Friend pregnant with twins in hospital :(

Ugh! I just found out a friend from out of town who is pregnant with twin
boys and due in April, was put in the hospital recently and will have to
stay there until she gives birth! All I know is, she was having contractions
now. Her twins weight 2 pounds each currently. Anyway I think
hosipitalization was the only way they could stop her contractions, and the
doctors want to keep her twins inside her as long as possible for obvious
reasons.

I feel so badly for her. I know this isn't fun and the last thing you'd want
to do is have a long hospital stay. She is a teacher. I hope everything goes
ok and those precious babies stay put until they are at a healthier weight
for delivery. How worrisome!

This made me wonder, since this is my first pregnancy and I don't know
anything about multiples....do they adjust your due date when they know you
are having twins, being that twins usually come early and are considered
full term around 37 weeks? Or do they still give you an EDD of 40 weeks
away, with the understanding that your twins will come early? Her DD is in
mid April-- I was just wondering if that means she was expected to deliver
in mid April, or was actually expected to deliver in March most likely, and
how long she will probably be in the hospital? Is it dangerous to have
contractions this early? I take it these were NOT Braxton Hicks.

This is rough, I hope everything will be ok for her. I can't help but worry,
because I know how I would feel to be in that situation. This is her first
pregnancy too.

"Jill" wrote in message

Or do they still give you an EDD of 40 weeks
away, with the understanding that your twins will come
early?

Yes, your due date is still 40 weeks. Twins aren't
considered full term at 37 weeks, they are just as prem at
37 weeks as a singleton. They 'say' term is 37 weeks because
a fair proportion of twins come between then and 40 weeks
more so than singletons. But plenty still go to 40 weeks and
over, myself included.


--
Andrea

If I can't be a good example, then I'll just have to be a
horrible warning.

Taniwha grrrl wrote:
Yes, your due date is still 40 weeks. Twins aren't
considered full term at 37 weeks, they are just as prem at
37 weeks as a singleton. They 'say' term is 37 weeks because
a fair proportion of twins come between then and 40 weeks
more so than singletons. But plenty still go to 40 weeks and
over, myself included.

Uhm, term is 37 weeks, due date is 40. My hospital and most others
consider a baby term after 37 weeks....

"Shena Delian O'Brien" wrote

Uhm, term is 37 weeks, due date is 40. My hospital and most others
consider a baby term after 37 weeks....

I was just wondering because I know my friend is due in April, and even
taking it 3 weeks early to when she would probably deliver twins, that's
still an awful long time for her to be in the hospital I feel like
because of the complications she is having, she will likely deliver even
early than 37 weeks, the doctors are just trying whatever they can to keep
the babies in for as long as possible. I hope everything ends up well for
her. I know 2 lbs is way too small to me to not be scared to death if they
were born now...

Jill wrote:

I was just wondering because I know my friend is due in April, and even
taking it 3 weeks early to when she would probably deliver twins, that's
still an awful long time for her to be in the hospital I feel like
because of the complications she is having, she will likely deliver even
early than 37 weeks, the doctors are just trying whatever they can to keep
the babies in for as long as possible. I hope everything ends up well for
her. I know 2 lbs is way too small to me to not be scared to death if they
were born now...

A girl I know delivered her singleton at just shy of 28 weeks, after her
water broke early. She was in the hospital for about 2 weeks but they
couldn't keep baby put any longer and her labor started. Luckily she got
steroids to help with baby's maturity, but now we're all just sorta
holding our breath hoping her little girl will make it. So early...!

Another girl I know had her triplets at 31 weeks, and they only had to
be in the nicu for 14 days and only one of them had trouble breathing.
They're home now and doing GREAT! they were all between 3-4 lbs at birth.

Jill wrote:



This made me wonder, since this is my first pregnancy and I don't know
anything about multiples....do they adjust your due date when they know you
are having twins, being that twins usually come early and are considered
full term around 37 weeks? Or do they still give you an EDD of 40 weeks
away, with the understanding that your twins will come early? Her DD is in
mid April-- I was just wondering if that means she was expected to deliver
in mid April, or was actually expected to deliver in March most likely, and
how long she will probably be in the hospital?

My sister had triplets and they didn't adjust her due date, but obviously with
multiples you are considered more high risk and they monitor things really
carefully. She was on hospital bedrest like your friend for about 6 weeks
(nightmare! so boring for her) and delivered at 33 weeks. The babies were all
about 3 lbs and stayed about a month in the NICU. They are now 18 months and
doing great! But speaking of adjustments, usually the ped will take into
account their prematurity when doing assessments and such, so that their age is
18 months, but their 'adjusted' age is more like 16 months, meaning that their
milestones may or may not be reflective of thier adjusted age rather than
actual.

cara

"Shena Delian O'Brien" wrote in message
news:2OuTb.163183$5V2.841349@attbi_s53...
Taniwha grrrl wrote:
Yes, your due date is still 40 weeks. Twins aren't
considered full term at 37 weeks, they are just as prem
at
37 weeks as a singleton. They 'say' term is 37 weeks
because
a fair proportion of twins come between then and 40
weeks
more so than singletons. But plenty still go to 40 weeks
and
over, myself included.

Uhm, term is 37 weeks, due date is 40. My hospital and
most others
consider a baby term after 37 weeks....


Well term is 40 weeks here, but you are still 'at term' if
you give birth from 38 weeks-42 weeks. Your considered post
term after 42 weeks, and pre term before 38 weeks.
As for twins term being 37 weeks opposed to 40 it's untrue.
It just so happens most twins come on the earlier side of 40
weeks (in that 38-40 area of term) than after it.


--
Andrea

If I can't be a good example, then I'll just have to be a
horrible warning.