When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads 4th Edition: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy

I thought this book was the single most useful book I read during my twin pregnancy. I have not found such a clear, concise and well-organized source of information on such topics as how much weight is necessary and healthy for an expectant MOM (mother of multiples) to gain, what a NICU is, who works there and what they do, premature babies and the problems they might have, EXACTLY what to expect if you have a surgical delivery, and most importantly, the special precautions that expectant MOMs should take throughout their pregnancies. Reading this book helped me take the best possible care of my unborn babies and myself, not to mention making the most of my prenatal appointments, by educating me in detail on topics that other twin books only brushed across. When complications occurred I was prepared for them, I knew what was going on, and so I didn't panic. I did develop some potentially serious problems, gestational diabetes for me and IUGR for one of my sons (and no, I didn't develop diabetes from eating junk food; I have a family history of Type II diabetes). Despite these difficulties, I carried my identical twin sons to 37 weeks, and they weighed 5 pounds 5 ounces and 7 pounds 3 ounces at birth. My doctor later told me that overall, I had one of the healthiest twin pregnancies she had ever seen-normal blood pressure, no anemia, very few preterm contractions, no bed rest, and two healthy babies who were discharged to go home with me. I think the crash course in high-risk obstetrics that I got from reading this book is one of the chief reasons why.I have read two major criticisms of this book from fellow reviewers. The first is that the tone is unnecessarily frightening. The second criticism was that the book offers advice on diet that is not, shall we say, orthodox. At least one reviewer complained that this book advised pregnant MOMs to "lay around and eat cheeseburgers all day," and that "apparently everything brings on contractions." I would counter that the expectant MOM who will benefit most from the repetition of warnings about preterm labor is the woman who thinks that just because she's pregnant with 2,3 or 4 babies doesn't mean she shouldn't carry on in her usual Superwoman style. There is a perception, especially among younger, college-educated women, that any doctor who advises a pregnant mother to slow down and limit her physical activities is a neo-Victorian throwback who thinks that pregnancy is a disease. As the first among my girlfriends to get pregnant, I heard a lot of this sort of talk. My (childless) workout buddy even tried to convince me to ignore my OB's orders and exercise anyway! The fact remains that even for a healthy, fit, woman, a multiple pregnancy carries higher risks for mother and babies than a single pregnancy does. By all means think for yourself: if your doctor advises restrictions on your activities, or changes in your diet, you should certainly ask why. Likewise, if you disagree with the

When I got pregnant with twins, I searched every available resource on the topic. I bought five books most of which discussed issues like names and whether or not to dress your twins alike. I read those books in about two hours and got very little information. I read this book cover-to-cover about ten times! Since I had some minor complications at the end of my first singleton pregnancy, I only imagined the worst with this pregnancy. This book is unlike any other twin pregnancy book. The number one goal of this book is to help you carry those babies as long as possible. The longer those babies stay inside, the higher likelihood of having healthy babies. This books details warning signs of premature labor, tips for getting the most out of what you eat (cheeseburgers are not off limits), reducing morning sickness, and in-depth descriptions of the NICU. If the story about the co-author's twins doesn't convince you to take better care of yourself, this book has comparison pictures of head circumference and feet prints at various stages of pregnancy just to illustrate how small a premature baby really is. This book does highlight many problems associated with prematurity, the leading problem with twin pregnancies. If you are approaching your twin pregnancy with an open mind and the understanding that you may delivery early, this book will help you take a very active role in reducing many of your risks.I credit Dr Luke and Tamara Eberlein with the fact that I delivered twin girls at 38 1/2 weeks (scheduled c-section after I begged my doctor to 'get these babies out!' after I still hadn't gone into labor). My girls were 7 lbs 6 oz and 6 lbs 11 oz. They left the hospital with me after 3 days. My nurse told me that I was one of the most hydrated person that she had ever seen. I told her that Dr Luke's book told me to drink drink drink as much water as possible and I did. The nurse told me that it was probably a factor in having such a lengthy twin pregnancy. Good Luck!!

I have several of the leading books that cover twin and supertwin pregnancy, and this is by far the best of them all. First, this is one of only a handful of books devoted primarily to multiple pregnancy, as opposed to what you do with the babies once they are born. It therefore covers in much greater depth issues like special dietary requirements for multiples, signs of preterm labor, how to cope with bedrest, and more. I bought this book shortly after my multiples were diagnosed because I didn't want advice on whether to give the babies rhyming names or let them sleep in the same crib -- I wanted guidance on how to get through my high-risk pregnancy with as few complications as possible, so that I would be able to go home with two healthy babies. And this book does an excellent job of educating you about potential problem areas (without being unduly scary) and more importantly, listing concrete and do-able things that will maximize your chances of avoiding these problem areas. Second, this is one of the few pregnancy books that isn't patronizing, cloying in tone or hopelessly dumbed down. The authors clearly respect their audience and this comes through in the style and tone. Third, this book is written by people who know of what they speak: a physician who runs a moms of multiples clinic at a well-regarded teaching hospital, and a medical journalist who has twins herself. Also, anecdotes taken from real moms who survived multiple pregnancy are interspersed throughout, giving excellent tips and helping reduce that "I'm a freak" feeling one can get when instead of having a blissful trouble-free pregnancy, one has to deal with serious medical issues. If you are pregnant with twins or supertwins, you owe it to yourself and your babies to read this book and discuss it with your doctor.

This book is worth its weight in gold. I was shocked to find out I was having twins and came across this book which opened my eyes to how different a multiple pregnancy is from a singleton pregnancy. I read and reread this book during my pregnancy and even read it now after the twins have arrived - it was a fabulous resource on everything from my emotional state to how and what to eat to how to survive once the twins arrive (I am surviving just fine!) to how to eat while breastfeeding multiples. I truly believe that this book and the information in it played a large part in me carrying my twins to 35 1/2 wks and them being born large (6 lb 1 oz and 6 lb 3 oz) and healthy. I urge you to get this book if you're expecting more than one baby - you need to understand what is going on in your body and understand how important nutrition and rest is for your growing babies - Dr. Luke explains it all in a way that is easy to understand and comprehend. Good luck!

When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I looked to pregnancy books to help, but they approached twins as "a little extra pregnant". It wasn't until this book that I started REALLY knowing how to care for myself and my 2 babies. It saved my pregnancy and my sanity. A MUST! For example, the worshipped "What to expect when you're expecting" books gave me absolute INCORRECT information regarding exercise, diet, weight gain, working... and I spent the first part of my pregnancy miserable that I was losing weight and feeling awful. Something in my gut told me that 10 pounds in the first half of the pregnancy wasn't enough for twins. Also, the diet they wanted me to follow was making me throw up every day. My body, again, told me to just eat whatever I could keep down, but "THE BOOK" made me feel guilty about even LOOKING at a cheeseburger. Well, again, THANK GOD I found Dr. Luke and Tamara's book. It confirmed everything I'd already felt was right. Plus, it is written with a great positive attitude with so much encouragement. I would not be having such a healthy pregnancy without it. I will never stop being grateful for this book! I've told so many people about it and am happy to spread the word. READ IT READ IT READ IT!