Raising twins is a double bundle of joy. However most new parents are surrounded by multiple suggestions, myths and advice that at times, could be so misleading.

During my pregnancy, I came across various myths about twins, some of which actually scared me and some left me totally confused. Thinking about them now, I find it hilarious how I would believe each and everything I was told about twin pregnancy or raising twin babies. 

Sharing below some common myths about twins that I have come across so many times and also explaining a few facts associated with them.

Myth : Twins are either similar or completely opposite
Fact : Neither of the two is correct. My kids share a lot of common traits, yet have unique interests and hobbies. One is good in sports, other excels in language and art. They have individual personalities, characteristics which may not be always same or different.

Myth : Twins have a supernatural bond
Fact : This is the most common myth surrounding twins. People believe if one twin cries, the other will cry too, etc. Or that they can read each other’s mind, anticipate each other’s thought and feelings. It isn’t true. They do share a special bond and are close to each other (may know each other well too) mainly because they spend a good amount of time together.

Myth : All twins are hereditary
Fact : This is half true. There are chances that if someone in your family (grandparents, cousins) have twins, you may have twins too. But it isn’t true in all cases. One can have twins with no such family history too.

Myth : Twins learn and grow at the same pace.
Fact : Even though born together, they are different and grow at their own unique pace. My kids achieved their milestones (like crawling, walking, etc) at different times. One started speaking first, other learnt to walk first late. .

Myth : Twins are always competitors
Fact : Sibling rivalry is common in twins and so between any siblings. However this isn’t true that twins consider themselves as fierce competitors. In all honesty it’s parents and others around them who induce competition and comparison in them.

Myth : One twin will always be strong /smart, the other will be weak
Fact : Most people believe this but in reality it’s not so. Each kid is unique. One could be good in science, the other in Maths. They have individual strengths and weaknesses and you can’t really label them this way.

Myth : Twins are Double Trouble
Fact : Most people associate raising twins as ‘Double trouble’. It’s true that they are more work and our hands are usually full, but they aren’t really, what most people like to consider, a “trouble.”

Myth : Vaginal delivery is not possible with twins.
Fact : No, not all twins are delivered via C-section. Vaginal deliveries are possible too. C-sections could be more common in twin pregnancies, but it isn’t true that vaginal deliveries are impossible.

If you are a parent of twins, you must have come across some of these myths. If you have any more to share, do leave a comment below.

This post is a part of#BlogchatterA2Z Challenge on the alphabet ‘G’. You can find all 26 posts on ‘A to Z of Twin Parenting’ under the hashtag #themomsagaswrites on Facebook and Twitter.