I didn’t have that problem with my second, although I admit I had cravings for rare roast beef sandwiches for about 6 weeks of the 2nd trimester. I also could not stand the smell of bleach (a real problem because my older child was potty-training), and I developed a really bad gag reflex to brushing my teeth.

My cousin and her husband made up names to tell people who asked about their choices. They deliberately chose really really unusual ones to reduce the amount of discussion, as they were waiting until they saw their babies to give them names, and they got tired of explaining it all the time. IIRC, one name they used was Yosemite Aloysius. They got a lot of laughs out of people’s reactions, plus it gave them something to call the baby besides “the baby” all the time. Maybe your husband would go for a spoof name?

Enjoy the parts you can and store up the not-so-fun parts for the future - they might be funny 20 years from now, or you can use them for guilt trips or to increase your mom cred. I don’t tell labor stories to first-time moms unless asked. :->.

Congrats again. You should come see us some weekend in Feb.

I had two uneventful pregnancies, so you won’t get any horror stories out of me. Sorry.

When my wife was pregnant with our first child (our daughter), about 4 months along I was sitting with her and a bunch of her female relatives on her father’s side. Stories of pregnancy started out mild enough, but then they all started to try to one-up each other on the horror stories of hard pregnacies and difficult births. Until I stood up and gave them all hell for trying to scare the shit out of my wife. They all stared at me, and then changed the subject.

I’m positive that in 50 years weighing pregnant women will be seen as either (a) a hard-to-kill anachronism dating from a time when the possibility adequate nutrition in America was not a given; or (b) a patriarchal way of controlling women.

We (meaning my wife) gained more than the “suggested” amount for each of our three girls. For each pregnancy, the OB (a different one each time) tut-tutted, to which my wife asked “should I go on a diet?” to which the OB said “No” to which my wife said, “should I try not to gain any weight during the third trimester?” to which the OB said “no, that’s not a good idea,” to which my wife would say, “so why the hell are you tut-tutting?” to which the OB would not have a good answer.

Also, we approve of (a) not discussing names before birth, because too many people will tell you a name that you have decided on is horrible, but no one will ever tell you that the actual child you have named Uglina has an ugly name, and (b) giving one ethnic and one Americanized name (although we gave Americanized middle names), as it gives the kids the option of using the other name later on if they decide they don’t want to be a Proud Zionist (or whatever your ethnicity proclaims).

I save my pregnancy/labor horror stories for men. ;-)

With your decreased stomach capacity and increased need for protein, it takes planning and effort to grow twins. You need high protein per volume food—sort-of the opposite of what people thinking of when they are “dieting.” Like, eggs, meat, and nuts, and not salad.

When you get up at night to go to the bathroom, think about whether you’re hungry. Keep protein-rich snacks (nuts, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs) handy. When trying to eat small meals frequently, nighttime “counts” too.

Good luck, and looking forward to the stories and pictures!

I, for one, am looking forward to doubled-up baby blogging.

Congratulations!

Letsee…I gained 37 lbs. during the pregnancy. Lost 30 within 24 hours of birth. Lost an additional 20 in the next six weeks. for a net loss of 12. So, I must have lost weight during the pregnancy. yes, indeed. NINE months of morning sickness and very bad acid reflux. The good news? The second my kids were born…the second, I absolutely remember this feeling washing over me, the acid reflux and the nausea were gone.

Congrats and good luck!

My twins are turning seven on 2/4. I have girl-boy twins.

Do not fret about weight either way. I lost about ten pounds when morning sick, but ended 25 pounds above my prepregnancy weight. I’m fat, so my OB and I figured I had the necessary fuel for gestation. I too went with a midwife until I was risked out. I found the BEST OB EVAH by asking who backed up the midwifery practice. In case you’re in Chicago, it was Sylvia Bihcalo (odd spelling intentional). She was fantastic, Central American and relaxed about my weight. She cheered me on at every visit, supported my goal to breastfeed twins and emphasized every time that I had a healthy pregnancy. I had one set of preterm contractions, but when she told me I could forestall them by drinking two gallons of water a day and it wokred like a charm.

The second trimester for me was astonishing for the amount I could and would eat. I have never been able to finish restaurant meals, I usually take home about half when my appetite has been satisfied. In the second trimester I had room for dessert. I once reflexively slapped an apple slice out of my partner’s hand and we just sat there staring at each other. It was pure physical food defense, I had no time to think.

I ate mashed potatoes and tuna salad for the last trimester, because they fit at all in my squished stomach.

I did have pre-eclampsia and an induction, but the kiddos were both head down and I gave birth vaginally with no problems at all. Like I said, I had wanted a natural childbirth at home with a midwife, but I understood the risks of eclampsia so my very medical birthing experience was okay by me. I had been on the fence about pain medication - natural is good but denying pain relief could be construed as mysogynistic as well as natural. I requested an epidural, but turned it off when dilation was complete so I could feel to push. My attending OB, Dr. B’s partner, let me work through labor in its own time without pushing fpr a c-section. Overall all the staff were wonderful and helped me have a great if unexpectedly interventionist birth. I loved pushing the twins out, and I REALLY loved the natural twelve minute break between babies!

Sorry about the novel, I just get so excited to talk to expecting twin moms. :)

I’m not really sure. I wanted to have a midwife, but since it’s a high risk pregnancy (twins), I’m definitely going to have a doctor in addition to any midwife. In fact, I forgot to ask if they have midwives at my doctors.

I have no idea what I’m going to do about pain medication–I’ll probably decide in the delivery room.

They’re fraternal.

My husband is refusing to talk about names because he thinks it will jinx the pregnancy. I thought about some, but the hard part will be getting us to agree. We already had to make a deal about their last name–in fact, when we got married, we agreed that I would keep my name (unhypenated), and our kids could have his last name (unhyphenated). Oh, and he didn’t have to wear a wedding ring. Oh wait, I think that was not part of that compromise. I think he just asked me about that, and I was like go right ahead. I did not care at all if he didn’t wear a ring.

We will probably give them a more Americanized name and a Nigerian middle name, or we’ll find names that can work well with both cultures.

Yep, sure did…I fixed it.

I think that there studies showing a negative correlation between morning sickness and miscarriage….and I think it is related to hormone levels. Of course, it’s just a correlation, so many folks with little or no morning sickness have fine pregnancies.

LOL! That’s one good thing about being a college professor–if all else fails free tuition at my school.