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Having children has to be one of the greatest blessings a person can receive in a lifetime. When you have two at once that blessing is obviously multiplied. When bringing home twins from the hospital there is a lot of worry and wonder about how to care for them and take the daily caos that comes with the territory. The number one question that comes to mind once you open the front door is, "How do we take care of two at once?"
Becoming new parents is stressful and becoming parents to twins can be highly stressful. The stress only intensifies when there is no outside family support and help once you bring the babies home. You feel as if you are on another planet with these two tiny human beings to care for. When family members live a distance from your home, their assistance and guidance through the first weeks of life is not available. Granted they can give assurance and advice through the phone lines but it truly makes a difference if they can be physically available. So in essence, you are on your own.
This is designed to give a few ideas and options for new parents of twins who do not have the luxury of having family members available to assist during those first few weeks of parenthood.
The first thing when you come home from the hospital, sit down and take in your surroundings. This is the first time you have been in your new home as a "family". Enjoy these first few minutes of relaxing. Think of the two beautiful bundles of joy that you have brought home and that make your family complete.
Everything you do, say or think about now will encompass these two little bundles. But caring for twins is not as difficult as it seems. Even if there is not family support available during these early weeks, you can and will become great parents.
With twins you must develop and adhere to a system and a schedule for everything. Your thinking, "Why such a rigorous schedule?" Starting early adhering to a schedule will make life with twins a lot easier. During this time in your life you will need for things to be as easy and less stressful as possible. Children grow so fast and they will become toddlers before you know it. You want to enjoy the "baby" time as much as you can.
When it comes to feeding babies, whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, it is best to stick to a strict schedule. For breastfeeding parents it is your personal preference whether you want to nurse at the same time or alternate feeding times with the babies. For those parents who choose to bottle feed their twins, feeding at the same time creates structure for feeding times. If you alternately nurse, this will enhance the personal time you spend with each twin. If you choose to nurse at the same time or bottle feed both twins at the same time, this will create a structured schedule for you to develop for your twins.
Feeding your twins at the same time allows for more time to rest between feedings since feedings in the first weeks are so close together, sometimes only one and a half or two hours apart. Rest for the parents during this time is rare and hard to come by. As parents you will need all the rest you can get, when you can get it. Especially true for those who have no outside assistance. If you are bottle feeding and alone with the babies, you can still feed both at once. Just take a bed pillow and prop both babies up on it. Then with a bottle in each hand, feed until it is time to burp them. When it is time, take turns burping each twin, one and then the other. Twins will learn patience early on. They have to wait their turn on many occasions. If both parents are available each can feed one at the same time. You will see quickly how important your rest time becomes and how essential it is to feed at the same time.
Bathing on the other hand is not something you want to attempt together. Unless you have access to a HUGE tub, bathing separately is much more practical. To bathe the twins in a infant tub in the kitchen sink is the best way to go. This will save your back from bending over the bathtub for an extended period of time. Babies do not get that dirty so unless they spit up a lot or get extremely dirty, you only need to tub bathe them two or three times per week. With that in mind, if you alternate days or bathe both on the same day really does not matter. But choose either one or the other and stick to it. If both parents are present during bath times and you choose to bathe on the same day, here is an idea to make bath time go smoother. First bathe one baby. Then the second. While the second baby is being bathed, the other parent can dry and dress the first baby. This will save alot of time and energy. Remember, REST.
Diapers become your best friend when you have twins. Whether you decide to use disposable or cloth diapers, you may want to consider a schedule for changing also. One that works really well is to change each baby "before" each feeding. Most medical professionals will advise to change "after" each meal. However, experience has shown that most babies doze back to sleep during their feedings. Therefore, changing baby after a feeding means waking baby up for the diaper change. If you change diapers before a feeding then the babies may go ahead and snooze after their feedings. This will definately be a nice situation for parents who need their rest.
Having twins is a gift from above. But the work and stress that come along with them can sometimes be overwhelming. If you are not able to have family assistance during those first weeks of your babies' lives, then you need to have a structured lifestyle. Being able to implement these and other ideas and options into your new life will eventually make each day a little easier, which will in turn make each new day you spend with your two beautiful babies an everlasting memory. So start each day with a smile and always try to think of ways to make your life a little easier, to obtain as much rest as possible and just enjoy this precious time with your new babies.
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