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lisa85 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 13 October 2010 at 8:02am
Hey ladies

So I thought for all the soon to be multi mummies maybe we could put together a little survivial guide of our best tips for getting through those early weeks with multiples Feel free to leave advice, pointers or a list of what items you couldn't do without!

For me I couldn't have lived without my two rockers/feeding chairs/bouncers (I have no idea what they are called lol) Even though I had planned to breastfeed it didn't work out so the chairs were a lifesaver when it came to feeding bottles. Also in the small hours of the night when they wouldn't sleep I would just pop them in the chairs and rock them while I watched telly.

Adopting a strict routine from day one was my biggest lifesaver I think even if your not big on strict routines I think with more than one it's a must just to keep your own sanity. If one would wake we would get the other up just so they would stay on the exact same sleep cycle.


TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS
MC April 2010
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Danda08 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Danda08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 October 2010 at 9:03am
Accept ALL meals offered and if they're not offered rope someone in to provide some for you cos you won't have a chance to cook anything.

I agree with Lisa85 about a routine. I'm loosely following the Gina Ford 'Contented Little Baby/Contented House of Twins'. I know it's not some people's cup of tea but you can take what works for you from it and my girls have been sleeping through the night from 11 wks (5wks adjusted).

Oh and my latest can't do without is the Natures Sway hammocks. They've saved my sanity and the girls are so much happier now they are getting decent day sleeps. Can pick them up on TradeMe.

Edited by Danda08
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Hibiscus View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hibiscus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 October 2010 at 1:40pm
Hammock - we've got a one of those hammocks. Only one though. It's great to as another place to put one of the twins while you deal with the other. When I'm alone at home with the girls, and they're both unsettled, I can breastfeed/hold one in my arms and rock the other one in the hammock while sitting comfortably in an armchair.

Rockers - We have two rockers too - borrowed from the Multiple Birth Club. They're great as another place to put the babies down. Especially when it gets cooler later on in the day and I don't want to put them on their play mat on the ground.
Mum to 3 girls: identical twins and with a 3 year gap another girl.
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floss View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 October 2010 at 8:32pm
Ha Im sure I am the only twin mum I know who never did the routine thing, I just went with the flow from one screaming baby to the next, altho I think with Noah and Lola having such bad reflux a routine wouldn't be doable.

I swear by the swing and bouncers to we had 2 of each, Noah spent alot of nights in the swing as he wouldnt sleep anywhere else.

If bottle feeding have lots of bottles, we would make up enough to last the day so i didn't have to worry about it.
My beautiful big girl Sienna 15.04.06

Double the trouble double the fun Noah & Lola 10/11/07
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linda View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote linda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 October 2010 at 9:19pm
Rockers rocked (haha) for FF feeding, having the change table in the lounge (bedrooms are upstairs). And I would probably say the Mocka Highchairs...they are my all time favourite, so easy to clean.

Routine worked really well for us, especially working in the older boys.


Alex 6 and Harry 8
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minik8e View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote minik8e Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 October 2010 at 12:06pm
I'm a routine mum too - if one baby was up, so was the other. And my bouncers....awesome!!! Particularly for those days when I was by myself - I could bounce one with my foot while I fed the other...

I would also say take whatever offers of help you get. I got none and it would have made my life so much easier having someone to even just vacuum while I dealt with the girls. Mum dropped off one meal, as did the ex's grandmother, and conveniently the ILs invited themselves over for tea on those nights - that's not so helpful

Oh - don't get fabric/canvas highchairs. PITA to clean.
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mumoftwins View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mumoftwins Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 October 2010 at 10:02pm
Been said already but routine & bouncers!!!

While you are still pregnant cook and freeze meals, muffins, scones etc.....some days you barely have time to scratch let alone prepare food to eat....having something yummy you can pull out of the freezer is great!
Put a load of washing on when you go to bed at night (if it doesn't wake the whole house up!) then it's ready to hang out first thing in the morning.
If you formula fed (even just the odd bottle at night) get one of those containers that store the powder for separate feeds!! Late night/early morning bottle prep can be a bit of a blur!! Losing count of the number of scoops at 3am is a pain!!
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bext1 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bext1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 October 2010 at 8:46pm
1. Have a slow cooker, you can make soup, all sorts in it, it's fast to chuck in some meat and dinner will be done 8 hours later

2. If you are planning to BF, invest in an electric pump, that way you can pump out milk so others can help if you are tired and feed the babies for you.

3. When they are older, hire an exersaucer, our boys loved to play in it for hours, and jolly jumpers. Great things.

4. Have a twin pram, if it all is getting too much, put the babies in the pram and just go for a walk and get some fresh air.

5. Cleaning is not a big deal, so don't stress about the housework! The babies will not tell you off if you have a mountain of washing!!

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Kaz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kaz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 October 2010 at 9:42pm
I just love, love, love our Natures Sway hammocks for our girls, Eden & Lily! They are like an extra pair of hands Our girls sleep in them day and night. They sell factory seconds on Trade Me for $150.00 each which is great when you need 2. Or you could ring Natures Sway direct and ask if they have any seconds in, which is what I did when the auction I was about to hit buy now on closed before my eyes!!!

Also bouncers are great the older style crochet ones are fab. I picked up 2 baby bounce brand ones for $10.00 each on Trade Me. Good old Trade Me love it!

And be kind to yourself/selves it is okay to need and ask for help. We all need help at some time in our lives.We are designed to need each other we don't have to do it all by ourselves
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UpsyDaisy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 November 2010 at 3:46pm


Hehe Floss we are not big on routine here I seriously admire twin mummies who manage to keep their two on the same schedule.   I try my best but by mid day its usually I remember the first three months as totally chaotic.

I have a friend who works as McCains who gave us two big boxes of their frozen roast chicken dinners they were so handy to have as did not have time to prepare anything for my lunch when on my own and its still important to eat well when BF.

I was lucky that DH took leave for the first 3 weeks and we limited visitors in that time (basically our parents only) as you feel so tired I usually was in PJ's til midday in the first few weeks! so you don't really want to see anyone! We told everyone that before the babies came so they wouldn't be offended.

After DH went back to work. My mum used to come for a couple of hours 3 x a week until the babies were about 3mths. I was so lucky she would bring the washing in/ or out of dryer and fold it up, help with the babies and make me a snack. Thanks mum!

Capsules than clip into base are so good, we nearly bought ones that didn't and the snap and go is great too.


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AuntieSarah View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AuntieSarah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 December 2010 at 9:15pm
Guys this is a great thread I have a friend who is pregnant with twins and also has a toddler - she is really not a computer person at all or I'd recommend she come on here but I will certainly be passing on all your tips to her.
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bubsy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bubsy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 January 2011 at 11:43am
hey everyone i have a 3 1/2yr old girl stella and Danika is 22mths and twins due end of may begining of Junes so fab to hear all the must haves!! have to agree about hammocks my second daughter was born 5lbs 6oz with horrific reflux and the hammock saved my life!! totally worth the investment... ive bought another one so i have 2 for the new additions. has anyone had twins with older little monkeys already on the scene any tips... trying to start thinking of routines etc now so i can be as prepared as poss but i know you still have to go with whateva happens...
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?Lolly? View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ?Lolly? Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 March 2011 at 12:28pm
1. My main tip would be, if anyone asks "Is there anything we can do" SAY YES! quick and easy meals for the freezer are a life saver :)

2. Invest in a baby swing - complete sanity saver

3. Join your local Multiple birth club.

4. ROUTINE!!! I can't say it enough!


Captain Chaos (5) & the Trouble Monsters (2!)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zaylah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2011 at 11:42am
Find the time to sit on the floor and play with them...

In 20 years are you going to remember that you had all the washing done and floors vacuumed?
Or are you going to remember playing peekaboo with the blanket?
The giggles errupting when they knock over towers of blocks?
Them sitting on your lap while reading to them and they lean back to give you a smile? (one of the newest AWW moments in our house right now!)


I guess the other thing too is to think about how you want your babies to sleep... do you want them to fall asleep in your arms every night? do you want them to sleep in your bed? do you want them to be rocked to sleep every night? If you do, then cool, do it... but if you don't... make sure you don't start it! Don't get me wrong, we all have days where the baby just needs to be rocked to sleep to give you some sanity, but if you can work up enough energy once they are asleep to make sure the next time you put them to bed you do it in the way you want them to be used to.
You can't force a baby to sleep and there are so many reasons why people have trouble getting babies to sleep. There is no one solution to getting them to sleep. But I do believe the fact that we were so 'tough' on our girls has made the difference as to why they have been sleeping so well. They have been sleeping 14 hours straight since about 6months (3 months corrected), and we did have huge troubles with one of our girls with getting her to sleep and rocking her - although helped in the short term - was the worst thing we could have done! We later figured out she just needed lots and lots of cuddles/one-on-one time before bed. It's the only thing which works. Talk about feeling likea bad mum when you realise the reason your baby won't sleep is because they don't feel loved/special enough!

All babies and families are different - just don't rock/co-sleep/etc on a regular basis if that isn't what you want long-term :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mikec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 July 2011 at 1:08am
It really is to survive with a child all the more if you have two to cope up with. I think the best way to handle this is to make a chart that would describe how much time you are going to allot on things.

Also, the main issue here would be picking a favorite over the other, and this is probably harder to deal with than you would imagine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guest_55881 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2011 at 8:53am
Some really great tips on here..I am going to need them as I will be having not twins but triplets! Due in January but average gestation is only 32 weeks so prob some time in November..totally big on the routine idea..and will def get some swaying hammocky things...am expecting total chaos but have a lot of support, especially from hubby and my two older girls who are 18 and nearly 20! Crazy I know, why am I doing it all again? Because its so much fun I guess...thanks for your tips and ideas.
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Danda08 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Danda08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2011 at 2:58pm
Wowee Guest_55881!! Congratulations! Lucky you having your older girls to help out.
We have another triplet mum on this forum - Zaylah.
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?Lolly? View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ?Lolly? Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 July 2011 at 2:20pm
Davina, That's good you have older kids! You can enlist them to help you ;-)
Captain Chaos (5) & the Trouble Monsters (2!)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TheNappyBootique Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 October 2011 at 3:09pm
This has been such a helpful thread! Im pregnant with two girls and I was in hospital last week with contractions brought on by gastro bug!

Weve had people offer to help but I didnt really know what to ask for help with till now- when someone asks next time ill say dinners and baking- sounds like thats what we will be needing alot of!
Mamaa to 2 firery kidlets!
2 more on the way!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mumoftwins Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 October 2011 at 7:32pm
Congratulations on your girls!!! Come join us in the other thread We are a lovely helpful bunch!!
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