How workplaces can support twin parents

Pregnancy at work when you are expecting more than one baby

Finding out you’re expecting twins, triplets or more can change how you feel about work almost overnight. It’s very common to have a mix of excitement, worry and a long list of questions about how you’ll manage your job as pregnancy progresses.

Talking to your employer early usually helps. Multiple pregnancies are more likely to be classed as higher risk, which often means extra scans, more antenatal appointments and closer monitoring. You might feel more tired, need to sit down more often or become less mobile earlier than someone carrying one baby. Letting your manager know what’s going on means you’re not struggling in silence.

If starting the conversation feels awkward, you could jot down the key points you want to cover or send an email first. You might want to mention how you’re feeling physically and emotionally, any regular appointments and the fact that your babies are more likely to arrive before 40 weeks, which could affect your planned last working day. You can also signpost your employer to the Twins Trust website so they can read more about multiple pregnancy and understand what support might help.

Planning your work and maternity leave with twins, triplets or more

Once you’ve opened up the conversation, you and your employer can look at practical adjustments. Depending on your role, this might mean working from home more often, shorter days, changes to some tasks or building in regular rest breaks. Small tweaks can make a big difference to how sustainable work feels as your pregnancy moves on.

You might also notice a stream of curious questions from colleagues. People are often fascinated by twins and may ask things they’d never dream of asking someone carrying one baby. If comments feel intrusive, you don’t have to put up with them. It can help to talk to your manager or HR and agree some gentle boundaries so you feel comfortable at work.

When you’re choosing a date to start maternity leave, remember that carrying more than one baby can be physically demanding. Many parents of multiples recommend leaving some breathing space towards the end of pregnancy, rather than working right up to your due date. Lots of people find stopping work somewhere between 28 and 30 weeks feels about right, but there isn’t one perfect date. How long you stay at work will depend on your job, your health, how the pregnancy is going and how flexible your employer can be.

The earliest you can choose to start maternity leave is 11 weeks before your babies are due. If your babies arrive early, or if you’re off sick with a pregnancy-related illness in the last four weeks before your due date, your maternity leave will usually start automatically.

Making sense of maternity pay and shared parental leave

If you’re in permanent employment, you’re generally entitled to take up to one year of maternity leave. Maternity leave is per pregnancy, not per child, so there isn’t extra statutory leave just because you’re having twins, triplets or more. Many parents feel more relaxed once they understand how Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Maternity Allowance and Shared Parental Leave fit together. We have lots of useful information on this here. LINK to INF-067

Shaping work and family life after your babies arrive

Every family with twins, triplets or more needs something slightly different from their workplace. Some parents want to take as much continuous leave as possible, while others prefer to use Shared Parental Leave so both partners can spend time at home. Many families look at flexible working or a phased return once leave ends, especially when childcare costs are high.

As you plan, it can help to sketch out a few different combinations of work and childcare and think about how they might feel in real life. You might be considering nursery, a childminder, family support or a pattern where you and your partner work different shifts. Factor in things like travel time, settling-in sessions and how tired you’re likely to feel in those early weeks back.

When you’re closer to returning, try to talk to your employer well before your planned date. You can chat through flexible hours, compressed weeks, working from home for part of the week or a phased return where you build up your hours gradually. If your workplace has HR, they can explain any policies already in place for parents and how to make a formal flexible working request if you’d like to.

Emotionally, the first few weeks back can feel wobbly. You’re getting used to new routines at home and at work, and that takes time. Building in small pockets of breathing space, asking for practical help and being kind to yourself can all make a difference. It’s also completely fine if your first plan doesn’t turn out to be the perfect fit. You can tweak your hours, adjust childcare or talk to your employer again as your babies grow and your family’s needs change. You’re allowed to keep reviewing things until work and home life feel as balanced as possible.