twin mamas-must have bed rest to reach 36-40 weeks?

[zoegirl]

It seems to me, from teh books i've read and the many posts from multiple mamas, that if you make it to 36-40 weeks, it's because you were on bed rest, or at least you stopped working a month or more before your EDD. Would you say this is true?

I know there are cases once in a while of women who easily carry twins to 39-40 weeks with no bed rest and they work up to their delivery, but these cases seem pretty rare.

Thanks!

[wishfull27]

hi Zoe - pleased to say I am one of the lucky ones - I had my boys at 38w 1d and was induced - was planning on natural labour but after 7 hours and being fully dilated Benjamin who was head down decided it was too much effort tipped his head back and was C section for me !! I had no bed rest at all - although the last 3 weeks I was very uncomfortable due to size - boys were 7lb 9 and 6lb 13!!

I worked up to 35 weeks and had to stop then as could not fit behind wheel in car to drive to work !!

Good luck - its hard work but worth it - love every minute of it!!

Take care - good luck and feel free to ask any questions - I read most days from the i phone and post when get chance !!

Carolyn xx

[zoegirl]

Dear Wishful: Thanks for your reply - WOW! those are BIG twins!! What did you eat or do to make them grow to such a healthy size? Do you think induction makes for a more painful labor? Induction sounds like a long and agonizing process - there seems to be many hours of pain long before they will give you an epidural . . . . How often does it happen that the mother is too large to fit behind the steering wheel? I guess it depends on how far your driver's seat will slide back and how long your arms are!!

My son, a singleton, was 7.5 pounds at birth (nearly 40 weeks). I don't remember how much his estimated size was at my 38 week US/biophysical . .. Do you think that size of previous babies is an indicator of how big my twins might get, or are all bets off? I am on the shortish side - 5 ft 3 inches. I hear that can be a factor in how well or how long one is able to carry twins, though I know someone very small who just delivered by c-section at 38 weeks after many weeks of bed rest.

I am hoping that I have to stop working early - this is why: I don't think I can afford to stay out of work for a full 12 weeks after the babies are born because my disability only covers 6 weeks for a regular delivery and 8 weeks for c-section. If I have to stop early then the disability will kick in sooner and last longer!! I figure I'll deserve the time off!!!

[axine123]

Hi Zoegirl,

There are people who used to work continuously and never had any problems. It all depends upon you and work emergency. Although its true that if you take bed rest it would be fine for both of you but its not mandatory. You can go ahead with regular life with twins. I don't think there should be an issue.

[babyluv3]

Hey Zoegirl - I had my girls at 36 1/2 weeks, but I was on modified rest starting at 24 weeks. My OB is really conservative, but I do think staying off my feet the majority of the time in the last trimester was the reason I carried so long. Emphasis on the word "I". Every woman is different. My SIL had twins at 38 weeks, both over 7lbs, and worked up until the end as a school principle. Two other friends also worked pretty far until they delivered at 38 weeks (I think they maybe stopped a month or so ahead of time). So it can definitely be done.

That being said, twins are heavier and will generally make you dilate faster, hence the reason more women are on bed rest. Just be extra careful and remember these are your babies lives and futures. You don't want to push yourself and regret it later. You've already had a child, so you will know when your body is telling you to stop, which may not be until 38 weeks. Until then, try to let other people take care of stuff around your house so you can be off your feet as much as possible.

[cymplicity27]

Hi Zoegirl,

I was placed on modified bedrest by my Doc at 15 wks after getting a cerclage due to an incompetent cervix. Oddly enough he doesn't believe wholeheartedly in bed rest but said "it wouldn't hurt". Even if I didn't technically stay in the bed he didn't want me going to work. Actually they thought my condition was bad enough that I wouldn't make it too far beyond 24 wks IF I were to last that long. Well low and behold I lasted until 37 weeks and would have gone longer! I'm 5'2" btw (since you mentioned size possibly being a factor) My "bed rest" was EXTRA modified too. I pretty much continued to move around quite a bit but did spend most of my time on the couch. I even rode out with my husband to Target or Walmart about once a week just to get out of the house and shop for the babies but I rode one of those little scooters around the store .

I'll tell you this, regardless of whether I was placed on bed rest or not, my body eventually was not physically able to get around very much without it literally becoming painful or feeling exhausted all the time!! So had I not had to get a cerclage at 17 wks, I probably would have begged for my ob to put me on bed rest by 28 weeks, lol. My c-section was scheduled at 37 weeks because my girl was on the small side (4 lbs, 4 oz) and her growth had slowed. She was perfectly healthy though . But the longest my OB would have let me gone with twins was 38 weeks regardless. Besides that I didn't have a single sign of labor and wouldn't know it if it slapped me in the face, lol.

[zoegirl]

Cymplicity - thanks for your reply. I am nearly 21 weeks now and measuring what a singleton pregnancy would at 26 weeks. I am exhausted all the time and the last 3 weeks have been very uncomfortable and have quite a waddle. THe last few days I have been short of breath on and off as baby B is up under my ribs and baby A seems to like to press on the top of my cervix! I have thought often of begging to be ordered out of work or put on modified bed rest except for the worries about money that would cause. I get the feeling that my docs wouldn't order it unless medically necessary anyway. HOwever, everyone is now telling me they don't know how I will possibly make it as I am ginormous already. I am comforted to know that I am not alone and that there is that small possibility that I could go out early even if there a medical urgency does not occur. . .

[cymplicity27]

I was also concerned about money but I didn't really have a choice. I was out for a total of six months. Maternity leave at my workplace is considered short-term disability. So I was immediately put on short-term disability when I was told by the docs to stay home. After 6 weeks it moved into long-term disability which meant I was getting 67% of my normal salary! It actually ended up not being too bad for us. We just cut WAY back in our spending which wasn't too hard since I couldn't get out and do things anyway (which sadly most of our spending was in entertainment and dining out, hehe). Not to mention totally cutting out gas since I wasn't driving my car.

You may be surprised at what your OB will be willing to order. You're carrying twins and I don't really think people expect you to work up until close to your due date. Medically necessary is hard to predict in this situation and you are trying to prevent an emergency situation by limiting your movement, right? You have to listen to your body and they in turn will most likely listen to you. I would bring it up at your next visit. Keep us posted!

[zoegirl]

THANKS! I also will get 75% pay for short term disability after a waiting period of 30 calendar days. It's these 30 days that are the real problem! I have few vac days and no sick days left until new fiscal year starts 7/1. I can have short term disability for quite a few months - almost a year I think . . . and my job will be held for longer than the 12 weeks required by FMLA ( can't remember why but I know this is true cuz of a coworker's situatoin).
I am SO tired - can't seem to get enough sleep and can't stay on top of housekeeping and care of my 3 year old. Wondering how we'll prepare the nursery. It would be such a relief to be off. Thanks for the tips - I'll let you know what I find out at next appt.

[kellym]

Hey there!
I guess I too was a lucky one - I didn't realize that so many twin mommies ended up on bedrest. I guess my naivity was a blessing.
I gave birth to my twins at 36 weeks. I was induced at that point because baby A looked like she had stopped growing and they thought she'd do better outside. I was induced on a Tuesday and had worked up to the Friday before that.
I have to say that my pregnancy was pretty easy, but my labour was where I paid for it!! But everyone came out of it healthy which is all I cared about!
Good luck!

[zoegirl]

I had a scare last week with some hard contractions at 24 weeks. FFN was negative, though, and cervix was closed. Triage doc said I need to start taking it easier and to stay home and off my feet when I have a lot of braxton hicks, but I have no vac or sick time left besides a litte to cover OB and MFM appts. My OB's midwife said today that since I have a desk job, no early disability for me.
I was reading online about the variability among OB's in how they determine which patients to put on reduced activity. Some docs are very liberal with this and some are very conservative. Some are even inconsistent within their own practices, apparently. I know some twin moms online who haven't even had any triage visits, PTL symptoms or anything, and their docs put them out on disability at 22 weeks. Oh well. I guess I don' t NEED it but I'm so tired and it's hard to take care of things at home, and care for 3.5 year old, after working all day and commuting 2 hours. DH wants me to take it easy but can't/doesn't always keep up with the housekeeping chores when I do. Wish I had some $$ saved up so I could take leave on my own! Easier to have ONE job (at home) than TWO (home AND work!)

[NatHAnAnDy]

I had my boys at 38w 1d and was induced - was planning on natural labour but after 7 hours and being fully dilated Benjamin who was head down decided it was too much effort tipped his head back and was C section for me !! I had no bed rest at all - although the last 3 weeks I was very uncomfortable due to size - boys were 7lb 9 and 6lb 13!!..