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Top 10 Twin Tips from Mother of Twins |
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As a first time mum of twins I wanted to share my top ten tips that I have learnt over the past 6 months through trial and error....that hopefully will save you same pain. Good luck.
1. Always keep feeds and sleeps in sync.
Eg: If one baby wakes for a feed, wake the other and feed it also. If you dont you are forever feeding and you never get any rest....This is key to your sanity.
2. Always take hot boiled water and formula when you go out.
Even if you are just popping to the shops around the corner take water, teats, formula, bibs. Be prepared for the unexpected. Road works, accident, long queues....these can all happen unexpectedly blowing out your schedule and hitting feed time. Screaming hungry babies are not fun!!! Having some warm water and formula to quickly make a bottle can save your sanity and their lungs. I have only used the bottles twice in 6 months....but I dread to think what would have happened if I didnt have them. They also seem to reduce my stress by knowing they are there as a back up.
3. Dont rock the babies to sleep.
From the start encourage your baby to settle themselves to sleep. It is impossible for you to rock two babies off to sleep every time. Get a good book like "Sleep Right, Sleep Tight - A practical, proven guide to solving your babys sleep problems" by Cummings, Houghton and Williams. That has fool proof ways to encourage baby to settle.
4. 1 hour minimum sleep patterns during the day.
If your twins wake before 1 hour during the day make sure you teach them to resettle themselves and sleep for a minimum of 1 hour. I failed at this initially getting my son up after he would wakes 30 mins after falling asleep. He would erupt into crying tantrums ever couple of days and I finally figured out he was overtired, not hungry as I first thought. If you can nail this one you will have much happier babies.
5.Buy clothes one size bigger.
They grow so quick. To ensure you get wear out of clothes that you buy for them aways stay one size ahead. It doesnt matter if they are a little big and this way they will get more than one wear before growing out of them. Trust me you will save money this way.
6. Never say no to help.
If someone offers to help take them up on it....having twins is hard work. Dont let your pride get in the way.
7. Invest in a ear thermometer.
Taking babies temp is hard enough with out trying to keep a thermometer under a screaming babies arm for 2 mins to take their temp. If they didnt have a temp before then they will by the time you wrestle with them trying to keep the thermometer in place. Ear thermometers are much more user friendly and you can use them why the are sleeping without waking them.
8. Have a white board or exercise book to record feeds and sleep times.
Its hard work remembering what time you put them to bed, when they last pooed, when their next feed is due. Write it down and you will feel more in control.
9. Routine is key....
Stick to your routine as much as possible. Plan outings, appointments around the babies routine - dont amend the babies routines around them. If you do you will find that you pay for the next couple of days regaining momentum.
10. Have fun and laugh at your self.
They are precious and the grow so fast. Enjoy the experience and dont be afraid to laugh at yourself or the babies every now and then. In the middle of the night when you spill your expressed breast milk all over the floor or realise you dont have anymore clean suits when they spew on their last clean one. Have a chuckle everything will be OK. I good friend of mine said to me...."They will always think your the best mum in the world (they dont know any other), your the only one who has expectations of yourself." Relax enjoy it.
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