There is a quote that I have seen on many websites for mothers of twins that says “If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart”. I haven’t even given birth to my twins yet, and it already makes me tear up and smile.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, a nurse, or an expert. I am just someone who has had the exciting and fascinating experience of being pregnant with twins. Below are my thoughts and observations for those of you who have joined the MOMs (Mothers of Multiples).
Get Ready for the Comments
If you have gone public with your twin pregnancy, you have probably already noticed that some people have, let’s call it “interesting”, reactions to your situation. Here are some common questions and comments you will probably hear as well as some factual answers and snappy comebacks I have heard (and used):
| Annoying Comment/Question | Your response |
| "Twins!? I couldn’t do it – I’m glad it’s you and not me." | "I agree – we’re excited!" (stay positive) |
| "Get ready- you’re never going to sleep again." | No response – just smile and prove them wrong by getting your twins on a schedule. |
| "You’re HUGE!" | "That’s good – my babies are growing." |
| "Are they natural or did you use fertility medicine?" (do people not realize this is personal?) | "Yup – margaritas!" or if you really want to shut people up, say "No, we just had sex twice in one night" |
| "Are you going to go on bedrest?" | "I have no idea – that’s up to my doctor." |
| "Are you going to have to have a c-section?" | Same as the above. The truth is that 50% of twin deliveries in the U.S. are c-section compared to 30% of singletons. |
| "Do twins run in the family?" | "Now they do!"(or you can educate people – not many people know that fraternal twins are hereditary, not identical. I’ve even met identical twins who didn’t know that) |
My point is that some people just don’t have a filtering mechanism. I was surprised that a lot of these comments were made by women who are already mothers and should realize the inappropriateness and negativity of their comments. Just try to grin and bear it, and remember that you are the lucky one who was blessed with two babies. I found that the most encouraging, positive people were the ones who were already moms of twins.
