A Test I Didn't Have to Study For

To settle curiosity once and for all and after recurring moments of guilt for getting my babies momentarily mixed up, I ordered a bucal zygosity test.  This company was the most frequently recommended in MoM Groups (Moms of Multiples).

In my defence, the moments of "Who are you?" all happened either in the middle of the night, after long nights with little sleep, or in crowded places (being around large groups of people makes me anxious and I don't function well).  Also I call my singletons by the wrong name on a somewhat regular basis, so there is also that.

I have a game I like to play mainly with my husband and sister.  I text pictures of the twins and ask them to tell me who is who.  My sister currently has the better record.  In the early days, when I would be holding only Baby B, I sometimes had to look at Baby A to remember who I was holding.  Baby B could look like Baby A, but A always looked like A.  Then suddenly A looked like B and I had to stare at them and figure out who looked the most like B.  In the morning after a solid stretch of sleep I could tell them apart.  Panic subsided...zygosity test still ordered. Since that time I have decided "what a complete waste of money, they look like siblings but no way can they be identical."  To "I am glad I ordered, they are so hard to tell apart today.  If the results show identical I won't have to feel so guilty." Also "How the heck did I get them mixed up? They look nothing alike" To looking at old pictures and desperately trying to remember how I dressed them that day because they are in hats and I have no idea which baby is which.  Today is a "they look nothing alike day".

A little over a week after ordering the test kit arrived. Ignore the donut in the background.

2 test tubes, clearly labeled and 4 cotton swabs for each baby.

A bit unsure about all this.

  The first baby, 2 cotton swabs swirled on each cheek.  

A found everything interesting...and also edible.

 A tried to eat her swabs, which made things slightly more difficult. Overall, still pretty easy.

4 swabs in each test tube and popped in the pre-paid postage mailer.

Now it is just a matter of hurry up and wait.  There is a live tracker online you can see what phase the test process is in.

Order Received - Kit Shipped - Kit Received - Test in Progress - Results Shipped

The website said it typically takes about 3 business  for the company to receive the kit back, then 10 business days for the results.  I ordered the kit on November 9th.  Kit received on the 17th and mailed the 18th. The online tracker shows Test in Progress, December 1st.  Results to be mailed on or before December 14th!  Two more weeks of waiting!