The first year of life for baby twins and multiples is all about learning and adjusting. Many of our parents report feeling overwhelmed at first with everything they need to learn and do in order to take care of more than 1 baby. Here is a list of tips on how to survive the first year with twins and multiples shared by the parents in our Twins and Multiples Group at the Pump Station Hollywood.
7 Tips on How to Survive the First Year
1. Get the right help at home at the right time. The kind of help you need and the hours will vary with the needs of each family. Maximize the help by identifying peak times of daily stress and make sure you have extra hands at those particular stressful times. An example: If you anticipate that early evening, dinner time and bed time will be particularly difficult because daddy works long hours and is not home to help, then you may want to utilize your helper(s) in the evening rather than the early morning.
2. Establish a routine with twins and multiples as early as possible. This will make their lives (and yours) easier.
3. Keep a journal or simple feeding log in the beginning so that you can keep track of feeding and diaper changes. This helps when you are tired and sleep deprived to remember which baby was attended to last. This also helps your helpers.
4. “Tandem nursing” or “tandem feeding” together is recommended which helps babies to get on the same feeding schedule. Our parents recommend use of the “My Best Friend- Twins Plus Nursing Pillow- Delux”, a pillow for tandem feeding. This is sold at the Pump Station.
5. Teach each baby the difference between night and day as early as possible so everyone gets more sleep. Keep interactions to a minimum at night. Play and socialize during the day time.
6. Twin and Multiples can sleep in the same room. Many parents believe that the presence of the other baby or babies can be calming. If one baby’s crying wakes another it is ok. This helps babies to be, eventually, on the same feeding and sleeping schedule.
7. Let go of little things and don’t “sweat at the small stuff”. Baby twins and multiples do grow up and this is just the first stage of an exciting journey ahead. Enjoy it!
The next session of our Twins and Multiples Group starts on Monday, June 20th at 10am at the Pump Station Hollywood. For more information about the class, visit http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/dept.asp?dept_id=3716 or check our website at www.ecdevelopment.org. To register for the class: email us at info@ecdevelopment.org. Space is limited so sign up today! We look forward to sharing a wonderful time together.
Group leaders are: Marilee Hartling RN, MFT, leader of “First Weeks” group and Edi Cooke, PsyD., mother of 4 years old twins.
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