with one common membrane (amnion) or a separate membrane for each fetus.
The examination of placenta can show whether twins were one-egg or two. For two-egg twins the presence of individual or contact placenta is characterizing, the septum between amnions has four leaves. For one egg twins a common placenta is characterizing, and the septum consists of two sheets.

Multiple pregnancy can proceed normally, but can often be complicated with miscarriage, premature delivery and toxicity. Even sometimes the following may appear: fatigue, breath shortness, rapid urination, constipation – all of this is due to the significant increase in the size of the uterus.
Development of the fetus is usually the same; the difference in their weight is low. But sometimes there may appear the unevenness of development associated with the presence of anatomizes (bridges) between the vessels of the fetus placenta. With various cardiac intensity the blood supply of one of them is better and because of that the second one will be less developed and may even die. Sometimes such fetus in the form of amorphous is called “paper” fetus.
Location of the fetuses in the uterus may be different, but mostly they both are in the longitudinal position (head down). There are also other options.

Multiple pregnancy diagnosis
Nowadays such a diagnosis is not difficult because the ultrasound lets us clearly hear the heartbeat of each fetus in the 2.5 weeks of pregnancy.

Multiple pregnancy births
Multiple pregnancy births usually occur through natural delivery. But sometimes there occur difficulties during childbirth: weak clan forces due to hyperextension of uterus, hypoxia (insufficient supply of oxygen to tissues)of the fetus, premature detachment of placenta after the birth of a second fetus, late breaking hulls of the second fetus, bleeding.

Assistance during multiple pregnancy childbirth
To control the activities of the uterus and to ease the childbirth anesthesia drugs, removing spasm of smooth muscles of internal organs including the uterus are used.

The fetal bladder of the first fetus is opened, gently and slowly releasing amniotic waters. The period of the expulsion of the first fetus is done in the natural way. But in case there are any complications from the mother or fetus they accelerate the process by using various techniques (e.g., overlaying obstetrical forceps).
After 10-20 minutes after the birth of the first fetus doctors usually reveal the second fetal bladder and give birth to the child and, if necessary, apply special obstetric techniques.
Then they carefully examine to determine their integrity (in the remaining piece of the uterus may bleed) and to determine their one-or two egg origin.

Prevention of multiple pregnancy complications
Multiple pregnant women require careful observation in a clinic. While there are any complications during pregnancy (e.g., toxicity or threat of miscarriage), a woman should be directed to the department of pathology in Maternity Hospital for receiving necessary treatment.

Ultrasound showed that you will become a parent of twins. You can feel happy – you will have double joy and double trouble.
Few simple tips will help you to cope better with suddenly increased happiness.
Do your best to teach kids to eat at the same time. If you are breastfeeding a child, first attach one to the chest, then the second. Normally, twins develop, and weigh the same, but there are exceptions. If you see that one child weighs less, then give him/her extra food.

The second important point is to make children sleep at the same time. If you see that children are restless without any reason, it’s worth a try to put them to sleep together. During 9 months of pregnancy they are much accustomed to the neighborhood of each other, and at first they can miss this. In the future, they will learn to sleep separate from each other.

Kids love when they are carried on the hands. Of course it will be more difficult to hold both kids at the same time. But you should not deprive kids of this endearment. Try to hold them in your arms while sitting on a chair, preferably on a rocking chair.

Baby bathing is one of the most important procedures. But you cannot do this alone, you will need a help from your husband, relatives or friends.
After 6 months children learn to sit and crawl, allowing you to relax a bit. Certainly they will find something to do. But here arises another trouble – it is very difficult to follow two children who are running in different directions.

Despite the fact that twins are very similar, be sure, that very soon you will start to differ them. Always remember that they are two different individuals. There is no need to buy them exactly the same thing and make the same hairstyle. You raise two different kids, who will certainly bring you a double portion of happiness.

Clothes and toys

According to some women it is rarely possible to find two suits in the store that would look good to mother and have suitable size, price, style and purpose. So it is very difficult and even almost impossible to dress twins in different ways. Usually twins ask to be dressed just like each other. Other mothers, however, emphasize that it is almost impossible to buy just two suits, so they have to dress their twins differently. On the other hand some people state that twins often have to wear second-hand clothes, and they have to dress differently from the very beginning of the life, thus getting to like the clothes each of them wears.

Some mothers are buying two identical toys, as they think that otherwise the children would quarrel. Other mothers say that they prefer buying different toys (except for items that have particular value for children, such as bicycles, dolls, etc.), and that the twins are getting used to share what they have with pleasure.

In fact, parents play a great role in solving this problem. If parents believe that the twins should always dress in different ways and they have to share their toys from the very start then most of the time twins learn to do so.

If parents encourage children when they insist on wearing the same clothes and having the same toys and, especially, if they yield to children every time, children become even more demanding. Of course, the same principle defines the relationship of parents with only one child: if the parents are strong, the children usually give up, but when the parents vary, the children argue.

Parents will be able to develop the consciousness of identity in twins and their own taste, if each of them will have his/her own box for clothes. It is also a good idea if the same clothing will have labels with the name of the owner or some kind of sign. The advantage of similar clothing with different colors is that it is quite different and can help to distinguish the twins and to emphasize their individuality. If one of the twins had always worn the green and the other – yellow, it helps others to distinguish them.

Individuality

This finally led us to the question of how to emphasize the similarities in the twins and how much should parents encourage twins to develop their identity, especially if they are very similar. All admire twins, pay attention to them, especially when twins are dressed alike and look alike. Parents of twins are often asked an absurd questions: “Who is smarter?”, “Who do you love more?”. Parents are hard to resist and not to satisfy the tastes of sentimental or unhealthy people. How can they avoid this? The most important problem is that twins sometimes think that others like them just because they are similar that people think about them just as identical babies wearing the same clothes. This is indeed a charming spectacle when they are 3 years old. However sometimes twins are still trying to draw attention to their similarities and they wear the same clothes even when they are 30 years old. In some cases they dependent on each other so much that they are not able to love or to have their own families. The result is no longer charming. More over, it is very sad .

This does not mean that parents should be wary when they dress their twins alike, or that they should be ashamed, when the surrounding pay attention to their children. The similarity of the twins is a pleasure for them and their parents.

Twins are usually strong personalities: the sense of independence from the parents develops very soon, they are adapted to actively participating in team games more than other children, they are distinguished by a deep commitment and generosity towards each other.

But it is reasonable on the part of parents not to give them similar names to avoid unnecessary underscores of the fact that they are twins (especially if they are very similar). Call each of them by name, rather than simply: “Children”, dress them similarly only in early childhood, put them in a circle of other children as early as possible so that they are not used exclusively to each other. Parents should encourage twins to have friends, if they want to. Also, encourage friends and neighbors not to hesitate to invite one of the twins to play or to visit (while the other will be able to fully seize attention of parents).

Sometimes one of the twins is fully dependent on the other in carrying out household tasks. In this case it is more reasonable to separate them. But on the other hand it is foolish and cruel to separate the twins, if it is not necessary and is done as a manifestation of despotic authority of their parents.

If you like one of the twins more than the other

Conscientious parents are too worried if one of the children gets more attention than the other, or if one of them is always served first (for example, because he/she is smaller and weaker, or for any other reason).

There is no need in such an absolute justice: indeed, the desire to such justice will make the attention and love to children somehow artificial. Each child requires a sincere love of parents for those qualities that are worth to love. He/she is satisfied if he/she has the feeling that he has a strong place in the hearts of parents. This is when your child won’t be worried by the signs of attention and love that his brothers and sisters get. But in the end, he will always notice if there is any tension in relation to the parents. The desire for absolute equality in the treatment of children will attract the attention of each of them to their rights and force the child to insist on them with the tenacity of counsel. Avoid phrases such as “Mother will put on John’s shirt first, but put on Nock’s trousers first” or “Today it’s John’s turn to sit next to dad.”

The language of twins

Often twins invent their own system of communication: the views, grunting, unintelligible words. This may delay the development of the normal language and even lead to a temporary backlog in school. Sometimes parents have to try not to comply with the requests of the twins until they are express themselves in normal language.