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16 people online in the last 60 minutes - 0 Canucks, 0 Canucks In Hiding and 16 Visiting Canucks. (Most ever was 233 at 09:22:13 Fri Sep 21 2007) |
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siblygirl  I'm Asleep  1000147 posts  Mood Now:  
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Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be a twin? Are you a twin and wonder why everyone thinks it's so special? It's fascinating to think about multiple births. There are many unique and wonderful aspects to being a twin or triplet (or more)! Read on to understand why there are multiple births and what it's like when siblings are born on the same day.
You're Not Alone If you're one of a set of twins or more, you may feel like you're pretty unique and special (and you are), but you're not as different as you may think. Believe it or not, there are lots of kids with brothers and sisters who share a birthday. In 1998, there were more than 55,000 sets of twins and more than 2,300 sets of triplets born in the United States. Just for comparison, in 1980 there was one twin birth in every 80 to 90 births. Today it's closer to one in every 40 to 45 births. The number of triplets born in the United States from 1980 to 1995 has tripled! No, that's not a joke - it's true that there are 3 times more triplets today than there were 20 years ago. And, don't forget about higher-numbered multiple births, too. The number of quadruplets (four kids), quintuplets (five kids), sextuplets (six kids), and even septuplets (seven kids) is also on the rise. Types of Twins There are two kinds of twins - fraternal and identical. The difference comes from the way the egg is fertilized when a woman becomes pregnant. In fraternal twins, two different eggs are fertilized. With identical twins, one fertilized egg splits into two. That's why identical twins look exactly alike and share the same genes. If you have friends who are twins and you have trouble telling them apart, they are probably identical. Fraternal twins often don't look alike and only share approximately half of the same genes. They can even be different sexes. Perhaps the most famous twins in the spotlight today are President Bush's daughters. Fraternal twins Jenna and Barbara Bush don't look alike and have separate interests. One goes to college in Texas and one in Connecticut. Jenna wrote for her high school paper, while Barbara played sports. Being a twin doesn't mean you have to be exactly like your sibling! 
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siblygirl I'm Asleep 1000147 posts Mood Now:
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Why Am I a Twin or Triplet?
Even though the exact reason for multiple births is not known, doctors and researchers have identified several reasons why they probably happen. Sometimes multiple births run in families. Doctors think that it's more common for a woman to have a multiple birth when one has already occurred in her family. People used to believe that multiple births skip generations (meaning that if your grandmother is a twin, your mom probably isn't, and you could be), but that is just a myth. According to research, women who are taller, heavier, and African-American are more likely to have twins. If a woman has already had fraternal twins, chances of her having another set is 4 times higher than for a woman who hasn't had twins. However, the main reason why the number of multiple births is on the rise is because of fertility medicine. Some women who have trouble getting pregnant take medicine to help them conceive. These medications often increase the likelihood of multiple births (60% of triplets are conceived with the help of fertility drugs). Remember the McCaughey septuplets born in Iowa in November of 1997? Their mom was taking fertility medication when she became pregnant with them. Troubles With Twins Twins and triplets don't always get along. Sibling rivalry is common among all brothers and sisters - and multiples are no different. In fact, being the exact same age as your sibling might make competition between you two (or three or more!) even more intense. You might have the same friends, teachers, and coaches who don't think of you as individuals. "People always think of me and my two brothers at the same time. They never just think about me. Also, many people assume that if Brendan and Devin are really good in science, then so am I, and that's not necessarily true," says Christy, a triplet from New Jersey. It can be really frustrating when people constantly compare you to or always associate you with your sibling. If you are having trouble dealing with these feelings, talk to your parent or another trusted adult about it. Together, you can come up with a way to solve the problem, like maybe painting the half of the room you share a different color, getting a new haircut, or trying a new afterschool activity.
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siblygirl I'm Asleep 1000147 posts Mood Now:
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Why Am I a Twin or Triplet?
Even though the exact reason for multiple births is not known, doctors and researchers have identified several reasons why they probably happen. Sometimes multiple births run in families. Doctors think that it's more common for a woman to have a multiple birth when one has already occurred in her family. People used to believe that multiple births skip generations (meaning that if your grandmother is a twin, your mom probably isn't, and you could be), but that is just a myth. According to research, women who are taller, heavier, and African-American are more likely to have twins. If a woman has already had fraternal twins, chances of her having another set is 4 times higher than for a woman who hasn't had twins. However, the main reason why the number of multiple births is on the rise is because of fertility medicine. Some women who have trouble getting pregnant take medicine to help them conceive. These medications often increase the likelihood of multiple births (60% of triplets are conceived with the help of fertility drugs). Remember the McCaughey septuplets born in Iowa in November of 1997? Their mom was taking fertility medication when she became pregnant with them. Troubles With Twins Twins and triplets don't always get along. Sibling rivalry is common among all brothers and sisters - and multiples are no different. In fact, being the exact same age as your sibling might make competition between you two (or three or more!) even more intense. You might have the same friends, teachers, and coaches who don't think of you as individuals. "People always think of me and my two brothers at the same time. They never just think about me. Also, many people assume that if Brendan and Devin are really good in science, then so am I, and that's not necessarily true," says Christy, a triplet from New Jersey. It can be really frustrating when people constantly compare you to or always associate you with your sibling. If you are having trouble dealing with these feelings, talk to your parent or another trusted adult about it. Together, you can come up with a way to solve the problem, like maybe painting the half of the room you share a different color, getting a new haircut, or trying a new afterschool activity.
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Hipster I'm Asleep 2438 posts  
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Actually, I have a twin sister - an identical twin. Unfortunately, we're not together right now. She's in a mental hospital being treated for depression. She should be getting discharged in a few weeks, though. Her name is Jenna. Our patheitic excuse for a father really did a toll on her. She'll be living with us, though, when she gets diischarged - which I'm really looking forward, too. She's younger than me by four minutes.
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paulgro  I'm Asleep 686 posts    Mood Now: 
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Glad she'll be home soon. It will be better being with family then the hospital. Don't forget to bring her here…:weights:
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retro_chica  I'm Asleep 5872 posts  Mood Now: 
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Can she sign up, now? Does she have internet access at the hospital? I really would love to meet her, as well, Hipster.
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Canada rules!|
silver_linings I'm Asleep 1745 posts   Mood Now: 
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It's sad that Jenna is depressed - but I'm glad that she'll be getting discharged in a few weeks.
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TragicallyHipper  I'm Asleep 7322 posts  Mood Now: 
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I haven't met Jenna, yet - I'm really looking forward to meeting her, though.
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Hipster I'm Asleep 2438 posts
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Actually, they don't have internet access at the hospital. Well, I'm sure they do, but it's not accessible to Jenna - but I will definitely let her know about this board when she gets discharged. She'll be getting discharged two weeks from tomorow. She really loves music, alot - and we have been sending her some tapes by various Canadian artists, including the Hip. She's doing good, now, though.
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paulgro I'm Asleep 686 posts Mood Now:
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Tell her you know a talking Cup. That should get her here!!
:weights:
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TragicallyHipper I'm Asleep 7322 posts Mood Now:
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Oh, we'll do that for sure, Paul.
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paulgro I'm Asleep 686 posts Mood Now:
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 :weights:
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Haven_Quartet I'm Asleep posts  Mood Now: 
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retro_chica I'm Asleep 5872 posts Mood Now:
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paulgro I'm Asleep 686 posts Mood Now:
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 :weights:
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TragicallyHipper I'm Asleep 7322 posts Mood Now:
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That sounds neat.
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paulgro I'm Asleep 686 posts Mood Now:
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 You hearing things??  :weights:
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retro_chica I'm Asleep 5872 posts Mood Now:
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