Finding out you’re pregnant with twins can be exciting yet terrifying. On the one hand, you’re getting to have potentially all the children you want in one pregnancy. On the other, the thought of having two babies to look after when one is hard enough, is a very daunting prospect.
If you’re expecting twins or you’re currently struggling to stay sane with your little ones, here you’ll find some awesome sanity saving tips. With a little preparation and know-how, you’ll soon find it easier to juggle the demands of your new, larger family.
Tip #1 – Preparation Is Vital
If your little bundles of joy haven’t arrived yet, the good news is there’s a lot of preparation work you can do right now that’s going to help make your life a million times easier.
Firstly, it helps to get ahead by purchasing the right baby equipment. A great tip to save money is to look out for “twin discounts”. Many stores provide a discount if you buy two of the same product so this can save you a small fortune if you’re a first-time parent and don’t have anything from previous pregnancies.
Once you have your equipment, you’re going to want to start organizing the home. It’s not just the nursery you’ll want to focus on here. Making sure you have a changing station on each level of the home if there’s more than one level, is a great tip. Ensure each is fully equipped with everything you’re going to need in one easy to reach place.
The next thing you’re going to want to do is find a good pediatrician. It also helps to have numbers for emergency contacts and it’s a great time to put together a list of potential babysitters, because let’s face it – you’re going to need all the help you can get!
The more preparation you can do, the easier your life will be when you bring your twins home.
Tip #2 – Sign Up For Help
Whether you’re expecting twins or you’re already being driven mad by your new additions to the family, it’s helpful to sign up to support groups or online forums. Connecting with other parents who know exactly what you’re going through is going to provide a lot of comfort and also invaluable advice! This is exactly why we started our own forum, which you can check out by clicking here.
Interacting with parents who are facing the same struggles will also help to prevent the isolation many new parents experience. Multiples Of America is an excellent source to turn to and the site will be able to point you in the direction of any local group in your area.
Tip #3 – Breast Is Best
By far one of the toughest challenges of having twin babies is the feeding frenzy that ultimately ensues. As soon as you’ve fed, burped and changed one baby, it’s time to feed the other. It’s a cycle which seems to be never ending and it can really start to drive you insane. If you’re looking for the easiest method some experts suggest breastfeeding. That way, you can feed both babies at the same time.
Now, it’s worth noting a lot of twins are born prematurely and premature babies can have more trouble latching onto the breast. So, breastfeeding might not be a viable option for you. Even if it is, breastfeeding two babies at the same time can be extremely difficult to begin with. You’re going to want to try out various feeding positions before you find the best one for you and your little ones.
It’s a good idea to purchase a U-shaped pillow which fits snugly around your waist. This will help to keep both babies in position at the breast.
Tip #4 – Have A Strict Sleeping Schedule
This is going to be the most difficult tip to follow as getting one baby into a sleep schedule is hard enough, never mind two! However, if you’re strict and have a set schedule as soon as possible, it’s going to really help save your energy!
It might sound obvious, but always put both babies to sleep at the same time. Then, if one of them wakes up for a feed during the night, be sure to wake your other baby too. If you don’t, chances are you’ll just get back into bed and your other bundle of joy is going to cry out for a feed.
In terms of where they should sleep, for the first few months it should be fine to let your little ones sleep next to each other in the same crib. However, it’s a good idea to seek advice from your pediatrician before doing so. If on the other hand, you plan on letting them sleep in a bassinet in your room, they will need one each. Just ensure they can still see each other. After all, they’ve just spent nine months together in your womb so they’re used to the comfort of having someone there with them.
Tip #5 – Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself
When you’ve got twins, it’s difficult to find enough time to catch your breath. So, bonding and ensuring you’re giving each baby enough attention can be extremely difficult. Many parents are worried that they haven’t yet developed a proper bond with their twin babies, but the truth is it takes a little longer.
The more you get to know each of your little ones, the deeper the bond will become. In the first few weeks it’s difficult to find the time to give each baby a lot of one-on-one attention so don’t beat yourself up if you don’t feel instantly bonded to your babies.
It’s also important not to feel guilty. It’s natural to worry that you’re not giving one twin the same level of attention, especially if one is fussier than the other. However, you need to remember that there’s just one of you. You’re not super-human and there’s only so much you can do. So, occasionally one baby is going to be left crying while you’re taking care of the other. It’s tough, but it’s normal.
Conclusion
Overall, raising twins is one of the most difficult jobs in the world, but it also comes with a lot of joyful moments. As they grow, you’ll start to see their individual personalities shine through. Experiencing the bond between them is also a magical thing. So, when you feel like you’re about to have a meltdown, remember this is temporary. It does get easier and if you follow the tips above it will help ease some of the stress.
Have you got any of your own great sanity-saving tips for raising twins? Share them below!
Your blog is very informative and useful. I think that raising twins would be impossible for me, I’m struggling to raise one, and I have one on the road….I wonder how I will manage two kids in the same time.
Thank God that my wife is pregnant with only one child.
I totally agree with you, wallet – one baby is already a handful, how much more for two? I would go nuts, haha.
But I’m sure parents of twins will eventually know how to manage along the way. Preparation and a lot of energy and multi-tasking skills are the keys.
When we were trying to conceive, my wife and I often joked “lets have twins, even triplets.” However, when we did our first ultra sonogram and wife wsas pregnant with a single embroya, we sighed in relief. I cannot imagine how hard it is for parents who have twins. One child is giving us enough problem, if we had twins, the problems would be double. However, the tips shared here are definately useful and informative.
Reminds me of the saying, “Be careful what you wish for”, haha. Good thing you didn’t get what you wished for, otherwise, it would be a riot. But twins or not, parents can also make use of these tips to keep their sanity 🙂
@vinaya How funny it would have been if your wish for twins was magically granted, as much as you would be happy for both the children but you are definitely going to have a mixed feelings about them. Lucky you that it later turned out to be a single embryo because had it been more than that, it’s definitely going to impacting on the budget you have for the incoming child. Although, in reality, twins are cool especially when they are dressed up in the same attire looking so sweet. I would actually love to have twins (winks).
Twins are very lovely only in presentation but the work behind taking care of them is very exhausting to the point of driving a parent nuts. The feeding and sleeping schedule of dealing with twins is very demanding. Thank God for breastfeeding, I seriously wonder how most parents would cope with such task.
These tips made known here are certain to be of great help with handling twins and their scenes to any parent. Signing up for help is a very good tool, but the underlying problem is getting a good person to help you with your little angels.
True, it’s lovely to see twins because they’re adorable. But as you’ve said, the care involved in their upbringing can drive parents crazy.
And yes, it is hard to find a trustworthy and caring nanny, so parents raising twins by themselves would be in a really difficult situation.
The truth I’ve come to realize about having twins is that we all need to have a relaxed mind about these babies. Signing up for help and understanding the basic tips of how to nurse these babies will make the experience worthwhile at the end of the day.
I have a friend that has twin boys, she literally saw hell when nursing them because they eat like soldiers. They would suck her breast until she will feel so empty and when they got to the age of 3-5 years, they still eat little armies but the good thing is that when you take very good care of them, whenever you look at them, you would be filled with love and joy.
See, that’s what I’m talking about too, Martinsx. All efforts and hard work in raising a child will eventually pay off once they’re able to reciprocate all our sacrifices. When they grow up and embrace you, and say thank you and I love you for what you’ve done for them, you would feel so happy. Much more if they grow up as responsible and caring adults, parents would be so happy and proud.
True, panic will not get any parent anywhere – whether taking care of twins or one baby. The key is being calm in facing the task at hand. Being open minded is necessary, and to condition one’s mind that no task is difficult if both parents work together to care for the baby.