Working with a twin pregnancy

Miriam - posted on 02/08/2012

Kim I was sick the whole pregnancy as well my boys are 12 months now,and I have a singleton son that is 9 years old. and it was very different (harder) with the twins. I was nausiated even before I could get a positive on the stick!! :+) I threw up a lot more than with my first but not all the time either just nausia and bad head aches. Im a teacher and was finishing up my masters when I was pregnant. I worked till I was 32 weeks I went for a checkup and they found I had preclampsia so off to bed rest I went (they wanted to keep me in the hospital, but I did not stay, long story:) I was able to stay pregnant till week 35 and delivered two healthy 5 and 6 lbs babies no NICU no complications (c-section, but did with 1st one as well) but the whole time my dr. kept telling me to take it easy and I tried, but Im a very active person. so take it easy and with your job you are probably on your feet a lot so you might need to stop earlier than that. because that was my OB's advise off your feet if you walk (shopping or running errands) no more than 20 mins. at a time.. rest rest rest... good luck..

Claire - posted on 02/07/2012

I worked until 36 weeks and delivered by induction at 38. You can easily go full term with twins. Just follow your drs advice, drink a TON of water.....and buy support hose (like what old people wear to prevent blood clots) for the 3rd trimester swelling!! You can have a healthy pregnancy with twins with healthy babies, avoiding the NICU.

Best of luck!!!

Teresa - posted on 02/06/2012

I know of people who worked w/ a twin pregnancy just about until they gave birth... For me... I was a housewife, so no working, but I was on bed rest starting at 24 weeks and wouldn't have been able to work anyway.



I was nauseous full time from 6-16ish weeks, but only puked 2-3 times/week. When the nausea quit the massive heartburn started and was constant until after I gave birth (at 37 weeks).

Melissa - posted on 02/04/2012

I was pregnant with twins and I worked full time hours up until I was 34 weeks. After that my doctor cut me back to no more than 20hours a week. I too had a job where I was on my feet all day. Not sure how I did it, but i was determined to continue working. We needed the money too bad. I had a scheduled c-section at 38.5 weeks. Both babies were healthy. No complications here but every pregnancy is different. Good luck to you!

Annette - posted on 02/04/2012

I can only tell from my own experience. I had a singleton pregnancy first, and then a twin pregnancy. With the singleton, I worked right up to week 34 (desk job, but stressful) and even then, when maternity leave started, I still worked a few half days now and then. In the twin pregnancy, my doc also told me it's "high risk", and I kept having premature labour, starting week 28, so I had to reduce my working hours to a max. of 3 / 4 per day. I worked up to week 34, but then still did some hours of work each day at home. I was actually in the midst of a phone conference, when the real labor started. They were born 35+ (as far as I remember), so officially considered premature, full length, very lightweight, but healthy. You just have to find out by listening to what your body tells you. If you feel like it's all getting too much, stop working. If it's going ok, then keep on whatever you're doing. :o)

Christine - posted on 01/31/2012

As a mom of twins that are now 25 years old I can say I feel your joy and pain,lol. I went through the same exact thing sweetie and let me say that even in the delivery room I had dry hives,which is worse than actually throwing up in my opinion. I have heard alot of moms of twins say they went through it as well.I think it just may be a twin thing,and since you are adjusting your body to carrying two that could be why,I don't know but it is all worth it in the end,I had another daughter then two years after the twins,perfect pregnancy no sickness other than heart burn and I loved being pregnant then for sure.Good luck and Congratulations,God Bless!!

Lesley - posted on 01/29/2012

I felt sick all the time with my twin pregnancy. I was gagging all the time. I could only manage to keep grapefruit down. :)

Michelle - posted on 01/28/2012

Totally normal. I felt sea sick all the time, and it wasn't smells that got me, but texture. I outright had to stop eating certain foods based entirely on texture (rice, scrambled eggs, anything loose like that).



I worked until about 26 weeks. I then worked from home for about 4 weeks. I thought I was fine to work through, but at about 25 weeks, I was struggling to lift and move the simplest things (I work in IT in schools, so moving around a lot). The thing I noticed was that I felt ok one week and then knew I was just about done the next.. It came on fast. I wasn't even that big or large. My management and I had a backup plan ready to go in case I couldn't finish out a week. Even working from home.. I usually wound up napping for part of it (I have an awesome boss!).



Just have a plan in case you find you're suddenly not able to keep working.

Nicole - posted on 01/28/2012

i felt sick my first month i did not vomit; and it was gone by my second month. i worked until i was forced by my dr to go on bed rest which was at 31 weeks, my twins were born healthy at 35 weeks. my pregnancy was easy, i was just really tired, up until i hit 30 weeks then it felt like i could not breathe but that was because of were the girls were laying and i carried high.

Laura - posted on 01/26/2012

The sickness should start to get better now.

Laura - posted on 01/26/2012

Its very individual, most important is that you listen to your body and reduce the risk of premature birth. Waitressing is a tough on your body at the best of times, its not something I would want to do when heavily pregnanat. If your belly gets like mine you won't be able to carry plates or anything and I don't think you will be much use as a waitress. I had a desk job but at 20 weeks I was already exhausted and my doc insisted I reduced. Work wrote me off at 30 weeks and I had already had 2 weeks holiday before then. I was furious, but actually I was struggling to reach the keyboard as my belly was so big, and at home could do no more that sit on the sofa the last weeks until they were born.

Kelly - posted on 01/26/2012

I worked right up until I delivered at 36 weeKs without any problems at all. I know many other twin moms that did the same. So it is possible that you can work all the way through.

CHERYL - posted on 01/26/2012

hi yes what u r feeling is all normal the smell of food used to make me feel sick but i never was.just eat little and often. by 16-17wk u will fell great.

i worked full time in a department store was surposed to finish at 34w.as i had a great pregnancy.but i went into labour unexpected at 32w. all was fine and got loner off with them.mine are2 now and i just work 2 days. everyones pregnancy is differant most twin pregnancies are hard so just how u go hun. and take a couple of weeks off ut due date.

Jessica - posted on 01/23/2012

I felt like I was going to puke ALL the time when I was pregnant with the girls. I rarely ever did though. TRUST ME you will not be able to do much by about 6 months. I work in an office and I couldn't stand to sit in a chair at 26 weeks. My back hurt, I couldn't breathe, and I was so tired. I took my leave early and I am so glad I did. I was able to focus on having a healthy pregnancy and preparing as much as I could for the babies. I would highly recomend that you plan now to stop working at about 6-7 months,especially with having another older child.

As far as other symptoms... I had everyone under the sun..from exhaustion, to swollen feet at 6 months, to manly burps, charley horses in the middle of the night and crazy heartburn at the end.



My OB told me when I found out I was having twins (at 20 weeks, first routine ultrasound) that the human body is just not made to carry more than one baby so all twin pregnancies are considered high risk, so take care of yourself and your babies first. Oh, and eat ALL you want. lol This will be the only time in your life you will be able to with minimal worries. I gained 55 pounds with my girls and ate all my favorite foods, drank a gallon of water a day and I lost most of it 4 months after they were born. Good luck with everything and get ready for the ride of your life! Let me know if you have any other questions... I feel like an expert on twin pregnancy and twin babies by now. :-)

Ianina - posted on 01/22/2012

I worked until I was 6 month pregnant with the twins because I was working in a place were everything was far away, I had to do a lot of walking to go places and the risk of having pre term labor was really high.

I gave birth at 36 weeks.

Trust me, when you are 30 weeks pregnant with twins, the last thing in your mind is going to be going to work.



good luck!

Kim - posted on 01/21/2012

II was told by my ob that at 28 weeks with twins is equivalent to 9 months with a singleton. I've never had a singleton pregnancy, but I forced myself to work till 32 weeks. I've heard it is possible to work longer. My docs made me stop working because of my blood pressure. I can imagine waitressing Will be tough after 6-7 months. All of course depends on the health of your twins. It's a high risk pregnancy so your probability of having to stop working is higher than with a singleton. Good luck!