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Finding out that I was pregnant with twins was thrilling, but it was scary to suddenly hear the obstetrician refer to me as having a high risk pregnancy.

I don't really think of myself as a high-risk kind of girl, especially not when it comes to my babies.

Everywhere I looked for information, there were only warnings about pre-term labor and about a variety of other serious problems for twin (and higher order multiples) pregnancies.

It was hard to find a healthy way to be informed and alert, but not panicked, about all the complications that can occur.

Here are some suggestions for navigating the emotions of having a "high risk" pregnancy. Some of these I did, some I wish I had done:

• Put your trust in your obstetrician. Choose your doctor wisely and then listen when he or she is reassuring you.

• Ask your obstetrician about the specific differences for delivery of high risk pregnancies in your hospital. For example, in our hospital we had one nurse assigned just to us. Also, it was my hospital's policy for twin births to insert an epidural just in case of an emergency C-section. They don't put drugs in the epidural unless you want them, but they do insert the needle. My hospital also delivers twins in a surgery room, not a birthing room.

• During your pregnancy, plan to read about pregnancy and birth for a few months, then switch your focus to learning about breastfeeding and taking care of babies. You might not have the time to learn these things when you really need to know them.  I'd offer this advice to any pregnant person, not just people pregnant with twins or multiples.
  

• Line up help if you can. Some friends found me a wonderful post-natal doula who helped me with any number of things, especially breastfeeding. If you have a versatile person lined up, she will be there no matter what the birth circumstances are.