Follow Up to My Last Post

This is just a follow up to my last post:

I've been so knee-deep in a twin/multiple pregnancy for the last couple of months I forget sometimes that some of my blog readers might not know some of the ways a twin/multiple pregnancy is very different than a singleton pregnancy. So I just wanted to add to my average daily "food intake" list that I am in no way, shape or form thinking that I eat too much or gaining too much. According to the Go-To book for people expecting multiples, "When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads" by Dr. Barbara Luke:

• "For (expectant mothers of multiples) who have not given birth before, the uterus has not yet been stretched. Higher weight gain will help to ensure better fetal growth. Try to gain an additional 5-7 lbs as quickly as possible."
• If your (multiple) pregnancy was the result of infertility treatments: "you should aim to gain an additional 4-6 lbs during the first half of your pregnancy... evidence suggests that this extra weight can reduce the risk of miscarriage in pregnancies resulting from ART."
• "Your weight gain up to 28 weeks has the greatest influence on the babies' rate of growth (for twins)."
• "It becomes harder to gain weight as your pregnancy progresses- the bigger your babies grow, the less room there is for your stomach to expand... with multiples, the 40-week size arrives much sooner" (leaving hardly any room left for food much sooner than a singleton pregnancy)
• "You won't have a full 9 months in which to gain...(there is) less time you'll have to put on the needed lbs."
• And finally, the weight gain goal by 20 weeks is 25 lbs for twins (more than double the 12 lbs for a singleton, if you are wondering).

So, you see- I'm actually feeling really, really good about the 24 lb gain and what I've been eating to get there. It has been a challenge to find the time during the day to get it all in, and I've really had to work at it. I'm usually the kind of person who gets too busy to remember to eat. But now, I'm right on target for giving my babies the healthiest chance possible. Since I have a few factors against me that put me at a higher risk for pre-term birth (my 8+ hour a day, on my feet, never stop moving job, for one)- I knew this was one area I could really try to do my best. Dr. Barbara Luke says the weight gain goal by 28 weeks is 38 lbs... we'll see where I am around New Year's when I hit that marker!