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juststartn
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Today I got perhaps the shock of my life. Had my "can we see parts?" u/s...and there were two heads...and two hands..and hearts...and legs...and two little boy parts, too. LOL.
Needless to say, after two apptmts where only one heartbeat was heard (considering that they are lying head to head, and foot to foot, not surprising), I was a wee bit shocked...cried a bit (happy, not sad). And am now coping with the fact that I will have 5 dc under the age of 7...and no DH in country.
So ANY and ALL advice is welcome, needed, and MUCH appreciated!!
And if anyone has any experience with vehicles for larger than average families (I have two boosters, one regular car seat, and will have two in infant seats)...I'd appreciate that, too!
Oh, and just in case anyone is wondering. I'm just now (21 weeks) getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight from my loss in the first trimester (only 6 lbs)...and the boys are measuring a couple of days ahead of their edd of 6/17, at just a hair under a lb each. Please pray that good health for all continues..
TIA
Rachel (still a little giddy)
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JennGM
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Oh, I'm just giddy with joy for you! Congrats...but praying for your pregnancy.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Cay Gibson
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Oh, I'm giddy with joy too.
This is such lovely news. 
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Cay Gibson
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MaryM
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No advice here - but lots of congratulations!
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Mary M. in Denver
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MarilynW
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Congratulations Rachel - so happy for you. I found about my twins (now 7) at 14 weeks - and my husband was travelling. I remember being in total shock at seeing the two little ones. I had a tough pregnancy (but had complications with mono mono twins) - but it is so awesome having twins - I remember when they were born we would just stand there in amazement looking at these two identical little guys. So fascinating. Even now when dh and I go in and look in on all the sleeping kids and coo over them - it is really quite amazing to see two absolutely identical guys - they even sleep in symmetric positions!!!
My main advice at this point is to get rest when you can so that you can avoid early labor. Please pm me if you need any specific info.
Re vehicles - right now we have the 8 seater Toyota Sienna van - it can fit 6 child seats(infant/toddler/booster) and has tether straps and seat belts for all 6 back seats. I love it - also the trunk takes a double stroller and plenty more easily.
I have my sono in 3 or 4 weeks - part of me has little hope that the early sono was wrong and that I will see two little ones in there again 
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Mrs.K
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Congratulation!!!!!!!!!!!!
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kingvozzo
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What a happy surprise! Double Congratulations!!
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Rachel May
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MarilynW wrote:
| Even now when dh and I go in and look in on all the sleeping kids and coo over them - it is really quite amazing to see two absolutely identical guys - they even sleep in symmetric positions!!! |
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Isn't it funny?! I love seeing it, too.
Quote:
| I have my sono in 3 or 4 weeks - part of me has little hope that the early sono was wrong and that I will see two little ones in there again |
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I'm the same way, but I sometimes whether it's just a little bit wanting to see everyone else's face! 
Rachel,
CONGRATULATIONS!
You do things in what I call true "Rachel form." It's never the easy way is it?  I had my 5th during Bill's deployment and my twins turned 5 that year.
My biggest advice would be to remind God on a daily basis that your husband is going to be gone and you really need this to be as easy as possible! He came through in spades with Cecilia, OF COURSE.
I love our 15 passenger van, but when we had only 5 , we had a used Dodge Caravan with 2 built-in car seats in the middle seat. We only used one of the built-ins but that made good space for the baby seat next to it. All 3 boosters with 5 point restraints fit in the back, but it would be harder if you have a booster that you have to strap in each time. The back of the Dodge was roomy enough for everything I needed. We were very happy with that van also.
I'm chock full of good advice, but I'll show some restraint....
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Paula in MN
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Rachel -- congratulations!!
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ShawnaB
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Oh, Rachel, I can only imagine your joy! I longed for twins, always hoping to see two on the ultrasound, and even dreamed about having twins...but no twins. But, God brought us our youngest ds through adoption only 10 weeks after the birth of our 3rd dd.
So I have had a "twin-like" experience this past year and a half! My only advice is to be open to doing things a little differently with two babies than you did with one. Everything is just a little bit different, from baby-wearing, to trying to grocery shop, to nursing, to night-time care. I enjoyed the book Mothering Multiplespublished by La Leche League. It looks like its out of print, but maybe your library has a copy.
Also, moms of multiples must be open to receiving help from others. Its humbling, but it allows others to share in the joy that special twin babies bring. I still do not grocery shop by myself!
And while receive two gifts at once does have its challenges, the rewards are so great. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Congratulations to you!
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Maryan
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No twin expertise here, just congratulations for your family. So exciting! Can't imagine being kicked by two boys!!
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Maryan
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juststartn
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Thanks for all of the congrats ladies.
I'm pretty laid back around here--always have been...but this is going to be "interesting" to say the least. My family seems to have handled the news well. Thank goodness. And, DH investigated in the back end of the van and discoverd that there actually IS a third shoulder belt back there, it's just one you don't have to always have the shoulder part down for, if that makes any sense.
Well, right now, all of the feet and hands are in the same places...heads are both on my right, feet are all on my left. LOL. So no wonder I didn't realize, since I was being knocked in the same places all of the time, lol.
Thanks for the congratulations/advice. Believe me, I need ALL the advice I can get.
Rachel
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mary theresa
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That is so wonderful! I can't imagine how you feel! You can do it, I'm sure, but I'll be praying for you -- wives of soldiers are the strongest women on earth!
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KC in TX
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Wow!!! Congratulations!!
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mary theresa
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Oh, and I've never had twins, obviously, but I read an article once by a mom of twins. I don't know if this'll help, but her advice was to get them on the same schedule as soon as you could. I mean, nurse at same time, change at same time, put down for nap at the same time . . . etc. I guess that worked for her because when they started to sychronize their schedules, it didn't feel like she was nursing/changing or whatever 24 hrs. a day (maybe just 22 . . . )
I don't know if that's any help, but that just stuck with me when I read it. 
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Mary Theresa
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hylabrook1
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Rachel -
Wow!! This is such exciting news! I feel giddy, too!
Peace,
Nancy
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Jeanna
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OH WOW! Congratulations Rachel! I found out I was having twins when I was about 12 weeks along, a week after dh deployed.... I e-mailed him a pic of the ultrasound and said something along the lines of "this is why the Dr. thinks I am so sick and the zofran isn't working." He still didn't get it though and it was somebody he worked with who said "is that a picture of twins?"
That put us at 5 under 5 in a Chrysler Town & Country. We're in England right now and they were in the process of changing the law to require children to be in car seats until age 9. I was ready to go out and purchase a Toyota Sienna or Honday Odyssey, but dh wasn't ready to spend all our savings or take on a car payment. We found this car seat for our oldest to use. It fits right between the other 2 carseats on the back bench. My only complaint is the straps get loose over time so every so often you have to readjust them.
Dh deployed again after the twins were born and the only way I was able to do the grocery shopping and take the kids to church was with the maximom. I bought mine on e-Bay, but I think I got the old style. The new style looks much easier to use!
If I ever get pregnant with twins again I am going to purchase a Medela Pump in Style or the Pump in Style Advance. This is just from my personal experience of the twins getting thrush at the onset of the 4th of July weekend (a 4 day weekend)and they stopped nursing. With the base shut down for 4 days my only options were to take my 5 week old babies to the ER where who knows what they would pick up there or to pump what I could with my mini-electric pump and then supplement with formula. I lost so much of my milk supply that weekend and I just couldn't get it back.  Being in England I couldn't just run out to a local baby store and purchase a pump. I was limited to what the base had which was nothing I didn't already have.  That is one of those things that is unlikely to happen again, but I just wouldn't want to take the risk of having to go formula again.
Another thing you might want to do is join a parents of multiples group in your area.
Okay, this is getting long.  I will stop there.
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Jeanna
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Mare
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Congratulations! You will be busy but you will look back on this time through rose-colored glasses. Dh and I have such precious memories of the first three years with our babies.
We bought a Honda Odyssey with the automatic doors when we found out we were having triplets. Now, at the time, we had four children (including the babies). We thought it had plenty of room for weekends away. We could get in 3 Pack -n- Plays, 3 umbrella strollers and 3 portable high chairs in addition to the suitcases.
If you have people offer to help, write down their names and what they'd like to do. Call them up later and take them up on their offer. Unfortunately, in my experience most people didn't follow through on their offers. However, those who did were such a blessing.
We had one friend do our grocery shopping for the first three months. I made up the list based on our local grocery store and emailed her the list. She shopped and delivered the groceries for us.
Another friend watched my then 2 yr. old dd for the day while I had to make the hour trek to the hospital to visit the babies in the NICU. Then another friend would drive me there since I wasn't suppose to drive.
My mom was able to meet us at the various doctor offices for all the appts. We also had people who dropped off dinners 2 and 3 months after the babies were born. That was a real nice surprise!
Enjoy this time. Take care of yourself. Really, sit down and have a cup of decaf tea and treat yourself well. If things seem overwhelming on some days, just remember that there are a number of us who have gone through the same thing as you. I am sure I am speaking for everyone here - We'd love to be a support to you.
Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!
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KellyinPA
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Congratulations, Rachel! Reading your post makes me relive our twin's discovery at 12 weeks. Can I just tell you that it was the first time I've ever known my dh to be speechless The boys are five and a half now and we comment all the time how blessed we are to have them. I'll not kid you that the first 6 months were really hard and there are things I would do differently if I was going to do it all over again. But that's for another post
For now just enjoy that wonderous feeling and get all the rest you can.
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SaraP
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No advice here, just congratulations . . . what wonderful, exciting news!
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Advice on twins?
