Your due date has finally arrived! Congratulations on making it to this exciting milestone.
Many folks deliver before their due date with multiples, but if your little ones wanted to wait, that’s typically fine. Your doctor will be keeping a close eye on your pregnancy at this stage, and your sweet babies will be here before you know it.
How are the babies?
Your little bundles are at their full birth size now, which is roughly the size of a watermelon. Their brains are still developing and will continue to do so rapidly during the first few years.
While carrying multiples to term is undeniably stressful on your body, you can breathe a sigh of relief that your babies’ lungs are fully developed, meaning they’re unlikely to need support breathing after delivery.
Their eyesight is still blurry, but it will grow sharper each month during the first year. They can clearly recognize your voice, though, so keep talking and singing to them. Soon, you’ll be able to do so with them in your arms!
Let’s plan ahead!
The first month with multiples is an exciting, exhausting time. If you have a partner, you’ll both need to have all hands on deck once your little ones arrive. Otherwise, it’ll be a good idea to rally as a support team to help you out with your babies.
Try to develop a game plan now about how you’ll divide feedings, diaper changes, and household tasks once your babies arrive. You can expect your babies to eat about every three hours and go through approximately 8 to 12 diapers each day. Download Ovia Parenting for newborn tracking and clinically backed answer to all your early parenting questions.
If you’re breastfeeding, remember it will take between 3 to 7 days for your mature milk to come in fully. During that time, your babies will be getting what they need through the colostrum (or early milk) expressed from your breasts. Formula feeding? Babies this age typically eat between 15-mL and 2 ounces at each feed.
You’ll have multiple check-ups with your babies during the first month. You can expect to visit the doctor at one week, two weeks, and four weeks. These appointments will assess your babies’ health, weight and allow you to present any questions or concerns you have to their provider.
It’s natural to feel anxious about finally meeting your babies, but you will rock parenthood just as you did pregnancy. We feel so lucky to have been part of your journey!
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Multifetal gestation: Twin, triplet, and higher order multifetal pregnancies.” National Guideline Clearinghouse. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, May 2014. Retrieved May 15 2021.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Twin pregnancy: What multiples mean for mom.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, December 13 2014. Retrieved May 15 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/twin-pregnancy/art-20048161.
- “FAQ: Multiple pregnancy.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, July 2015. Retrieved May 15 2021.
