Hi friends,
If one had told me five years ago that I would be a mother of “twin” boys, I would have shrugged it off, especially when there has not been any record of twins in my lineage.
I gave birth to my first son five years ago.
I resumed my monthly flow just two months after, and I wasn’t cool with that.
At least, I was looking forward to a break from this August visitor for the next year, as I have seen it happen in other women.
That’s why they say every pregnancy and childbirth is unique!
At six months of exclusively breastfeeding my son, I felt so weak in my bones that I had to visit the hospital.
The doctor, being a professional, asked that a series of tests be conducted.
Lo and behold, gentlemoms, your sister was pregnant!
I don’t know if I should be happy or sad.
But I later chose to be happy because I had been trying to conceive for over five years, and now God has decided to make my cup overflow.
Somebody shout Power!!!
My name is Victoria, and this is the raw, real, and surprisingly beautiful story of how I survived (and even enjoyed parts of) pregnancy while caring for my baby boy.
The Shock of the Test Result
We sat at the doctor’s office, listening with rapt attention as if my life depended on it.
I can’t be disobedient or make any mistakes at this point.
My heart raced, and I could feel my blood pump faster!
We collected the medication he recommended at the pharmacy and headed home in sober reflectionđ
The thought of what people would say flooded my mind.
I imagined how colleagues would react when they found that they’d be coming for another naming ceremony soon.
It was a lot to accept.
But one thing that settled my mind was that this is an answered prayer of what I have been praying for: “Thou anoint my head with oil, and my cup runneth over.”
The Acceptance
After some days, my mind was settled, and I was already looking forward to being a great mom, no matter what.
Meanwhile, my husband was happy but just decided to play along with my feelings so as not to hurt or invalidate how I felt.
I continued breastfeeding for about two more weeks.
Then we were done with the six months of exclusive breastfeeding, and I introduced him to semi-solid food while gradually withdrawing breast milk.
It was an emotional moment for me, and for him, I guess.
I apologized to him when I finally stopped breastfeeding towards the end of his seventh month, as advised by the doctor.
The First Trimester:
Luckily for me, I didn’t have severe pregnancy symptoms except for frequent hunger.
It was as if some cleaning agents were clearing off the food as soon as it got into my tummy!
I was eating for three đ
How I coped:
I kept small snacks everywhere â biscuits, groundnuts, and sliced apples. Eating little and often helped.
I didn’t tell anyone to avoid unnecessary questioning
I gradually switched to freer clothes. People thought I was having postpartum fat. Lol
I leave the creche almost immediately after dropping my son there to avoid unnecessary drama
I learned to involve him in âquiet time.â
Weâd lie on the mat together, he playing with toys while I rested and tried not to move too much.
I gave myself permission to lower standards.
The house wasnât spotless. The laundry piled up.
Survival mode was fully activated.
Balancing a Toddler and Pregnancy Fatigue
By the time I entered the second trimester, my son had celebrated is one year birthday and then started walking.
Chasing a toddler while pregnant is its own Olympic sport.
I was exhausted by 2pm on days I don’t drop him off at the crèche.
Some days I felt guilty.
I wanted to be the fun, energetic mum, but my body was growing another human.
I found small ways to connect:
Storytime on the bed instead of running around the house.
Singing rhymes together while I folded clothes (he loved Cocomelon).
Bath time became our special ritual.
The warm water soothed my aching back, and his giggles made everything better.
I also started a âvillageâ approach. This time, there’s no longer a need to hide.
I employed someone to help drop my son off at the crèche (I had not started working from home).
My husband handled night duties more.
Asking for help was hard at first, but necessary.
Physical Challenges and Self-Care
Carrying pregnancy weight while still carrying a baby was tough on my back and pelvis.
I experienced round ligament pain and swollen feet (Lagos heat didnât help!).
What helped me:
Gentle walks in the evening when the sun was down.
Prenatal exercise videos on YouTube – 15 minutes was enough.
Wearing supportive maternity bands.
Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein. I craved apples like crazy and ate them by the crate.
I reminded myself daily: My body is doing an incredible thing – growing two babies close together. Itâs okay if itâs not perfect.
The Emotional Rollercoaster
There were days I cried because I felt I wasnât enough for either child.
The fear of loving the new baby less, or my son feeling replaced, kept me up at night.
But then Iâd watch him kiss my growing belly or say âmummy baby,â and my heart would melt.
I started journaling my feelings and talking to other mums in the same situation online.
Knowing I wasnât alone made a huge difference.
Beautiful Moments Iâll Never Forget
The joy and confusion on my son’s face when the baby arrived was so emotional.
We smiled as they quietly bonded
My husbandâs proud smile every time he’s around us
The way my body adapted and got stronger.
Realizing that having kids close together means theyâll grow up as best friends.
Now people ask if they are twins everywhere we go because they are identical with a slight difference in stature, and that gives me joy.
They draw attention to themselves with the ways they look out for each other and work together as a team.
What I Learned
- You are stronger than you think. Your body and heart can stretch more than you imagine.
- Rest is productive. Taking care of yourself is taking care of your children.
- The village matters. Donât isolate yourself â lean on family, friends, your partner, and even good neighbors.
- This season is temporary. The hard days pass, and youâll look back with pride.
To every mum reading this who is pregnant with a little one already running around: Youâve got this.
It wonât be perfect, but it will be worth it.
The snuggles, the chaos, the double love – itâs messy and magical.
If youâre in this season right now, drop a comment or send me a message.
Weâre in this together.
With love, “mummy twins.”
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