Things To Expect When You’re Expecting Twins
12-5-2013
My computer is messed up. I’m doing this on my daughter’s desktop. Not a fan & much yelling 
! EEK!
1) You’ll be a freak show for awhile.
Like a clown thrown into the general population, you will stick out with twins like a sore thumb. You also will suddenly notice the twins around you much more. Where were they all hiding before you had yours? I have no freakin’ idea, but it is quite incredible. Now you are part of an elite group, and you will get a lot of attention for it and a lot of comments.
Expect your regular errands to take twice as long as usual. I’d be lying though if I said I don’t miss some of what I once thought to be so annoying 
.
2) You will hear the same questions over & over (AND OVER) again.
”How do you do it?” ”I don’t know how you do it!” ”I can’t imagine twins.” ”Are they identical?” ”Whose side of the family do twins run on?” ”Are you gonna have another?” If you have got boy/girl twins, ”How great, now you are set.” Or ”Trying for that girl now?” Or ”Trying for that boy now?” ”Double trouble!” ”Two for the price of one.” (as if 
.) (Etc. etc. etc.)
3) The sexual decline.
You will have a lot less sex because you will have a lot less energy during and after the pregnancy, but for quite awhile you really won’t care and will find yourself quite busy. Don’t worry the libido eventually does come back. Tell your partner to have some patience and practice some good old fashioned ‘self love’. (IF he has the energy himself.)
Also, it may take some time to feel like your sexy, hot self again..(which you are!) Keep the lines of communication open, and you will prevail!
4) Double the pleasure, double the work. Yes and yes.
I mean it can’t really not be either of these things. I mean two children equal twice the warm feelings, twice the hugs and kisses, twice the amazement. Then on the flip side of things you can’t deny that you are feeding two babies, changing two diapers, putting two children to bed, kissing two boo boos when need be. It’s a wonderful challenge.
There are certain things that help make life a bit easier like keeping them on a schedule and feeding both even if one is still sleeping to prolong the waking process. Making two bottles at once and simultaneously feeding during the day to. But cleaning double the bottles and washing double the clothing. It’s not ‘getting it over with all at once’ and is easier like some like to believe. It’s just very different.
Are two singletons or having twins easier/ harder? Now that is a great debate among people that will live on forever. But seriously, one thing is for certain, neither is at all easy, so don’t try and draw parallels. Even though clearly others will try to.
5) You will most definitely have a harder and/or more uncomfortable pregnancy.
You may have a textbook twin pregnancy, but if you have ever been pregnant with a singleton before, you will notice many differences. You will grow bigger (and faster). You will be at the doctor’s office much more. You will get more testing done. You will get more uncomfortable, especially as things progress into later pregnancy.
You will be more tired and possibly have more pregnancy symptoms and discomforts. You will be more at risk for pre-term labor, however, with proper prenatal care most twin moms-to-be make it to a safe enough place to have their twins with zero or very minimal assistance needed. It will be different, but if the twins are your 1st children, you won’t know any differently. I think those are the luckiest of all. Hardy, har, har!
6) You will obtain super buff arms without working out.
Just make sure to stop yourself from favoring one arm completely over the other. (Which we all do tend to do.) It will show over time. You need a ‘mostly even’ workout to get ‘mostly even’ arm muscles. No more weights needed! You got ‘em now!
7) Can the ‘I can’ and buy a minivan!
If you already have other kids, or you have twins and then get pregnant again, give up the sports car, SUV, or the spotless clean car idea totally. You WILL need to invest in a minivan as much as you may loathe the idea of becoming one of ‘those’ moms. It’s nothing personal and doesn’t change the inner wild child that is you, it’s just more freakin’ practical and preserves a hell of a lot of sanity.
You can close the doors and be inside with them as you fight toddlers into their car seats. Nobody has to see the inside struggle 
. You can be out of the rain while doing so. Even putting newborns into seats walking around a vehicle is enough time to get you saturated in the rain. Also, you will have no patience for poor parking. I had an SUV with my twins for too long. Getting their car seats in and out was a nightmare with people parking so close and needing doors on both sides open. Sometimes I had to sit and wait for people to get the hell back to their cars.
You might as well bite the bullet even if you just have twins and invest in a van while still pregnant. It has been a lifesaver for me. Having lots of trunk room will help in the future when you have two bikes, a big wagon, your double stroller is an obvious, toy ride-ons, etc. You need the space. Save the sports car or luxury SUV dream for when the twins grow up (much more so.) My red, convertible Mercedes will one day be mine..I know it 
.
Your car will get damaged, dirty, nicks in it, kicked repeatedly in the backs of the seats, and even footprints on the ceiling (somehow). Some things in life are just impossible. Keeping a perfect house or a perfect car with twins is one of them. (For a looooooong while anyway.)
8 ) Your back will hurt more.
Not just during the pregnancy from the extra weight you are trying to hustle around, but afterwards BIG TIME! Feeding two babies round the clock can make your body feel like it’s done constant exercise all on its own, but as they get bigger they get heavier and will both want to be carried and picked up, put down, one at a time, one after the other.
The convertible car seats in and out of the house for awhile is very tough (though most convenient). It’s very taxing on the body. The back most especially. I call it the MOTBS. Read more about that here. You will want to work on obtaining or restoring a strong core postpartum to help aid in the decrease of back pain. A back support or binder is a good idea for awhile to.
9) You won’t be perfect so don’t expect to be.
Try as you might you can’t do it all, and that is OK. Don’t expect to birth and then bond with two babies while running a perfect household with all clean and folded laundry, no dirty dishes in the sink, dusting to perfection, not needing to cat nap or take a breather here nor there. You aren’t a Jetson…you are a human being, damn it!
You will make mistakes, as will your partner. Cut yourself (and everybody) some slack because trying to do it all will only lead you to exhaustion and anguish. Possibly even to postpartum depression. Let certain things slide and make certain things priority. Family comes FIRST!
10) You will want to call on some help.
When you need a rest, don’t be afraid to admit to it and call on some help. One baby is physically and at times mentally draining. Double that at once and how can you expect anything less, only more?
As wonderful as the experience is, and it is, you will get tired. You WILL crave more sleep. You will need to fight a bit harder for one on one time with your spouse and other children. You will need to accept the fact that it will be awhile before you can do all that you once did, and that’s OK, because that shouldn’t be #1 on your list. The time goes fast. Enjoying the multiple experience is most important. (Because for the vast majority of us, this is a once in a lifetime thing 
.)
Having one baby is so special, but having multiples is indescribable. Watching them as newborns knowing what your body has just produced. Then watching them grow and achieve milestones. Then the thrill of capturing them interacting with one another. It’s something to definitely pull the camera out for and take deeply to heart, as it is hard but it is wondrous. And the time goes by like a bullet. Savor it!
So in closing, expect a lot of work and a lot of chaos, but do expect a lot of wonder and a lot of love. It’s totally worth the ride!
HANG ON & CONGRATULATIONS!!
(Yes, I am yelling!)
