Tick Tock Twin Clock: Pregnancy Timeline and Taskers
The clock is ticking. Gestation for a normal pregnancy is around 40 weeks. Most people find out they are pregnant at around 6 weeks, which gives you approximately 34 weeks of planning and prep before D-Day. If you are lucky enough to be pregnant with twins, you probably have more like 29 weeks to get ready for twinpocalypse as the average delivery takes place at 35 weeks. Eeeek! Are you really going to get it all done? What needs to be done and when? How do I know where to start?
Rest assured my friends, you will have plenty of time to get the essentials covered before your double blessings make their debut. We at TwinGo have put together a helpful timeline to keep you on track and ready to go. There are a few things to keep in mind as you are ticking off your pregnancy to do list. Understand that a twin pregnancy moves faster than a singleton pregnancy in two ways. The chances of delivering earlier are probable, so the actual length of your pregnancy could be shortened. In addition, because you are growing two or more babies, you will likely experience the end of pregnancy symptoms much sooner (and those beginning of pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness might linger for longer than you would like). Feeling tired, large, and uncomfortable will sneak in well before the third trimester, making it tough to stay on task. Thus, that golden second trimester energy burst might be more like an energy bleep.
If this is starting to send you into panic mode, remember this – some list tasks are essential and some are not. Figure out what absolutely needs to be taken care of. Get that done when you can muster up the energy and before you start worrying about whether your hand stitched Etsy blankets will be there in time for the newborn photo shoot. Prioritize. With all this in mind, here is a general timeline for all you master planner mommas-to-be:
Week 6 through Week 12
- Establish pre-natal care you are happy with (changing later can be difficult
- Calendar due date and potential zone of delivery
- Purchase and begin reading twin pregnancy/parenting books
- Establish healthy diet and reasonable exercise routine
- Consider breaking pregnancy news around Week 12 to your employer (develop a maternity leave action plan and late pregnancy contingency plan if complications arise; will vary)
- Find a multiples club to join for support
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Week 13 through Week 20Â
- Research and choose a pediatrician to get established with
- Attend a birthing class at your hospital
- Have D-Day plan finalized and accessible to others (hospital information and policies, insurance information and coverage, birth plan outlined, childcare for older children, pet care, doula, post-partum care/help especially if C-Section anticipated, emergency contacts)
- Research and select newborn care providers if required
- Research and plan for updates to legal documents (wills, life insurance policies, savings accounts)
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Week 21 through Week 29Â
- If purchasing a larger vehicle, consider this now
- Attend baby shower (preferable sometime between 20 and 25 weeks)
- Decorate the nursery
- Stock up on newborn essentials (diapers, onesies, swaddle blankets, etc.)
- Stock your freezer and pantry (and set up any online/grocery deliveries you plan to use post-partum; doubling up on dinner portions and freezing the leftovers is a timesaver)
- Book your newborn photographer if you choose to use one
- Take your babymoon if you are feeling up to it
- Start packing hospital bag
Week 30 and Beyond
- Essential items should be purchased and ready for D-Day (car seats, crib or bassinets, swaddle blankets, bottles, burp clothes, newborn diapers/wipes, breast pump and breast-feeding accoutrement)
- Hospital bag should be finished
- Review your D-Day plan with your friends and family
- Have your name ideas gathered (this can even wait until after your twinzies arrive but a working list is a good place to start if you haven’t nailed it down early on)
- Enjoy some last-minute date nights with your significant other
We at TwinGo realize this list is not exhaustive and will vary considerably, but hopefully it will give you a big picture of the things you may be considering as you get ready for your big day. This is a time that can be both overwhelming and amazing. Get done what you can, and if it is non-essential, don’t stress over it. Ask for help when you need it, and have fun with your nesting. Rest up and remember, newborns don’t really need much beyond your love, time and attention.
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