Twins and Bedrest

[Lindsey_08]

Hi Ladies,

I know I haven't been around lately but I need some opinions! I was recently released to my regular OB and we had our first appointment with them yesterday. They are saying that there office proticol (sp?) is to put all twin moms on bed rest at 28 weeks! Has anyone else heard of this? I thought I might need bed rest but 28 weeks seems so soon! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Lindsey

[karno1]

i have never heard of this before. In fact, I am on bedrest at 26 1/2 weeks on recommendation from perinatologists, but this isn't standard for them. Did they say you are at risk for pre-term labor?

I know about 10 other friends and family members who carried twins (some IVF, most natural twins) and never were told bedrest but eventually were at various stages for issues like pre-eclyampsia, bleeding, pre-trm labor, or birth (one at 28 w 1d).

Good luck-i have done it for last 2 1/2 weeks (with a 2 y/o at home) and it sucks, but know its a finite amount of time and worth every suffering day in the end for healthy kids!!!!

[Cocoa]

Hi All:

I am at 15 weeks today with twins. I had to see my OB on Monday as I was having a LOT of pressure and pushing like the babies want out (no bleeding). That coupled with the metal mouth and still some nausea put me in her office before my next scheduled appointment. We heard the heartbeats (that was a relief), my cervix is long and closed (no preterm labor - whew) and she did a culture to see why greenish/yellowish mucus comes out (sorry TMI I know) and told me to stay on bed rest until I see her again on Monday. THEN she informed me that she puts twin preganancies out at 24 weeks!!! THAT freaked me out cause I am thinking about the financial ramifications esp since when I go back to work I have to have enough money to pay for childcare down payments.

I am hoping that when I go in again on Monday that my uterus has lifted up some to relieve some of the pressure. I really like my job and keeping busy keeps my mind healthy. She told me I can't do the shopping anymore either! Has anyone had any pressure problems this early in pregnancy? I do not understand why this preganancy has been so awful so far. Any comments?

Thanks, Cocoa

[kholtan]

While we have no idea why anything happens and bedrest is hard. . . I know from 2.5 weeks of hospital bedrest. . .some how the money will come and in that delivery room you won't think of $ even once. The world revovles around money but all we can do it be prepared and do the best we can. Thank God we had supplimental insurance along with our regular insurance. It was the best money we EVER spent! It paid for everything in the end.

Just try to concentrate on the babies and know someone here understands your stress. The Double Trouble thread is a must!!!! Go there and get to know the other mothers of twins. It has helped me beyond words!

I hope everything turns out well for everyone!
Kimberly

[dixiegal1]

hi ladies, i'm also pregnant with twins.... my doc puts her multiples on limited activity/ bed rest at 20 to 24 weeks.
however, i'm now on my 17th day in the hospital because my water broke on one of the babies two weeks ago..... (very rare for this to happen so dont worry.... apparently i'm the one in a million or something )
My point is... around the 20th week or a little later you will be getting larger... there will be lots of pressure, your going to need the rest..... try to plan on it and take it easy even if you doc isnt being strict about it. there is more pressure and weight on your cervix because its more than one and that in itself makes you at risk for preterm labor. get lots of rest and lots of fluids. ( dehydration can bring on contractions... but so can a full bladder so go often )

yes it can be boring and financially straining, but at least you will be getting a jump start on some rest before the babies come and well... quite frankly if your babies get here safe and sound who cares about the money????
i'd eat pb and j for the rest of my life if it would guarantee my my babies will both be born okay! lol.

[LauraLou]

There are different types of bedrest. There is strict bedrest when you can only get out of bed to pee! Or there is modified bedrest, where you are supposed to spend the day on the couch with your feet up but can get up to eat, go to your baby shower, etc. My guess is your doctor is talking about modified bedrest.

I thought I would be able to work until 32 weeks, but my doctor said her twin patients rarely make it past 24-26 weeks. Well she was right. At 25 weeks, I started having preterm contractions and was on modified bedrest the rest of the pregnancy! Luckily I had long term disability, which helped.

Even though it was really boring being home so long, I know it helped keep my babies inside as long as possible. As even though I started having contractions at 25 weeks, we made it to 35 weeks before my water broke.

By the time you hit 28 weeks, you will be glad to be off your feet! It gets really hard towards the end because you are so big and everything swells. Good luck!

[Malinka]

I agree w all that pp said, by week 20 you start to feel that you are pregnant w twins and that it is not an easy job to carry them to a term at all. Contractions, tireness, irritable uterus etc, etc, etc. YOU have to take it easy, twin pregnancy is different from singeton pregnancy no matter what other people say.

as Laura said, there are different types of bed rest. Ask your doctor what kind of bedrest she wants to put you at 28 weeks. Moderate or strict.

good luck!