Tips for a Mom of Twins from A Mom of Twins

"Oh Man!  I don't know HOW you do it with TWO CHILDREN!?!"

If you are a mom of twins you have heard this statement all too often.  And the reality is, from an outsider's perspective, we are in fact, SUPER WOMAN!  

To those of you who have singletons, we struggle with the same things that you struggle with.  We do not know any different than twins, so to us, this is just normal.  The interesting part is, that we MUST create and adhere to a schedule or we are DOOMED!  Whereas with a singleton, many parents are lax (and that is ok), and don't worry about the schedule right away.  

Straight out of the gate (my uterus) I was working on a schedule.  I had the girls on the breast every 1.5 hours trying like hell to get my milk up... which was never enough to sustain them both.  I was feeding them on a schedule, changing them on a schedule, and sleeping on a schedule.  If you do not start this from the beginning with multiples you will never get any sleep and you will go crazy from sleep deprivation.  

If you have recently had twins and have no adopted a schedule, I HIGHLY suggest it for your safety and the safety of those around you.  There is NOT enough Coffee and/or Espresso in the world to help you if your children begin operating on alternating schedules, so fix it fast!  So, let's talk about feeding:

#1 tip to getting BOTH babies on the SAME feeding schedule:

1. If one wakes up for a feeding in the middle of the night, wake the other up and feed them at the same time.

Is it really that simple?  YES!  The bottom line is this, night time feedings are the most difficult, and if you are regulating their sleep/feeding habits together, they will typically fall in line for the daylight hours.  Always feed them side by side at the same time.  Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding.  If you need help learning to breast feed both at the same time, I recommend talking to the lactation expert at the hospital in which you gave birth, or a reputable lactation specialist in your area.  Also invest in the Twin Boppy or similar.  It really helps to keep you from slouching and injuring your back while breastfeeding!

Dual feeding will save you time, and headache.  Not to mention it gives awesome bonding of your entire unit, (sister to sister, mother to daughter, and family).  Your babies will get used to eating together and at the same time.  I know this from personal experience.  And the fact remains that repetition breeds routine, and routine breeds stability.  Children NEED and LOVE structure in their routines because it makes them feel safe. 

I hope this is helpful to you.  If you have any other questions about raising Twins please ask!  I will answer you!  

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