Carley Roney - The Baby Bump: Twins and Triplets Edition: 100s of Secrets for Those 9 Long Months with Multiples on Board

Double, triple, quadruple congrats! Youre having twinsor more! With any pregnancy (especially the first), there are so many new things to think about, from what you can (and cant) eat to all that crazy stuff happening to your body. (Seriously, did anyone tell you your boobs would start looking bluish and your gums would bleed like this?)

But for moms-to-be of multiples, there are even more questions that your singleton-pregnancy pals wont ever have to think about: Can your babies kick each other? (No, that amniotic fluid is pretty tough.) Whats a mixed delivery?(Just what it sounds like: one vaginal; one cesarean. Theyre not super-common, and if youre having multiples, youre pretty much guaranteed a c-section.) Will they grow at the same rate? (Probably not exactly but pretty close.) What are the chances theyll be identical? (Fraternal twins are far more common.) How come the doctor heard only one heartbeat? (Sometimes one baby will be behind another and muffle out the sound.) The list goes on and on, and dont worrythe answers on these pages go into a lot more depth. Well give you the lowdown on everything mamas-to-be are wonderingand even those first few weeks when you bring babies home. Caring for one is tough enough, but once you add more, it can get pretty hairy if you dont have help.

And if you have more questions or just want to chat with other moms of multiples, go to TheBump.com/multiples. There are experts, message boards, and loads more info.

Youre in for a crazy, thrilling, amazing time. And there are, oh, at least 1,000 things to figure out before your babies arrive. Its a good thing you have those 30-plus weeks to get ready. So get reading, but dont forget to enjoy the journey, too. Theres nothing in the world like being pregnant. Having a baby (or two or three at once) rocks your world, but in a really good way.

week 5 Your babies are starting to form major organs, like the heart, kidneys, liver, and stomach, the nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems.

week 6 As blood starts to circulate, babies are starting to develop eyes, ears, a nose, cheeks, and a chin.

week 7 With joints starting to form, babies are developing arms and legs.

week 8 Continuing to straighten in the trunk, babies can move those little arms, legs, and (slightly webbed) fingers and toes.

week 9 The little embryos are now officially fetuses, and a Doppler ultrasound device may be able to pick up the beating heart.

week 10 Arm joints are working as bones and cartilage are forming, and vital organs are starting to function.

week 13 While the intestines move from the umbilical cord to their tummies, babies are developing teeth and vocal cords.

week 16 Tiny bones are forming in their ears and eyebrows, and lashes and hair are starting to fill in.

week 18 Babies have become amazingly mobile as they yawn, hiccup, roll, twist, kick, punch, suck, and swallow.

week 20 Each day, babies are gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid for nutrition and to practice swallowingand those taste buds actually work.

week 22 Settling into sleep cycles, babies are sleeping 12 to 14 hours a day.

week 24 As fat starts to pack on, skin is becoming more opaque and, thanks to the formation of small capillaries, its taking on a pink glow.

week 26 Babies are getting their immune system ready for life outside the womb by soaking up antibodies.

week 28 Their skin is still pretty wrinkly (one by-product of living in amniotic fluid) but will smooth out as fat continues to deposit.

week 31 Your babies are going through major brain and nerve development. Their irises now react to light, and all five senses work.

week 34 Babies can recognize and react to simple songs and may even remember them after birth. Less cute news: They now pee about a pint each day.

week 37 Your full-term (yay!) babies are gaining about half an ounce a day, and theyre getting their first sticky poop (aka meconium) ready.

week 39 Babies brains are still developing rapidly, and by now theyre able to flex their limbs. Their nails also might start to extend past the fingertips.