Double Trouble : Twins and How to Survive Them

by Emma Mahony

This indispensable guide to multiple pregnancy, birth and beyond, comes from an expert on the subject -- Emma Mahony is a twin herself as well as being the mother of twins. Humorous cartoons from the Times' front-page cartoonist make this a lighthearted, informative guide to everything expectant mothers of twins need to know. Twins are amazing -- but multiple pregnancy and birth, not to mention coping with twins once they are born, carries a set of special fears, risks and issues. Many parents-to-be find themselves overwhelmed. This guide is informative yet informal -- in a similar vein to 'Best Friends Guide To Pregnancy'. The author is uniquely experienced in this subject, being a twin and also a mother of baby twins. Contains advice from pregnancy and childcare experts as well as case studies. Illustrated inside with humorous cartoons from Jonathan Pugh, father of two and front-page cartoonist at The Times. An exploration of practical issues such as eating for three, managing breastfeeding, and the trend towards Caesareans for NHS twin births. / Any special concerns? The unnecessary label of 'high risk' in pregnancy. / Testimonies from mums who have tried different approaches. / Interviews with medical and midwife experts. / A step-by-step guide to the different stages of pregnancy and birth, including how to involve the father and explain twins to other siblings. / Tips on managing once the twins have arrived.

Paperback

First published September 15, 2003

Reviews

[Theo Kokonas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok. There were some useful bits and pieces in there, however there were a number of things that irked me:
- The liberal use of name-dropping Mary Cronk (one of the most experienced mid-wives in the country according to the author).
- In her birth plan, to have no students or interns observing the birth. I found this a little on the selfish side but each to their own.
- Again in her birth plan, the author requested that her husband Adam would be the first person to say 'hello' to the baby once it was delivered. I mean, really?
There were more, but I'm limiting this review write-up to 10 minutes as I've got prem birth research to do!
As I said previously, there were a number of useful things in there. The author gives a number of different options for pregnancy, many of which have a high price tag. The book is also very UK-centric so it likely won't be as relevant for non UK readership.

[Louise Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts useful, lots amusing and reassuring, some advice a bit too reliant on having lots of money.