What is an Irish twin?

The term “Irish twins” refers to one mother having two children who were born 12 months or less apart. It originated in the 1800s as a way to poke fun at Irish Catholic immigrant families who didn't have access to birth control.
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What does it mean if you're an Irish twin?

Years ago, when two children were born within 12 months of each other, people often referred to them as "Irish twins." And when three children were born to the same mother within three years, they were called "Irish triplets." But today these phrases are considered outdated and are less frequently used, particularly ...
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How are Irish twins possible?

Twins occur when a woman becomes pregnant with two children from one conception. Twins are carried in the womb together and delivered at the same time. Irish twins occur when a woman has a baby within 12 months of having another child.
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Are Irish twins a real thing?

Irish twins is a slang expression for siblings born less than a year apart from each other. While some people intend it affectionately, it does stereotype Irish culture, making it mildly offensive.
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Is 13 months apart Irish twins?

For example, if a second baby's due date is 13 months after the first child was born, being born a month prematurely would make them Irish twins. In this case, the short spacing is caused by premature birth, not the other way around.
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What does Irish twin mean?



What are Italian twins?

The word for a twins in Italian is gemelli (masculine, singular: gemello; feminine, singular: gemella).
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What does Dutch twins mean?

Therefore, children with a spacing of less than 12 months became known as Irish twins (also known as “Catholic twins” or “Dutch twins”).
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What do you call siblings born 18 months apart?

Irish twins: According to various sources, Irish twins are siblings born within 12-18 months of each other.
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Can you get pregnant while pregnant?

A double pregnancy, or superfetation, is extremely rare — in fact, there aren't even stats on how often it happens — but it's scientifically possible. We're not saying you should worry about it happening to you, just that you can't say that it's impossible.
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What's harder twins or Irish twins?

It's not about difficulty. It's about difference. Having two children close in age, even Irish twins (less than a year apart), is not the same as having twins. Many moms of twins feel resentful when people try to make it the same.
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What's the smallest age gap between siblings?

Nine to 10 months age gap is obviously the smallest gap you can have, and can be quite tough but rewarding at the same time. The children are so close in age they will learn a lot about the world together.
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What is the closest two babies can be born?

When Sadie Budden spent two years struggling to conceive she thought she might never have children. But then, to everyone's surprise, she gave birth to two – in the space of just six-and-a-half months. Against all the odds, Ronnie and his little sister Sienna were born only 208 days apart.
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What are Scottish twins?

They are 'mirror-image twins' - a little-known phenomenon that means otherwise identical siblings are asymmetrical in their looks and how they move or interact.
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What is it called when siblings are born in the same year?

Irish twins is the term for siblings born in the same calendar year or within 12 months of each other. For the British mother, the second pregnancy was conceived just seven weeks after the birth of the first child, despite the fact that the mother was taking birth control.
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Can twins have different mothers?

It sounds impossible. But thanks to the reproductive advancements of surrogacy and in vitro fertilization, twins Connor and Cameron Payne were born to different mothers 16 days apart in different hospitals. Kathy and Ray Payne wanted children and had tried for eight years to make it happen.
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Can boys get pregnant?

People who are born male and living as men cannot get pregnant. A transgender man or nonbinary person may be able to, however. It is only possible for a person to be pregnant if they have a uterus. The uterus is the womb, which is where the fetus develops.
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Can a baby be born pregnant?

A baby born in Hong Kong was pregnant with her own siblings at the time of her birth, according to a new report of the infant's case. The baby's condition, known as fetus-in-fetu, is incredibly rare, occurring in only about 1 in every 500,000 births.
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What is the longest a woman has been pregnant?

But other doctors at Los Angeles' Methodist Hospital found it incredible that Mrs. Hunter had been pregnant 375 days (instead of the normal 280) before her baby was born there last week; 375 days would be the longest pregnancy on record, topping the runner-up by about 58 days. The evidence as presented by Dr.
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What are Catholic twins?

Noun. Catholic twins pl (normally plural, singular Catholic twin) (slang) Siblings born within twelve months of each other.
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Can I get pregnant 3 months after giving birth?

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises waiting at least six months or more after your last baby's birth before getting pregnant again and cautions against the risks of pregnancy sooner than 18 months after having a baby.
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What is a Didi twin?

In a di/di pregnancy (more scientifically referred to as a dichorionic diamniotic pregnancy) the twins each have their own chorionic and amniotic sacs. Essentially, each of the babies is growing like they would as a singleton, but just a little more cramped, because they're sharing the same womb.
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How do you deal with Irish twins?

9 Parenting Tips for Raising 'Irish Twins'
  1. Ask for help. This is particularly important when the children are very young. ...
  2. Create a routine. ...
  3. Don't compare. ...
  4. Offer alone time. ...
  5. Recognize their individuality. ...
  6. Encourage bonding. ...
  7. Develop unique relationships. ...
  8. Know each child's needs.
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Can twins be passed down through Father?

However, for a given pregnancy, only the mother's genetics matter. Fraternal twins happen when two eggs are simultaneously fertilized instead of just one. A father's genes can't make a woman release two eggs.
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What are Irish triplets?

Irish triplets are less common, but even that is usually meant to refer to three siblings born within three years. Palmer isn't sure if a case like hers, with three siblings born within a single calendar year from two pregnancies, is unheard of, but as best she can tell it's at least rare.
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What is it called when twins are born on different days?

It's also possible to have twins that were conceived at different times in a process called superfetation. In exceedingly rare cases, a woman might release two eggs during ovulation, but not at the same time. In such cases, twins may actually be born on different days.
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