‘eat me!’ from the deli that day. Should anyone ever question you on the size of that cheese sandwich you are about to put in your mouth, just remind them that you are ‘eating for three’.
The first three months
The most important eating time is the first three months, when the babies are, literally, being created. This is when the nutrient factor is most crucial. Do not fret if you are among the many twin mothers who suffer from morning sickness. Multiple mothers tend to have a higher level of pregnancy hormone in their blood so they experience more nausea and vomiting than their singleton friends.3 Paradoxically, if you suffer from bad morning sickness and can’t keep the food down for long, this won’t affect the babies’ eventual birth weight. It’s the nutrients they are after, not the fat. And they will take the nutrients from your own body’s supply if you don’t provide them (get used to it, it goes with the territory). Mothers with morning sickness should be heartened by the research showing that sufferers have babies with better overall outcomes. Studies suggest that vomiting may stimulate early placental growth.
If you feel tired and sluggish in the first three months, but not nauseous, remember that your body is making two babies and extra blood volume. For twins you can expect a 75 per cent increase in your blood volume (for triplets there’s a 100 per cent increase).4 Add to this the fact that a mother pregnant with twins can carry up to 20 pints of water more than a mother of a singleton during her pregnancy, and you can see why you have a perfect excuse to take to your bed at 8pm. Things will ease up in the second trimester, your metabolism will go into high gear, and the weight you gain will all go towards making healthy babies.
Just say ‘no!’ to the calorie counters
Personally, as a poor maths student, the calorie-counting view of the world has never appealed. It turns a sensuous experience, eating, into a tax return. Also, for twin pregnancies, I’ve noticed that the number of calories suggested by ‘experts’ varies wildly. In my own twin book library, the figures range from 2,700 calories to 3,500 per day. However, if calorie counting helps you to feel in control, aim for somewhere in the middle.
My main beef against calorie counting is that it puts you in the frame of mind of dieting, which is the wrong thing to do when pregnant. Also, anything that limits your intake of food (‘I’ve eaten my 3,500 calories today, I should stop now and just drink water’) should be avoided. This is your time for growing the babies, so enjoy it. No other vices are possible in pregnancy (you may get away with lust for a few weeks, but the wolf whistles will disappear by that last trimester), so you may as well indulge in gluttony.
One mother of twins was told by a nurse that she was gaining weight too fast and should stop drinking milk. When she told her husband, he opened the fridge door, took out a two-pint carton and handed it to her. She drank the whole lot on the spot. Don’t listen to any jealous nurses or doctors on the subject. Listen to your body. If you are hungry, it is for a good reason.
Never weigh yourself during pregnancy
Another trick in pregnancy is to never ever weigh yourself. If the midwife wanted to weigh me at the checkup, I asked her to put it in kilos, and my mathematical dyslexia ensured that it stayed a mystery. I found the best place to put my scales was in the loft until the babies’ first birthday. And if you plan to breastfeed for longer, chuck the scales out and buy some new ones when you are ready.
If, however, you are wedded to weight-gain issues, American charts suggest the following:
Use these figures only if they help you feel more comfortable about your weight gain.
Why tons of fruit and veg are a good idea
Recent research6 also suggests that eating plenty of fruit and veg before and during pregnancy may protect against pre-eclampsia. This condition, which is a little more common in twin pregnancies and often appears in the final stages of pregnancy, is characterized by high blood pressure and swelling (my midwife always used to tell me ‘if you can’t get your wedding band off, call me’). Pre-eclampsia is a treatable but serious concern for pregnant mothers, and can sometimes necessitate an early delivery. It has to be monitored because, left untreated, it can eventually affect the function of liver and kidneys. Routine urine tests during pregnancy check for a type of protein which indicates pre-eclampsia.
New research shows that an underlying factor in pre-eclampsia is damage to blood vessels caused by destructive molecules called free radicals. In theory, upping the intake of nutrients that combat free-radical damage – such as vitamin C, found naturally in fruit and veg – may help to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. Another reason to gorge yourself at the greengrocers.
Why fish is also good
There is no dispute that well-fed women seem to make healthier babies with higher birth weights. What is news is recent research from Danish scientists reported in the British Medical Journal which suggests that women who eat a diet rich in fish are nearly four times less likely to give birth prematurely. Among 8,700 pregnant women surveyed, 7.1 per cent who never ate fish had a premature delivery, yet only 1.9 per cent of fish-eaters did. This is quite a significant finding for twin mothers, whose babies are usually assumed to be premature. So get baking that fish pie.
What can’t I eat?
Raw fish, such as sushi, is to be avoided. It increases your risk of exposure to salmonella, parasites and hepatitis A infection that can damage your liver. Similarly, you should avoid uncooked eggs and unpasteurized cheeses. Finally, peanuts (which aren’t actually nuts but beans) are still a controversial food item, because some experts believe that including them in your diet sensitizes the baby to peanut allergy. There is no definitive study to show this, but it’s best to avoid them and err on the side of caution.
If you do eat or have already eaten any of the above by mistake, as I have during both my pregnancies, do not panic. Remember that you come from a long line of genetically-fit ancestors, and your pregnant forebears probably feasted happily on Stilton crawling with maggots and boiled boar’s head.
What the experts say
Suzannah Olivier, author of Eating for a Perfect Pregnancy (Simon & Schuster Pocket Books) has the following advice to offer twin mothers:
‘The important thing in any pregnancy, particularly a twin pregnancy, is to eat ‘nutrient dense’ food. Everything provides nutrients, bar sugar, which is empty calories and gives energy without providing nutrients.
‘The other thing is to have more calories than
