Coping
Coping with Twin Pregnancy Symptoms
How to combat Nausea
Nausea seems to be worse on an empty stomach hence the term “morning sickness”. Try to snack regularly rather than eating large meals. Large meals are harder to digest and can leave the stomach battling with the left over acids which can also cause Nausea. It can be difficult to maintain a healthy diet whilst dealing with morning sickness but it’s obviously important to try your best.
TIPS
- Eat Breakfast Immediately
- Eat in bed before you get up if possible.
- Keep biscuits by the side of your bed.
- Nibble on dry foods throughout the day.
- Listen to your body.
During my fraternal twin pregnancy I found that I always felt better after I had eaten breakfast. I never gave breakfast too much thought. As soon as the thought of something edible entered my head that didn’t make me feel queasy I went for it.
The train journey I took everyday was a particularly difficult time for nausea. The motion of the train and the crowds of people did not help. Sipping water and closing my eyes and hoping for the best were how I managed. Having someone travel with me made me feel less stressed.
During the day I would simply eat my way through the nausea. If a notion about a particular item of food entered my head I would obtain it if I could. My diet was often strange. The good news was that the nausea had subsided by around 4 months and my appetite came back!
During my second twin pregnancy with the identical girls, I found that I had to eat breakfast immediately. My husband would often bring me something before I even got out of bed. This helped enormously.
The nausea really was relentless the second time around. I tried to nibble on anything plain or dry throughout the day. I snacked on biscuits, crackers, toast, and crisps.
I found that listening to my body’s cravings helped me. If I fancied an Apple, an Apple is what I ate.If it was scrambled egg, I ate it. I didn’t stick to a three meals a day diet I just ate when and what I could.
I found sparkling water easier to consume than still water. I often craved a sugary fizzy drink but instead of succumbing to the can of coke I chose to combine a sparkling water with a fruit juice. Once again the sickness stopped around 4 months.
Sleeping Problems
This may only be an issue in the later stages of a singleton pregnancy but in a twin pregnancy it is likely to be a problem earlier on. Your uterus is so full up with babies from the start that often it is impossible to find a comfortable position.
I learned from my first twin pregnancy that sleeping really becomes uncomfortable and as it’s something you desperately need during your pregnancy I decided early on in my second twin pregnancy to try and do something positive about it.
At around 17 weeks I had already began to suffer during the night. At first it was due to the nausea. I couldn’t lay on my front; I couldn’t lay flat on my back as this makes the nausea worse. There is only so much sleeping sitting upright a girl can take. During pregnancy sleeping on your side is recommended for blood circulation to the baby. The problem with carrying twins is that both sides of your stomach have a baby occupying the space so there is never really one comfortable side for you to lie on. I invested in a maternity pillow which did help but by 24 weeks I had reverted back to as many pillows laid underneath my whole body as possible to cushion me and take some of the pressure.
Disclaimer: The information on this website does not constitute medical advice, it is for your reference only from my personal experience of delivering twins twice. Always seek professional and current advice from a registered medical practitioner.
