Last updated: October 12, 2025
What is a twin vs singleton pregnancy like? As a mom of twins plus one I have had both a twin pregnancy and a singleton pregnancy experience. Based on my personal experiences, in this post I am sharing what I thought the biggest differences between singleton and twin pregnancy were.
Please note, there are affiliate links in this post. Read my privacy & disclosure policy at the bottom of this page to learn more.
Before we move on, you might be interested in these FREE Twin Pregnancy Checklists. You can get them now by clicking the button below!
The Top Differences Between Singleton and Twin Pregnancy
Let’s jump right into discussing my picks for the biggest differences between a singleton and twin pregnancy. I hope this list helps you get a better understanding of what to expect when you are expecting twins.
1 – Twin Pregnancy Ultrasounds
You will have way more ultrasounds during a twin pregnancy. The ultrasounds are used to monitor that both twin babies are growing at a normal rate.
To give you an idea, with my twins, I had an ultrasound every month during the first 5-6 months. After that, until 34 weeks of pregnancy, I had an ultrasound every two weeks.
My twins were born in week 35, but if I had stayed pregnant longer, I would have had an ultrasound weekly until birth. How different is this than a singleton pregnancy?
With my twin pregnancy I had at least 10 ultrasounds. Meanwhile, with my singleton pregnancy, I only had 2 ultrasounds.
One of the two ultrasounds during my singleton pregnancy was due to bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy (everything was fine). And the other one was the typical 20 week ultrasound.
2 – Third Trimester Mobility
I’m guessing this is probably not a huge surprise, but moving and walking around when pregnant with twins was much harder during the third trimester. Since twins are usually born earlier than singletons the length of time you will be uncomfortable might end up being shorter.
3 – Feeling Movement In Twin Vs Singleton Pregnancy
This one surprised me. I felt my singleton moving around so much more than I did with the twins. It seemed like he was having a party in there.
When you think about it, it does make sense. My singleton had so much more space! So, even though you might think two babies would mean feeling a crazy amount of movement in your belly, the limited amount of space could actually reduce how much movement you feel.
4 – Labor & Delivery
Deliveries for both of my pregnancies were done vaginally. Twin pregnancy deliveries are different because even if you are delivering vaginally, there is a good chance you will deliver in an operating room.
Having twins delivered in an operating room is common practice due to the higher risk of needing an emergency C-section. Additionally, there were about five more people (doctors, nurses, etc.) in the delivery room than during the delivery of my singleton.
It was definitely a lot less stressful for my single pregnancy to deliver in the normal delivery room. There were less people, I didn’t have to relocate, and there was less commotion.
Related: Want a simple method for developing a twin birth plan? Grab this printable Twin Birth Checklist!
5 – Swelling
The amount of swelling in my ankles during my twin pregnancy was extreme. I felt like I was walking around with water balloons around my ankles.
I even remember one doctor taking a look during an appointment and just saying “I’m sorry”. Yeah, that didn’t feel great.
There wasn’t anything the doctors could do to help the swelling. I was instructed to keep my ankles elevated as much as possible, wear compression stockings, and to avoid wearing tight socks.
At least, the swollen ankles didn’t mean there was anything wrong with me or the pregnancy. Pregnancy causes there to be extra fluid in your body. And, growing two babies caused the amount of fluid to be much more than with a singleton.
This extra fluid is what led to the increased amount of swelling. On the other hand, I experienced minimal ankle swelling with my singleton pregnancy.
Twin & Single Pregnancy: Something That Was The Same
One thing that really surprised me was that my morning sickness during the first trimester was the same in both my twin pregnancy and singleton pregnancy. I thought I would feel much better during the first trimester with my singleton, but unfortunately that was not the case. I was just as tired and just as nauseous.
Twin Pregnancy Belly Pictures
I also didn’t mention belly size in my top differences between singleton and twin pregnancy. I guess I decided to leave off an obvious difference. But yes, you are growing two babies and therefore can expect your belly to be larger with twins.
You might be wondering how much bigger, and I cannot give an exact measurement because everybody’s body works differently. However, I do recommend checking out this article with week by week photos of one mom’s twin pregnancy growth. It will give you an idea of the progression you can expect over time.
Different Types of Twin Pregnancies
In addition to differences between a singleton and twin pregnancy, there are also different types of twin pregnancies. If you are pregnant with twins, you are pregnant with either identical twins or fraternal twins.
Identical twins happen when a fertilized egg splits in the uterus, whereas fraternal twins come from two eggs being fertilized separately in the uterus. If you want to learn even more about these differences, I recommend reading this article on types of twin pregnancies.
What Are The Signs & Symptoms of First Trimester Twin Pregnancy?
What are the signs you are pregnant with twins in the first trimester? The reality is there no way to know for sure without an ultrasound confirming a twin pregnancy.
If fraternal twins run on the mom’s side of the family, you have a higher chance of becoming pregnant with twins. Additionally, if you have used fertility treatments you might have a higher risk of developing a twin pregnancy.
Typical first trimester pregnancy symptoms could be more exaggerated for a twin pregnancy vs a single pregnancy. This would include, but not be limited to, nausea, exhaustion, and tender or swollen breasts.
What surprised you for the biggest differences between singleton and twin pregnancy?
If you are currently pregnant with twins or pregnant after twins and having a singleton, I hope this post helps you get a better understanding of what will be the same and what will be different.
Good luck and before you go, you might want to check out this printable Twin Pregnancy Planner & Journal. It will help you get organized, reduce overwhelm, and create a beautiful memory of your twin pregnancy journey.
