Seeking Advice on Bedrooms Upstairs & Caring for Newborn Triplets?.

My triplets will be 10 this week--and they don't let me forget it. When they were born we were in a 3 bedroom aprtment. Even though the bedrooms were all right there, I used a playpen bassinet (pack n play) for the first month. It was just easier to handle them by myself. I would setup a sleep area on the first floor for at the least first few months so she does not have to go up and down too much. Have everything needed handy. When she is ready to transition, I would suggest getting a monitor so she can hear them when they wake.

If they are only planning on being there a year I think that it could work out. Hey, if that's all there is you make it work right? I have no experience with triplets but my childrens rooms are upstairs while my own is downstairs. It is a pain to climb the stairs many times a night so if all the bedrooms are upstairs then this is one thing your daughter will not have to deal with. I feel that once the babies are awake, they are probably not going to stay upstairs. The only problem I see is taking them downstairs/upstairs in the morning, naps and nighttime. Invest in some good gates for the stairs and I think she will be fine. I have a stash of supplies (diapers, creams, towels, wipe, ect.) upstairs and in my tv stand downstairs. This way I don't have to run upstairs to get anything. I would include a few extra pieces of clothes when needed. It will be laborous but having triplets will be also. I wish her the best!

First of all, congratulations! I have triplet girls that are 10 yrs old already, and I can't tell you how much my mom has enjoyed being a grandma to triplets (even though she loves her other 14 grandkids just as much). I live in a two story home with bedrooms upstairs and really didn't find it to be a problem. During pregnancy I did just plan on spending my day on the first level, once I got my son off to school. If the laundry is on the first level, even better because her husband can do the up and down stuff when he's home, but she can get some done during the day. Once my girls were home, it was easy to stay on the first level. I had a portacrib set up and that's where I put them down for naps for a long time, taking them upstairs for bed only at nighttime. Actually, I think it really helped differentiate night and day for them. By the time they were too big to share the portacrib, going up and down was no big deal. Trust me, your daughter will become very good at juggling and multi-tasking, and will develop her own rhythm and routine for handling her babies. Good luck to her and to you.

Is the master bedroom also upstairs? That would be a bit tough if not. Having just one at a time our babies were in our bedroom for the first 5 or so months, so much easier. If they are all on the same floor at least I would think it would be just fine. As she gets later in her pregnancy her husband will be doing most of the laundry anyway so that shouldn't matter too much! And after the babies come, it should help out a ton to have the laundry on the same level, I would love that! Congratulations! How exciting.

It may actually be nice to have the bedrooms upstairs once the babies arrive. My little one sleeps much better in the quiet upstairs vs downstairs with siblings and noise.

If she plans to nurse that is self-explanatory:) If she uses formula compeletely or supplements we just take enough bottles upstairs for the night with water only in them. When the baby wakes up we add the formula. It can be warmed in the sink immersed in hot water if needed.

Not your question- but I would recommend that she gets involved with some moms of multiples groups now while she can get out and around. It will be enormously helpful to her to have some friends and some tips that I'm sure us parents of singletons cannot even imagine. If she wants to nurse (and is possible to do with triplets, but hard work), she should get involved with her local La Leche League now (www.laleche.org)for support after the babies arrive.

Congrats on the triple blessing and best wishes to your daughter for a healthy preganncy.

You can definitely set up an area for the babies to nap in downstairs. When my triplets were born we had the same set up, a tiny townhouse with all upstairs bedrooms. We converted the family room to a nursery...put three pack and plays in the room and that is where the babies napped. When they are newborns, they'll nap just about anywhere, and sometimes we even used their bouncy seats. Once they got on a schedule where naps were fewer, we moved them to their cribs upstairs for naps and bedtimes. The upside of having the babies downstairs for a while was that one of us could sleep with the babies and do night feedings while the other one could get a good night's sleep! Check out raisingmultiples.com for an expectant mom's group and also tripletconnection.com.

Best of luck.
L.
mom to almost 9 year old triplet girls

P. - hav your daughter find a local moms of multiples (http://www.nomotc.org/). They can provide local support in many cases with meals and bedrest support (if she gets there) in addition, they can provide assistance with any questions, worries, support etc. I belong to a great group here that has lots of philanthropic causes and provides lots of support for all moms (and dads) of multiples. Whether is is clothing, coupons, mom nights out, support meetings, or even just support via the web (since it can be hard to get out of the house.

As far as the bedroom upstairs. When my twins were born, we had a pack and play that had a fitting that went over the top of it. This could be used for diaper changes, but we used it for napping when they were really little and not too mobile. This allowed us to be close to them and watch them, without having to go upstairs for the multiple naps they took daily. They slept in cribs upstairs at night. Also have her look into a video monitor.

Hi gram to be, congrats! You're really sweet to help out and be concerned. I think new borns will be in bassinets downstairs. By the time they are old enough to be in cribs, the mom will be well and strong enough to handle the stairs. New families don't realize babies take over their home, but we do. lol enjoy every minute of it. Greatgram, Frannie

P.

Laundry: We had a laundry chute installed when we bought our home. Laundry is in the basement. It is the best as the laundry is out of sight, out of mind...at least until I get to the basement. Ever since the kids could walk they learned to put dirty clothes down the laundry chute. We would keep lots of plastic bags on the second floor for those "messy" garments. Down the laundry chute it would go! I hope this helps!

I don't know about triplets but I do have twin girls who just turned 2. I have a raised ranch so I have to go up and down stairs just to get in my house. Stairs were VERY hard later in pregnancy. Plus I was on bedrest starting at week 25. That is a very real possibility for your daughter since she has triplets.

While I agree that upstairs bedrooms may be nice later on, she should really consider staying on one floor for a while. Maybe turn an office or the living room into a temporary bedroom? She will not want to carry little babies up and down the stairs all day. Think about it: How many trips would that take?? A LOT!! Plus, if she has a c-section (like I did), that makes recover harder and longer. Stairs will probably not be her friend.

I would strongly recommend that she try to set up the house so that all her essentials are handy for the first few weeks -- bathroom, bedroom/sleeping area, laundry, kitchen (or make-shift kitchen). Also, after I had my 3 c-sections, I couldn't lay flat for a while b/c I couldn't get back up due to the incision. I slept in my recliner for at least 2 weeks. Something to think about.

I wish her the best of luck. How exciting!!!

Hi P.,
I have triplets born in December of 08. The babies are upstairs and our bedroom is and was upstairs. I had trouble going up and down the stairs more than once in the morning and once at night. If she has no bathroom up there it will be a problem for her overnight.

I unlike most triplet Mom's NEVER went on bed rest. I carried them until 35 1/2 weeks and had a scheduled c-section. I can tell you that I was VERY lucky. The pregnancy is hard on your body and she will need to rest a ton. If she needs help or you have questions you can reach me at ____@____.com.

Triplet Moms are on the rise but are still in the minority. I will help in any way I can.

D.

I hope this isn't too repetitive as I haven't read your other posts. I have not experienced multiples but I will say that our pack n play was a godsend in our 2 story home. When mommy and daddy were up beginning their day, we moved our "camp" to downstairs and napping and diaper changing all took place in the pack n play that has a nifty little changing table and bassinet feature. When it was time for the family to move towards nighttime and bedtime, we moved upstairs to where our room and the nursery is. You may need more than one pack n play but I will tell you that I really loved that arrangement. I only had to lug the baby upstairs once a day if I wanted to (or I guess not at all if I didn't want to!)
Good luck grandma! Get yourself one of those charge cards so you can get travel rewards!!!

My sil has twins and she has an upstairs and downstairs. She has to use a gate to keep them from going up or down on their own, but it isn't a big deal. Not sure being pregnant with triplets if that will be a problem. I climbed up and down mine after each of my three c-sections just had to go slow.

It does provide some much needed exercise throughout my day. :)

Triplets!! Congratulations. Well, I am a Mom of almost 2 year old twins, and most of my friends in the moms of multiples club I am in had bedrest towards the end of their pregnancy. I am sure that is moreso the case when there is higher order multiples.

One level would probably be best, but bedrest and the early infant times are temporary. A frined of mine just stayed on the couch downstairs when she first brought the kids home. It is such a personal decision.

Good luck!

I have triplets that are 10 yrs old now and a daughter that is 4 months younger. (kinda like having quads) We were in a ranch house when the kids were born until they were 2. We then built our house and put the kids bedrooms upstairs and ours on the main floor. Laundry is on the main floor.

I feel very blessed to have 4 children. It's busy, but extremely fun. Just keep the babies on a schedule when they come home from the hospital. It makes your life more organized.

Good luck and congratulations!!

L.

I am hard pressed to find how they could only come up with houses with bedrooms upstairs in this housing market. Perhaps that is what they really want. I myself went through it (and with only one child) and I have a house with an upstairs now and it is difficult at times, so unless the powers that be also give her extremely quiet, obedient perhaps more peaceful than most human beings I'll bet if that's what they want, they'll find a house with bedrooms on the first floor. There are so many homes for sale and rent I bet if they hold out things can work out. But I know I wished for a two story house and I am grateful for any house, but they do require extra work.