The goal is close, although it may feel like there is still a long journey ahead. Twin pregnancies are normally shorter than if you were to carry one child, as 50% of all twin births occur around week 37+0.

It may feel like forever, but you are nearing the end! The last trimester is here, and at the end of this period you will finally get to meet your little babies. One consolation for those expecting twins is that you often don’t go further than week 38+0. But it can be good to be aware that twins often choose to come out earlier than that, 50% are born before week 37+0.

During the third and last trimester, expecting twins can start to feel heavy. It can be a good idea to start slowing down and many people expecting twins actually go on sick leave. Pregnant people may start to feel big and heavy, which is because the belly at week 30 for a mother of twins may be as big as the belly at week 40 for someone expecting just one baby. As a pregnant woman, you may experience pain in your pelvic bone as well as swelling, and at that point, it’s simply time to start slowing down and to rest. It is hard to be pregnant and even harder when expecting two small babies, therefore it is good for couples to take as much pressure off the pregnant person as possible. When you are expecting twins, it is more common to get back pain, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and sleep problems, especially towards the end of the pregnancy.

When pregnant with twins, anemia (iron deficiency) is also more common, and this can lead to you feeling extra tired as a pregnant person, but your levels will be checked by your midwife throughout the pregnancy. It is common during pregnancy that you need extra iron supplements, but if you still feel extremely tired, talk to your midwife. Even if the third trimester makes you feel heavy and tired, it’s often good to keep moving every day, but it’s important to keep listening to your body when it can’t take it anymore.

During the last trimester, you will see a doctor to plan the upcoming birth. It’s about 50/50 whether you plan for a vaginal birth or a C-section. Reasons that can determine how the planning for your birth looks like are how the twins are positioned in the uterus and if you have given birth before, as previous birth methods can determine future planning. An ultrasound scan is used to check the babies and their condition can determine the choice of delivery method. If you go for a vaginal delivery, the opening phase is similar to that of someone expecting one baby. In the maternity ward, a midwife and a nurse usually take care of the expectant parents and are responsible for the process going forward. The babies are continuously monitored with CTG, which checks the babies’ heart rate. Then, when it’s time for baby number one to be born, your delivery team will get bigger. There are usually two midwives in the room, one to two obstetricians, a paediatrician and two assistant nurses.

After baby number one is born, the doctor or midwife helps guide baby number two down so that it doesn’t end up on its side. The baby’s position is often checked using an ultrasound. The uterus can now take a break before it’s time for baby number two to be born. How long it takes is individual and the baby will be monitored with CTG in the meantime. If the baby seems unwell or is taking its time, it may be appropriate to end the labour with the help of a ventouse, forceps or a C-section.

A C-section can be planned, emergency or immediate. With a planned C-section, the expectant parents are given a date, often arriving the same morning for the delivery. There will be more staff on site: two midwives per baby, two assistant nurses, an obstetrician and paediatrician. In most planned C-sections, you are awake and a spinal anaesthetic is administered, which means that you are numb from a bit above the navel downwards. The stomach is washed and a curtain is set up between the expectant parents and the operating staff. You will also be given a urinary catheter because you cannot control your bladder yourself. Before the start of the operation, the obstetrician tests that the anaesthesia has taken effect. The babies often come out quickly and are received by a midwife who shows the babies straight to the parents.

If the children need a little help at the start, paediatricians are on hand to see how the children are doing outside the womb. The obstetrician then sews up the surgical incision, and after that you are taken to the recovery room, where you will regain feeling in your legs before you can go on to the regular maternity ward.

An emergency C-section is done in the same way, it needs to happen a little faster but there is often time for preparation and brief information to be given beforehand.

With an immediate C-section, everything goes very quickly and the person giving birth is often put to sleep. With this option, however, there is not much time for information to given, and as a parent you instead receive the information after the birth. This option is used if the children in the womb are in danger, or if the person giving birth is unwell or has complications of some kind. Since you know beforehand which method of delivery is planned for you, it’s worth reading up on it. If you plan for a vaginal birth, however, you should always be prepared for the possibility of a C-section.