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u/HipposRDangerous · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

First congrats on the girls and I love their names!
Second, make sure you give yourself time away from the NICU. I know thats hard, but it will be for the best. When you spend every waking moment there you will be so caught up in everything and not have a moment to take a breath for yourself. Check with your NICU if they have this book. It is an amazing book that will help you navigate the NICU roller coaster. It was written by neonatologists and preemie parents.

Start kangaroo time as soon as they are stable enough to kangaroo. It really does help! Talk with the social worker in the NICU. She might be able to help give you gas cards or get you some free meals or hotel stays to help with the drive/distance. I knew another twin family that lived 2 hours away and would stay for 3 days and two nights at a time. If you like a particular nurse ask if she can be your primary nurse. This means every time he or she works, she will be taking care of your little ones. We had primaries for day and night and loved it. They got to know our boys and would recognize if our boys were acting out of the ordinary for them and would alert the doctors or the NPs. We formed a really special bond with them and still talk to them to this day! Also if you really dont like a particular nurse, you have the right to request her not take care of your kids. Its not bitchy its about your girls and your comfort in someone else caring for them. Also make sure to have a notebook handy to write down any questions you have and then write down the answers!

FWIW, I had twin boys at 28 weeks as well. It was scary, emotional, and crazy to say the least. A year later we are still on oxygen and dealing with some things that preemies have to deal with, but we survived. If you have any questions or would just like someone to talk to that has been where you have been, please don't hesitate to pm me. You have a very long journey ahead of you and it helps if you have a friend. :)

Wow I feel like I wrote a novel and I feel like I could write more! Also check out r/NICUparents. Lots of support there as well. Good luck and take a ton of pictures! You will not believe how fast they will grow!

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

On the advice of friends, I got a Pack and Play to use as a cosleeper, as well as an extra one for the living area. I'm getting two cribs that can convert to toddler beds, but we plan to only set up one at first. My ideal set up would be to have a non-mini Arm's reach cosleeper in the bedroom, but I haven't yet found one at reasonable price.

Some babies love swings and others dislike them, so I'm starting with one swing, a rock n play, and a vibrator/bouncer and I'm going to see which item is most popular. I've been told that all of those can cause head deformities if the babies are in them for too long, so I have two maya wraps, two slings, and an ergo so we wear them.

I went with the Chicco keyfit car seat wise since it had the highest rating on consumer reports and, after playing with what friends had, I liked it the best. The chicco cortina together is very nice and I loved it when I tried it out, but it wouldn't fit in my car, so I found a used Snap N Go for $25 instead. I decided to get that style instead of the side-by-side because I've heard of people having problems fitting the side-by-side in small doorways.

In addition to the double stroller, I also got a Chicco keyfit caddy because I plan on wear one baby and push the other around.

I decided to get the car seat strollers for when they are young because I want to make things as simple as possible when I'm still new to this whole parenting thing. I also want to try out a single versus a double stroller since I know people who prefer each, and the frame strollers are small enough that I can fit both in my car.

I've been using craigslist, a local message board, and Mothers of Multiples consignment sales to get good deals on a lot of items, so in the end, I expect to spend less on my strollers than many people pay for one new one. I'm buying the crib and carseat new, and I've gotten a few other items as gifts, but everything else is used because I'd rather be overstocked and try out items than find myself lacking something useful later.

As far as books go, I highly recommend When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets and Quads because of its scientific, fact filled approach. Mothering Multiples for breast feeding techniques. I'd also recommend going to your library and checking out various books on raising twins. I can't remember all of the books I found helpful because I read so many. For general child care, Happiest Baby on the Block is a must read (or see, there's a DVD). My friend who had a premature baby said that this book saved her life. At first she thought her daughter just didn't like being swaddled, but it turned out that you are supposed to swaddle premature babies differently than full term ones. Now that her daughter is properly swaddled, she's much calmer. That book also inspired me to spend the money on a sleep sheep which is currently kidnapped by a friend.

Another thing that you may want to consider is cloth diapering. I've attended a few Mother of Multiples groups, and cloth diapering has been repeated many times as a way to save money on diapers. Even though I live in a small town, there are local stores and groups for parents to share techniques and tips on cloth diapering. Mine are due to November, so I haven't personally tried it out, but on the advice of other multiple members, I have a bunch of premature diapers for when they are newborn, and a growing collection of cloth (bought used to save money) for once they are bigger. Since I'm having two boys, I'm also making/buying cloth wipes so I can avoid pee mishaps during changing time. You can also buy wash cloths in bulk that perform a similar function, but I've priced making my own or buying used as cheaper.

Congrats!

u/Chaumiere · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Oh gosh, you are right in the thick of it right now! Even for one baby, the first 12 weeks of breastfeeding can be a nightmare. And with two it's just that much harder. Is there a reason tandem doesn't work for you? Because you're right, if you don't tandem then you are on a constant cycle of feeding. Maybe you can breastfeed one, and formula feed the other and then switch off at the next feeding?

I know it's not recommended (even though pretty much every twin parent I know has done this) but I would hold one baby to feed and use blankets to prop up a bottle for the other baby. Obviously sitting right there, watching. It helped cut down on the feeding time.

If you don't have these, get them: http://www.amazon.com/Leachco-Podster-Sling-Style-Infant-Lounger/dp/B003HIXOTQ

I love the podster so much. They slept in these every single day of their lives for the first 3 months. And even now at 8 months, I plop them in there and give them each their own bottle, which they can hold up themselves. And I reddit while they drink. It's amazing. :P

I really do think the podsters helped the babies sleep better. It's like a snuggly little nest for them. Also, swaddles and white noise machine. Huge help. All these things combined might help with those middle of the night wakeups.

Also, a trick I found was that if you are QUICK, and you get a bottle or boob into a baby's face asap for those middle of the night feedings, they don't actually fully wake up and they will go right back to sleep after finishing up.

Around 12 weeks that my babies started sleeping much better, so just keep going! Even though every day feels like an eternity, you're inching your way toward some relief.

Your twins are absolutely adorable. I know it's so tough right now, but try and soak in the little moments of peace or cuteness you can snatch up in a day, and with the hard stuff, just know that it will get better eventually.

u/Lupicia · 4 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Hi, congrats, and welcome! The anxiety is totally normal. You're in good company here. I have boy/girl twins and a 4-year-old girl.

There are some great resources out there like the Twins Triplets and Quads book (but the TL;DR of that is "eat more. so much more. no really go eat now.") and the What to Do When You're Expecting Two... but I find that seeing, talking to, and hearing from other parents that have been there makes me more confident.

The doctors will already be keeping close tabs on your wife's health, and your babies' health, especially towards the end. There will be so. many. visits. But that's good, because nothing will be likely to get by them. They'll likely be getting a level 2 ultrasound, NSTs, blood work, ultrasounds up the wazoo, the works.

I'm about five feet tall and I grew 'em to 13 lbs together. It wasn't fun from about weeks 28 onwards when they passed average singleton newborn size, but it wasn't unhealthy per se. I got all the medical attention I ever needed - including iron infusions, mega vitamins, protein shakes, antacids - and I took all the opportunities I could to rest - and I may have ended up a bit healthier than when I started.

Your wife is in great hands. Your babies are in excellent care. Give your amazing wife and son all the support you can muster! You're going to be a wonderful family.

u/rarcke · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples
  1. We have Pack n'Plays as travel cribs but not at home so I can't comment. We have whichever my mom found at the kids consignment shop.

  2. We started out in a 1 bedroom apartment with our twins and had to get the second crib at 6 months as one girl would wiggle over and bother her sleeping sister. We tried a foam crib divider but they crawled right over it. Swaddle for as long as they will let you.

  3. The girls shared a bouncer for a bit when they were very small (Adorable proof! They are about a month old in that photo.) When they got too big for that bought one swing and got a second soon after. To save space consider swing frames for your car seats like this http://www.amazon.com/SnugGlider-Infant-Seat-Swing-Frame/dp/B000M4K4BY

  4. Started out with the BabyTend Snap and Go Double which accepts all kinds of different seats: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Double-Stroller-Frame/dp/B000LEI82W It was sometimes unweildy for me but my husband liked it. Graduated to a double jogger as soon as we found one on Craigslist that we liked.

    As for books we liked Raising Twins from Pregnancy to Preschool http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Twins-From-Pregnancy-Preschool/dp/1581103441

    and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Healthy Twins which totally saved our lives living in a small space with twins.
    http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Twins/dp/0345497791

    Finally buy yourself at least 4-6 swaddlers in the small size.
    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=swaddleme

    You can pick cotton or fleece depending on what your weather is like in March but we found they were are absolutely essential. You may even need to buy a second round in the larger size but don't get them until it's clear the kids are outgrowing the smaller ones.
u/Ophelia42 · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

The user above had a great point about returns - definitely register where you can return easily. But also put out the word for Amazon gift cards - if you don't have Prime now, you may want to consider it, Subscribe & Save + Amazon mom is definitely the cheapest place to get brand name diapers. Target brand dipes are probably similarly priced though, if you can use them (for some reason, they gave my kids rashes, though I know SO many who loved them.)

I loved the double snap n' go stroller frame that carries two carseats, we probably used it for nearly a year - lighter and more compact that any other stroller you'll use. (LOL I see that they've improved it now to "stadium seating" - terming which I find hilarious, but looks like it makes it even more compact, which would have been awesome!)

Don't bother with bedding sets, that was probably my biggest regret (you shouldn't use the bumpers, you can't use the blanket for a year (and even then, baby won't stay under it, so it's pointless after that), so you're basically paying $100+ for a sheet, dust ruffle and MAYBE a single curtain (have two windows? You'll have to buy another.))

Check out your local Mothers of Twins Club. In my area, they have resales a few times a year where members can sell their used baby stuff, we got SO much from them. Good things to look for are things like swings, bouncys (I got mine for $3!), exersaucers, the playmat gym things... (And in later years, toys (this is a few years off, but look for tricycles!!) and books. I never had a lot of luck with clothes, it seems that all the early goers get the best stuff) Chances are, the next sale is coming up VERY soon (the two in my area are this coming weekend!) (oh, and looking at other responses - check for nursing pillows, boppys, and bottles too!)

u/____tinymouse____ · 5 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Seconding what /u/alc12 said.

With twins the first year is about survival, so you end up throwing a lot of your personal convictions out the window. lol

First and foremost - pick up the book Twins, Triplets and Quads. It has university research for prolonging your pregnancy as long as possible so nice big, healthy babies. It was recommended to me by another twin Mom. My OB said I'd be lucky to make 34 weeks, and I made 37+5. My girls had 0 NICU time. I believe it's largely due to this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Expecting-Twins-Triplets-Quads/dp/0061803073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497145941&sr=8-1&keywords=twins+triplets+quads

Do you have any family members (Mom, Sister) who can come live with you the first 5-6 months? The more support you can get, the better off your experience will be - especially if you plan to breastfeed. And if you have the cash, honestly... interview a few professional night-nurses or caregivers now, before the babies come, even if you think you may not ever call them. It will be much harder to interview someone with confidence when you are in the throws of the first 4 weeks of your twins life.

How involved was your husband with the first two pregnancies? Twins are a different animal and it's very "all hands on deck"! You'll need to trade off shifts for survival at night, each of you getting 5 solid hours of sleep. We did two shifts 10p-3a, 3a-8a. If he was very hands off with the first two, a little mental prep of how much you are going to need him will go a long way to preventing resentment from a partner later on. Even if you are 100% sure that you can handle it all on your own.. prep him just in case.

I won't lie and say that twins are easy. They are hard. But they are also very rewarding and it sounds like with 4 close in age they are going to be best of buds. Congratulations on your additions to the family :)

u/candyrainbow · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

My maternal grandmother had twins as well! It's weird, a lot of moms I know who had twins, their grandmother had twins too. Even the nurses at the hospital asked if my maternal grandmother had twins.

Book recommendation! "When you're expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads" by Dr. Barbara Luke. This book was my go-to for everything I experienced during pregnancy. It's really great, and the woman who wrote it has over 20 years experience with multiple pregnancies! So check it out. :)

Eat. Everything. Don't be afraid to gain lots of weight. I think I ate my weight in pineapple every week. Oh, and prenatal vitamins.... and SLEEEEEEEP! I slept like, 20 hours a day for the first trimester! I only woke up to eat and go to the bathroom. lol It's soooo important you get lots of rest and don't overdo it. If at any point in your life you don't overdo it, this next 7 months is IT! (I watched the entirety of Gilmore Girls, read, slept, and ate. Oh man I ate. lol)

And have fun! Enjoy the quiet, because once they get here, that's IT! haha Congrats!! PM me if you want to chat :)

u/Jharrigan07 · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I didn't see it on here, so I will chime in as well. You should prepare by getting a shower chair and handheld shower head if you don't already have one, and a extended toilet seat. These are all available at Home Depot/Lowes.

Getting up and down will be very difficult for the first couple weeks. My wife breastfed/pumped/supplemented initially, so my job was to wake her up, get her up, get the babies, change them prepare the supplement while she fed them, feed them that while she pumped and put them back to bed(change as necessary).

Same thing goes for you and her, sleep whenever possible. Also for us, we had someone come for Care.com originally to help her shower/change the bandage but instead had them do light housework/organizing. We went sent home with a ton of formula and samples. On the first day she organized everything in the pantry, washed the dishes, etc. She was only there a couple of hours and we did it for about a week. It was a really life saver for us.

Also, something you can do now is cook and freeze meals. We got the cookbooks, but this http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/freezer-cooking/

is just amazing. The baked Ziti will last you two days. Meat balls, awesome. Our neighbors brought over meals, but we used the freezer food with our latest baby. It is just something that you can do that will help and show her you are working too. A foodsaver is helpful thing to have as well.

Lastly, buy this https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Browns-Formula-Mixing-Pitcher/dp/B001I481LM/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1502202074&sr=8-1&keywords=dr.%2Bbrown%2Bmixing%2Bpitcher&th=1

Good luck. It is an amazing ride.

u/The_4th_Man · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

This may just be my two, and not really a twin thing, but Miracle Blankets.

https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Blanket-15799-Swaddle-Blue/dp/B000G0KQWQ/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1479392777&sr=8-2&keywords=miracle-blanket&th=1

Anything else they struggle and and get cranky because they get their arms up, but not all the way out. They will fight anything else forever.

Also a Baby Breeza bottle sterilizer. Ours runs 24/7. Also take however many bottles you think you need and add at least four, probably six.

We also have this duel carrier:

https://twingocarrier.com/

We have never used it as a double, but it breaks into two singles pretty well and cheaper than two individual carriers.

Edit: Forgot one, strollers. We did a ton of research and this one seemed the best for doubles:

https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-City-Select-Stroller/dp/B003Q85CRY

Not cheap at all, but if it is in the budget I don't think there is a better twin stroller out there.

Good luck. I also recommend keeping the fridge stocked with wine and beer, but maybe that is just us. :)

u/SugaredSalmon · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I have exclusively breastfed my twins since day one, and it's been six months. They're growing well.

I will say that it's stupidly time consuming, especially in the beginning. If I were pumping, I couldn't do it: my body just doesn't respond to pumps (same issue with my singleton). Fortunately that's not an issue since I stay at home with them for now. You also will want to do everything you can to boost production and not skimp on calories. There is a useful reference book called Mothering Multiples which has some nice info on caring for twins, in addition to its useful info on breastfeeding. http://www.amazon.com/Mothering-Multiples-Breastfeeding-Caring-International/dp/0976896931/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453763391&sr=1-1&keywords=mothering+multiples

Other recipes for success will be learning to tandem feed, if only for one of the feedings, and finding a nursing pillow you like (I use the blessed nest pillow, like a big beanbag http://www.amazon.com/Nesting-Pillow-Organic-Nursing-Washable/dp/B001TFNPWA/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1453763636&sr=1-1&keywords=blessed+nest+organic+nesting+pillow).

Good luck. You can do it, if you want to. And if you can't, that's okay too.

u/LBluth21 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

So for strollers we went around in circles trying to find the perfect one that would fit two car seats and still be a great stroller down the road. I don't think this exists for twins. We ended up doing a cheap snap-and-go frame stroller for the first 6 months (this one) and then got the Bob duallie stroller for when they're older. I love the frame stroller because it's so light I can pop it out of the car myself and it's so cheap I don't worry about it getting beat up. A lot of the great side by side strollers can't adapt to hold two infant seats for early on. And bouncy seats ([this one] (http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-CFB88-Comfort-Curve-Bouncer/dp/B00NEO5UQS/ref=sr_1_14?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1452611655&sr=1-14&keywords=bouncy+seat)) were my lifesaver on maternity leave. I'd just bring them around the house with me and then I could always put one baby down. With the vibration turned on and bouncing it with my foot I could keep one calm while I nursed the other even if she was super fussy.

u/Basalix · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

If you or your wife are the reading type, skip over the "What to expect when you are expecting" and head straight to this.

http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Expecting-Twins-Triplets-Quads/dp/0061803073

We have fraternal (di di) girls coming in October. My wife is 24 weeks today. Tomorrow is our favorite day of the month because we get to see them at the ultrasound. I am sure you will learn to love those days too. Find a way, any way, to be there for them.

Plus, I felt one of them kick m hand this morning. First time feeling my babies. Such a wonderful feeling. Love every minute of it. And don't be scared of it either.

Congrats!

u/rbrvwv · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I love this stroller so much that every time I use it I end up singing it's praises. It's worth every penny!

Also, it's less expensive from Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-City-Select-Stroller/dp/B003Q85CRY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1410236822&sr=8-4&keywords=Baby+jogger+city+select+double

I got Britax car seats to go with it because the Britax adaptor is super easy to use, and less pricey than the universal one they offer.

Have I mentioned how much I love my stroller?

u/thefrontpageofme · 0 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Yup.. Our girls turn 4 months old in a week.

Bought this: https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Sleep-Weeks-Step/dp/0525949593

It's not working yet, but it has given us structure and that already has been a HUGE help.

The plan basically is (after they are like 8 weeks old and eat 24 ounces a day and maybe something else):

  1. get them to eat 4 times a day every 4 hours - almost done
  2. get them to not eat at night - work in progress
  3. get them to sleep 12 hours a night - work in progress
  4. get them to take two naps a day - not even started.. they nap like 5 times some days.

    So our day is - wake up, try to pour 7 ounces into them, try to keep them up 2 hours and then go for a walk. Repeat 3 times a day. Then at the end of the day pour another 7 ounces in and watch them fall asleep. One sleeps 8-9 hours before needing another ounce or two, the other is with mom and gets fed twice a night for a few minutes.
u/emilystarr · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

This pillow: https://www.amazon.com/Leachco-Podster-Sling-Style-Infant-Lounger/dp/B003HIXOTQ saved us so many times in the first months. I had two, and could easily bottle-feed them both by tucking a pillow in on each side and holding the two bottles. I was never much able to prop up bottles without it being more work than it was to just feed them.

Sometimes they both cry, and they just do that. I'd pick up one and sing a song to them, then swap out and sing another song, so they both got the same amount of comforting time, and at some point, one would stay calm when I put them down.

And it gets way easier as they get older. We are at 7.5 months now, and they sleep at the same time (for the most part) and not only do they hold their own bottles, they get mad if we try to hold them and feed them.

We also got a lot of good entertainment value out of these: https://www.amazon.com/Wee-Gallery-Cards-Jungle-Collection/dp/B001CBEGCO/ -- we'd just prop them up on the sides of the pack n play and they'd stare at them for sometimes whole minutes at a time! (And every minute totally counts.)

When they get older, you can use a baby gym/mobile holder kind of thing that you can attach stuff to. We just used the ones from Ikea, and swapped in all kinds of things, but until they can hold and turn their heads to look straight up, which takes a bit, just propping stuff up on the wall/against things works just as well. These cards you can just buy and print out: https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1173226584 -- and that shop has some books on infant activities too, that we found pretty fun. Especially the box with Christmas tree lights stuck into it. It sounds crazy, but it sometimes calmed a baby when nothing else would.

u/Mcnugget84 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

I have 8 week old twins at home, and most of the day it's just me. I pump and fortify. I use the Dr. Brown's pitcher to get bottle prep done. After sterilizing I put them in the fridge and use this warmer to start to warm the bottle while I change the baby. We have this basket to take where we need to change them.

I work to keep them on a 3 hour schedule during the day, and if one wakes up early the other one gets woken up after I am done with the first baby. Generally I try and keep them on a 30 minute offset to give me time to devote to the one I have awake.

I keep them swaddled, and use the twin-z pillow that another person linked to help prop them up a little after feeding. We have baby boxes that they sleep in, and during the day I keep them out with the blinds open to start to establish a day and night routine.

Get a mini fridge upstairs, a second bottle warmer and set up a feeding station there to make things easier. or simply feed them room temp bottles. For help with dispensing forumla there are these individual formula dispensers, or one's that have 3 chambers. You can put the water in the bottles, and then add the forumula powder as needed. Our house is one story, so at night if husband is home and has to work I use the guest bedroom as my night changing station.

Your doing awesome, it's a lot to adjust to, and you will learn more every day. If the schedule gets off, it's fine they will survive which is the game plan at this point.

Formula is expensive, have you signed up to get samples, or the formula checks?

u/SilverState815 · 9 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Woo hoo! Twice the work, but twice the fun. Our girls are 13 months now, and it's been great. We didn't find out genders until they were born, because there are so few fun surprises in life already, and we didn't want to ruin that one. I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, so check out the book What to do When You're Having Two. Oh, and whenever anyone says "Two for the price of one!" to you, immediately correct them. It's two for the price of two.

u/eyeeyecaptainfly · 6 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I'm 33 weeks pregnant with ours, so I can't yet comment as a parent, but these are some things that have helped me so far. Like with any baby gear or family, there is no one right answer as to what to buy. I have researched a ton and found it helpful to start at the Lucies List twin page, then modify ideas from there by asking advice from other twin parents and from places like here. We are going minimalist so have definitely not purchased the full extent of gear that mainstream registries recommend, but we have the basics for sleeping, health/safety, and transportation, and we also know there's always Amazon prime and also some nearby stores in case of emergency.

Second, I started reading When you're expecting twins... by Barbara Luke very early in my pregnancy and I found its recommendations on nutrition and lifestyle to be invaluable in getting the pregnancy off to a healthy start and keeping it there. There are definitely some differences from being pregnant with one vs two, and this got me educated and prepared.

Last...well we specifically didn't want cutesy/rhyming twin names, but if you want that sort of thing, Google and Pinterest are full of ideas. Ours are same gender but fraternal, and I fully expect they will be as stubborn and individual as their parents, so I'm not worried about telling them apart. I do expect our hands will be quite full with other challenges. Lord help us.

u/Nomadic_Houseplant · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I think this is really dependent upon how you and your wife sleep (and fall back asleep). Even when horribly sleep deprived, if I heard a baby crying, I was up until it stopped crying. If I got up with a baby, it'd take me 45 min or so to go back to sleep. This was true even if I got 3-4 hours in 20 min bursts for days. For my husband, he wakes up and goes to sleep quickly. We managed these distinctions with our infants like this:

  1. We hired a postpartum doula (night nanny) 3 nights a week. Fucking expensive, but a very temporary expense for 2-3 months.

  2. I stayed up late (until 1am) and did solo baby duty and then slept with white noise next to my bed. Husband had the baby monitor next to his bed. I pumped right before bed so I could get a good amount of uninterrupted sleep. Husband tended to any night waking with bottled milk, only getting me if shit hit the fan. I usually woke up naturally (because of breastfeeding) after sleeping 5-6 hours.

  3. I drank lots and lots of coffee.

  4. We got them on a routine very early. We started working towards the routines/strategies in this book softly at 2 months and still follow much of the advice now (our twins are 2): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525949593/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_qD3TzbXAYDRGN

    In summary, I think this really depends if you're a light sleeper that has a tough time going back to bed. If one of you sleeps like that, then you'll probably need to figure out a shift schedule (rather than man-on defense) like we did. If both of you sleep like that, then, in my experience, you need to get some nighttime help (or daytime help so you can stay up all night) for the very short-term. If neither of you are light/bad sleepers, then rock on with the man-on like u/alectos described.
u/Vomonte · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

I have no experience, but I did a ton of looking.
A neat option you can try is a joey attachment for a side by side double stroller. This is like a higher seat that clips in centered over the double.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0041F2CFQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?qid=1462804233&sr=8-2&keywords=joey+stroller&pi=SY200_QL40

My third is older so I'm just going to get the board for him. :-)

u/ShenziKat · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

Random enough, somebody shared this book in my local Buy Nothing group on FB this week. Might be just what you’re looking for.

Experimenting with Babies: 50 Amazing Science Projects You Can Perform on Your Kid https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399162461/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rfJRDbR3FKY4Z

FWIW - I have not read the book so I’m not endorsing it or experiments on your children. 😄

u/Butthole_Bread · 4 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

You probably will make it to at least that far. Esp if you have di-di twins. This book was helpful for me: When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy, https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061803073/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_DGhTub0ARTDN0. Good luck!

u/BTBishops · 10 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

We found that for the first six months or so we didn't use a traditional stroller, we only used a Snap and Go. We could snap the car seats into the stroller directly, unsnap and snap into the car, pack the stroller easily into the back, and then when we arrived unsnap out of the car and into the stroller. Once they got a little older we moved over to a Baby Jogger and that was great. But in the beginning I'm surprised no one has mentioned this - it was the ONLY stroller we used for the first six months or so.

Edit: This was exactly what we used. Loved it!

u/happywifelife_ · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I delivered my di/di’s as a double whammy at 27+3. My c-section was an emergency to have baby b out.

My advice is: make sure to pack a robe. Not a long thick one, but one that is light and stops above your knees. You will not want to wear pants, trust me.

Edit: This is the exact one I ordered for myself. It was perfect!

u/vapingcarrie · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

I couldn't find anything that you were looking for, but there are plenty of tandem jogging strollers out there with side-by-side options available. They are a little harder to snap 2 carseats in that way.

If you open your options to having 2 wheels on the front, the Contours Options Elite Tandem Stroller has lots of positive reviews. I actually wanted this one, but we settled on an In-Step tandem jogging stroller for when I want one with actual wheels whenever we go to parks and stuff with different terrains. And an graco double stroller for when we are doing things like shopping with narrow aisles.

u/photinus · 5 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-Play-Portable-Playard/dp/B00KBGTRAC/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1540482637&sr=8-1&keywords=summer+infant+play+yard&dpID=41ScPp5hwoL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

This is what we have for our 11mo boys. It packs up like a camp chair and is easy to setup and tear down. The floor of it is slightly padded and the boys enjoy it. Also came with a hanging tablet mount if you want to put up a movie or something for them.

u/MarlinLikeAFish · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I would consider seeing another doctor and getting a second opinion. It sounds like your doctor is pretty old school and that doesn't seem to align with you. I would also highly recommend reading When You're Expecting Twins by Barbara Luke for twin pregnancy details.

u/KT421 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Owners-Manual-Instructions-Trouble-Shooting/dp/1594745978

Buy this. You sound like you need it. Still waiting on the arrival of my twins, but I found the book helpful in getting prepared, plus its very straightforward.

u/MrCalifornia · 5 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

I think this book was key: When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads 4th Edition: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062379488/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Jv8rDbR3NEBH9

Based on tons of research of multiples births, it had my wife eating WAY more protein then Kaiser recommended and we had 2 very healthy babies at 38 weeks 6 days when they were induced.

u/ntmg · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Eh, if you cut out all the foods people tell you not to eat there's hardly anything left. Just make sure things are heated thoroughly and don't stress about it. It's more important that mama eats enough to keep the babies growing. My maternal fetal medicine doc told me I had a license to eat as much as I wanted. First time a doc has ever said that to me! He also recommended this book by Barbara Luke that has a lot of statistics showing that mothers who gain sufficient weight early on have bigger babies. I didn't eat as much as she recommended, but I haven't had any trouble packing on the pounds either. I'm 34 weeks and they are 5 lbs each at the last sonogram so I can say it's worked for me at least.

u/i12burs · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

As a baby nurse who's worked with hundreds of babies including multiples (2, 3, 4 and even 5!) I LOVE the book "Twelve Hours Sleep By Twelve Weeks Old" written by Suzy Giordano.

u/Ovark · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

As a engineer dad of twins my wife got me "The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips and Advice on First-Year Maintenance" (http://amzn.com/1594745978) It has a lot of useful information for a first timer and it's presented in a very entertaining way. Other than that I second the jogging stroller.

u/Sooee · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

http://www.amazon.com/Experimenting-Babies-Amazing-Science-Projects/dp/0399162461

This was a fun book and explains a lot about development. It helped my husband bond a bit more when he felt like there wasn't much he could do.

u/tersenurse · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

Sorry it took me so long. I couldn't find the tape measure this morning. This is the stroller https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Universal-Snap-N-Go-Stroller/dp/B008U4MKU6
So folded it is 36 inches long. Hope that helps!

u/joseph2883 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

My twins aren't even born so I know nothing. However, I read 12 hours sleep by 12 weeks old, it has a plan that seems solid and tons of tips. It has amazing rules. https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Sleep-Weeks-Step/dp/0525949593

u/DookieSandwich · 4 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

We feed ours in this:
https://www.amazon.com/PILLOW-Twin-Breastfeeding-Bottlefeeding-Support/dp/B007VF57C8
I did all night feedings by myself when my husband went back to work. Feed them at the same time in the pillow, in the bed, on the floor, wherever. That pillow is the best thing we own.

u/toomanyees · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

Sleep training! Sleep is the one problem you have that you can solve within a month: get this book

http://www.amazon.com/Solve-Your-Childs-Sleep-Problems/dp/0743201639/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377135238&sr=8-1&keywords=solve+your+child%27s+sleep+problems

Read first few chapters, get SO on board, and implement instructions in Ch4. After week 2, enjoy feeling well-rested. Then tackle your other problems.

Also, don't be too proud to send out an SOS to your family. I did and my SO's aunt came for a week from hundreds of miles away. Best week I'd had since the babies were born.

u/bichonmom4444 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

We have these: https://smile.amazon.com/Infant-Optics-DXR-8-Monitor-Interchangeable/dp/B00ECHYTBI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=dxr-8+video+baby+monitor&qid=1570477289&sprefix=dxr&sr=8-3

Only bought one, and it’s great to view both cribs.

We later got a Nest for the whole house and now use both.
The infant optix I like bc it tells me the temp in their room, and we dont have to use our phones to view them.
Nest is handy when we are out of the house (if they are with sitter or grandma) and we can check in.
We didn’t go into this wanting 2 systems but it works for us!

u/TheSummarizer · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

7 months is overlong. Mine slept through the night at 5 months. It's time to talk to your pediatrician and strongly consider Ferberization.

u/p_kitty · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

My problem with those long ones are that they're boats, and no matter how well they're made, they will not collapse to fit into the back of a normal car because the bars are just too long. :/

This is what I was referring to (the link is just the joey seat, but it shows the whole deal). I believe you can also use a conversion kit to put a baby carrier in the joey seat, so it will work for infants as well as toddlers.

With my son, we've got (or were given) three strollers. I think we've used one maybe a half dozen times in his life. We live in suburbia, if we take him somewhere, now he sits in the cart at the store, and he's too little to want to go 'visiting' anywhere we'd need a stroller. With three, that changes, we won't be able to go anywhere without a stroller. Time will tell!

u/poolplyr27 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

We're headed to the beach in June with what will be 7 month old twins, along with a couple similarly aged cousins, and will be taking one of these with us. It's decent sized for containing them, somewhat keeps them out of the sand, and collapses into a carry bag the size of a camping chair. You can also buy versions with canopies to help provide shade. We're also bringing a 10x10 popup/tailgate tent with us, so we can use that for added shade if needed.

u/spamicide · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

To provide a different perspective, we used the double snap-n-go for the first 9m to a year. It snaps in the cars seats and you are off. It's relatively cheap for the amount of use you will get. After that you can consider what you will want. Your older child will be almost 4 by the end of the twin's first year and may not need the standing space....

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Universal-Snap-N-Go-Stroller/dp/B008U4MKU6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451363549&sr=8-1&keywords=double+snap+and+go

u/pugsandtwins · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

[This is a really great book.](The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416572325/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TW42Cb2DXXGSH) It has a lot of information, definitions, etc. I read and highlighted a copy cover to cover because I wanted lots of information and asked the neonatologists questions that came up.


Trying to remain positive is good, but remember, some days will be crap, too. And she may or may not want to share. 25 weekers are very early so it may be hard to know the outcomes for a while.

u/iphonehome9 · 1 pointr/parentsofmultiples

We just bought this. There is a second camera add on.

Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor With Interchangeable Optical Lens, White/Biege https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECHYTBI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8pzrxbJ2S5EFG

u/NBPTS · 4 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

We used this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Sleep-Weeks-Step/dp/0525949593

The first step is to get their daytime feedings to 4 hours apart. We went from 6 4oz bottles to 4 6oz bottles. They started sleeping longer stretches immediately.

u/skunk-works · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

We have been using leecho podsters in the middle of the bed with us. It's sort of like a boppy, but much more secure. I don't think they are "technically approved", but from everything I can see, it would be incredibly difficult for them to roll over or even slide down into an unsafe position

u/Pacoboyd · 4 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

We have this and love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-City-Select-Stroller/dp/B003Q85CRY

Lots of different configurations you can do and the seats recline far enough that an infant can sleep in them no problem. (we did get infant inserts from target at 10 bucks a pop.) We also have a glider board attachment so our three year old can sit / stand behind it as well.

Can't recommend this one enough.

Edit: missed your username. We'll see how you feel about that in a couple months after the twins. :)

u/Minerva118 · 3 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

It is really hard when they are sick! But I think there are some basic bad habits that need to be broken and stuck with. We stuck with the recommendations in the 12 hours sleep by 12 week old book and really tried not to go back to bad habits once they are broken. It is definitely time to stop letting the babies fall asleep on you. I am a big believer in humidifiers for sick babies and Motrin before bed for teething babies. If you do have to go in try to comfort while leaving them in the crib. Sing and pat their back to help them calm down and then leave them to soothe themselves back to sleep. Of course there are exceptions for really miserable babies but try not to do it multiple nights in a row and get right back to the routine.
Twelve Hours' Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old: A Step-by-Step Plan for Baby Sleep Success https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525949593/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_6DjBub1RTXSFJ

u/jackoff_thebatman · 2 pointsr/parentsofmultiples

She told me I can't lift more than fifty pounds. But thats the extent of my Beschaftigungsverbot lol. WoW THATS A WORD. With my singleton pregnancy the Dr. refused to put me on light duty when I was BEGGING to be put on it at 32 weeks. I feel like 32 weeks, lifting sixty pounds and walking five miles a day is fucking excessive, weather or not there are any complications. Oh and that pregnancy was considered "high risk" also. This Dr, and the condition of having twins puts me right in line to be put on light duty or quit before the babies. but No one will pay me! I will just lose the income.

But I have been doing this job for ten years, so my body and muscles are really used to it.

the book