What can you do to optimize your outcome?
Get in early with your doctor! If you have been diagnosed with a multiple pregnancy you are going to get to know your doctor very well! If you have been through infertility treatments, your RE (reproductive endocrinologist) will likely have a number of good references. Choose a doctor that you are comfortable with and that you feel will answer all your questions.
Eliminate any remaining bad habits! If you have been through infertility you have likely cleaned up your act pretty thoroughly already, but if there are any vices that linger, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, excessive caffeine intake, etc. now is the time to dispense with these!
Maximize your nutrition. You are going to want to gain a significant amount of weight, but make sure you do it gradually and by eating the right mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. You are also going to want to supplement iron, calcium and folic acid, and you are going to need to choose a supplement you can tolerate! (In another article, we'll talk about nausea of pregnancy!)
You are going to need plenty of rest and will likely end up on bed rest, so get a good bed! You may want to invest in a body pillow to help you position the body that you won't even recognize in a few months!
Get going on your nursery and stock up on supplies--you can't shop while you're on bed rest. Join TheTripletConnection this site has lots of discount codes and suggestions for stores with hard-to-find items. They also have used items for sale by other parents of multiples which can be very handy and save lots of money!
Get lots of film, or even better, a digital camera or video camera. There are also some very neat baby books which allow you to document your babies' progress in the NICU--a great site to check out is ComeUnity.com
Finally, you are going to want to start making plans at work. You will almost certainly be out of work by 20-24 weeks if you are carrying more than 2 babies. You may want to consider starting a home business! After all that hard work bringing those babies into the world, you may not be eager to leave them in someone else's care after they finally arrive. MyInternetBusiness is the business I chose that allows me to stay home with them while they are babies and still send them to college down the road!
