DOUBLE TAKE

Having twins, or even triplets, brings more than just double the blessing in the form of double the work! Don’t stress just yet, we’ve got you covered

Looking after one baby often requires two sets of hands and sometimes even a third – that’s why grannies come to stay and nannies are employed. So what happens when you have two, or even three babies at the same time? How do you look after them simultaneously and divide your milk, halve your sleep, double your love, juggle your time and energy, and if you’re lucky… stay sane as well?

BONDING

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of seeing your multiples as a unit first and as individuals second, but try to spend oneon-one time with your babies right from the start. Even though they were born minutes apart, each baby will develop his or her own unique personality and you should try to encourage this as far as possible. For instance, you could start by holding your babies separately in the delivery room after they’re born. It’s okay to do this, and if you feel guilty about cuddling just one baby – skin-to-skin contact is best for promoting bonding – then why not get your partner to do it too, and alternate the special time?

FEEDING

Figuring out how to breastfeed one baby is one of the biggest challenges that new moms face. So it’s little wonder that a mom who’s dealing with “double trouble” might panic somewhat. How do you physically feed both babies at the same time? As you know, you have two boobs and two arms and thanks to this, you should be able to breastfeed your twins simultaneously. You also need not worry about milk supply – your body knows that it’s made two babies, so it will produce enough milk for them too.

If you’re battling to feed both babies at the same time, you may want to introduce bottles with expressed breastmilk. It’s a good idea to rent or invest in a double electric breastpump for this. Then your partner, or whoever’s helping out, can feed one baby while you breastfeed the other and you can swap the babies for the next feed. This way, both your bundles will still get the benefit of your breastmilk but you’ll get to feed (and bond with) one baby at a time. “Alternatively, you could also breastfeed your babies one after the other if you don’t mind spending a bit more time with a baby on your boob, if they’re happy to wait their turn and if you’re not bothered by them having slightly different routines – which they may well have anyway,” attests Kate Hyland, mom to one-year-old fraternal twin girls, Emma and Holly.

SLEEPING

Your twins shared a small space for many months in utero so you don’t have to fork out for two cots right away. You can let them sleep together in a cot for at least six months if you want to. Here, they will keep each other company, and bring each other comfort. “You’ll know when they’re ready to part and if they’re getting into each other’s space,” says Kate, who separated her baby girls at eight months, but kept them in the same room where they could still see each other.

You should put your twins down drowsy but awake and encourage them to self soothe. Don’t worry about one baby waking the other, as most multiples don’t seem bothered by their brother or sister’s crying and get used to it from a very early age.

As with any newborn, settling in with your multiples will be a challenge and will take time, but it will pass all too soon. If things get too much, ask for a little bit of help from family and friends. However, if you feel yourself floundering too often or just don’t feel yourself, speak to your doctor about it. Above all, know that you are not alone with your double blessing of love! YB