This short piece was published in the Autumn issue of the Irish Easy Parenting magazine. I forgot to share it earlier, but the advice is still relevant and will hopefully help some new mummies.
If you intend to breastfeed your twins, invest in a good breastfeeding support pillow – I used the E-Z twin pillow. You will save time by feeding both babies at once, and it will help prevent back strain. Choose anti-colic feeding bottles. They may be more expensive but you’ll have happier babies. Research which nappies are best and don’t settle for the cheapest on the market – this will lead to more leaks during the night and sleep disturbance for all of you.
A good routine is crucial with twin babies. Encourage each baby to nap and feed at the same time. If your babies are premature (thirty-seven weeks is average) they may take longer to settle into a routine, but once you succeed stick to it, except when a baby is unwell. If the babies are being fed at different times, life can become chaotic and you may forget who was fed last.
If the babies are unwell and receiving medication – keep a note in a diary of who received what and when. It’s very easy to overdose twins especially when they’re identical and you’re suffering from sleep-deprivation.
Image courtesy of Boians Cho Joo Young / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Twins start school!! 
Ten things motherhood has taught me. 
‘Guess How Much I love You?.. All the way to Duplo’. 
Put the Kettle On 
This is a handy post. I laughed because I HATED my twin breastfeeding pillow. I ended up selling it and went back to my good old boomerang. I also had no routine with my twins until they were about 5 months old, but that worked well for us. In fact, I kept them on separate schedules because I hated tandem nursing and with a toddler I needed to be able to move around which is impossible when you are pinned down with two babies. So one would nap and I would nurse the other. Look in her eyes, play with her cheeks, and cook, clean, brush my teeth, potty train my son and what ever else I was doing while breastfeeding LOL. I never realized what a wallflower I am, but eh. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Newborn twins and a toddler! You must have been exhausted. Wow. I couldn’t have done without my routine. It helped me anticipate what they’d do/want next. It definitely takes a few months to get it properly established though. Saw your pics too! Your tummy is fine :0) Thanks for commenting Shannon.
Lol yeah the dreaded three under three. Act it wasn’t that bad at all. It was tough in the beginning because all three were in diapers but I trained him when the girls were three months old and that really helped. I did want to kill the dogs at times because I’d be trying to keep it together and then they would get rowdy or need to go for a walk but it is now a happy blur I miss fondly 🙂
Sounds like sound advice to me! How glad am I not to have newborn twins anymore! 🙂
Lol! So you can relate to the ‘blur’ too? Hope the move is going well. :0)
This is such a wonderfully on-point post. I wrote EVERYTHING down in those first months of twinfancy, not just medicines, but feedings, nappy changes, everything! Would you consider linking this post up to the parenting-related link party we host at How Do You Do It? (http://hdydi.com/2014/02/03/parenting-link-10/) I think the more new mums of multiples see it, the better!
Hi Sadia,
Of course. That’s great! In that little article I wanted to pass on what worked well for me, and also what I wish someone had told me before I’d had my twins. I’ll check out your site – it sounds very useful.
Thanks,
Olivia