Twins at home

Click: Twins – a homebirth with video.

Check this beautiful entry on Lisa Barrett’s blog.

When you are carrying twins there are lots of considerations when planning the care and kind of birth you want.

Most twins are born fantastically well when left alone but there are are some extra risks to a singleton and they are greater if the babies are monozygotic. These are putting into context well in an Article by Justine Caines who says “The risk of spontaneous abortion after amniocentesis is 1-2%. This test is routinely offered to women over 35 without any of the trappings of death and injury”

When discussing the care that a woman carrying twin would like, it’s important to consider that hospital care often includes many interventions and a conclusion that term is earlier than with a singleton so induction is a necessity and control often comes in the form of a necessary epidural, jelco insertion and continuous monitoring. In my experience Dizygotic twins tend to carry to term where as monozygotic are more likely to birth early.

Throughout pregnancy, input and information is essential so that birth happens where the woman feels most safe and able to prepare.

Read the rest and see the video at the link!