The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook: Pregnancy and the First Days with Twins, Triplets, and More

In the past 10 years the number of twin births has risen 52 percent and the number of higher-order multiples has increased more than 400 percent! Written by a perinatal nurse specializing in multiple birth education, The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook explores the physical, financial, and emotional challenges of this high-risk condition. Included is an extensive list of support resources.

Your reaction might have been something like this: "Hurrah! I'm pregnant! What? TWINS?!" Being pregnant with two (or more!) is different from being pregnant with one, and The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook tells it like it is, from weight gain to proper preparation for bringing your duplicate (or triplicate) bundles of joy home from the hospital. Author Nancy Bowers couldn't be more qualified to write such a book: not only is she a nurse and teacher of birth classes, she is also the mother of her own set of twins.

This book covers the same material as any pregnancy guide, and in approximately the same order. Starting with proper nutrition and continuing through the standard routines of visits and testing, it finishes up with the actual labor, postnatal care, and a walk-through of those first few days at home. Because all this information is aimed specifically at multiple pregnancies, you'll also find information about subjects like selective reduction, bed rest, and the chances of having at least one baby delivered by cesarean section. Through it all, Bowers's wise and experienced tone manages to soothe while educating. Bowers emphasizes that "multiple pregnancy is demanding work, but the rewards are matchless." She frequently encourages parents to seek out support, whether through a parenting group or a counselor, and provides an excellent guide at the end of the book that offers contact information for all sorts of potential help.

Destined to become a classic for parents of multiples, this sourcebook is one you'll want to keep handy throughout your pregnancy and beyond. --Jill Lightner