Home PS multiple mamas, post your best tips, finds and tricks here!

[TravelingGal]

OK, how about a place to have it all in one place? We have a high ratio of PS twins, so I thought it would be wonderful to post your best tips, tricks, and products here. I can certainly use the tricks to pass on to my two gals pals...one is expecting twins and the other triplets!

You can continually top this thread as your little ones grow and you have more and more tips....

 

[Mandarine]

uhhh, I love it!!!

No tips yet as it''s easy to take care of my kiddos so far!...hehehe. I''ll let you know in a few months

Looking forward to reading the tips!

M~

 

[nycbkgirl]

already expressed my love of the peg pergeo duette/triplette (pricey) and not for car use....gotta have the Snap n Go!!....

the Podee bottle travel system...its a self feeding bottle....AMAZING!...it takes a while for them to learn to suck up the wire so usually about from 1 month old they get it...sold at BRU..not sure if online tho...i use it when i have to feed both at once and sometimes at nite.

2 (or3) boppy pillows...urgh cant live w.o. them!..also a savior when u have to feed both or puth them down facing eachother

lottts and lottts of burp cloths, bibs and receiving blankets!..i have a ton and they get used so fast (spit up, ppl holding them etc)

i suggest mobile bassinets like the kolcraft contours...my babies had a tendency to wake eachother up and i wouldnt keep them in the same room after like 2 mos old....(of course if they have seperate bedrooms thats not a problem)

Summer''s video monitor...yeh i got 2 and its a total must for me....i have 1 baby outside on balcony and other in the bassinett and i take the handheld out with me ..keep one handset in living room and other in bedroom

these are basically all things for every mom even with single..but always need to purchase extra for multiples

if i think of anything else...will hop back on

..would love to hear other suggestions!

 

[ellaila]

Yep, definitely agree on the double snap-and-go in the beginning - couldn''t imagine how we''d have made do without it! Other than that, I can''t think of anything really multiples-specific, just regular baby things: swings and/or bouncies, lots o''Boppies, I really liked the microwave sterilizing bags my Medela, OH and a BJs (Costco, Sam''s, whatever) membership!! DEFINITELY!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/4/2009 12:27:13 PM
Author: ellaila
Yep, definitely agree on the double snap-and-go in the beginning - couldn''t imagine how we''d have made do without it! Other than that, I can''t think of anything really multiples-specific, just regular baby things: swings and/or bouncies, lots o''Boppies, I really liked the microwave sterilizing bags my Medela, OH and a BJs (Costco, Sam''s, whatever) membership!! DEFINITELY!

Ditto!

And I big puffy heart my Maclaren Twin stroller too! Folds down SO SO small and steers very well.

 

[TravelingGal]

Thanks ladies!

nyc, I had seen the podee system while browsing the triplets forum. Looks like a great system, and good to hear it''s been working for you!

OK, how about some specific questions...

Do you gals drive minivans?

Did you give BFing a go, and if so, how difficult was it? Do you recommend trying BFing or do you think formula works better?

How do you handle bathtime if you are alone with the kids, or is that something you only do with help?

Do the kids sleep in the same room? Have you found they wake each other up, or are more used to noise?

I''m sure I''ll have other questions, but thought these might be good to start.

 

[ellaila]

> Do you gals drive minivans?

NOPE! Subaru Outback for us. I can see a minivan or some other third-row-friendly car in the future though ...

> Did you give BFing a go, and if so, how difficult was it? Do you recommend trying BFing or do you think formula works better?

Gave it a go for 3+ months, but my supply was low and I wasn''t giving them anything. I definitely recommend trying BFing, but be warned it is HARD and it is TIME-CONSUMING. The first few weeks/months are around-the-clock nursing, pumping, nursing, pumping. Oh, and I remember reading on twinstuff about how most women DON''T have a low supply and how pumping isn''t indicative of what your babies are getting when they nurse from you, blah blah blah, and it turned out that after meeing with a lact. consultant that I DID have a low supply. I always want to put that out there b/c I felt like I was misled into thinking that I didn''t have a low supply when in reality I did. So basically, my point is ... the Internet is great for advice, but it''s not a doctor/medical specialist. And definitely use a lact. consultant! They are SO helpful with showing how to tandem nurse, which I would also recommend trying to do ...

>How do you handle bathtime if you are alone with the kids, or is that something you only do with help?

Help is always nice, but I think baths can be done solo. I don''t actually remember too much about newborn/infant baths, to be honest!


>Do the kids sleep in the same room? Have you found they wake each other up, or are more used to noise?

Yes, sleep in the same room. Slept in same crib for first six weeks. And no, they typically don''t wake each other up, which blows me away! I *love* having them in the same room. They crack each other up, and it''s absolutely a riot to hear them laughing at each other

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/4/2009 12:33:12 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Thanks ladies!


nyc, I had seen the podee system while browsing the triplets forum. Looks like a great system, and good to hear it''s been working for you!


OK, how about some specific questions...


Do you gals drive minivans?


Did you give BFing a go, and if so, how difficult was it? Do you recommend trying BFing or do you think formula works better?


How do you handle bathtime if you are alone with the kids, or is that something you only do with help?


Do the kids sleep in the same room? Have you found they wake each other up, or are more used to noise?


I''m sure I''ll have other questions, but thought these might be good to start.

1. Heck no. We have a wagon-ish car right now and will probably continue with those.
2. Yes-it was hard I am not going to lie. I think with dedication you can certainly BF-but it is also smart to be OK with supplementing if you plan on leaving your house ever. It just isn''t possible to BF twins in public without getting arrested for indecent exposure! Or you BF one while the other one is crying...just not good.
3. Baths? What are baths?

Just kidding...sort of. We don''t do baths everyday (per our ped actually) but when I do I bring a bouncer or something into the bathroom for one, bathe the other one, and then swap. Pretty soon I''ll start doing them both together in the big tub since they can sit up by themselves now.
4. Yes. They don''t wake each other up generally they just got used to having the other one there.

 

[so cal girl]

I''m not a twin momma, but my sister just had twins 6 weeks ago, so I can asnwer on her behalf.

It is so funny now, but she loves her double snap and go. She swore beforehand that it just wouldn''t work for her. She registered for two separate travel systems, even though everyone told her that was insane. My mom bought her a double snap and go anyway, even though she didn''t want it. Now that she has the babies, that is the thing she uses the most!

She also loves her swings. She originally only had one, but the babies liked it so much, she borrowed another one from a friend whose baby had outgrown it. I think anything that gives you a break from holding them all the time is a good thing.

As for TGal''s questions:

Do you gals drive minivans?
No, but she and her DH both have bigger vehicles. She drives a larger SUV, and he drives a large truck.
Did you give BFing a go, and if so, how difficult was it? Do you recommend trying BFing or do you think formula works better?
She is currently breastfeeding and supplementing with formula. She hasn''t had problems with breastfeeding, but they take turns getting a bottle and the breast, since she didn''t want to be breastfeeding 24/7.
How do you handle bathtime if you are alone with the kids, or is that something you only do with help?
So far she has had a lot of help, so this hasn''t been an issue. While her DH is at work, either my mom or her MIL comes over to help most days.
Do the kids sleep in the same room? Have you found they wake each other up, or are more used to noise?
Her twins currently sleep in a double bassinet, but will eventually have cribs in the same room. They are still so young, but so far, they don''t wake eachother up, and they are pretty noisy babies. They like to grunt and fart A LOT

 

[Mandarine]

Great questions!!!

For those of you that BF (specially at night)....did you do it one by one or both at the same time?. If both at the same time, how on earth do you pick up and position two babies by yourself?. I had a nightmare about this the other day. I wanted (and knew I could) BF at the same time...but I had no idea how to pick them both up by myself, position myself with the nursing pillow and sit down to actually BF them!.

I had my shower this weekend and got a bunch of great things. Still need to get a lot more. One of those things are bottles!. I do plan on BF, but also pumping and supplementing...so I need bottles, etc. Any recommendations on brands?. Also, how many do I need and what sizes?.

I have a BF class later this month at the hospital...and planned on asking this then, but do you guys recommend buying a pump or renting one from the hospital?

TIA!

M~

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/4/2009 1:47:14 PM
Author: Mandarine
Great questions!!!


For those of you that BF (specially at night)....did you do it one by one or both at the same time?. If both at the same time, how on earth do you pick up and position two babies by yourself?. I had a nightmare about this the other day. I wanted (and knew I could) BF at the same time...but I had no idea how to pick them both up by myself, position myself with the nursing pillow and sit down to actually BF them!.


I had my shower this weekend and got a bunch of great things. Still need to get a lot more. One of those things are bottles!. I do plan on BF, but also pumping and supplementing...so I need bottles, etc. Any recommendations on brands?. Also, how many do I need and what sizes?.


I have a BF class later this month at the hospital...and planned on asking this then, but do you guys recommend buying a pump or renting one from the hospital?


TIA!


M~

Mandarine you basically HAVE to do them both at the same time or else you literally will be feeding 24/7 and doing nothing else.

I would set up on the couch with two boppies on either side of me. Put babies in boppies. Then set myself up with the EZ 2 Nurse twin nursing pillow and then transfer each baby onto it separately while making sure the first one didn''t move. If DH was around he''d help-but this is how I did it when I was alone/at night.

I''d rent a pump or wait it out for a few weeks to make sure you can/want to BF before you invest. They are expensive if you don''t end up using it.

Bottles: Honestly we ended up using the cheapie Evenflo ones (no BPA but they are just basic) they are super cheap and my boys really like them. Go figure that they didn''t want anything to do with the expensive ones we bought.

Start with a few cheapies in different shapes, sizes and then see what you need. That''s my best advice. DON''T stock up unless you don''t unpackage anything and can return it because you never know what the babies will like.

 

[ellaila]

Mandarine, check with your doctor and insurance company re: a pump. If your doctor writes you a prescription for a pump, your insurance may cover the cost - mine did! Yep, I got a free Medela Pump-in-Style from my insurance co. I think that most docs would write a prescription for it, seeing as a mom of twins needs to build up that supply pretty quickly! (From what I''ve heard, most insurance companies *don''t* do this, but hey it''s worth looking into!)

I agree that tandem nursing is the way to go. It''ll take some time to figure out what works for you, but in time you will figure out the best position for you all. I actually didn''t like the EZ2Nurse pillow - and I know everyone swears by them! I preferred Boppys.

As for bottles, we used the ones that came with the pump at first. Once we switched from those, we used Dr. Browns for a while, and then settled down with BornFree.

I can''t believe how soon you''re going to be holding those boys!!

 

[Mandarine]

ahhhh!!! That makes sense...using the boppies!. This has been stressing me out!...lol. This won''t be easy (not that I thought it was going to be). But the couch is downstairs and the rooms are upstairs!!. Maybe I need ot get my sister''s sleep sofa she offered for my office so I can have that set-up upstairs as well!.

Thanks so much for clearing that up!

I got some fere born free, avent and playtex bottles (I think I have like 5 total). Maybe I''ll just get a few more and see how it goes...

Thanks~!!

 

[Mandarine]

Thanks Ellaila!!!

Great tip!! I''m going to check with my Dr and insurance!!!

I got one boppie in my shower and still need to get the second one + a nursing pillow. I guess I will try all the combos and see what works best!

Last night I had dreams about BFing all night long!. My main stress was that I couldn''t figure out how to place them both in there without any help!!....all this info really helps!

Time is FLYING!...27 weeks this week...so less than 3 months to go! It''s crazy!...I so don''t feel ready and that''s stressing me out a little bit. Just want to be done with their room and have everything I need bought and put away...

I''m starting to get pretty tired. I''m exceptionally tired today, but that may be because of the 3-hour glucose test I had to do!. Did you all pass your 1-hour?. I hope I pass this one

 

[nycbkgirl]

Date: 8/4/2009 12:33:12 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Thanks ladies!

nyc, I had seen the podee system while browsing the triplets forum. Looks like a great system, and good to hear it''s been working for you!

OK, how about some specific questions...

Do you gals drive minivans?

Did you give BFing a go, and if so, how difficult was it? Do you recommend trying BFing or do you think formula works better?

How do you handle bathtime if you are alone with the kids, or is that something you only do with help?

Do the kids sleep in the same room? Have you found they wake each other up, or are more used to noise?

I''m sure I''ll have other questions, but thought these might be good to start.

i just got the bjorn carrier and will give it a try /...some days my sis will take one kid to the park with her 4 yo and she cant have 2 strollers so she will use the carrier...and i will try it out to when we only wanna take single stroller somewhere quick.

1. we have a minivan. honda oddessy and i looove it ...its brand new and we are leasing it so it wont get all old and worn out like the old ones u see drivin around. there is a middle walkway...so i sit in the back and the car seats in the middle row on each side and i can easily walk thru the middle to get smthg etc...roomy is a must bc not only is it now a fam of 4..i also travel with sis and niece everywhere.

2. not bf''ing...formula works just fine for me

..i prepare bottles the night before and they are all ready to use for the next day.

3.bathtime i try not to do 2 by myself...we got a routine going now (at 3 mos) so i generally bathe both everynite for about 30mins each (with someone watching 1 while i bathe the other) once they start sitting life will be much easier and can bathe them together. otherwise before it would be jon one nite jackie the next (every other day).i find bathing really tires them out and they do sleep better if its done before the last nightime feeding...also started using a sound machine (might wanna try that)...jon started sleeping later with it..he used to wake at 6/630 now its 7/730 and he falls asleep pretty good when its on...kinda signals its nightime now.

4. no sleeping together. they did in the beginning until 1 month and just started waking eachother all the time and i couldnt take it. i am really scared bc we just got our new cribs and bassinetts will be small soon ..so i dont know what i will do but we have to start conditioning them. while they still fit in bass, i will start training jackie once she is allowed to skip that middle nighttime feeding (per pedi). jackie is better with sleeping in noisy situations but jon wont have it

 

[jas]

OK, how about some specific questions...

Do you gals drive minivans? We have a Jeep Cherokee.

Did you give BFing a go, and if so, how difficult was it? Do you recommend trying BFing or do you think formula works better? I did, and it actually went great, once I realized I would be spending many hours a day doing it. We did bottles at night, though. Faster. Also did a combo of formula and nursing.

How do you handle bathtime if you are alone with the kids, or is that something you only do with help? I used those little baby tub things. Put one baby in a swing or in a crib or a bouncy and bathed the other. They outgrew those and I just bathed them in the sink. Only recently did I start bathing them simultaneously in the tub. It is a scary process until you actually do it.

Do the kids sleep in the same room? Have you found they wake each other up, or are more used to noise? They do sleep in the same room. They only wake each other up in the morning (i.e. if Logan is crying and Jackson is about to wake up anyway, he''ll wake up), and I have some screamers. They do get used to each other''s noises pretty quickly.

I''m sure I''ll have other questions, but thought these might be good to start.

 

[sbde]

a friend of mine just found out she is preggo with twins after 7 yrs of TTC!!!

it''s still very early, but i was wondering what websites you found helpful throughout your pregnancy. is there a website that provides weekly updates on the babies similar to babycenter etc but specific to multiples?

thank you!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/21/2009 1:10:38 PM
Author: sbde
a friend of mine just found out she is preggo with twins after 7 yrs of TTC!!!

it''s still very early, but i was wondering what websites you found helpful throughout your pregnancy. is there a website that provides weekly updates on the babies similar to babycenter etc but specific to multiples?


thank you!

Not that I found...babycenter occasionally has diagrams every few weeks for twins-but that''s about it. But really, as far as development not much changes between a twin or a single pregnancy...the twins might just be a bit smaller.

twinstuff.com is a good website to start checking stuff out.

 

[sbde]

thanks neatfreak!

 

[Jas12]

Don''t know if any of you twin mommies have seen this pic ( got it in an email) but i thought these shirts were so adorable, i just had to post

i need to track them down for a friend that has identical twin boys and her hubby is a techie nerd

 

[Mandarine]

aww those boys are adorable!

Try etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handmade&search_query=twins+copy+paste&order=date_desc&ship_to=

 

[Mandarine]

question for the twin mommies...

Were you guys on bed rest?. Did you continue your "normal" activities to the end or did you slow down?

I haven''t been put on bed rest (and hoping I won''t!) but have been slowing down and trying to sit/lay down as much as possible...I guess in my head this way I try avoid *having* to go on bedrest.

Also, I can''t recall how far each of you made it and if your babies came home with you or had to stay in the NICU.

I''m starting to get a little anxious with definitely less than 10 weeks to go (30 weeks today!)

 

[jas]

I was on modified bedrest (4-6 hours on my back every day)...but by that time (around 32 weeks) I was so tired, I needed it. Everything else was "normal" except I limited my trampoline jumping

Listen to your body. I''m sure that''s what everyone is telling you, but sit/lie down/eat when you need to.

I made it to 36 1/2 weeks, no NICU time at all.

I''m so excited for you!

 

[Mandarine]

Thanks Jas!!!

That''s what I''m trying to do (listen to my body)...I still try to go for a walk at night (like 25 minutes, but not a fast paced walk). If I don''t feel up for it then I skip the walk.

Why did they put you on modified bed rest if you don''t mind me asking?.

I was telling hubby the twins could be here in 6 weeks...and it just seems so close!!!!. I got to my breast feeding class tonight...and we start the childbirth classes next week.

Speaking of classes...I have the option of doing 1 class 1 full Saturday or doing 3 hours for the next three weeks on a weekday. DH thinks we should do the full day "just in case" for some reason we don''t make it to all the other classes. What do you guys think?

 

[neatfreak]

I was stupidly on bed rest but I don't think I needed to be (no PTL, just a short cervix) starting around 27 weeks IIRC. Mine was also modified so I was allowed to putter around the house if I needed to (but no laundry or other lifting/chores) and go to a few meetings.

Once I got past 36 weeks I was allowed to break my bed rest and still nothing happened at all.

My babies stayed put until their scheduled c-section at 38 weeks. No NICU.

But honestly I think you should stay active as long as your body allows it. Research shows that unless you are having contractions or other signs of PTL bedrest basically doesn't do anything. But I would take it easy and listen to your body. And make sure you drink tons of water.

Other than listening to your body and drinking lots of water there really isn't much you can do to prevent them from coming early if that's what they want to do. So just make sure you are aware of the signs of PTL and get yourself to be checked out if you think you might be having PTL. That's all you can do.

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you Neat!!!

I drink lots of water so I''m good there

It''s just so hot here that I don''t even need to try!.

I''m just afraid that I won''t recognize signs of PTL....just because my twin friends that had their twins early didn''t recognize the signs at all!....I know that''s not common, but I guess it still makes me anxious. The spotting last week freaked me out, but that seems to be under control. Other than that I feel great (just upper back pain and tired from not sleeping!).

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/27/2009 11:45:17 AM
Author: Mandarine
Thank you Neat!!!


I drink lots of water so I''m good there

It''s just so hot here that I don''t even need to try!.


I''m just afraid that I won''t recognize signs of PTL....just because my twin friends that had their twins early didn''t recognize the signs at all!....I know that''s not common, but I guess it still makes me anxious. The spotting last week freaked me out, but that seems to be under control. Other than that I feel great (just upper back pain and tired from not sleeping!).

Unfortunately sometimes there just isn''t anything you can do. And then you just have to trust that your hospital NICU nurses and doctors know what they are doing.

Just go read up on it-and if by chance you feel something "off" even if they aren''t classic signs of PTL-GO TO THE DR. Better to be safe than sorry right?

 

[Mandarine]

Absolutely!

 

[jas]

Date: 8/27/2009 11:38:35 AM
Author: Mandarine
Thanks Jas!!!

That''s what I''m trying to do (listen to my body)...I still try to go for a walk at night (like 25 minutes, but not a fast paced walk). If I don''t feel up for it then I skip the walk.

Why did they put you on modified bed rest if you don''t mind me asking?.

I was telling hubby the twins could be here in 6 weeks...and it just seems so close!!!!. I got to my breast feeding class tonight...and we start the childbirth classes next week.

Speaking of classes...I have the option of doing 1 class 1 full Saturday or doing 3 hours for the next three weeks on a weekday. DH thinks we should do the full day ''just in case'' for some reason we don''t make it to all the other classes. What do you guys think?

Walking is awesome! Good for you!
Bed rest because I had PTL (and didn''t realize it, just went to my weekly appt. at 32 weeks and she was like, "Uh, you''re having contractions") and because I was a big ol'' beached whale.

I tend to agree with your DH...especially if HE''S worried about it. If it makes no difference to you, then do the 3 hour. It''ll go pretty quickly.