Twins with TAPS Birth Story

Twins with TAPS

Author: Marni Cochrane

My husband and I had been trying for a baby for 7 years before we finally started our first round of IVF. I had never wanted to do IVF due to how invasive it is but it was our only chance to complete our family. I am so glad I did it- despite it being a really hard time, everything turned out better than we had ever hoped. We ended up with 3 embryos from 5 eggs and had one transferred. 

10 days later we got the call to say we were pregnant and we were just over the moon. We couldn’t believe that we were pregnant on the first round! We had two scans in the obstetrician’s office which confirmed a baby and a heartbeat and all our blood tests came back normal. The both of us just couldn’t believe our luck after so long together and so long trying.

Twins with TAPS conceived thru IVF
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A letter to my sisters: potential future fraternal twin mums

fraternal twin mum

Author: Laura Wilson

Finding out you’re now a twin mum, you realise what a special journey you’re life has taken. But when you have sisters who are yet to have kids themselves, it can be an underlying worry for them to contemplate that they too might have twins one day. Especially knowing that their chances increased the day you announced your twins. So I wanted to write a letter to my own two sisters and to other sisters of fraternal twin mum’s experiencing the same headspace. 

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PTSD and twins? Or just parenting twins stress?

parenting twins stress

Author: Anita Sweeney

A mum I know just told me about her prem singleton (now school age), currently undergoing numerous medical tests. I bawled my eyes out in bed that night. Instantly I recognised that while the information was upsetting, my reaction to someone else’s problems was potentially bigger than it should have been? 

The very next day, my son Patrick, comes out of his classroom on the home bell sobbing and I am immediately thrown into panic and emotional overdrive before I even know what is wrong.

PTSD and twins or just general parenting stress

Our NICU journey with twins

Patrick was born at 32+5 and 1.3kg after months of only just putting on enough weight each scan to keep him in. He was a fighter and went straight to the Special Care nursery while his identical twin brother Liam at 1.7kg did not cope as well with his in-utero time being cut short and spent his first two weeks in NICU. 

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Choosing Names For Twins: The Blacklist

Choosing Names For Twins when you are a teacher

Author: Anonoymous

Naming one baby can be hard. But when you unexpectedly learn you need to choose names for more than one little human, it can be overwhelming.

We had a singleton four years ago. When we were pregnant then, we had a long list of girl’s names and just one boy’s name. That one boy’s name was used up for our firstborn. So this time when we found out we were having identical twin girls, you’d think we could go straight back to the original list of unused girls names. 

Nope.

None of those names ‘worked’ with our toddler’s name. And none of them worked as a twin pair.

naming twins
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3 in a row: The skinny on slimline car seats for twins and multiples in 2022

three carseats triplets

Author: Amy Lucas, Tylumo Creative

Just when you thought you had it all together, you turn and look at the backseat. Fitting 3 kiddos across the back is going to be a challenge!

Before you panic and run out to buy a Kia Carnival (unless you want to, of course, in which case you will be in good company at multiples playgroup!) check out our updated information below for purchasing slimline car seats in 2022.

toddler and newborn twins carseats

What’s the difference between a capsule and a car seat?

Good question!

If you’ve walked into a baby store recently or typed “baby car seat” into Google, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed. We’ve all been there!

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Pregnant with Twins and Bed Rest – A True Test 

Pregnant with Twins and Bed Rest and other children

Author: Stacy Spanos

I was on bed rest for the final three months of my pregnancy. That is, I didn’t sit up, I laid down for three entire months and when you’re an on-the-go sort of person like myself, this feels like a lifetime. The goal was to keep the twins inside for as long as possible – the safest place for them was in my uterus and we were determined to fulfil this goal. 

22 weeks pregnant with twins

It all began when I was 22 weeks pregnant with the twins. My obstetrician called me after a routine ultrasound I’d had and explained that I needed to be strict with rest and that for the remainder of my pregnancy I would also need to insert progesterone pessaries three times a day. Progesterone pessaries are generally used to prevent miscarriage and prolong a pregnancy. Unfortunately my cervix was shortening and at that point in time it was at 2.5cm when the norm for that stage of pregnancy is 4cm.

When I found out I was having twins one of my greatest fears (and there were many!) was premature birth. I had heard that it was extremely common in twin pregnancies and I had also heard that bed rest was just as common. My concern about premature birth stemmed from hearing stories of disability, health issues or losing one or both babies. I was 22 weeks and my obstetrician made it clear that our goal at this point was to get the babies to at least 29 weeks. This would not eliminate complications entirely, but it would most likely mean that both babies if born had a better chance of survival and the risk of complications to their health would be minimised. And so, part of my fear came true.  

bed rest during twin pregnancy
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Preparing for twins: 10 things I was glad I bought before my twins arrived

10 things to buy when having twins

Author: Laura Wilson

Especially when you’re expecting twins or triplets, you want to be as organised as you can be. You’re trying to balance things so you don’t spend too much money as well as ensuring you have the best for you and your family. While preparing for twins, here are my 10 things I’m really glad we had before my twins arrived.

Co-sleepers

I loved our co-sleepers. The house we were living in when our twins were born was a two-storey townhouse. I don’t think I realised how much you need to be able to have somewhere you can put down a baby let alone two until you’re juggling two babies. For us, having one upstairs for at night and the other downstairs for the day worked great. It meant whilst I was recovering myself, I could have both babies sleeping right in front of me and I could keep an eye on them the entire time. I chose the Joie co-sleeper which included features, on wheels, able to rock, mesh windows, and side can come down and be attached to the side of your bed. 

things I bought for my newborn twins

Preparing for twins: Silk sleeping mask

My sleep mask was a lifesaver over and over. Whilst recovering in hospital, I had a tv on that no one knew how to turn off, but when you’re in a hospital, there are always some sort of lights that can interrupt your sleep (as if you need more help not getting sleep). Everyone tells you to sleep when the babies sleep, so sleeping in the middle of the day is sometimes a necessity when you’re in hospital and as well when you’re back at home, having a sleeping mask to help you get there sooner.

Good books

Books are wonderful to share with your little ones. Books that are childhood favourites or about love. Some of my favourites when my twins were newborns were Bee Mine, Madeline and Possum Magic. For me and my twins, I would read a book or two to my twins when they were struggling to settle. At 1 or 2am, it was particularly good for my mindspace as well as my babies hearing my voice in a calming and rhythmic tone. 

I found board books were particularly a good investment as they made for good bedtime reading books – easier to navigate reading to two babies. Some books that have been particularly great past being newborns have been Pink is for boys, Good night Miffy, Froggy Green and Where is the Green Sheep. 

books for newborn twins

Cushis

Buying two Cushiis were fantastic for us. They are a baby cushion which is easy to take anywhere and offer a cozy place for your baby to sleep, be observant or play. We used them all the time when our two were tiny. We could go visit friends and take the cuhiis with us for ease with our babies. But in our instance, they also became very helpful in feeding both babies at once their bottle. I would put a cushii each side of me on the couch with the babies in them, and it could be easy and comfortable for all three of us as well as time effective. I still use them for my twins’ morning tea and lunch time bottles at 9 months old. 

preparing for twins or triplets

Fresh slippers

Slippers, particularly fresh slippers are so good when you’re in hospital and when you’re back home. Especially as your body adjusts again. Whilst you’re at it, fresh pjammas are great to go with your fresh slippers in helping your body adjust. They really do make the difference to your wellbeing.

Preparing for twins: Shower gels

Showers can feel so good when you have little babies. It’s a moment to yourself and to feel fresh. Showers can also help you wake you up for the day or help you find your calm for some sleep. There are two Lush shower gels that helped me immensely. To help wake up, the Dirty Sprinwater shower gel which with a engerzing boost of spearmint. To help go to sleep, the Sleepy shower gel with very comforting and calming lavender. 

Night lamps

Being up at different hours of the night, you need light, but you don’t want to have to turn on every light in the house. For in hospital and for when we were home, we had a couple of these Fravita night lights. They’re wireless (USB charging), can provide enough soft light and can fit in your hand or pocket. To turn it on, all you have to do is turn it the right way up. Whenever we need to come help one of our twins in the middle of the night, we just grab one of these lights, turn it over. Being wireless and a warm soft light, it makes life easier at that hour. I’m also less likely to pick up my phone and spend too much time looking at it and interrupting my sleep. 

preparing for twins is a big job

Preparing for twins: Bottle drying rack 

Washing bottles so often and giving them sufficient time to dry, having a good bottle drying rack is so helpful. I’d get one drying rack for each child. On top of all the bottle parts you’ll be drying, dummies and panadol syringes on here, so one with different elements to be more versatile is helpful. I had the Boon drying racks and accessories which look like a grass patch and a flower and tree.

Sleeping bags

Newborn sleeping bags are wonderful for giving your babies a safe, natural form and cozy way to sleep. They can also be a helpful way for the to get closer to understanding the difference between night and day (even if you’re feeding them every three hours day and night). They’re also great at giving you some comfort of mind whilst you try get some sleep too. 

Lots and lots of facewashers

When you are preparing for your twins arrival, you’re probably going to feel silly buying so many, but you sure will be thankful. I recall one day, my mum washing and folding 6 facewashers for me. It was so helpful and we sure did use them. You can get fantastic facewashers that are small in packs of 10 from Target

What I will end this article on, you definitely don’t have to have everything perfectly amazing, I didn’t. But it’s amazing how everything can just work out. Particularly friends and family who already had children understood what we were going through and came to our rescue if we didn’t have something or needed help. 


Laura Wilson hello.playful

Laura Wilson

Twin Mum

Follow Laura on Instagram for play ideas and her multiples playgroup started

www.instagram.com/hello.playful

Supporting employees pregnant with twins, triplets or more

team member who is expecting twins

Author: Sarah Lavis

Is your colleague expecting twins, triplets or more? How can employers best support employees bringing multiple babies into the world?

Being pregnant with multiples is such an exciting time, but there are a few things employers should be aware of during the pregnancy, maternity leave period and the ultimate return to work. It’s quite different to expecting one baby and comes with a unique set of challenges. Being informed of what a multiple birth pregnancy entails, knowing how to support an expectant multiple birth parent and ultimately being their advocate will set your employee up for success in the workplace.

Note: This article is written about mothers welcoming twins, but much of it applies to those expecting triplets or more as well as partners.

employee expecting twins
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Single Mother by Choice to Twins.  My journey to motherhood

Author: Kelly Poole

When I was a little girl, or even a teenager, I didn’t dream that I’d be a single mother. I had a plan for university, getting a job teaching, marriage, travel, house and then kids. By the time I was in my thirties, the job, travel and house had all fallen into place- but I was no closer to marriage and kids than I was when I finished high school. One by one, my friends, family and siblings all found their love, bought their homes, married and settled down to family life.

Deciding to become a Single Mother By Choice (SMBC)

Make no mistake, my life was great. I travelled the world, I took on higher duties at work, I studied things that interested me, I bought my own house. However, it made me sad to think that I was going to miss out on having a family. The deeper I looked at my life and myself, I realised that I wasn’t sad that I didn’t have that special someone, I was sad that I’d miss out on kids. With that revelation, I did what I do, and I started my research. This is what is called the “thinking phase” of becoming a Single Mother By Choice (SMBC).

First, let’s be clear, there are lots of ways to be a single Mum, you probably know at least one Mum doing it all on her own. A SMBC is someone who has intentionally taken action to become a parent on their own, via donor conception (sperm, sperm and egg, embryo) foster care, adoption or foster care or any combination of these. The mother takes this action knowing that they will be the sole parent of their child – at least at the outset.

Single Mother by Choice to Twins Australia
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MCMA twins: My monochorionic monoamniotic twin pregnancy and birth story

mcma twins birth story

Author: Anonymous

After 3 miserable rounds of IVF my husband and I implemented protocols from a great book called “It Starts with the Egg”, we had a break for four months then commenced our fourth round using ICSI. With much better results we transferred a fresh Embryo which stuck and with no complications our little boy arrived safely. From this fourth round we were beyond excited that one little embryo made it be PGD tested and to freeze as a day 5 blastocyst. Little did we know what it had in store for us.

When our son was 13 months old, we made the decision to transfer our final embryo in the hope of a sibling. 10 days later we had a positive blood test and a couple of weeks after that (7 weeks gestation) went for our heartbeat ultrasound. There it was a flickering heartbeat. My next call was to my clinic to find out the gender, being a PGD tested embryo that information was available. It was a girl, perfect! A pigeon pair, all we could have hoped for!

mcma twins IVF
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