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Welcome to being 20 weeks pregnant with twins! Have you found out what you are having yet?
Either way, I’m sure you are well underway with your twin nursery setup. If not then head over to our Pinterest board that is filled with beautiful Twin Nursery inspiration for you.
And if you need a hand to work out what products you even need to purchase, then make time to read my blog post Twin Baby Gear: My Top 14 Twin Mama Must-Haves. It will really help you to get organized and tick all those necessary items off your list.
This week we also talk names for your twins. Which can be quite a sticking point for some. Coming up with one name is stressful enough. But finding two names that you love can be a challenge.
Fear not! We have a handy list of the top 50 most popular names for twins – no matter what the gender combination. You can grab some inspiration by reading our 7 Ways to Choose the Perfect Names for your Twins.
Read on to find out what those two babies of yours are up to this week.
How are you feeling mama?
Twin Pregnancy Symptoms at 20 Weeks
Can you believe that you’re over halfway through your pregnancy? Full term for moms of single babies is 40 weeks but for multiples, it’s around 36-37 weeks depending on the type of twins you have.
It’s common at this stage for you to be feeling a little more tired and achy than normal. Understandable given your muscles and ligaments are having to stretch to make way for other little people.
If you can, start to take things a little easy and rest when able. Easier said than done we know.
A glucose test for gestational diabetes happens around now and you may be having fortnightly visits to your obstetrician.
As your body swells and retains more fluid, the nerves and bones can compress causing numbness and tingling in your hands and fingers. You are also at increased risk of leg cramps, being low in iron and calcium, as well as feeling incredibly warm because of your built-in heaters.
Preterm labor is, unfortunately, more common in a twin pregnancy. So make sure to pay close attention to any changes in your body and don’t be afraid to contact your midwife or obstetrician if you are concerned about anything.
READ MORE: Types of Twins – Did you know there are ELEVEN?
What are your twins up to this week?
Your Twins at 20 Weeks – Height & Weight
Your babies have been doing some serious growing over the past few weeks and by the end of 23 weeks will weigh almost half a kilo and measure about 28 cm long; think two luscious papaya’s!
It’s why you might be starting to feel their presence a lot more now.
Your Twins Fetal Development at 20 Weeks
Start talking mama, because we can hear you!
By week 20 your twins will be able to hear sounds clearly, react to loud noises, and identify the tone of your voice.
They’ll have started growing little hair all over their bodies and ultrasound can tell you what gender they are, if you want and if they are cooperating with the sonographer that is.
By week 22 they will have eyebrows and eyelids, but the irises of their eyes will not yet be colored. Week 23 will see little teeth buds in their gums growing.
What you might be wondering about this week
Getting Out & About with Twins
You might be starting to wonder if you will ever be able to leave the house with newborn twins.
Yes, it will be possible – albeit a little scary for your first few outings! The sooner you do it the easier it will be – less time to talk yourself out of it!
It will also be far less an ordeal if you are prepared and have the right gear to help make life easier to get out.
I have a great blog post for you on setting up the ultimate twin travel system based on my experience with my girls.
READ MORE: Setting up a Twin Travel System.
This brings me to……
Is my car large enough for Twins?
Twins mean big strollers, two car seats, two high chairs to take to Grandma’s, two bikes to take to the park, double the stuff you need to take on holiday….
So, you might want to start thinking about upgrading your car…… (sorry).
If you are stuck with knowing which cars are the best options for future twin parents, then just ask in our super helpful private Twins & More Facebook Group.
Thinking about names for Twins?
Settling on one name during your pregnancy is hard enough. Finding two names that both you and your partner love is no mean feat.
There are lots of fun things you can do with twin names.
Do you want them to have the same first letter? Rhyme? Or take a more Romeo and Juliet / Kane & Able approach?
Check out our article 7 Ways to Choose the Perfect Names for your Twins which includes the top 50 name combinations for each twin pairing.
You can also try asking in our super helpful private Twins & More Facebook Group to help you get some inspiration.
Happy searching.
What do I REALLY need to buy for Twins?
One of the things I struggled with when getting prepared for my girls’ arrival, was that I didn’t know what life with two babies was going to be like.
I knew it was going to be different from having one baby. So some of the products that are nice to have for parents with one baby, become more of an essential product for parents with two.
Products such as bouncers and breastfeeding pillows.
There are also so many variables with how teeny your babies are going to be when they are born which again can make certain products more essential such as breast pumps or newborn baby carriers to help with reflux.
I hope you have found this week’s Twin Pregnancy guide informative and helpful.
If you want to check out our 16 weeks pregnant with twins blog post, you can find it here.
I look forward to catching up again when you are around 24 weeks mama!
Take care and much love.
P.S. Want to receive a reminder email to come back and read the next post in this Twin Pregnancy series? Register for our Twin Pregnancy & Preparing for Twins emails and it will drop straight into your inbox.
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