Update: It appears that the Carter twins have arrived! (We're still waiting on that official announcement, however.) Continue on to our original story below to learn more about how being pregnant with and giving birth to twins is a bit different. On top of the below, recovery might be a little more challenging this time around, including more bleeding, as well as more persistent aches and pains — hang in there, Bey.
This story was originally published on February 1, 2017.
Today the world rejoiced at the news that Beyoncé is pregnant. (Seriously, we needed this.) But Queen Bey has been hiding an even bigger secret than that: She's pregnant with twins. So while Blue Ivy's mom is not new to pregnancy in general, there are a few things she can expect to be different this time around.
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Unfortunately, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it's not exactly the best news:
1. Early symptoms: There's a greater chance of having severe early symptoms of pregnancy when you're carrying multiple pregnancies. That means that the breast tenderness and morning sickness that are normal for any early-stage pregnancy may be even more bothersome for those with twins.
2. Complications: Having more than one pregnancy increases your risk for a few complications. For instance, preeclampsia (a condition in which your blood pressure suddenly spikes), preterm births, and gestational diabetes are all more common among those carrying multiple pregnancies.
3. Postpartum depression: Carrying twins also increases your risk for postpartum depression. According to a 2009 study published in Pediatrics, women who had multiple births also had a 43% higher chance of developing moderate-to-severe symptoms of postpartum depression compared to those who gave birth to only one baby.
4. Breastfeeding: Because you're trying to feed double the babies, you've also gotta produce double the milk. It can definitely be done, but breastfeeding doesn't come easy for everyone — and twins make it even more challenging.
If there's anything — anything — we can do to help, Beyoncé, you know where to find us.