Nine Months : Delivering Twins

* If you're carrying twins, you may go into labour prematurely as the womb gets very stretched with two babies.

* It is important that twins be delivered in the hospital as opposed to being delivered at home. This is because forceps may be required during delivery.

* There will be a larger medical team present during delivery especially two paediatricians, one for each baby.

* Babies will be more closely monitored during labour.

* You will be given a drip just in case it is needed later.

* An epidural is usually recommended.

* Labour consists of the usual three stages except that there are two second stages, one to deliver each baby.

* Labour may be easier and less painful with twins because twins tend to be smaller.

* Once the first baby is born, the midwife will feel your abdomen and do an internal examination to determine the position of the baby. If the baby is in a favourable position to be born, the membranes will be punctured and the second baby will be delivered soon after that. The cervix is already fully dilated, so everything will happen fairly quickly. If contractions do stop after the first delivery, they may be started again artificially by adminstering hormones through the drip.

* If the twins share the same placenta, both babies may be born one after the other followed by the placenta.

* If each baby has its own placenta, both may still be born first one after the other, followed by the two placentae. Sometimes, one baby may be born first followed by its placenta, then the other baby and its placenta.