20+ Encouraging & Practical Tips for Expecting Moms of Twins : Surviving My Twin Pregnancy (Part 3)

When we found out we were pregnant with TWINS, you couldn't shove enough information in front of me! (Read my WHOLE STORY HERE!)

I scouredPinterest and Googled EVERYTHING twin!

At first, I felt like I was in my own universe, having to navigate a world I knew NOTHING about, and even though I had a 4 and a 2 year old already, I felt like I was pregnant for the FIRST TIME again!

It wasn't until we made the announcement to friends and family that we were expecting twins that OTHER TWIN MOMS started coming out of the woodwork! Especially within our home church.

Within several months after learning the news of our twins, I felt as though I had a pretty decent network of moms who I could draw from for support and ask all my crazy questions to!

When I was carrying my twins, I just couldn't fathom what life was going to look like those first few months AFTER delivery (let alone what delivery would be like...but that's a post for another day!).

How was I going to nurse twins?

How was I going to get ANY SLEEP?

How would I have time for my older boys?

How would I be able to keep up with housework?

How was I going to grocery shop let alone cook?

If you are finding yourself with the head spinning news that you are expecting twins, I hope these tips that I pulled from my twin mommy friends, along with a few I threw in, is as helpful for you as it was for me in mentally  & physically preparing for life with your new bundles of joy!!

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TIPS FOR MANAGING STUFF:

• ​Don't BUY two of everything. Those items that will only be used for a short time...just BORROW an extra if you already have one. (Here's MY LIST of things to borrow and things to buy)

Resist the cute matching outfits...at least for the first few months. One of the babies will more than likely poop, pee, or spit up within minutes of changing them into something cute and matchy. Stick to these simple side snap shirts and comfy pants that can be interchanged as needed.

Keep a diaper changing station in several places in your house. All you need is a cute little basket with diapers and wipes placed in the rooms you find yourself in the most.

Buy multiple sets of neutral crib sheets (at least 3 per crib) and mattress protectors and layer them ALL on the cribs. This way, when spit ups and blow outs happen, you just have to strip the sheet and mattress protector and you have another set of sheets underneath ready to go. This also eliminates the need to store all that bedding!!

Once your babies arrive, it's okay to turn down hand-me-downs until a later date. People want to help, but sometimes, for momma's sanity, it's best to wait until you're physically able to sort through what you're given to accept the boxes of things!

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TIPS FOR MANAGING OLDER SIBLINGS:

• Pack a special bag for the older siblings with special activities ONLY for when you are feeding the babies. This will give them something to look forward to when normally these are the moments when they will tend to "lash out" for attention. ​

• ​Have snacks & water bottles available and reachable for your older children for those moments you are nursing/bottle feeding, rocking to sleep, or changing diapers. This can also help momma out if she's hungry and can't get up off the couch.​

Ask a friend with an older child (13+) to come over and hang out with the babies while you go play outside with your older kiddos. Even if it's just taking a walk up and down the street, blowing bubbles, or drawing with chalk, it will be a treasured time alone with them.

Let the older siblings get involved. From holding a baby while the other is being fed, to fetching a burp cloth or pacifier, rocking them, or singing to them, their role is important and they will feel valued and part of the team. It will also help them bond with their new little brothers or sisters. And the memories for momma are priceless!

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TIPS FOR MANAGING SCHEDULES:

For your sanity, try your best to keep your twins on the same schedule! When one twin wakes to nurse, wake the other one as well. Do the same for naps. This may feel like a loosing battle at first (and completely insane...wake a sleeping baby???), but eventually, they will get the hang of it, and it will benefit the whole family! 

Sleep in shifts. "Hubby and I slept in shifts until the babies started sleeping through the night. I slept 6 pm til midnight, and he slept midnight til 6 am and then got up for work. We didn’t really have family in town to help, so this was the only time of day we could sleep." - Amy (Mom of 19 year old twins, blogger @ Starting Parenting Over

Those first few weeks of snuggles are magical. If you have older children, keep their bedtime routines in place, and set aside some time for you and your husband to snuggle on the couch in the evenings, each with a sleepy baby on your chest. Grab some water or a snack before you sit down, because once those babies fall asleep on you, you won't want to move a muscle!

Rotate your twins through stations. For example: one can be on the play mat while the other is in the swing. This will give them some independent time, keep them stimulated, and cut down on the need for two of everything. -Michelle (mom of teenage twins)

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TIPS FOR MANAGING DAILY LIFE:

"Soak it up. Those early days where they both fit in one arm, it's SO fast. And twins are an experience like no other. Leave the laundry and dishes for someone else. In a month they will be too big to carry on one arm."- Kim (Mom of 7 year old twins)

"Don't be afraid to ask for help, it doesn't make you any less of an amazing mama (it makes you better actually)." -Dena (mom of 4 year old twins)

Have a friend set up a meal schedule for you (takethemameal.com). This is such a blessing during those first few weeks when cuddles are the sweetest and hunger levels are the highest! 

Get outside! The first few weeks, you will feel like you are glued to your couch, so a nice walk around the block or quick trip to the park will rejuvenate your spirits and give you and babies some much needed vitamin D...and allow your big kids to burn off some energy!

If budget allows, invest in a grocery delivery service OR a pick up service. For a year of not worrying about waking or unbuckling your babies to grocery shop, it's worth every penny!

Don't have the same expectations as you did BEFORE you had twins. For a few months, you may have mountains of laundry, bags of things without homes, and calling for takeout more often than usual. It's okay! Slowly but surely, you'll get back into a routine. Give yourself LOTS of grace! 

And when you're ready to get back into a routine, this is how I managed my laundry as a new family of 6.

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BONUS TIPS: 

Nursing your twins can be a challenge, but CAN BE DONE! Take it one day at a time.
​"Every session is an accomplishment, especially with multiples, BUT, if you have to supplement, it doesn't make it any less of an accomplishment. It just means you are doing what needs to be done to help your babies thrive" - Katie (mom of 5, blogger @ My Joy In Chaos)

"Once you can feel something other than tiredness- try to feel amused. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at crappy situations (pun intended). Laugh with your husband (often). Laugh at how bad it sucked a few months, weeks, days, (hours?) ago. Laugh at the time you spilled 4 ounces of breastmilk on the ground and screamed and cried so loud your husband thought you'd dropped a baby. Laugh at the time you and your husband were arguing at 3am (over what I cannot even remember) and he kicked a hole in your bedroom door (that you never fixed b/c it still makes you laugh)." -Dena (mom of 4 year old twins)

Refer to your twins by their names and not just "the twins." They are individuals with different personalities and interests, so allow them to feel as though they are their own person as they grow up." -Alison (a grown twin)

"You'll receive lots of advice. Try some of it. If it doesn't work, try something else. Eventually, you will find PEACE in your CHAOS! Joy will ABOUND! "- Diane (Mom of grown twins, blogger @ Sweeter Than Honey) ​

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FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR EXPECTING MOMS OF TWINS: 

RELATED POSTS:
7 MUST DO'S FOR EXPECTING TWIN MOMS : SURVIVING MY TWIN PREGNANCY (PART 1)

YOU DON'T NEED TWO OF EVERYTHING : SURVIVING MY TWIN PREGNANCY (PART 2)

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DWELLING WELL | RAISING TWINS