Twins & a Toddler

When my twins girls were born my son was 13 months old. To answer your questions.....

--I had a double umbrella type stroller for the twins and the toddler either walked along side holding on to the stroller, or I had a single stroller for him that someone else pushed. Most times I didn't go anywhere with all 3 without help though.

--Since I also had 2 older children (ages 10 and 11 years) we had to buy a van that seated 8. There was a seat for each kid and plenty of storage room in the back.

--Yes, you will need a different type of diaper bag...you will need a BIG one. Even if you take a change of clothes for each and diapers it adds up. I had one made for me that I loved. It was just a cloth bag with big pockets to help keep it organized, but it was big enough that it held everything I needed.

--All of my babies wore cloth diapers until they were 3 months old. That's when I had had enough and went to disposables! How many diapers should one person wash a week? Not that many, that's for sure!

--I never had any of my children sleep in my bed. I wanted all of them to learn to sleep in their own beds right from the start. The twins shared the same crib until they were about 6 months old though. All 3 of my little ones shared the same bedroom until my son learned to climb out of his crib and would wake the twins. That's when he got his own room.

--Free time? What's that? Don't plan to have any free time for the first 5 years! Just kidding! Now is not the time to make any big changes in your lifestyle. Wait until the babies are born and you have settled into a routine to see how much time you really have. But keep in mind, that the minute you get settled into a routine, something will change it and you will have to start all over again.

--I bottle fed all my babies due to the lack of milk production, but I know several moms of twins that have successfully breastfed twins. At least for the first few months. Most of them got a breastfeed pillow made just for breastfeeding twins to make it easier.

--Having twins is considered a "High Risk Pregnancy" by most doctors and it is not recommended that you do home births. Too many things can go wrong that usually don't happen with a single birth. The first being that, on average, twins are born 3 to 4 weeks early and are usually smaller at birth and may need a little extra care.

All that being said, my biggest advice is for you to find a local "Mothers Of Twins Club" in your area and go talk to experienced moms who have all "been there, done that". They will be able to give you EXPERT advice and little tips and tricks to make life easier that no mother of singletons will understand or know about. And even the doctors don't know about most of them! I joined our local MOTC right after my twins were born and really don't think I would have made it without their help. You can find a local club on this site: http://www.nomotc.org/

Good luck to you. I sure hope I have helped you even if it's only in a small way. You are going to need all the help you can get! haha

Wow. So I can't answer all your questions or offer advice really, but here are a few thoughts. My kids are 13 months apart but I don't have twins. I just looked at a carseat that CAN fit 3 across in a Camry, the Sunshine Kids Radian65 or Radian80. It's a convertible, more narrow carseat with a slim profile (also folds). I know what money is like for me with the 2 kids so close together and in diapers, and I could never buy a new car right now.

I also tried to work from home without success - it's hard enough with one kid. You get so little time to yourself, and you have to spend it working. I just became exhausted and resentful, so I put the kids in daycare and I work out of an office now. I get to spend more time with the kids, because the work I accomplish is more focused, and I leave it at the office every day. But 3 kids, you're probably stuck at home for a while unless you can convince someone to help you.

Especially because your daughter is so young, you should transition her to a crib in her own room right away - the general advice I got was not to make any changes in my first born's life (like taking her out of your bed) 4 months before or after the new baby(ies). If she's using a bottle, you should wean her to a sippy cup at this point too. My daughter wakes my son up at least 3 times a week and it's hell. In the beginning, you daughter will probably be confused and resentful, and it might help to have your mom or someone she's comfortable with, who can help you in the middle of the night.

Stroller: You're going to want a good quality one, whatever you decide, because you're going to use it a long time. You might consider a double stroller and a backpack/front carrier (like the Ergo which can do both - hold a newborn in front or a toddler up to 40 pounds on front/back/side). By 2, your oldest will like to walk places and may not sit in a stroller, therefore possibly making a triple stroller a waste of money. I own the Baby Jogger City Series Double stroller and love it. It fits through all doors, side by side, and is great quality. Oh, and it fits perfectly in the Camry trunk, along with all our groceries.

I have a friend that recommended separate diaper bags for each child, but that didn't work for us. We have separate diaper bags depending on the outing (the RUNNING ERRANDS diaper bag and the OUTDOOR FUN diaper bag). You will have to find what works for you, but I wouldn't spend money on new diaper bags yet.

We cloth diaper one of our kids full time, and the other one when he's not at daycare. My advice would be to get through the first 3 months in disposables, and then decide whether you want to invest the time and money into cloth. I wouldn't even consider it if you don't have a washer/dryer, but you could look into a service and then it wouldn't be so hard.

I have a friend with a 4 year old and 4 month old twins. With the help of her family, she gets to run errands and stuff without the kids (I saw her at Target last week, ALONE!). Of course, if you're breastfeeding both of them full time, I don't think you should expect much time away from them for a while. Many moms have great success breastfeeding twins! But definitely get a good pump so you can take a break, or decide that's it's OK with you to supplement with formula so you get a break.

I wouldn't even consider a homebirth if I was pregnant with twins. I am not saying that as a judgment, though. If you are serious about this, I would find a really good midwife who is fully supportive, check whether your insurance will cover it, start seeing a chiropractor, and find a good doula AND/OR Bradley instructor who has experience with homebirths. If you can't get these things, you may want to look into giving birth somewhere (birth center/hospital) where you can still have the birth experience you are hoping for.

Good luck. The road ahead of you will be so much fun and excitement, but it's also really a challenge! Enjoy the ride!

Hi D.
Congrats on the lovely family.
You seem quite overwhelmed with the idea of the twins coming. When I was 19 weeks I was in the hospital with preterm labor. However, the girls were born at 37 weeks.
I was at the store with them when I saw a gal with 3 little ones although I didn't see how they could be triplets I knew they were not singles, so asked "how old are they?" Well, to my surprise they were only 9 months apart. The twins were born at 7 months, as she said they would have been close enough if they were full term. We visited for a while, but know it has been done before and you can do this.
I did have mine in cloth diapers but not the first month or so. I did not breastfeed because of some complications with the C-section.
I carried less diaper bag with the twins than with my singles because you have more weight in babies. My twins weighed in at 5'11" and 6'8" so used stroller not any kind of carrier on my person. They don't last long enough.
Have you seen Twins magazine? I loved it. Check it out.
My other knowledge is what to do in a real emergency. For instance how to get them out of the house by myself if there was a fire. Well, you get the idea. We had a fireman come to Mother's Of Multiples, and his advice to us was to grab a blanket and put all of the babies in the blanket, making sure you have all 4 corners run out of the house like you had a Santa pack, not necessarily on your back. He said they might have a few bruises but you would have them all with you and they would be protected from the smoke.
It was a blessing to many in the group, including myself and we are all thankful that we didn't have to use that info.
The other knowledge I have is to make sure you keep yourself hydrated. Drink water.
There won't be time to work at least not at first, sometimes I didn't have time to shower.
God bless you and your lovely family.
Rejoice and relax.
K. SAHM married 38 years --- adult children 37, 32, and twins 18 in college after homeschooling.

D.,

I can answer a few points:

Keep your diaper bag simple! Enough changes for all 3 babies clothes (x1) and cloth diapers for all 3 babies x 3 hours (if you can make it with 3 kids on your own for more than 3 hours, you have my AWE!) So, 2 cloth for the older, and maybe 6-8 for the younger two (worst case scenario). Don't forget food for the oldest, too. That's where those expensive little jars come in handy - but plan on packing the diaper bag the night before, not 'keeping it stocked'. *** Keep a small stockpile of diapers in the trunk (disposables if necessary) for emergencies.

Along with cloth diapers: kiddapottamus (sp?) piddle pads for the car seats.

If you are cloth on your older child, you can (if you started from the beginning) just get the same amount of newborn diapers for the 2nd child.

If you are going cloth, plan on a diaper wash each evening, so they are fresh in the AM. It doesn't matter if you have enough cloth diapers to last a week - you could LOSE a week just feeding all these guys!

You are right about the car. You have family, maybe they can watch while you run to the store (or other errands) if you are not in the market for a new car. Car seats all around will be safest, as all will have to go to the doc's or other appointments.

Toyota? double stroller will probably work best - and plan on carrying one of the twins (switch off so they get equal Mom time :) or your oldest (heavier but Mom time is equally important. A combination stroller and sling should work wonders. But having the double for the two car seats for the twins will ensure that the oldest has a spot - you'll just have to carry the spare car seat when the oldest wants to 'park'. I don't think any one item is going to 'fit the bill' for your situation, but this is the best I can think of!

Don't worry about co sleeping - you might put her mattress next to your bed and get her used to at least napping on it - then when the time comes, you'll be able to co-sleep the twins. You might find that you'll have to do things you wouldn't normally do to make this work. You can do it!

I didn't and don't expect free time to myself. If I get a few minutes, it's a bonus. A shower is a great place to meditate, even if only for a few minutes. Work on a relaxation routine now and you will be able to access it any time you like.

Breastfeeding twins is possible! You will hopefully have someone at home with you the first few week(s) to help you get the hang of it (and to rock them when you need sleep to recover).

Good luck finding work from home. I pray for the blessing of you're being a SAHM for your babies!

Give yourself time to adjust to your children to nurse, feed, clothe, pamper, diaper and play with your children on a daily basis - if you can - before you think about or go back to work. Cutting back on little extras might surprise you on the rewards later with your children.

I know I haven't answered everything, but
Good luck, and congratulations!
M.

Hi D.~

Congradulations on your upcoming double blessing! I cannot begin to know what you are going thru because I've never had twins, but given the opprotunity, I would in a heartbeat! My boys are 18 months apart and I used the same diaper bag and , in the beginning, got used to just carrying my wallet with me as I never had enough hands or arms for diaper bag, purse, children, etc. Since I've never had twins, I'll go onto let you know about the work aspect.

As for work...if you truly love what you do, then talk to your boss. You might be able to transition your job from on the site to virtual and just go to the office once or twice a week. I used to temp for various companies. One of the last positions I had was in Accounts Payable. The woman who had the position was on maternity leave and before she came back, they had added software to her home computer that hooked her up to the work computer (like legal hacking) and she planned on child care for just 2 days a week for her newborn and more for her older child. As far as I know, it worked out well for all involved.
As for the vehicle, if budget permits, turn in the Camry and get something that can handle 3 car seats since a standard car will not cut it.
I wish you the very best of luck...
J.

I hope that you are planning to deliver with a midwife and not by yourself. If you are medically cleared by her and have appropriate back up then go for it. I gave birth at home so I am supportive but it is very important for it to be safe and only a trained care provider can say if it is or not. Twins does increase the risk.

I can't really advise you on any of the other stuff.... but the most important thing to remember...... is that your oldest baby will still be a baby. Please be sure not to expect her to act older than she is when the wee ones are born. Good luck, blessings and best wishes to you all! xo

Dear D.,

Congratulations! I just wanted to chime in on the breastfeeding of twins... You can absolutely do it. It is time-consuming at first, but once the nursing is established you will find it easier than fooling with bottles. And feeding them simultaneously (with EZ-2-Nurse twins pillow) means you can comfort and soothe them together by yourself, and that's such a Godsend. If you breastfed your daughter, you will probably have an easier time getting the twins going, because you and your body are experienced. With my twins (I don't have any other children), I didn't have that benefit. But I was determined to make it work, and if you are too, it will work for you!

Also, try if you can to arrange for a family member to live with you for a while after the twins are born -- it will make a huge difference. My mom stayed with us for three months and it helped so much, and I didn't have a toddler to care for too!

Good luck. You can do it,
A.

Congrats on your multiples! You and your family will enjoy the experience thoroughly. Being a mother of twins I live by the quote, "Twins, yes twice the work but four times the fun!".

I do not have any other children so I can't appreciate what life is like with a toddler and twin mothers. I imagine you will have to learn to balance quite a bit. I can speak though to a few of your questions. We use cloth diapers for our twins and love them! Their skin is doing great with cloth. They are much more comfortable and we are saving a great deal of money. We tried disposables while they were little and our babies skin had rashes and we felt guilty disposing two trashbags of diapers every week. The cloth diapers are wonderful. We love the Bum Genius 3.0 version. We have never had a problem with leakage. They have not stained from poopies. They come with an additional insert for newborns. This is a savings because we use additional inserts for overnights. They are good for newborns the same diaper will last to 38 pounds. We wash them at night and hang dry them. They are ready the next morning. We use Allen's Naturally for cleaning and use 1/8 of a cup. It is an investment up front but we are glad that our buying is over. Also, there is a market for used cloth diapers in which we plan on selling ours. We also use cloth wipes and Northen Essence diaper solution which is ok to use on cloth diapers. If you want to try them, www.Jilliansdrawers.com has an trial program for $10.00. I highly recommend you try it!

Our twins sleep together in a crib and have since they were born. They are five months old now. It is adorable to see them holding hands in their sleep. The peds endorsed it fully!

Breastfeeding twins is possible. We used the EZ to Nurse pillow when they were small so that I could breastfeed them at the same time. It was also safer to use then boppy's especially when I was alone and didn't have someone handing babies to me. Now I breastfeed them individually and love it because it gives me alone time throughout the day with each.

Try to get them on the same schedule if possible. Ours did naturally and that helped. We discovered that since they shared a crib they woke each other at feeding time which was nice because I could feed them at the same time. My friend tried to feed hers without a schedule and found it too difficult.

You may want to join a multiple moms club. There are national organizations with local chapters. I love ours, they are very supportive. They assigned me a big sister who gave great guidance. They have a preemies closet for which to borrow clothes, a lending library, monthly meetins, family events, kids playtime outings, annual member garage sales, and more.

I wish you and your family much joy and happiness. Please feel free to contace me with more questions.

P.S. Please deliver at the hospital. Both of mine were head down at 38 1/2 weeks. The conditions were 'perfect' for a vaginal according to my OB. After 19 hours of labor we had to have a c-section. It was nice to be there at the hospital for the babies' sake. They were not jeopardized by a trip to the hospital.

First, congratulations. That is so exciting and I wish you the best of luck with all of your little ones. I am currently the mother of two (12 months apart) and will have third in January - three under the age of 27 months. I'm so excited and have loved having my first two so close together. Per your question, I"ll give you a little overview of how I experienced having my first two so close and maybe some of it is transferable.

Stroller - not sure if the car is part of your daily life, but I had one of the mountain buggies and it was great for strolling around the city and they made a very cheap adapter for putting the car seats in, which enabled me to take them out of the stroller without waking them up. We also had a backpack that I used for my oldest - one of these hiking backpacks - which was great for her (she could see everything) - and enabled me to have my hands free for the stroller. I was never a fan of the bjorn, but I guess that would work as well if she isn't too big. The big doubles barely fit in doors (and certainly didn't fold into the car) so not sure about the triples, if that's important to you.

Diaper bags - I had two, but used one for diapers and the other for food and other stuff. I did need to find a way to distinguish between their diapers given that the sizes were so close (i used 7th generation, not cloth). But found it was easier to just have one thing of wipes and creams.

Vehicle - we had to buy an SUV when we found out we were expecting our third. Unless they can actually use a booster seat (which our kids are too small for) there are few if any cars (and even difficult in the SUVs) that will fit three car seats in one row. But there are some super-thin car seats that might work - I have a friend who told me about them but I haven't looked into it since we already bought the car and own several car seats.

Sleeping - for me, the schedule was my friend. I was so strict about it once the baby was 4 months old because it was the only way to get out of the house and entertain the oldest. As it was, with a strict schedule we only had an hour or two to escape when someone wasn't sleeping. But if the babies are good about sleeping in the stroller, that will help. But for me, daytime and nighttime sleeping were critical for sanity.

Time - I have no idea about twins, but I found the first few months with the baby to be easy because he slept so much. And if you have help from family, that will be great. I have not had much time to myself when I am here with them by myself, but I find they can both be entertained by one person so if I have someone here, I can get a lot done. But I did have a tough time if my oldest knew that I was at home so I had to shut myself off in the other room.

Hope that helps - best of luck to you!

WOW!

WOW!!! That's all I gotta say. I thought I was going to be stressed, you take the cake over me anyway! I am also pregnant and have a 14 month old daughter, but I am only having 1 baby and I'm not as far along as you are. I'm due in June which means my girl will be 20 months old.

It's going to be alot, but not impossible. My best advice to you is to start yesterday on getting your daughter as trained as possible. I don't know about yours, but mine is already in her "terrible two's" at this age. And although that has been challenging, in a way I am glad because I am full fledge adressing these character issues starting from now. I know she won't be "over" this phase yet and will probably retrogress, but at least I'm building that solid foundation of what is/isn't acceptable behavior from now (she's fabulous but definitely gives me a run for my money!). You ABSOLUTELY cannot afford to wait any longer to start her on independent sleeping as well as other aspects of independence. The longer you wait, the more clearly she will associate her loss of status/privledges to "those babies."

It's hard enough for a child to adjust to a new sibling, let alone twin ones. You have to do everything within your power to set her up to win. How is she doing with other aspects of independence? Although I didn't "know" we were for sure having another baby so soon, I always raised my daughter very conscious of trying to strike a balance just in case we did. So (for example), mine can definitely self-soothe by grabbing her pacifier, a stuffed animal and "talking" out her thoughts/feelings, can play on her own for at least 30 minutes, can fall asleep in her crib even though we put her in awake (sleepy & having gone through her routine), doesn't wake up crying & can stay happily in there for 30- 60 minutes at times, grabs her spoon to try and feed herself but inevitably uses her hands (okay though) & is clear about certain rules/commands and what they mean (not in the mouth, no touch, etc.). Not that she is an angel or a robot by any means because she for certain tests all of the above, but we consistently & lovingly address it, then she's fine with X thing for a while and will test another.

Do you have/ have you read any books on childhood development and needs? Adding a 2nd child (or multiples)If you haven't lately I really think that's what would be most helpful. I know you are concerned about the practical things (by the way, I also have a Camry & was worried about 2 seats!) and I don't blame you, but I really want to encourage you to focus on the character needs that are going to be present. I don't know you obviously, but it seems to me that you are a loving mom and that you want to have/raise real people here, not just put humans forth in this world as some crazy people do. I hear your struggle and dilemma and I believe it's because of your heart to want to meet all your children's needs while not loosing sight of the household/financial needs, etc.

I'm a mental health therapist & won't get into related stories b/c I don't want to scare you half to death, and really my point is that it doesn't have to be that way. There is so much hope and possibility that these three children will turn out to be happy, well-adjusted children but you (husband and family) have GOT to be willing to do the work neccesary to make that happen. And that means you need to begin by educating/re-educating yourself on where that work needs to be, what it will look like, etc. It's something that even I do, despite being in this field. So my best wishes to you and please, go spend some time in Borders or Barnes & Nobles (or library) and get some books to help you out. Regards, N.

Dear D.,
You will definitely have your hands (and lap) full! I have 6 kids at home (2 of my own, and 4 are my wonderful boyfriends). They are 8,9,10,11,12,13. I haven't done diapers in a long time, however, we are a very busy household and the business I do from home is a nutrition and fat burning product system. The stuff works incredibly well and basically sells itself. Check out www.isamovie.com
I'm paying for my car and groceries (which we have alot of!) and my weekly payments just keep going up! Take a look at some of the videos on the site, especially the Have It All, and let me know if you are interested, or have any questions. I am a Doctor of Chiropractic, and in 20 years I've never seen a product have so many health benefits for so many people. (Even the ones that are only sold by health professionals) My email is: ____@____.com
Good Luck!
Dr. Leslie B., DC
###-###-####

I do not know first hand the answers to your questions, but I have a close friend who has 10 month old twins. She is still breastfeeding them several times a day, but has had to supplement with formula from the begining. At first the boys were in the pack n play next to her bed, but she now has both babies in the nursery in seperate cribs and if one wakes up and cries the other does not wake up. She uses a white noise machine. Wish you the best!

Holy cow! Congratulations on your pregnancy, and even more so on your awesome attitude! You sound like a pretty incredible person. :)

I don't have twins, so I can't relate on many subjects. But I will give a few opinions:

1. I cloth diaper my son, but I don't recommend it for you. It's not super hard, but with THREE kids in diapers, I really think you should just stick with disposables. At least, at first. You're going to need to cut stress wherever possible, and you don't need to deal with washing cloth diapers while balancing those kids!

2. I can't imagine how you'll work from home with three kids like that. Is that necessary? If so, I think you'll need at least part time help. Especially if you're nursing as well.

3. Nursing twins is completely doable, but not nearly as easy as nursing one! (Especially those first few months.) So definitely get support from a post partum doula/lactation consultant. She can give you all kinds of advice on ways to make it easier. And again- you'll need to cut as much stress as possible out of your life! Do you have a good pump? My friend who had twins invested in a hospital grade pump, and she said it made all the difference.

4. Unless your daughter is a very heavy sleeper, I think she'll be disturbed by the constant wakings of your newborns. I would slowly transition her to a crib in another room. The last thing you need is a cranky toddler! :)

5. Sell that Camry. Hate to say it...but it's minivan time! (Ha! I've got one, btw. Love it, despite myself.)

Good luck! You're in for a circus of love and craziness! And keep us updated on that home birth. I've never heard of anyone doing it with twins!

omg. all i can say is PLEASE don't do a homebirth. you are having twins! so much could go wrong. please, get over the whole "experience" of it all, and do what is SAFEST for your children and you.

first congrats! I would have to say that, no I don't think it's really feasible for you to work from home while trying to care for twin newborns and a toddler.. You will definitely have your hands full! breastfeeding in and of itself is challenging and breastfeeding twins is just a different kind of challenge. Certainly try it if that's what you want. However, don't feel guilty if it doesn't work. As for co sleeping withyour daughter, I'd start to get her used to her own bed. Sleeping in your own bed alone, may be your only alone time all day! :) Also, I would be very nervous of delivering twins at home. As a maternity nurse, I know all that can go wrong; one can deliver vaginally while the second required a c-section. You want to be as safe as possible with the babies....
best of luck!

everyone im sure has given you lots of info, ill just chime in about the carrier, def get one but one that can last. the most comfort you will get is from a 2 shoulder one, a mei tai would be great but you dont want to messing with the straps so get a soft structured carrier( go to thebabywearer.com for info and brands). triple strollers are very expensive and cumbersome so unless you find a used one for a deal, i would just get a good double stroller able to hold the car seats or your toddler. then always bring the carrier. there is a good chance one of the babies may want to be held, so the carrier will free up your hands, esp a 2 shoulder carrier vs a ringsling or pouch. it will help at home too. although its tough, make sure to not overly indulge your daughter now with carrying her too much, although it sounds awful, you should try and get her ready for a little less carrying. if you now use a carrier for her, make sure to get her accustomed to the stroller now. i personally love the connecta as a newborn can have their legs out and it is very comfortable for such a small baby. good luck you will do great

this is more from hearsay than experience - I am an identical twin. My sister and I were my mom's first kids...when she was 21. (Talk about jumping right into things!)

I'll help where I can. :-)
Carriers: If you absolutely MUST go out with all three kids by yourself (you know - like if you want to actually EAT FOOD and go to the grocery store ;-)), I would suggest a stroller for the toddler and a moby-type wrap for the twins. You can buy moby wraps, OR you can buy 6 yards of jersey material, cut it in half lengthwise and save yourself about $30. (There are wrapping instructions all over the internet - search for "baby wrap instructions" or "moby wrap instructions") Baby wraps are very comfortable, even for long periods of time, because of the way they distribute weight. They have directions for carrying twins...

Vehicle - If you have the budget for it, I would recommend a minivan. The doors open and close with the push of a button, and the ride is really smooth. They do guzzle gas, though. About 25 mpg?

Diaper Bag - I don't think you'd need any different type of diaper bag. Just a BIG one. ;-)

Diapers - my mother used cloth with us. It is possible, and probably much better for the environment. Good luck with that!!

Sleeping arrangements - Lots of twins sleep really well if they can sleep together in the same crib. I'm pretty sure co-sleeping with twins would be a bit much to handle. ;-) For your toddler...my daughter is 2, and I am expecting our second in two weeks. I made all the necessary CHANGES to our toddler's life over the course of the last few months - no more bottles, the crib now belongs to "baby boy" and she has a new big girl bed. I would suggest you try to change whatever you want to change as soon as possible - your toddler will regress when the twins are born, and make life really fun! (This is why I haven't even STARTED potty training yet - I don't want accidents while I'm trying to care for a newborn!)

Free time - no. Sorry. Not at first. My mother told me that the first 6 months were absolutely awful. My sister and I woke each other up at night, and one of us was always hungry. HOWEVER, at about 6 months, we learned to play with each other. She could put us in a playpen and leave to get the vacuuming done, etc. There is light at the end of the tunnel! I would think you're at LEAST a year away from any sort of free time to work, unless you hire outside help.

Breast feeding - My mother did breastfeed us. However, she still carries a grudge against the doctor that advised her to supplement with formula - her milk supply dried up, and I ended up weaning myself at 4 months. I preferred bottles. If you feel breast feeding is better for your children, I would do everything you can to breast feed them for as long as you can.

Good luck!!!!

I have 17 month old twin boys. Here's what I found....
1. Breastfeeding: I did it for about 2 weeks and then found that I was either feeding or pumping and nothing else. It's very difficult to breastfeed twins. If you are truly determined, anything is possible. I just could not do it. You can simultaneously breastfeed twins. You hold them "football style" with their heads in the palm of your hand and their feet towards your back. You will need someone there to help set them up for you.

2. Sleep arrangements: Twins need to be with each other all the time. My boys slept in the same crib until they could roll over and then I put them in their own cribs, where they are now. Their cribs are in an L-shape so that they can see and touch each other whenever they want and believe me they want to more than you think. Do not put them in your bed, no one will sleep. My boys have NEVER been in my bed.

3. Get a 3-seater stroller tandem style as you will essentially have 3 babies and tandems fit easier through the isles in stores.

4. Working from home is unrealistic at this point. The only free time you will have is bed time. During the day while they are napping (most of the time twins will nap at the same time), you will be doing laundry, cooking, taking a shower, etc. I tried to find work at home jobs, they are mostly scams unless your current employer is willing to let you work from home, I would plan on returning to work at least in a part time capacity unless you can afford to stay home.

5. Home birth: My opinion on home birthing twins is that it is not safe. Most of the time twins are born early and most of the time they require a c-section. I would seriously rethink the home birthing thing.

6. Other recommendations: whatever you want to change for your daughter, do it now. If you try to do it after the twins are born, she will resent it and she will resist. I would certainly get her out of your bed at this point. and I would restrict bottle usage to bedtime only. Actually, my 17 month old twins only get a bottle at bed time, all day long they get a sippy cup.

7. diaper bag: As long as it can hold about 10 diapers, wipes and a change of clothing for everyone, you should be ok. I carry a diaper bag and what I refer to as a "food bag". My food bag is thermal lined and I often put an ice pack in it. I carry snacks, juices, water, and whatever else I think they'll need while I'm out.

Good Luck to you, Twins are GREAT!!!

Wow - 18 months is close - my daughter was 2 years and 8 months when my twins were born. I guess I would look into a triple stroller if I were you - if they make them for two infants and a toddler. I never really looked into it. I was given a double snap and go stroller from another mother of twins and it is great because I can pop in the carseats and it is lightweight to unfold and fold up. At that point, my daughter rode in a single stroller if my husband and I were out together or she walked with me and held onto the double stroller if we were alone. We didn't go out alone probably until the twins were four months old, BTW!

I got one large diaper bag for all of them, but my daughter was potty trained by the twin's birth so I have no diapers in there for her just one emergency pull-up.

Twins go through SO many diapers, I honestly can't imagine using cloth!

You are going to have to get a minivan - or maybe an SUV or wagon. There is no other way to fit in that many carseats. It was very annoying and difficult for us to accomplish this. We didn't get a car that our whole family could travel together in until the twins were 11 weeks old!

My twins slept for three months together in a pack-n-play bassinet and for 4 more months in separate pack-n-play bassinets and just got in their cribs at 7 months. Partially because my daughter was still in her crib - partially because the babies' room is upstairs in my house and was too hot in the summer. I personally can't imagine co-sleeping with twins, but probably someone does it somewhere.

I did and still do nurse my twins - almost exclusively - with formula given when I can't pump enough milk at work. The key to my success was tandem nursing in the first weeks and months when they eat all the time with the Easy2Nurse pillow. If I am ever out in public with them I nurse them separately because I can only tandem nurse with the giant pillow sitting on a couch or bed - not a chair.

Working - you are going to need in-house childcare in order to work at home. I do sometimes get them to nap all at the same time, but it is not something I can ever count on. Also the first 6-8 weeks, you will need help just to survive taking care of everyone. Forget working then .

Oh, I ended up vaginally delivering both babies totally naturally - no epidural - but I was in a hospital. I personally would be nervous having a twin home-birth because you hear about lots of twin pregnancies needed to become c-sections. Both my babies were head down but it took one hour between the birth of A and B because they had to push on B from the outside to get her to drop down low enough. I had a great (albeit - ridiculously painful) delivery, but I am glad an OB was present and we were surrounded by medical equipment because my ultimate goal was two healthy babies however they emerged into the world.