12 Weeks Pregnant with Twins: Tips, Advice & How to Prep | Twiniversity #1 Parenting Twins Site

12 weeks pregnant with twins already? Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday the doctor told you the good news…wait, was it yesterday? No matter if you found out yesterday or weeks ago that you are expecting two buns in the oven instead of the traditional one, we welcome you to your new homepage.

Yup, go ahead and make us your homepage because Twiniversity is the largest website online that was created exclusively for parents of twins by parents of twins. We have over 10 years of stories, articles and fun facts about being a twin parent. We want to make you a quick promise, if you are feeling anxious about your upcoming arrives, we promise you, it will be the best thing that has ever happened in your life.

Maybe these are you’re 4 and 5th kids, we want to assure you that this will be a WHOLE different ball game and we know you’re going to knock it out of the park. This week we’ve compiled our best tips, tricks, facts and fun about being 12 weeks pregnant with twins, but please make sure you check us out on social as well.

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⬅ 11 Weeks Pregnant with Twins 👶👶
👶👶 13 Weeks Pregnant with Twins ➡

12 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

12 Weeks Pregnant Video

Our new digital twin pregnancy journal is up for sale on the Twiniversity Etsy store! This is the first and only digital journal exclusively for twin pregnancy. It’s the perfect way to record your precious twin pregnancy memories to cherish for years to come. Click here to learn more… and while you’re at it, check out our expecting twins classes and Twiniversity Shop!

What’s Going On With Those Twinnies?

Your twins each weigh about 0.5 oz, which is about the size of a plum.

This week your twins’ reflexes kick in. Fingers will soon begin to open and close, toes will curl, and mouths will make sucking movements.

To-Do List

Let your employer and co-workers know you are pregnant (if they haven’t already figured it out!). Depending on the season, it’s easier to hide your bump if you like too. Now is a good time to let the cat out of the bag though. If you haven’t told them and no one has asked because maybe they just think you are adding a few extra lbs to your frame because of all that office birthday cake, now is a good time to just get it out there. Wear a tight maternity dress to work one day and let your bump hang free! Go for it. The office will go nuts.
Learn about your company’s maternity leave policy and your partner’s paternity leave policy. It’s never too soon to find this out. You also should investigate what their short/long term disability policy is in case you need to go on bed rest.
Start a savings plan. Yes, we know, you have a lot of stuff to buy. But, hopefully, you’ve worked on your budget and in that budget was a line item called “savings”. Even if you can save $10 a week, it’s a really smart habit to get into. This fund can be for fun baby stuff or future family vacations. But save!

5 Tips for a Better 12th Week

Soak in a warm bath with epsom salts to relieve pain. Be careful getting in and out. Your center of gravity might be changing a bit and you may need an assist to avoid a slip.
Drink one gallon of water a day to help avoid preterm labor. YIKES! Did we say a gallon? Yup, we did. Don’t make a face, just chug chug, chug! Water is your bff and such an important factor in any pregnancy, especially a twin pregnancy.
Anything with ginger helps nausea – ginger tea, ginger ale, and ginger candy are just a few to try.
Use weekends to prep for healthy meals and snacks. Keep a snack with you that you’ll enjoy, not one that you’ll pass in favor of fast food. As they say, failing to prepare, is preparing to fail. If you don’t have good stuff around, you might reach for junk. WAIT, don’t misunderstand, some junk is great to eat too, but make sure you balance it with stuff that good for you and the babies, not just your tastebuds.
Exercise when you’re up for it–even just a walk or some stretching. If you wear a smart device or have a smart phone, set it so it gives you a reminder to just move your body. If you have a desk job, just make sure that you write the alphabet with your feet every hour or so. What we mean is just sit back, get your feet off the floor and use your toes to write the letters of the alphabet in the air. That will help a lot with circulation.

Advice From Other Twin Moms

You’ve almost made it through your first trimester! CONGRATULATIONS! It’s all seeming even more real and I know you’re super excited. And risk of miscarriage drops by a lot now, so that’s always reassuring news. – Emily B., Jacksonville, AR
As a mom of a 1 year old with twins on the way, try not to obsess over how your first child will adjust. I’m not sure how it’s going to go at my house but I will love them all. We are all going to be okay! – Leila G., Franklin, TN
Stay active if you can and ask your doctor what exercises that you are allowed to do. Walking helps out so much with exhaustion and nausea. – Sarah, Gladstone, OR
Start shopping for daycare if you’re going to need that. – Anonymous

Got twins? Us too! The Twiniversity Podcast with Natalie Diaz was created BY parents of twins FOR parents of twins, from your pregnancy days through your twin’s teenage years, this podcast covers it all. It’s all about parenting twins, offering plenty of strategies for making life better, parenting hacks, and, of course, humor. We are laughing WITH you every step of the way.

Concerns Other Twin Moms Had

Am I overdoing or under doing it? I don’t wanna overdo it, but I also don’t want to under do it either. Exercise and whatnot is supposed to help. I don’t want to gain too much weight (or not enough.)
Is development happening as it should?
My decreased appetite
I am only 12 weeks but I look as big as I did at 20 weeks with my first singleton pregnancy. Is this healthy? I have not gained more than 5 pounds so far but I feel huge and uncomfortable.
Am I eating enough for the twins? Am I eating too much? How can I determine a nutrition plan?
Planning for expenses for twins
Registering for all the stuff that is needed

Questions Twin Moms Had for Their Doctor

Can I use a heating pad for soreness?
When should I tell my boss is my estimated maternity leave date compared to due date?
What exercise is it okay to do when pregnant with twins?
I’m feeling LOTS of “flutters” is this normal?
Do I need to cook my eggs to complete doneness before eating them?
Can I have my tubes tied when I go in for a c-section?
Am I allowed a glass of wine or should I refrain completely from all alcohol?
Do I need to up my regular dose of prenatal vitamins?
Any specific foods that are helpful for the baby’s development at this time?
When should I start using stretch mark cream and how often each day?
Should I still experience mild cramping? The muscles around my stomach hurt in different positions that I lay in; is this normal?

Typical Tests That Are Done

Chorionic villus sampling (or CVS) is an optional test and is typically offered between weeks 10-13 of pregnancy, when the test results might have a significant impact on the management of the pregnancy. Chorionic villus sampling can reveal whether a baby has a chromosomal condition, such as Down syndrome, or other genetic conditions, such as cystic fibrosis. Ultimately, the decision to have chorionic villus sampling is up to you. Your health care provider or genetic counselor can help you weigh all the factors in the decision.

Typically, first trimester screening is done between weeks 11 and 14 of pregnancy. First trimester screening is a prenatal test that offers early information about a baby’s risk of certain chromosomal conditions — Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and extra sequences of chromosome 18 (trisomy 18). First trimester screening includes a blood draw and an ultrasound exam.

Product Recommendations

Bellaband Pants Extender

Maternity Yoga Pants

Maternity Jeans

Best Cradle – Maternity Support Belt

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Tummy Butter & Stretch Mark Massage Lotion

Rachel’s Remedy Breastfeeding/Sore Breast Relief Packs

Digital Twin Pregnancy Journal

Snoogle Pregnancy Pillow

Boppy Pregnancy Wedge

Boppy Pregnancy Support Pillow

Check out this list of more Must Have Pregnancy Products You Need Right Now

Check out all our Twiniversity merch in our SHOP! We’ve got twin mom and dad t-shirts, twin planning printables, lactation support, twin baby shower planners & games, a digital twin pregnancy journal, and so much more! Start shopping now

An excerpt from “What To Do When You’re Having Two“

Selecting an OB/GYN

When your pregnancy is first confirmed by a doctor, it will probably be your primary doctor, your gynecologist, or perhaps even a fertility specialist, but what then? Well, it’s time to find yourself a good obstetrician. How do you do that? A lot of this depends on where you live. First of all, you may have been planning to get pregnant and already found an OB that you like. Congratulations, you can skip to the next section. Otherwise, here are my best tips for selecting you and your babies’ first doctor.

Get a Referral

You can make this very easy for yourself and have your current gynecologist make a referral for you, perhaps to someone else in her practice. This is not only convenient, but saves a lot of time because they will already have your complete medical history in their files. If you find out that you need a high risk doctor because of predetermined factors in your pregnancy (or perhaps discovered the need for a high risk doc in past pregnancies) your gynecologist or obstetrician can help you choose one that is best for you…

REMINDER: Don’t forget to take a belly shot!

Belly Photos at 12 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

Ultrasound Photos at 12 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

Articles You Should Read This Week

Finding the Humor Through Those Twin Pregnancy Days

10 Tips to Deal with a Summer Twins Pregnancy

5 Tips to Manage an Irritable Uterus with a Twins Pregnancy

Videos to Check Out

Register for Class

Have you taken your expecting twins class yet? We offer a great class on demand so you can take it on your own schedule! There are so many video modules covering everything from your twins’ baby registry to your first week at home with twins! Sign up today to get started before your twins arrive.

Want to get weekly emails about your twin pregnancy? Sign up for the Twiniversity email list! Subscribe today to get emails about giveaways, events, weekly article roundups, and more! We’ll be sending you a weekly twin pregnancy email to keep you on track with your pregnancy to-do list! Click here to learn more… and while you’re at it, check out our expecting twins classes and personal twin parent coaching services.

⬅ 11 Weeks Pregnant with Twins 👶👶
👶👶 13 Weeks Pregnant with Twins ➡