Twins! 2e: Pregnancy, Birth and the First Year of Life

Those readers familiar with the ever-popular What to Expect When You're Expecting--a mainstay for first-time parents--will be delighted to see a similar format employed here. The pregnancy and birth chapters break down into chunks of gestational weeks, outlining basic fetal development, mom's changing body, and special "transitional" issues common to each trimester. These chapters are further enhanced by pencil illustrations of the mother's pregnant body (with a peekaboo view of the developing twins) and roundtable discussions involving the authors and a panel of twins' parents.

The book's second half delves into getting through that first, tough year. While ample information on labor and delivery overlaps both halves of the book, this second section spends more time focused on the growing babies and the challenges new parents face in their relationships with their children and with each other. Again, the roundtable discussions prove quite valuable; it's always nice to read encouraging words from those who have lived through preterm delivery, sleep deprivation, and older sibling regression. Growth charts and a helpful resource guide of organizations, periodicals, and retail outlets round out the package. --Liane Thomas

Product Description

Twins! is a comprehensive guide for all parents preparing for a multiple birth. It is filled with practical advice from specialists who work with expectant mothers and their twins every day.

From the moment the expectant mom knows she's getting more than she expected, Twins! provides complete information on pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience:

• Your relationship with your practitioner
• Pre-pregnancy planning
• Fetal and embryonic development
• Healthy weight gain for expectant mothers

Once the babies are born, Twins! sees the whole family through the exciting and challenging first year, examining such issues as:

• Sleeping and feeding schedules
• Your babies as individuals
• Redefining the family and supporting the needs of other children
• Survival tips for extra-busy parents
• Insightful roundtable discussions with other parents of twins

New in this second edition:

• Complimentary medical practices, including acupuncture, supplements and herbs—as well as current safety guidelines for the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications
• 3-D ultrasound images of developing twins
• What parents need to know about immunizations and their safety
• An up-to-date resource guide to twin-specific organizations, periodicals, and Internet links
• And much more!

Twins! gives you all the information you need to have a safe and sound twin pregnancy so you can concentrate on the joy of raising happy, healthy children.

Congratulations!