MOIRA

I think my daughter must be a surviving twin. I never had an ultrasound scan, but this pregnancy seemed different from the others. I had more morning sickness, was more tired and felt changes sooner. Up to 13 weeks I measured up to 4 cm higher in fundal height, and I think I felt a second bump behind my baby when gently palpitating my uterus. Then things changed. My growth slowed down to normal, and I lost that "feeling" that I was going to have twins. I thought maybe I was wrong but when my daughter was born there was an extra small sac of waters attached to her placenta, empty. It was about the size of an orange, and I wondered about it at the time, but I was so wrapped up in my baby that I did not think too horribly much about it then.

KATHERINE

Four years later after the birth of my precious little girl, I still find myself googling "vanishing twin syndrome." I look for stories of other parents. But mostly I look for how the surviving twin is affected. It helps to know any information. My daughter's still my little fighter.

JANE

If my daughter had a twin I feel like she really should know. I would want to know and sometimes I wonder about myself! My daughter has shown differences in that she is very compassionate and loving, if any one is hurt, especially her brothers, she runs to them and pats them on the head, kisses them, and hugs them till they feel better. She is only 19 months old! Also she has done everything early, crawling at barely 5 months, balancing alone at 6 months, walking at barely 8 months. She is very quick to understand, and obviously intelligent. Even as a small baby I remember her intense searching look as though she were trying to communicate and I was too dense to get it. I wish I knew then what I know now. Hopefully I will be able to make good contact with her now I understand.

CAROLINE

I wonder if my eldest boy is a womb twin survivor too? He too was one of those that had a searching piercing look, he did not care about toys or things, he just wanted to communicate. He turned into a very early talker, full sentences by two years old. I remember him shocking people when he had just turned two saying complete sentences and give his full name - first, middle and last. Now aged seven, he asks deep questions and amazes me by his comprehension.

CLAIRE

It's amazing, but I think I know something about my daughter's twin. I was reading my journal for the time I was pregnant with them both. I had a dream when I was 4 wks along. In the dream I was barely pregnant, then I was full term and going into labour. Then I gave birth and it was a boy. At the time I thought my dream was telling me that I would have a boy, and I really felt that there was a boy, but then about 3 months or so (after I lost the twin feeling) I knew I was going to have a daughter, and I did.