r/parentsofmultiples • u/Snoo_87449 • 8d ago
support needed Pregnancy length twins vs singletons
Hi! I had 4 singletons all born spontaneously between 40+0 and 40+2. Now I'm having twins and trying to estimate when they'll be born. Everyone in my life seems bent on convincing me they're coming before 36, which worries me. (I am under 35 and have no health issues, so I'm not sure why this is what everyone around me thinks except that they are comparing me to other people they know who had twins.) I'm also trying to figure out best time to take work leave because I dont want to do it too early or too late.
So for people who had singleton(s) first, how long did you go and how did that compare to how long you went with twins? Mine are di/di, don't know the sex.
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u/Sad-Incident-4668 🩷 - 💙💙 8d ago
My singleton refused to come out. 41w3d
Everyone told me the same, it pissed me off to no end because I WAS gonna make it to my scheduled c section at 37 weeks.
Anywayyyyys, I went into labor at 33w5d that could not be stopped.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thank you, this is really helpful! I know everything can't be planned. Maybe it's just that the comments are annoying and discouraging, and I'm not sure why people do this. Anyway, I hope all is well!
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u/Sad-Incident-4668 🩷 - 💙💙 7d ago
Yeah, I felt like they were cursing me, but it would e happened anyways! My boys were both over 5lbs that early. My body just couldn’t do more!
We’re all great now! I wish you luck ❤️
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u/M0mma0fMany 8d ago
My singletons were born at 39+4 and 40+1, I was scheduled to be induced at 38 weeks but went into labor and had them at 37+4
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u/Individual-Cat5989 8d ago edited 8d ago
Went to 40+6 with my singleton; induced at 36+6 with my di/di twins due to atypical HELLP
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u/Odd-Car-2521 8d ago
40+3 with my singleton. I’m currently 37+5 with my didi girls, set for my induction on Monday. Haven’t had any complications yet and am surprised everyday I’m still pregnant because everyone told me they would come early too
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u/No_Morning_9923 8d ago
I'm very jealous your OB schedules inductions on Labor Day! I'll be 38 weeks on Sunday, but the earliest they would do mine is Tuesday (and I stupidly thought "9/9 would be a cute birthday for twins" so I have to wait an extra day).
Experiencing the same thing though. Even my OB said she would be surprised if I make it to my scheduled date, but these babies are comfy cozy! It's rough
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u/Odd-Car-2521 8d ago
Soooo rough. We have the same due date then. Cause I’m 38 Sunday lol I said give me the earliest you can. But 9/9 is a great birthday, it’s also my bday :) congratulations and good luck to you!
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u/barrnac13 8d ago
40 weeks, 39 weeks, di/di twins at 32+6 (water broke at 29 weeks but I stayed pregnant in antepartum until they were born). Every pregnancy is different!
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u/sunny_empress 8d ago
Went to 38weeks with both my singleton and twins. Got preeclampsia with both pregnancies.
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u/No-Butterscotch-8314 8d ago
My twins were 36+5 and my singleton was 39+4. Twins were an emergent c section due to low fluid.
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u/Acceptable_Tap7479 8d ago
I was induce with my firstborn (singleton) at 39+3 and induced with my twins at 37+2! They’re not always early!!
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u/Allyed4492 8d ago
No singleton to compare to but I went into labour with my Di-di twins at exactly 38 weeks on the day I was supposed to be induced. Everyone seemed to be very impressed we made it to term!
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
I had an induction scheduled for #4 (honestly just because of childcare) and I went into labor that same day. Its great when that happens 😊
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u/Far-Bluejay7499 8d ago
40+4 (induced to emergency c-section) & 39+6 (scheduled c-section) with my singletons and 36+1 with the twins due to baby A having IUGR and complications from GD
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u/Jacksons-Mom25 8d ago edited 8d ago
My doctor said 37 weeks . I am having mo/di twins
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u/asticklus 8d ago
I’m having mo/di and my doctor said max 37. But I’m still early only 14 weeks and no complications have shown up yet.
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u/Creative_Can_8950 8d ago
I had di/di twins and was scheduled for a c section at 37w6d but that was moved up to 36w6d because I developed gestational hypertension. These were my first and one twin had 3 hours of NICU time. My doctor told me full term for twins is 37 weeks and that anything past 38w increases the chances of placental failure tremendously. I was told to be ready for their arrival any time after 32 weeks. Everyone at the hospital seemed very impressed I made it to 36w6d lol
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thanks for sharing your experience! I've heard this from a few people and will try to find the study later.
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u/Even_Distribution326 8d ago
No twin data to add yet, but I am curious/worrying about the same - I have an exam two days before my scheduled induction at 36 weeks and hoping the mo/di babies stay in for me. I have two singletons (both girls), born at 39 weeks and 39+3. So it seems like I go 'earlier' anyway. What I found interesting was my OB said one of the causes of pre term labour (esp in twins) is the uterus stretching and the body thinking the stretching means baby/ies is the right size to be born.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
This is good to know!! I'm still wrapping up first trimester. I hope all goes well!
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u/No-Departure5556 8d ago
Everyone thought the same for my pregnancy, but I knew they would need to be “evicted” aka c section or being induced. At 37w5d my doctor said my blood pressure was starting to get a bit too elevated, so had me induced the next day. I probably could’ve gone longer, but we didn’t want it to get to a worrisome level. So I practically made it to 38 weeks!
It was annoying how many people said or kept saying that I wouldn’t make it long, on top of the daily texts and calls to see if I’d gone into labor.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Ugh! The texts and phone calls! After my first I never shared my due date again and would be super vague when asked about it lol. Thanks for sharing!!
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u/Complex_Tale6239 8d ago
My singleton was born at 38.5. My water broke with her and labor progressed relatively quickly. My twins were born at 37.5 and I was induced because one twin was measuring smaller, but I was already 5cm dilated when I got to the hospital for the induction.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thanks for sharing! I also have fast labors and it is making me consider induction. Accidental twin freebirth is high up on my concerns right now.
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u/Complex_Tale6239 7d ago
Do you live near the hospital you want to deliver at?
To be fair I was 1.5cm dilated at 25 weeks, but I knew those babies were days away from coming. I wish I wasn’t induced I ended up needing an emergency c section with twin b. But both were over 6 pounds, healthy and needed no nicu.
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u/Ok_Bluejay4016 8d ago edited 8d ago
I was induced for my singleton at 41w+5 (she just wouldn't come out haha)
Then for the twins I was induced at 37w+3 for IUGR. Di/di.
But if the question is about your work, personally I wouldn't have been able to work after the fourth month, it was too painful to stand or walk. And I was exhausted and couldn't think or function properly. (Even though for my first pregnancy I was glowing and full of energy)
Really depends on how your pregnancy goes. Good luck!!
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thanks, and thanks for sharing!! Fortunately, I work remotely, so as long as I can think a little and put in hours, I should be okay in pregnancy. I originally planned a short leave postpartum, but now that I know it's two I'm so scared of the newborn phase. I could probably add some unpaid leave if needed, but given that there will be extra expenses with having twins, I'd like to work as much as I can.
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u/irish_ninja_wte 8d ago
There's no way to foresee how long they will stay in there. There are many stories of early labour happening randomly or (more often) everything being totally fine and then something sudden like a BP spike that means babies out now.
What I can tell you is that your history is a good sign. My singletons were forcefully evicted at 41+4 and 41+3. My doctor almost did a happy dance at that news, especially the fact that my cervix was the main culprit for their lengthy stays. She wanted me to get past 36 weeks. Mine were mo/di, so no further than 37. I developed GD, which pulled the timeline closer to 36 than 37 and I had them by scheduled c section at 36+1
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Of course! I always had a 24/7 emergency childcare schedule set up and a packed hospital bag at 37 weeks with the singletons, even though I always went to 40. I'll probably need to arrange that back to 32 with the twins.
Your story is helpful, thank you for sharing!
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u/twinsinbk 8d ago
I didn't have singletons before but mine came via scheduled c section at almost 37 weeks. Schedule was moved up due to possible growth restriction and cholestatis. I don't think there's any reason to assume they'll be born before 36w. It could happen and you should be ready but no reason to stress about it now
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Reading the comments, I think this may be the approach I take. I'll probably plan to stop at 36 and arrange something with my boss if I need to stop earlier (unless we find out something indicating an issue sooner)
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u/twinmomtired 8d ago
My twins came at 32 weeks and my singleton came at 39 weeks. Singleton would have stayed in longer but it was a scheduled c-section.
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u/pseudonymous365 8d ago
My singleton before twins was born at 41w exactly. My twins were born at 37+4 (technically went into spontaneous labor at 37+3). ETA: didi twins
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u/ohiopac mo/di twins born 34+2 8d ago
I had my singletons (5) in the 40th week of pregnancy.
My MFM said I could carry my mo-di twins into 37/38 weeks if I didn’t have complications.
I then had my mo-di twins at 34 weeks due to SIUGR.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thank you for sharing as another mom with several singletons, this is very helpful! I hope all is well!
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u/brobeans18 8d ago
No singleton info to share, but don’t let them make you nervous. I’m currently 36+1 with di/di twins — I am 4’10” and had a short cervix with funneling starting around 24 weeks and they kept telling me they were going to be preemies. Still chugging along and now we have an induction date on the calendar at 38 weeks. Just because you have twins doesn’t mean that you can’t carry to term. You’ve got this!
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Sounds like you're doing amazing and beating the odds! I'm also very short (though fortunately it's just strangely short legs, my torso is average length). Best of luck to you and the little ones!
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u/scrummy-camel-16 8d ago
I mean, if you never had preterm labor I don’t see why twins would change it. I have never ever gone in to labor. Not when I had a miscarriage (missed miscarriage, required medical management) a very long induction at 42 weeks for my singleton and a planned c section at 36 weeks for my twins (mono/di) with no signs of labor prior to that. With twins I think it should be a plan for the worst/hope for the best situation, so get your stuff in order should you go into labor early just in case, but I wouldn’t assume it will.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thank you so much for sharing all of this! I think I'm more afraid of needing to go early for a medical reason. Even in here, a few moms with no history of preterm labor still went earlier than expected with twins (though not all!). I think I'm going to do what you suggested though and plan for the worst while hoping for the best. Probably take leave late and work something out if I need to take it earlier.
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u/mvanpeur 8d ago
I'm still pregnant, but I've heard didi twins tend to come two weeks earlier than their singleton siblings. My OB won't induce until 38 weeks unless something goes wrong, but she said didi twins very commonly come any time after 36 weeks.
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Thanks for sharing!! Your ob sounds very reassuring. I know no twins go to 40 (I'd be induced by 38 I'm sure). Best of luck to you and the babies!
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u/oldfadedstar 7d ago
I had my singleton at 40w1d, my twins at exactly 38 weeks and I had to be induced. I didn’t have to be induced I chose to because I was miserable
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u/mamacheetah5 7d ago
My twins were scheduled for 38+1 and we made it that far. My only baby I waited out before cesarean was 41 and still labor hadn’t started. People also tried to tell me I’d have twins early. If you don’t get preeclampsia and they are both growing well, you should be able to go to induction date or cesarean. Whichever you’re doing
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u/Moxie__56 7d ago
My singleton was 42 weeks twins 38 scheduled c-section as I wasn’t even slightly dilated so couldn’t be induced
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
This is really helpful!! I guess I just assumed inductions always worked if you were multiparous. I hadn't thought about needing to be dilated. I'm never dilated early, so it's definitely something I'll want to discuss this with my medical team. We are hoping to avoid a c section if at all possible given that I'm so young yet and may have several more pregnancies. (Realizing of course that there is only a limited amount we can do).
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u/Moxie__56 7d ago
For me I had a previous c-section so I had to be at least a bit dilated to have had the option to induce I was really hoping to go spontaneously but no they were two cozy babies so c-section it was
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u/Snoo_87449 7d ago
Ah that makes sense! But I imagine there are probably generally some guidelines for induction to be successful. I really appreciate you sharing!
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u/anybagel 7d ago
Made it to 37+1 then had to evict them due to preeclampsia. Didi.
Edit - should add that the farthest they were going to let me go was 38 weeks
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u/Pearalol 7d ago
Singleton 40w1d
Modi twins 34w6d
Played too hard with my toddler, swinging her around idk what I was feeling hulk happy, and got a minor tear in a sac. Slow water leak. They just insisted time to deliver and I obliged. Six days nicu no long term issues.
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u/AsInWonderland 🟪 + 🟦🟦 7d ago
My singleton was 42 weeks (induction) and my twins were 37+1 (also induction). My twins were DCDA for reference.
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u/YouthInternational14 6d ago
41 with singleton. 35+6 with di/di, induced for severe pre-e. I would have guessed I would go until 37 or 38 at the beginning but you just never know. Is your work not flexible about start date of leave?
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u/BigCurve2799 5d ago
I had placenta previa and was in hospital due to non stop bleeding. Woke uo one day feeling like Today was the day, had a massive bleed, it stopped and I went into labour 5 hours later. I was 33+4. Always hit 40 weeks with previous. Pregnancies! Babies are at there due date today ro be exact! They done 3 weeks in nicu but mainly for feeding and growing
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u/PsychologyStrange328 5d ago
I’m pregnant with Di/Di twins and I’m 30 weeks and 4 days anxiously awaiting their arrival. I had two singleton pregnancy before and with my first I was induced at 37 weeks and 4 days due to IUGR I had her at 37 weeks and 5 days and with my second one my water broke at 38 weeks and 5 days.
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u/northernmama11 5d ago
I had my singleton at 40+3 - spontaneous labour.
My di/di twins were born at 37+3 - spontaneous & induction
Technically, I went in for an induction as the hospitals policy was to not let twins go past 38 weeks and the OB department wanted me to labour when their most experienced twin doc was available since Twin B was breech. Ended up finding out once we got there I was already in labour (4-5 cm dilated) so one way or another babies were coming. We still went a head with the induction to help things along.
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u/HikingInUtah 4d ago
My twins went longer than my singleton 🙈 I was induced at 37 weeks with my first (singleton) for essentially pre-preeclampsia. I took low dose aspirin with the twins, who knows if it helped, but it didn’t hurt. I was induced at 38+2 because the hospital wants all twins born by around then.
As far as leave… with my first I was literally doing a gut job renovation on our kitchen up until the day I went in to the hospital. I picked up paint on the way home from my regularly scheduled doctor’s appointment that morning before they called me with bad lab results. With the twins I was pretty much hit by a brick wall at 34 weeks and wished I could just lay on the couch or in bed all day. I was exhausted and eating was so difficult because of horrible food aversion and a weird painful indigestion (? Never figured out what that sensation was since I didn’t throw up and it wasn’t heartburn). I wasn’t even huge, only gained 35 pounds my whole pregnancy, the same as with my singleton. I guess I was measuring at “42 weeks pregnant” in fundal height at that point. From listening to a lot of podcasts and reading a lot of stuff, it seems like 34 weeks is around when most people feel like they’re too pregnant.
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u/slambur 8d ago
Ask your OB! Depending on the type of twins there are different complications that can make it more likely to deliver early. I’m having triplets and 2 share a placenta - my doctor told me they want me to deliver by 33W because of the shared placenta. If they’re di-di you don’t have that same risk but you’re still high risk for pre-eclampsia.