Newborn Changes

I am a 26 year old SAHM who has a wonderful husband also. We live in Spokane WA. I have almost 3 year old twin daughters and a 7 month old daughter so I did mine the oposite of yours. Twins I have to say are not the easiest but they are wonderful you just learn what is best for you. I have to say that the only way I survived was to get the twins on a schedule and it helped so much we would have the same routine everyday and I lived for that. They slept through the night at 4 weeks old and 9 weeks old. I think that is the main way I kept my sanity. They do get easier though. Once they can sort of roll or crawl for that toy that they want it is helpful when they start moving. There is just a lot of crying the first 6 months because they have to learn that you only have 2 hands and they have to be patient. Any ways if you ever want to chat let me know. I hope I don't scare you but you do learn what works best for you.

Thinking of you
K. Katke
____@____.com

Hi. I can't offer any advice on having twins but I did have my youngest 3 kids in 3 years. My daughters are now 4 and 3 1/2 and my son just turned 2, so I have had to learn about juggling 3 kids. The best advice I can offer is that until the kids are a little older, avoid having to go anywhere, like grocery shopping, by yourself with the kids. It's a nightmare. You will invariablly forget some required item anyway. But I've found that the older they get, the easier life gets also. And they all learn to play together so well. And just think of it, they will have their own cheering section or possiblly contest to see who gets potty trained first. Good Luck. Have a Blessed Day.

I have 3 kids under the age of 5. My biggest suggestion is to let it be ok for friends and church family to help with things. Since you don't have family close to you, let the people that God has placed in your life support you. And don't be afraid to ask for help. Let some of your friends take your older daughter to play at times. When each of my kids were born my mother-in-law would come and live with us for a week to help out and it was AWESOME. We always dreaded when she left. She would cook, clean, and help out with the kids day and night. Such a blessing! If you families are willing to come help like that that might be nice too. But make sure to spread it out so you get the help you need for a longer period of time. After my m-i-l left then my husband would take the next week off of work. Then I had 2 solid weeks of help. I had friends who came and took my older kids to play. Let them do meals and don't worry about your home being messy. It's ok. I would really suggest getting the babies on a pretty strict routine. It will save your sanity and help with exhaustion.

Twin pregnancy, delivery and newborns are an animal of an entirely different breed! Basically - expect the unexpected.

Definitely get a game plan in order, but be flexible! Meals, Dr. Appointments (oh my word there are sooooooo many the last 3 months!), while you are in the hospital schedules and care should be worked out soon. With only one child at home it will be much easier to get a great game plan in order for her care in a variety of circumstances.

I could go on and on for days about what works and what doesn't, but the basics are to remain flexible and to give yourself a break it will be a while after they are born for things to seem even remotely normal! I would also suggest joining a local twin group for support even while pregnant! They offer maternity clothes, meals, advice and MUCH more!

You can find more information by visiting http://www.allmomshops.com/twins.html. And of course feel free to contact me if you want to talk!

My husband and I just had twin boys in October. What a blessing! Sure, it is difficult at times, but you figure it out as you go. As far as the big advice goes, you'll have to do what works best for you and your family. EVERYONE will try to tell you how to do things. We have our boys sleep together in the same crib (against the advice of family members). Some say they will sleep better if separated, but I love the bond they share, and think that sleeping together helps strengthen that bond. We will start them out at opposite ends of the crib, and they always end up right next to each other. As far as the little advice goes, here are a couple of things that helped me. I found a back-pack style diaper bag to be the easiest for us. When you wrestle two car-seats, a diaper bag, and anything else, the back-pack prevents it from slipping down your arm (and inevitably bonking one of the babies). We also had a great debate over which double-stroller to buy. The side-by-side versus front-to-back. We actually have one of each. I use the side-by-side when I take the boys for jogs on the green-belt. They get to view more scenery this way, but it is not very practical for running errands. The side-by-side does not fit very well through all doors, and between isles. The front-to-back stroller looks long, but is easier to maneuver in stores. We found a good one by Grayco that will fit both carseats, then it converts as they grow. Also, there is a national twin organization. I just moved to town, so I do not know where the local chapter is located, but your doctor should be able to give you some information. You can also look them up online. This is a great resource. You can meet other local parents of twins, and get great advice. They have tips for everything, to help things go a little more smoothly. Congratulations, and good luck!

Hi, I am a stay at home Mom of 5 kids. I don't have twins but our girls are 6yrs old,5yrs old, and 4yrs old! Not to mention Our 10 yr old son and our 10 month old son! The best addvice I think anyone can give is pre-make, pre-organize, and pre-deside. If you are going to bottle feed, make one days worth ahead of time, if you are going out tomarrow, pick out all the clothes for everyone the night before and ALWAYS have a prestocked diaper bag ready! You will be amazed how many little things you can do ahead of time! You can even buy your little girl one of those sectioned plates with lids and make her lunch the night before. Also, you'd be amazed at how much kids like premade pancakes or french toast! They even freeze well and if you top them with things like peanutbutter they make good snacks during the day! I swear if I didn't learn these tricks, our lives would be more hecktic than they already are! Good luck an d Congrats!

Hello Katherine,
I don't know if you’re a reader or not but when I was on bed-rest last summer (pregnant with my twins) I read many parenting books geared for multiples. So I'm going to give you a list of my favorites.
If you plan on breastfeeding I found that Mothering Multiples by Karen K. Gromadu was the most helpful.
For a few good ideas on just the logistics of having twins I like the Parents Guide to Raising Twins By Friedrich and Rowland….
And I thought that Ready or not here we come by Elizabeth Lyons would come in handy for you. She actually has a daughter that was either two or three when her twin boys were born. She’s actually very funny and it’s a quick read…I really enjoyed it.
As for my own advice. I’m with the sentiment that routine is paramount. Without it life is just too hard. Good luck and congratulations.