According to one of my online, twin-mom friends, that is exactly what being pregnant with twins feels like... swallowing two monkeys and only one banana.
Of course, there are a lot of things besides the constant motion that are part of being pregnant with twins and several times I've heard the question, "What is it like to pregnant with twins?" or heard someone wonder how different it is than being pregnant with one baby. Believe me, I'm a skeptic by nature (not a shocking revelation to those of you who know me well). If I hadn't been pregnant with twins myself, I would probably be one of those people that didn't believe it wasn't that much different... basically, the kind of person that would drive me crazy right about now.
So just for kicks, I thought it was time for a "What is it REALLY like" post courtesy of my friends at twinstuff.com. That phrase was actually going to be the title of this post... until I heard the Monkey and Banana comment.
Here is some of what the ladies who are or have been pregnant with twins had to say:
"... it's more SCARY - all the normal fears you have to experience times two."
"... physically, you get more worn out, sooner and easier than with a singleton...and that terrible uncomfortable just want this to be over feeling you get with a singleton at 38 weeks...yeah, you feel that by about 32 weeks with twins (if not earlier!!!)... but in general, I think the biggest difference is psychological..."
"I also feel like everything falls on the floor just b/c I can't pick it up."
"I've been pregnant with one, and I've been pregnant with two, and there's NO comparison... Just eating, breathing, and moving about the house takes work. With my singleton pregnancy, I brisk-walked an hour a day until I delivered her at 41 weeks. This time, walking from one part of the house to another is workout enough. Gestation IS my exercise now, and I can feel it in every cell."
"... it drives me nuts that i can't do anything for more than 20 minutes at a time before becoming exhausted and being bed and couch ridden does horrors to your mental state and well being."
"...the comments. Seriously. No two is NOT considered a litter thank you and I don't know how many would be considered a litter nor do I care."
"Also guilt: guilt for not being able to keep up your end of the family bargain in being a mom and a wife and a housecleaner and laundry doer etc... guilt for asking for help or feeling overwhelmed because there is no one to ask for help."
"I'm not sure there are words to describe what it's like."
"I couldn't sleep at night because I was being kicked and punched in at least 8 different areas at one time. Which is cute when it's a light fluttery feeling, but towards the end it got REALLY annoying."
"I couldn't eat much because all my intestines, stomach, you name it was shoved only God knows where. I was kicked in every conceivable organ until I felt that I was going to bleed internally... not to mention ribs, and I swear one got a good kick to my tailbone a time or two."
"At my 28 week appt, I already had almost 6 lbs of just baby, that's how much many women end with and I still hopefully have a ways to go."
"... now that I've been through the pregnancy and the first year, I can say definitively that the pregnancy part was 10 times easier than taking care of two newborns."
"Comments I received... (around 28+ weeks) stranger: "wow! you must be due any day now!" - me: "actually, i've got about 10 weeks to go - i'm expecting twins." -stranger: "really? you don't look big enough for twins..." make up your mind; either i'm huge, or i'm not."
"When ever a woman pregnant with one complained, I just wanted to smack them... well not really, but that's what I felt that they had no room to complain when I was measuring 52 weeks pregnant."
"I'm twice as tired and twice as miserable than I was with my singleton to sum it all up."
"At least the outcome is double the joy!"
That about sums up what the joys of twin pregnancy can be like (in addition to all of the givens including stretch marks, pre-term labor scares, trips to Labor and Delivery, TTS, increased risk of GD and pre-eclampsia, etc.).
All in all, I'm trying to focus on that "double the joy" outcome as my two little monkeys continue to fight it out. Of course, if there was any room left in there, I would probably just swallow another banana!
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2 comments:
Gosh, glad it's you and not me! i for one can't wait until they're here. nighttime feedings...here i come!!!!
My second pregnancy was already much harder than the first. It was just hard to be pregnant when you already have a little one wanting all of your energy. I have also said many times, that twins the first time around would not be that bad since you don't know anything else. But, having done it with one, it would make it very hard. All I can do is say a prayer for you to experience great joy with the little ones. I will pray they will come out sleeping well! We talk about having a 3rd, but I have a great fear of having 3 and 4. Hang in there.
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