Finding out you’re pregnant is an incredible feeling. Or, should I say, it is an incredible feelings - plural. That mixed bag of feelings is even more likely if you’ve recently found out you’re having twins.

While I make my living taking photographs of pregnant women, their newborn babies, and the ones the family holds dearest - I’m particularly captivated by newborn twins. As a result, I’ve learned a whole lot by witnessing their progression from in-utero, to newborn, and beyond - and thought I’d share what I’ve learned in the hopes it better prepares parents for the upcoming journey.

Your OB/GYN matters more than ever

Your multiples pregnancy is automatically considered “high-risk” by the healthcare community, and that means you’ll spend more time, more frequently, at prenatal appointments. If you aren’t 100% satisfied with your current OB/GYN, find one you love ASAP.

There’s a good chance home birth isn’t an option for you anymore, so you owe yourself the benefit of a birthing center you feel comfortable in. Begin shopping around early and before your belly becomes more difficult to carry around. I also suggest you and your partner consider using a doula for additional labor, delivery, postpartum, and breastfeeding support.

Nutrition has never been more important - before and after

Your body is working overtime nurturing, growing, and nourishing the developing twins. Nutrition has never been more important. Case in point: you need 1 mg of folic acid per day, rather than the 0.4 mg recommended for singleton pregnancies, and you also need more calories - but not the french fries and ice cream kind.

Simultaneously, as your body grows bigger, you’ll begin to feel more tired and fatigued than the mother of a singleton. Of course, once your babies are born, that fatigue increases as you begin to meet the needs of both babies.

I highly recommend reading, Why It’s So Important to Eat Well After Baby is Born, and getting in touch with a nutritionist who specializes in prenatal and postpartum nutrition. Having soothing, delicious, and made-for-you meals on-hand for the weeks and months after the twins arrive is a lifesaver.

You’re more likely to give birth around week 36 to 37

Most multiples come out earlier - around Weeks 36 to 37, rather than Week 40 or afterward. This means you have to shift your pregnancy timeline and have your nursery, cribs, car seats, etc., in place by month seven - just to be on the safe side.

If you’re planning a newborn photography session, schedule it sooner than you would think as there’s a good chance your sweet newborns will be back home with you around the same time a singleton would be finishing his/her womb time.

Make peace with the potential of a C-Section

The good news is that natural, vaginal birth is a definite potential, AND the reality is that C-sections are more likely with twins. One of the main reasons is that twin pregnancies typically result in at least one baby in a breech position. Create a birth plan that accommodates all of the possibilities, so you can feel at peace with whatever Mother Nature brings forward during your labor and delivery.

Get clear on must-haves and don’t-needs

Baby shower items are adorable - but most mothers I meet agree they received a large amount of “don’t need” items they never used. What a waste! Start polling friends, with special attention paid to parents with twins, to find out what you really need, and what you don’t. You won’t have time or space to accommodate anything that isn’t essential.

Practice asking for help

Are you typically an independent, “I can take care of myself,” type of person? Now’s the time to start practicing the art of asking for help. You’re going to need it, and it’s way easier if you’re already practiced what it is to “receive.” Those first few weeks and months after the babies arrive should include meal trains, help with laundry and housekeeping, friends to hold/occupy babies while you shower or run some errands, having errands run for you, and so on.

They are not the same - even if they look like it

Twins are typically BFFs, and they have each other’s backs (they’re also just as quick to fight one another). However, they are not the same - no matter how alike they seem on the outside. You will know this right off the bat, but the more you can do to encourage others’ to identify each twin as an individual, the more well-adjusted they will be.

You’re going to be famous

You might as well print up some boiler-plate explanations and answers to the world’s questions because you’re about to become a celebrity. People are absolutely - and understandably - obsessed with twins. Thus, you’ll enter celebrity status wherever you are. While that may seem funny or laughable, it can feel rather invasive day after day, especially when you’re exhausted and didn’t want to leave the house anyway. Give yourself a break. Remember that it’s okay to smile wanly and say, “I don’t talk about twins on Tuesdays….” or whatever day it happens to be.

Congratulations! You’re about to enter a special club, of sorts, the Parents Who’ve Survived Twins. While the days may seem like years, they actually fly by in mere minutes. Make sure to capture the magic via beautiful and priceless professional photos by contacting me here at Lemonshoots, (510) 747-9019, and scheduling your maternity and newborn sessions.

What to Expect When Having Twins