At 8 weeks pregnant with twins, you've likely seen (or will soon see) your babies on an ultrasound. Pregnancy symptoms at this time include morning sickness, bloating, food cravings or distaste, fatigue, breast changes, frequent urination, and increased vaginal discharge. Your twin babies will soon be considered fetuses and are developing quickly. They now have hearts that pump blood, developing brains and spinal cords, and their lungs are beginning to form, too.
Twin pregnancy symptoms at 8 weeks
By this time, you've likely received a positive pregnancy test confirming that you're pregnant, and it's likely you'll start to have some pregnancy symptoms, if you haven't already. But don't worry if you're not feeling much different – some women don't feel the side effects as much or as early as others.
- Pregnancy sickness - nausea and vomiting
Often called "morning sickness," pregnancy nausea can affect you any time of the day. This nausea is common in the first trimester of pregnancy and may or not include vomiting. Pregnancy sickness is most likely caused by the pregnancy hormones HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and estrogen. Eating and drinking small portions regularly, always having something small to eat as soon as you wake up, and sticking with bland foods for a little while are all great ways to ease or prevent the nausea if you do have it.
- Bloating. The pregnancy hormone progesterone causes digestion to slow down, which may cause you to feel bloated in early pregnancy. This bloating may also contribute to pregnancy nausea.
- Food cravings and distaste. You may experience specific food cravings or aversions throughout your pregnancy. The types of foods you want or don’t want can vary and is different for each woman.
- Fatigue. Fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy, especially early pregnancy. A rise in the hormone progesterone is one factor that causes you to feel tired, but it's also important because it supports your body during pregnancy
- Breast changes. Due to a rise in hormones, you may feel sensitivity and tenderness in your breasts, and they might grow in size and feel firmer than you're used to. The area around your nipple, the areola, might darken in color, as well.
- Frequent urination. Pregnancy hormones and an increased amount of blood flow in your body will cause you to feel the urge to pee more frequently than usual. This will be compounded as your uterus expands and grows, putting pressure on your bladder.
- Increased discharge. You will likely have more vaginal discharge during pregnancy, but this is normal due to an increase in estrogen production. However, talk to your provider if you have green, yellow, or thick cheese-like discharge, if you have foul smelling discharge, or if your vaginal area is red, itchy or irritated. Any of these things could be signs of an infection or problem.
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Twin baby development at 8 weeks
Your babies are currently embryos and will be considered fetuses after this week of pregnancy. You can see them both on ultrasound now and your provider can detect heart beats. Their cells have been multiplying and are differentiating into different body systems and body parts, and their organs are forming rapidly.
- Body systems
Your babies' hearts have begun forming and are already pumping blood! Their brains and spinal cords have begun forming and are collectively called the "neural tube." Their lungs begin forming this week. - Face
The muscles of your babies' eyes, nose, and mouth have begun to form. Their ears have begun as folds on the side of the head and their inner ears are beginning to form as well. - Fingers and toes
Your babies' hands and feet began as small buds and they now have webbed fingers and toes sticking out from their developing hands and feet. - Placenta
This week, tiny hair-like projections called villi will develop from the placenta and extend into your uterine wall. Blood vessels from each embryo will extend through the umbilical cords into these villi, which will allow blood to flow between you and your babies. The placenta will soon take over as the main source of oxygen and nutrients for your babies. - Amniotic sacs
Your babies are now surrounded by an amniotic sac, or amniotic sacs, filled with amniotic fluid. They float in the fluid. The amniotic sac and amniotic fluid give each baby a space to grow and provide them with protection. - Twin placentas and amniotic sacs
In a twin pregnancy, it's common for each baby to have their own placenta and their own amniotic sac. However, sometimes twin fetuses may share a placenta and in even rarer instances, twin fetuses share one placenta and one amniotic sac. If your pregnancy is one of the latter two scenarios, your provider will check on your babies more often throughout your pregnancy.
Learn more about your twins in the womb at 4 weeks.
Learn more about your twins in the womb at 12 weeks.
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