The universal fascination with twins and triplets, and misunderstandings about the nature of twinning, perpetuate a mythology which has serious consequences for multiples and their families.
MYTH #1: Twinning skips a generation.
FACT: Dizygotic or two-egg twinning passes down the female line from generation to generation.(1)
IMPACT: An expectant mother may disregard her symptoms of a multiple pregnancy, because she believes that she can't have twins since her mother did.
MYTH #2: Since multiple births are most often the result of costly infertility treatments, twinning is not a problem for middle- and low-income populations.
FACT: Although twinning rates are influenced by infertility treatments the majority of multiple births occur naturally. The highest rates are in the African-American population, which is at additional high risk for poverty.(2)
IMPACT: Policy makers and funders fail to provide resources to address the special needs of low-income families with multiples.
MYTH #3: Every pregnant woman thinks she's having twins.
FACT: Pregnant women have been found able to accurately identify the presence of multiples as much as three months ahead of the medical diagnosis. (3)
IMPACT: Under the influence of this myth, obstetricians sometimes dismiss maternal suspicions of twin pregnancy and manage the pregnancy as if there is just one baby, such as limiting maternal weight gain to 20 pounds instead of the optimal 40 pounds for twins; inducing premature labor in the mistaken belief that a seven-month twin pregnancy is a post-mature singleton pregnancy.
MYTH #4: You can't breastfeed multiples, or if you breastfeed you must never use bottles.
FACT: Mothers who breastfeed multiples report that the judicious use of formula as supplementation, in times of illness or extreme fatigue, can prolong the duration of the breastfeeding period. (4)
IMPACT: Mothers of multiples who are willing to breastfeed are discouraged from attempting it. This can mean that low-birthweight infants, who are most in need of breast milk, are unnecessarily deprived of its benefits. In addition they may miss regular physical contact with their mother which the process of breastfeeding requires and which promotes the bonding process.
Page Two: More twin myths, exposed
Page Three: References
MYTH #5: It's so much easier with twins. Everyone helps you; and you get lots of discounts.
FACT: Child care and household management costs more, not less, with multiples. Subsidized child care and respite programs are inadequate to meet the pressing needs of families suffering the severe sleep deprivation which accompanies the 24-hour care of infant multiples. Unless the help of relatives and friends is organized and systematic, it may actually contribute to parental stress. Mothers of multiples benefit most from the help of their husbands/partners. Cultural biases may discourage fathers from participating. Lack of information and training in child development and care may reduce the effectiveness of any help fathers do provide. Although some purchasing discounts are available, the majority of the costs of medical care, equipment, clothing, diapers and food are double for twins and increase in proportion to the numbers of infants.
IMPACT: When parents believe that the system will provide necessary help, they may fail to mobilize their own networks of support and be ill-prepared to cope with the extraordinary physical demands and financial impact of twin care.
MYTH #6: There's a good twin and a bad twin in every pair.
FACT: The relationship between co-twins is a dynamic interplay of personality variables which suffers from such potentially deterministic labels. Twins are children who get along more or less well with each other depending upon a host of variables such as temperamental compatibility and their relationships with the rest of the members of the family. Young twins experiment with the balance of their relationship -- trading off being "leader and follower," or "bully and victim," as often as every hour. With good coaching and refereeing from their parents, multiples are capable of developing a mature, reciprocal relationship with lifelong benefits.
IMPACT: Obstetricians, nurses and parents label co-twins "good" and "bad" or other positive/negative stereotypes, which damage their relationship.
MYTH #7: There are all kinds of research to help parents understand the unique aspects of twin development.
FACT: The majority of research known as "twin studies" employs twin subjects to examine the heritability of biomedical and personality variables. Most of the information available on twin development is a by-product of this work. Few longitudinal studies of twin development per se exist.
IMPACT: Providers, funders and parents assume that comprehensive information about twin development is available for the asking and do not promote research on this neglected subject.
MYTH #8: Twins and triplets share everything.
FACT: Even though they have shared a womb, multiples learn to share their toys gradually, like all children do. First, each must develop a sense of ownership of their clothes and some toys. Once a child understands the concept of "mine," she or he can begin to lend and trade.
IMPACT: Parents and care givers lump all the children's' clothes and toys together thereby retarding the development of self esteem and promote an endless round of competition between the children.
MYTH #9: Twins should always be separated in school, so that they will learn to get along without each other.
FACT: No one formula for school placement fits all twins at all times. The classroom placements for a set of multiples must be evaluated each year, just as classroom placement is evaluated annually for single born children. Young multiples who are still working out the balance of their relationship with each other benefit from starting school in the same class. There, in the comforting presence of their co-twin, they can learn to separate by participating in different activities with different groups of children. When multiples are separated before they have learned independence they will be overwhelmed with grief and anxiety and unable to concentrate on school work. See reference 5 below.
IMPACT: Principals, parents and teachers place twins in separate classrooms before they are ready and thereby slow down the separation process they mean to promote.
Please help demystify twinning! Share the facts above with your colleagues and friends. If you know of other myths or misconceptions about multiples to add to the list, we would like to be able to share them with others. The more people understand the facts about twins and triplets, the weaker the myths about them will become.
Page Three: References
References
- Nobel, E. (1991) Having, Twins. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
- U.S. Vital Statistics Reports
- Malmstrom, P. & Malmstrom, E. (1987) Maternal recognition of twin pregnancy. Acta Geni Med Gemellol, 37: 187-192.
- Sollid, D., Evans, B., McClowry, S., & Garrett, A. (1989) Breastfeeding Multiples. J. Perinat Neonatal Nurs 3(1): 46-65.
- LaTrobe Twin Study, Twins In School, Department of Psychology, Latrobe University, Melbourne.
Reprinted with permission from Twin Services, Resource Series 500: #501, 1993. This article may be printed out for personal use but may not be reproduced in any other manner, including electronic, without prior written consent from Twin Services. For more information, call 510-524-0863.
