What do twins look like in the womb

Different fetal head sizes may indicate a potential problem in the pregnancy. Fetal development milestones: Fingernails are fully developed.

Eyelashes are forming and scalp hair continues to grow. What you're seeing: In this image you can see how the unborn babies' heads are touching in utero. The hand pointers that the sonographer has placed on the picture point out the babies' hair. At this point in development, unborn babies have been growing hair on their scalps for some time. While not every baby has hair on her head at birth , these two will have some curly locks! Weight, 2 pounds. Fetal development milestones: Lungs are continuing to develop, and your babies' livers are maturing.

Their immune systems are also strengthening. What you're seeing: Triplets! Marked with A, B, and C, this image captures three babies' heads in one image. It's very unusual for wiggly babies in utero to come together so that a sonographer can fit all three into the view screen. Looking at each head, you can see the bright white outline of the ossified, or hardening, skull bones.

As with marking twins in utero, the sonographer tags the baby closest to the cervix with an A, the next closest, B. That will also be the order in which the babies are born.

Fetal development milestones: Added brain tissue is developing, and your babies' scalp hair continues to grow. Your babies are gaining weight and opening their eyes. What you're seeing: At 28 weeks' gestation, your babies are beginning to get scrunched in their home inside your womb.

Although you can't see the membrane in this image, a thin wall separates the two babies. Here, the bright white lines represent ossified, or hardened, facial bones in each baby's head. You may notice that your babies' movements become more sluggish as they have less wiggle room. Weight, 6 pounds. Fetal development milestones: A big, healthy weight gain! All body systems are now developed and functioning. What you're seeing: Only a few more weeks until delivery day!

With a twin pregnancy , you're most likely to receive several ultrasounds to confirm that your babies are developing on schedule. As you near your babies' due date , your health care provider may request an ultrasound examination to check the babies' position in the uterus.

Here, the two babies are lying cheek to cheek with only a thin membrane separating them. All ultrasound images for this slideshow were provided by the sonographers of the Johns Hopkins Maternal-Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center. Also, health professionals will usually recommend that you give birth in a hospital, rather than in a birth centre or at home. Hospitals have the facilities needed to manage any complications of a twin pregnancy, like premature birth.

You might have more frequent ultrasounds than this. Antenatal appointments are a good chance to get health and lifestyle support if you need it. You can also get information about pregnancy, labour, birth and early parenting. Women with twin pregnancies are more likely to have pregnancy health problems and complications like gestational diabetes , pre-eclampsia , premature labour and bleeding.

Twins who share a placenta might have extra complications. Sometimes their blood supply is shared unequally, which can cause health problems for both twins. But you can reduce your risk of having them — or stop them from getting worse — by going to your antenatal appointments and telling your obstetrician, doctor or midwife if you have any physical symptoms or you feel that something is wrong.

Not all pregnancy health problems are physical. If you have emotional changes that last longer than two weeks or that get in the way of your daily life, it could be a sign of depression or another problem.

By now, your twins may be able to make grasping motions. During the third trimester, you may be feeling more aches and pains, but the end is in sight. Hang in there and read on! Hip and pelvic pain. This pain will likely go away after your babies are born, but if you feel any numbness in your feet or legs, let your healthcare provider know right away. Braxton Hicks contractions. You may start to feel contractions this trimester, but these do not necessarily mean you are going into labor!

These tightenings could be what are known as Braxton Hicks or false labor contractions. Braxton Hicks contractions help prepare your body for the real deal but don't open the cervix.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you're in any doubt about what you're feeling. Keep in mind, Braxton Hicks contractions usually occur irregularly, can stop when you change positions, and usually do not increase in intensity like true labor contractions do.

Extra blood flow to the pelvic region combined with the pressure of a larger uterus can result in hemorrhoids, which are painful veins around the rectum. Try to eat a high-fiber diet and take warm baths to help relieve any discomfort. Eyes open. Your twins may be able to open and close their eyes at around 28 weeks, and sense changes in light.

Much of their time will be spent in rapid eye movement REM sleep with the eyelids closed. Lanugo sheds. At 32 weeks of your pregnancy , your twin babies may start to shed the fine hair that's covered their body for several weeks now.

Brain development. Each baby's brain can now control body temperature, so your twins are less reliant on the amniotic fluid for warmth. Bones hardening. Your twins' bones continue to harden, but their skulls are still soft. This will allow them to pass through the birth canal more easily if you have a vaginal delivery. Leg swelling or pain. Fluid retention might be causing swelling in your legs and feet.

Try elevating your feet whenever you can. Sudden or severe swelling in your feet can also be a sign of preeclampsia, a potentially serious blood pressure disorder, so let your healthcare provider know if you have any concerns about swelling. If you're feeling extra tired, you've got the best excuse ever.

Being pregnant with twins can be draining! If you can, nap during the day and do some light exercise to keep your energy levels up. Deep vein thrombosis. Although it's not the most common condition among moms-to-be carrying twins, this blood clot disorder can occur if you've been placed on bed rest by your doctor. If you notice swelling in one leg, accompanied by pain in the calf and redness and warmth around the calf area, let your healthcare provider know right away.

Your provider can give you advice on how to minimize your risk of deep vein thrombosis. Vital organs continue to develop. Each baby's lungs are preparing to breathe outside the womb, and the circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are nearly completely developed. Your babies will continue to put on fat and gain weight. Most twin babies are born smaller than singletons, weighing on average 5.

There's no shame in your game if your partner lets you know that you've been snoring lately. There's not much to say about this phenomenon other than that it's possible your breathing changes toward the end of your pregnancy. You can try wearing nasal strips or using a humidifier at night. Difficulty moving. See all in Preschooler. See all in Life as a Parent. See all in Video.

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