Conceiving twins!

[TTC5]

Be careful what you wish for, ladies. I swayed for twins (not realizing it - we happen to eat alot of sweet potatos and yams that month) and I ended up with a highly complicated triplet pregnancy and lost two of them...I am still overcoming my depression and have major GD because I can't help feeling I lost my girls.

So sorry to hear that

[fourunderfour]

would i make you all upset if i asked if there was a way to avoid not having twins, if you have some of those factors?!

you see, i have them. I LOOOOOOVE THEM. but one set is enough.
my twins came at 32 weeks. i went into PTL at 28 weeks. was on bedrest for a month.
praise God they are 100% healthy - spent 4 weeks in the NICU as "feeder/growers" - but it was still so challenging!

i'm aware my chances will be much higher since I need to do follistim, and that i am taking vitex (AS, i've been taking 2 pills, 2x/day per bottle instructions - is that too much?!)
would you, AS, (knowing some HT stuff) suggest that I only continue with a cycle if there is 1 egg that is released? I mean, i've read that some people release like 4 and dont get pregnant at all...but i seem to be able to get pregnant quickly, just am unable to ovulate on my own.

thoughts, if any?!

[atomic sagebrush]

No, not at all! I think that's a fine question four!! We should always keep in mind that twins are a lot riskier than single pregnancies and happy endings don't happen for everyone. Even when they do, it's tough!!

The problem is, none of the things (aside from Clomid) that I mentioned in that essay are terribly effective. Esp. when you're dealing with HT drugs - they are so strong that they can overcome most everything. We've had tons of ladies on vitex and the only twins we've had have been in a couple people on Clomid, and then a set of ID twins (Vitex can only cause fraternal twinning, not ID) I would not have you stop the vitex, I think it can help you both with ovulating and with your sway.

I think you should still continue with the cycle even if you have more than one follie, simply because I've seen so many failed IUI cycles with 3 and 4 cycles. Just because it happened for you guys once, there's no guarantee it will happen again (both on getting pregnant easily, and also the twinning.) I understand the temptation and it's your call to make - I'm not sure how badly you want to avoid twins and also how big a hurry you're in to conceive.

What I would do is avoid full fat dairy and stick to a lower dose folic acid (800 rather than higher) until after your BFP.

[fourunderfour]

Thanks AS. I don't think I really eat any full fat dairy. I might have a cup of 1% milk in a smoothie from time to time - but my cheese is always reduced fat, and the yogurt i eat is nonfat. Haven't eaten much ice-cream lately at all - but I know to stick to frozen yogurt.
I actually have only been doing 800mg of folic acid, so that's good to know.

I'm not in a huge hurry to conceive...but the ups and downs are very hard, so I could see me get antsy after a few months.
That being said, I really don't want twins again.... Oh my poor body!! haha.
Lets put it this way - I think I'd rather have a singleton son than twin girls.
And that's saying a lot!
I will of course, explain my concern for twinning to my RE and hopefully she will be able to help me decide what to do.
I'm sure they could put me on a lower dosage this go around. Especially since they have a history with me and know what they did the first time. A reference point is always good.
I was super excited to get pregnant the last time and thought twins would be fun!
When i found out it was two, I giggled for a few days as we told everyone, but then panic set in! haha
Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger! (...and quite a bit heavier... )
A friend of mine did follistim with TI just after I had my twins and had only one follie and got preg the first time.
She's got a mild case of PCOS and her hubby checks out fine -so it gives me a little hope!

speaking of my twins...they're both in their cribs screaming.
g2g!
thanks again, as always.

[atomic sagebrush]

Good idea - your RE will def. be able to tweak things and give you advice regarding number of follicles!!

Hang in there, Mama!!

[The Anchor]

I would LOVE twins. How fun would that be? Pregnancy has always been the least fun part for me, so two babies in one shot would be AWESOME!

[Praying4Pink]

I must admit twins are tempting especially since we believe I had twins with my first pregnancy it was never confirmed. We just couldn't explain my m/c type bleeding at 12 weeks and additional sac in my uterus when I delivered. There were a LOT of strange circumstances surrounding that pregnancy. At any rate I come from a family of twins (runs on both sides). Ironically my best friend just found out she is pregnant with twins! I will be happy if I just get my baby girl this go round.

[atomic sagebrush]

Praying4Pink, if you had a m/c type bleeding at 12 weeks and an extra sac then you almost certainly were carrying twins. That's almost exactly what happened to me in my 4th pg - I had what I thought was AF, totally normal, even a bit heavier than normal, and then swayed for several weeks taking supps and doing a strict diet and thought I got pg the next month. I was actually pg the entire time with my surviving son (which is why I always stress to everyone to take a pregnancy test even if they are 100% sure they're not pg). I had two placentas and only one sac, but the doctor explained that the sac may have been there and then passed with the baby.

The twin's placenta was right on my cervix and it was about 2/3 the size and much darker and rattier-looking than my son's placenta which was big and healthy and normal looking. There was a tiny hole between the two that he had just barely managed to pass through - I was really lucky that I didn't have to have a c-section. Even when the twin pregnancy doesn't work out, it can still cause a high risk situation unfortunately.

[Praying4Pink]

Atomic, the body is so strange! I mean deep down I really do believe that I had twins in there but we will never know now. The bleeding at 12 weeks was so bad I ended up in the emergency room. Not to give you TMI...but it was a gush and it never stopped until a day or so later. At that point, I just wanted the one that I KNEW was in there to be fine. It is very important to take pregnancy tests though...I am a POAS-aholic! You just never know...

On another note I see that you are almost there! 62 days is not long at all. So exciting!!

[atomic sagebrush]

Thanks! It feels like an eternity!