Having twins: What will the birth be like?
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The main thing about twin pregnancies is that they rarely go full term with most twins being born at around 37 weeks. Because of this the babies are often smaller and rarely get above 6lbs, making them more vulnerable. This can all sound quite scary but think of their small size as a plus point - they'll be easier to deliver.
A lot of twins can be born naturally providing that both the babies are facing the right way, head down. A common problem with twin births is that after baby number one pops out, baby two flips around on to their side which is referred to as 'breech'. If this does happen, it's sometimes possible to get them to turn round again and continue with a vaginal birth, but sometimes they will have to be born by Caesarean section.
You are likely to also be recommended to have an epidural to make the birth easier, but if you're really keen on having a natural birth then talk to your midwife about other options.
Because of their low birth weight, around 40% of babies will need to be kept in hospital after birth for monitoring, but it's often just precautionary.
By Charlotte Gunn
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