Pregnant with twins

Are somewhat regular (every other day or so) stomach cramps (like menstrual cramps) normal during pregnancy, already during the first trimester, when those cramps are very mild and not severe at all and there is no accompaning bleeding or other 'bad' signs either?? Is this usually related to an expanding uterus, esp during twin pregnancy?

 

Are those cramps located specifically along the sides of her belly? If so, it's probably just her muscles stretching.

Remember, her uterus is stretching pretty fast and the muscles that hold it in place have to stretch too...

 

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Your wife having negative RH factor only is an issue IF baby has positive RH factor, and IF baby's blood mixes with mom's, and IF she does not get the rhogam shot within 72 hours, causing her to make antibodies which would attack any subsequent babies that are also rh positive, then it's a really really big issue because mom's blood has antibodies which will attack the future baby with possible catastrophic consequences. Just plan to get rhogam after the babies are born, if either of them tests with rh positive blood, or if she has any other reason to worry about the fetal blood mixing with hers. There is no evidence (or wasn't any when I was last pregnant and doing research on this, three years ago) that the prenatal shot does any good at all as long as mom gets the shot within a reasonable amount of time after any possible fetal or placental bleeding occurs.


I hope this makes sense.....

the pain, if it is on one side or the other of her belly, and is a sharp pulling sort of sensation that really really hurts, that is worse if she moves a certain way, is almost definitely round ligament stretching and nothing to worry about. We all get it, twins would make it even more painful. Pregnancy can really hurt sometimes, but that doesn't always mean it's reason for panic. Tell her to trust her gut feelings, and to always call her doc if she's the least bit worried. That's what you pay them so much for, all those 2am panic calls. My ob always says that if you call too often and it's nothing to worry about, it just means that he hasn't done a good enough job explaining what is going on to you, so not to worry about having to call, he'd rather you do than not.

 

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The Rh-Faktor never matters in the first kid. The blood only mixes during birth, causing the mother to build antibodies that are harmful to the next baby. So they test babies after birth. if the RH-Factor is the same, no problem, if not, the mother gets a shot, preventing the antibodies to develop.

 

Yes, they seem to be. Thanks!

I see...we hope, we won't either

Thank you! From what I read I think it is a routine procedure done in the US to give one shot before birth, around 27th week (and another shot shortly after birth) just to be on the safe side. But one person said that in Europe only one, post-birth, shot is administered if there are no signs of the moms developing anti-bodies. HOwever, Rhogam shot is argued to also contain themoistal(sp??), which is a mercury related ingredient--potentially harmful to the newborn; that's arguably one reason why the prenatal shot is not given to everyone if there is no demonstrated need. However, one mom said there are some companies that make this drug w/o that mercury-related ingredient, but those shots are said to be on the pricey side, $100 per injection or something, but safer, so well worth it.

OK. As I said before my wife also has some minor tonus (not hypertonus) on the back side of her uterus, so that could also play a hand in it. Thanks!

So far she seems to be doing fine. No major early morning sickness, vomiting or pain.

 

rhogam no longer has thimerasol (the preservative that contains mercury) in it. They stopped putting that in it in 2001 (oddly enough, the year my first was born and I was given the shot...but I digress). Doctors do what they do for several reasons. one is to make money. those shots are expensive. another is because they are trained to be fearful of all possible complications. They do it for the what-ifs. what if your baby or your placenta bleeds and mixes with your blood? Usually that is only an issue if you are in a bad accident, if you miscarry, or if doctor does certain things to you like attempting an external version to turn baby from breech position, or pulls on the umbilical cord to deliver the placenta before it has completely detached from the uterine wall. There are lots of ways the fetal blood can get in your bloodstream, but most of them are really rare, or caused by things the doctors do to pregnant/laboring women in the hospital setting. It is very rare for the blood to mix in a natural, not overly-managed childbirth. I agreed to take the shot only if my baby's blood tested rh positive after she was born, which it did not. You have 72 hours after possible contamination to get the shot to protect you from making those antibodies. And then it is only a problem for any future babies, not the one you currently are carrying, and not for mom at all. Part of my decision-making process was taking into account that DD2 was to be my last child, ever.

 

I see.. Can a mom breastfeed during those 72 hours (and later) if she gets a rhogam shot at the same time?

Ok. That's good to know.

 

Rhogam has absolutely no impact on breastfeeding or the breastmilk. the rh factor antibodies are in the blood, not the milk, and even if she does develp them, it has no bearing on this pregnancy, but any future babies that might be rh positive.

 

I see. Thanks! No more Qs at this point

 

Wow! Y'all exhausted his curiousity. This was a great thread to read-- thanks all.

 

I have another question
When you have a c-section what kind of anesthesia are you under? Is it usually full--general--anesthesia, or is it the one under which you are numb only below your stomach, but remain fully conscious above your upper "stomachline" (or "breastline"...)?

 

it depends on how fast the anesthesia needs to work, and also depends on the doctor and anesthesiologist in question. My cesarean was an emergency, my baby's heart had all but stopped because of a reaction to the induction meds and they had to get her out of me ASAP. I had morphine injected directly into my spine (what they call a "spinal") and was awake through the surgery. It did not completely numb me, I could still feel them cutting into my skin, it just didn't hurt (not an uncommon experience with spinal anesthesia). I was totally paralyzed from my armpits down. It took four or five hours to wear off, and I was not allowed to hold or nurse my baby during that time. If there's time, an epidural is another option, usually wears off faster, but takes longer to start working. At the other local hospital in my town, they opt for general anesthesia when it's an emergency. I don't know why the difference. The hospital where my OB practices does not do general anesthesia if there are any other options available. I know a few women who had general after the epidural didn't completely work for them.

 

Most c-sections I've heard of use epidurals or spinals.

And there are side-effects to those as well as to the surgery itself. You can have severe migraines for up to a week after surgery due to your epidural. What happens (and this is not all that common, that I know of) is that the hole made in your spine doesn't close properly and still drains a bit of spinal fluid...And that fluid is shared between your brain and your spine. And when your spinal fluid drains, your brain sits against the skull, causing an incredibly debilitating headache.

And that's just one side effect

 

First off!! Congratulations!!,

I too, am amother of twin girls! When we found out that there were "two", I was 9 weeks along!! I remember being numb to the fact that there was two babies.....but it eventually will register!! I can give this as advice!! Get plenty of sleep now, because you will never sleep AGAIN!!!
My daughters are now 2 1/2, and full of life ,and of course energy!! My girls are also Fraternal.
I had a pretty healty preganancy, and was only 3 1/2 weeks early, After gaining 70 poulds, I was more than ready!! I did have a c-section, because Baby A, was breech. My labor was quick and it went by so fast!! my water broke at 7:05 am, and they arrived at 11:05 and 11:06 am. i never regretted my c-section for a minute. It hurt I am not going to lie,...but I was pain free within days, and my recovery was fast. I would do it all over again if I had too. Plus you don't have to worry about delivering one vaginally and the other c-section...that would not be too fun! But anyways.. I would love for you to e-mail me, and ask ANYTHING! Really I am a really open person, and never get offended!! So trust me, and Ask me I would absolutely give any and as much advice that I can. It is such an exciting time , so don't stress. Take plenty of pics.. You're belly is their home!!! Take care and I hope to hear from you. I will send you a picture of my girls!!!

 

Ok. This is helpful, I didn't realize this..So if its an emergency section, for example, it'll require a faster working one.

I imagine you couldn't quite see the surgery being performed..I've heard spinal anesthesia is riskier than epidural, can inflict permanent damage upon a woman if not done skillfully.

I see...Since your condition required an emergency response that's probably why you were given a spinal (instead of epidural)...?

Scary. I hope that side effect is transient...

nice!

Were you committed to full bed-rest? If so, since what month?

That's true. :yes:

One Q, where you put under general aneths., and also did your babies have any breathing problems upon birth (since you had a section)? Also, when you decided to go for a c-section--when you found out that baby A was breech or before that?
Thanks!

 

the biggest difference between a spinal and an epidural is how the medication is administered. With an epidural, they insert a plastic tube into your spine, and then inject the drugs into that tube, which stays in place so they can give you more later if needed, usually means they give smaller dose at a time. With a spinal, the drugs are injected directly into the space between your vertebra (or something like that, it's been a few years...). A spinal starts working immediately, whereas an epidural can take up to half an hour (we didn't have that much time to waste in my case). The side effects can be from the injection method, or from the medication being delivered. Although generally considered to be safe, there are risks associated with everything they might give you in the hospital. I could have watched the cesarean with a mirror if I had wanted to. I could see it all in the reflection in the spotlight overhead anyway.

 

Now, most doctors are more skillful in administering it, and actually the needle is now smaller bore than the epi needle, so the risks are not greater, as long as you have a good anesthesiologist. In my birth plans, I requred a Board Certified Anesthesiologist to administer the spinal or epi.

The reason they usually give epis during labor and spinals if they KNOW you are having a section, is, for one the speed with which the spinal takes effect (but general is still faster, but is only used in very dangerous deliveries, when seconds count) but that an epi can be re-administered, through a catheter, so it can be given for a longer period of time.

Ideally, with a vaginal birth, no anesthetic needs to be given. With a C section, of course, you need something.

Differently than boogiemama, I felt the cutting with my epi C sections, and felt nothing with my spinal C sections. (I've had two of each.) Every mama is different. And when we say "felt it" it feels like someone just running thier finger over your skin, there is NO and I mean, NO pain at all.