How will you know that you are going to give birth to twins?

It’s possible! Your chances of having twins are about 1in 80. Even so, more twins are being born these days than ever before. It seems that older mothers those over 35 are more likely to have twins than their younger sisters. Number of women who postpone childbearing And the number of women who postpone childbearing until that age definitely has gone up in recent decades. In addition, increased use of fertility drugs has contributed to the higher incidence of twins and other multiple births. These days, in the United States alone, 120 sets of twins are born every day! How will you know. The only way to know for sure if you’re expecting twins is to identify two separate heartbeats. They can be detected by abdominal ultrasound in your fourth month or by vaginal ultrasound as early as seven or eight weeks. Take a double look With twins, your need for calcium is doubly important. An easy way to add more calcium to your diet is by stirring a spoonful of nonfat dry milk powder into creamy soups, sauces, or beverages.

Twins are a double blessing say their mothers. But they do make a pregnancy just a little bit harder. Your weight gain, for example, will be between 35 and 45 pounds rather than the 25 to 35 pounds for a single birth. In addition to the weight of a second fetus, additional blood volume, extra amniotic fluid, and a second placenta add up to still more weight. Your due date may be somewhat fluid. Twins often are born prematurely because their combined weight may speed the onset of labor. Need of optimum nutrition You need optimum nutrition for each of your babies to arrive at a good birth weight. Make sure every single bite you eat is packed with nutrients. Also, because of the squeeze the babies are putting on your stomach, try eating six little meals throughout the day instead of three larger ones. Extra protein and extra calcium without too much additional fat also are important. Be sure to drink fat-free milk, eat reduced-fat cheeses, and buy only the leanest cuts of meat. Lunch on water-packed tuna. Skip the chips and only dream of high-fat ice cream?stick to the lower fat or fat-free versions. Daily vitamin and mineral supplement Consider taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement. Even a balanced diet may not meet your extraordinary nutritional needs. Your doctor can help you select the right one. Talk to other moms of twins Surf the Internet for a support group. Mothers of twins and other multiples say that being able to talk to women in the same situation is a lifesaver.