This first trimester bumpdate is BEYOND late (being that I am 20 weeks now!) but better late than never! I kept a note in my phone throughout the first trimester so that I could remember every detail. I love looking back on the bumpdates from my pregnancy with Rosie so I wanted to be sure to do these posts this time too. Also, this pregnancy could not be MORE different than my first one, so there will definitely be big differences in these posts! Here is a first trimester recap with this twin pregnancy!
Morning Sickness
I’ve been sick since I was only four weeks pregnant! If I wouldn’t have already gotten a positive test by that time, the nausea definitely would have prompted me to test. This was actually one of my earliest indications that we could be having twins, because the nausea was so severe and so early. In hindsight (of course), there was double the hormones in my body and it all makes sense! The sickness started at 4 weeks and did not stop for the entire first trimester. I was sick all times of the day but the worst was at night. Anytime I threw up during the first trimester was after dinner.
Throughout the first trimester my doctor recommended taking both vitamin B6 during the day and Unisom at night to try and manage the nausea. It definitely helped but certainly did not make it go away (unfortunately!) I also tried to eat lots of small meals throughout the day so that I was never hungry. I’ve had aversions to nearly everything that wasn’t a carb or a dessert. I have eaten a lot of bagels, cereal, and so many treats!
Fatigue and Sleep
The fatigue this time around was so real. I was so tired the entire first trimester! A twin pregnancy seems to be more fatiguing in general, and then the fact that I was also wrangling a two year old all day really added to it. I tried to take a nap when Rosie did, or at least lay down and relax during that time. What is also crazy about being so tired all day is that I couldn’t sleep very well at night! The Unisom definitely helped, but I would still be up at night regularly. I was usually waking up feeling sick and/or hungry so Tony would wake up and see me just eating a bagel in bed or something (lol!)
Body Changes
Holy moly did my body change in the first trimester. I honestly feel like I “popped” right away. I could see it in my body immediately (although I know others couldn’t!) You do pop sooner with your second pregnancy (generally speaking), but also a twin baby bump is just larger! My bump is MUCH larger than with my first (singleton) pregnancy. Our doctor said to expect to gain around 50 or 55 pounds with a twin pregnancy, and I’m trying to really embrace that but it’s difficult. My body is changing so quickly and I don’t feel as confident as I did the first time around. I just keep reminding myself that my body is growing TWO babies. How cool is that?
Appointments
We had our first big appointment at weight weeks and that’s when we found out we were having twins! The doctor was a little concerned about the viability of one of the babies at the beginning because it was a little bit smaller than the other. She recommended doing an ultrasound every two weeks. We ended up seeing the babies at eight weeks, ten weeks, twelve weeks, and 14 weeks. The babies are looking great! We know that a twin pregnancy will involve a lot more appointments than a singleton. I appreciate the care that we are being given and just want what is best for both me and the babies.
Risks and Concerns
A twin pregnancy comes with a lot more risks and so of course that has me on edge. We worried the entire first trimester about the viability of both of the babies and that is terrifying. As I mentioned, one baby is smaller than the other, so the doctor wanted to keep a close eye on Baby B to make sure they were growing appropriately. Along with just general concerns about viability, there are other major concerns with a twin pregnancy. I am at a higher risk for basically everything (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, etc.) It’s important for me to be monitored frequently and to try and stay very healthy. My blood pressure has already been creeping up (same with my first pregnancy) so we are really watching that. As the pregnancy progresses, the worry is mostly about their growth and just trying to get as far along as possible!
Rosie and the Babies
Rosie is so excited about the “two babies in mommy’s belly.” She likes to talk to the babies and also pat and kiss my belly. She talks about all of the things she wants to do with them. Rosie talks about giving them bottles, playing toys with them, and “helping them sleep” (lol). Every night when we say prayers before dinner she folds her hands in prayer and says “thank you for two babies in mommy’s belly” and it melts my mama heart. I’m a little worried about all of the transitions for her (we have potty training and a big girl bed on the agenda), but also so excited for her! I could cry daily about the fact that it won’t just be “us” anymore, but I know that siblings truly are a gift and Tony and I wanted that so much for her.
Keeping the Secret
It was extremely difficult to keep the secret this time around! I think the fact that we are having twins is so shocking and so fun that we wanted to tell people right away. But at the same time, the pregnancy is riskier, so we were very cognizant of who we told. We told some family and close friends throughout the first trimester, but we waited until we had done all four of those ultrasounds before we announced to the world.
Getting Ready for Baby
We have done almost NOTHING to get ready for these babies! I bought a few onesies, but other than that, nothing! We want to wait until they are born to get clothes since we are waiting to find out the sex of the babies. I plan to get a few more neutral onesies or pajamas, but I am fine with where we’re at on clothes. Because we did not know whether Rosie was a boy or girl, we have some neutral things that she wore as well. As far as the nursery, we are in the middle of a remodel, so I think once we finish that we can focus on putting together the nursery. I’m a little stressed about that just because the babies could be here sooner than we think? But at the same time, I know they don’t use their nursery at all at the beginning.
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