This week is a big milestone: Viability! This is the moment when a preemie could potentially survive outside your body. It’s a big deal! We recommend that you stay close to home for the rest of your pregnancy.
But if you must travel, make sure to do some research and prep. Find the best hospital with the best NICU where you will be going. If you go into labor and have to deliver while you're on your trip, this is where you and your babies will be for the next 3-4 months. Make sure to bring some documents with you too: your most recent labs, proof of vaccinations, any doctors notes that would be helpful.
What can you expect at 24 weeks pregnant with twins? We’ve compiled a list of common symptoms, to-do’s this week, pregnancy tips, pregnancy concerns, questions to ask your doctor, advice from other pregnant moms of twins, and tons of other info below to help you through this week in your twins pregnancy. Enjoy!
Your twins are starting to fill out. Their skin is still thin and translucent, but that will begin to change soon too.
24 Weeks Pregnant with Twins
Make sure you're drinking a gallon of water a day. This will really help to keep Braxton-Hicks contractions at bay.
Schedule a dental check-up for this month. Get it out of the way before you're too big to lay comfortably in the dentist chair. Are your gums bleeding? Be sure they check you for pregnancy gingivitis. When you're pregnant your teeth are more sensitive to the bacteria in plaque. Bleed gums may also be a sign of preterm labor.
Shop for homecoming outfits for the twins. Now here's a fun one! You don't have to break the bank on these, but take some time to find something cute and coordinating to make for some great going home photos. Make sure to buy in newborn size (or preemie size, if they are in the NICU). Size 0-3 months will probably be a little too big yet.
5 tips for a better 24th week of your twin pregnancy
– Lotion that belly! With a twins pregnancy stretch marks are pretty guaranteed, but still be sure to keep your skin hydrated.
– Keep moving and stretching. Take easy walks around the neighborhood and make sure to stretch out when you're done.
– Stay positive! If you're starting to feel worried and down, try taking a break from the Internet for a while to clear your head. We'll still be here when you get back!
– Admire that belly and take lots of pics to document it!
– Laugh off the, “Are you due any day now?” comments. People say the silliest things!
Advice from other Twiniversity moms when they were 24 weeks pregnant with twins
Always call your doctor if you're worried. – Molly S., St. John, FL
It's time to dial back and rest vs going at 100%. – Katie M., Wakefield, MA
Use your supports, go easy on yourself, be kind to your body and mind, be patient, drink a lot of water!!! If you think something isn't right, listen to that instinct and act, it helped me! – Sarah M., Middletown, RI
Get up early and try and nap in the afternoon instead of tossing and turning. Make little to do lists so when you cross things off you feel accomplished. I am a nurse and was taken off work at 20 weeks due to cramping so I am not allowed to do much. Take time planning meals, how you will organize your day once the babies arrive. Shave often so it doesn't get unmanageable, haha, sometimes it's hard to get it done at once. Read. Craft. Plan baby pictures you want done. Pinterest is my new best friend. – Sarah V., Brussels, Ontario, Canada
Concerns other Twiniversity moms had when they were 24 weeks pregnant with twins
Concerned about early labor because with all of the round ligament pain down low, it just feels like my body is getting ready.
Birth planning (c-section vs vaginal)
Upcoming glucose test – hoping negative for gestational diabetes
Will I deliver early?
Is my upper respiratory infection affecting my babies?
Am I eating enough?
Are my babies growing properly?
Can I really handle two at once with a toddler?
High blood pressure
I'm concerned these girls are going to come earlier than 35 weeks, solely because of the scare we had that seemed to come out of nowhere.
Preterm labor.
Whether I am going to be able to breastfeed.
Questions Twiniversity moms had for their doctors when they were 24 weeks pregnant with twins
When is the glucose test and rhogam shot performed?
What stage is it determined if you can do a vaginal, or need a c-section?
What medications can I take for my upper respiratory infection?
Who can be in the delivery room? Can we bring a camera in?
Typical tests that are done
You’ll also soon take the glucose test to determine if you’re at risk for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (diabetes) that starts or is found during pregnancy. The test is typically administered between 24-28 weeks gestation. Gestational Diabetes (GDM) occurs in 3-6% of twin pregnancies. Twin gestations are screened for GDM using the same challenge (50g glucose load), the same schedule (24-28 weeks of gestation), and the same normal ranges that are used for singleton gestations.
Many twin mamas live in fear of bed rest for their entire pregnancies, but some never have to spend one day with our feet up. (Well, under doctor’s orders, that is.) Others panic when their doctor finally says that it's time to go on bed rest. First of all, being put on bed rest does not necessarily mean that your twins' health is in immediate danger, so there's no need to panic. Find out why your doctor wants you to go on bed rest. Have you started having contractions? Is your blood pressure too high? Has your cervix started to dilate? Is your job just too taxing for your body? Is your amniotic fluid leaking? Knowing why you've been asked to go on bed rest should alleviate some of your fears or at least put things in perspective. Most often, your doctor wants to make sure you are taking care of yourself and is putting you on bed rest in an effort to keep your babies safe in your uterus for as long as possible.
