Tips for New Moms of Multiples...

I've been thinking of the best advice I could've received when my twins were babies,

and here are 14 tips I came up with. Hope they help.

1. Nothing can prepare you for the 24 "hourness" of a new baby. 

Let me say that again. Nothing can prepare you for the the 24 hourness

of TWO babies!! Nothing! (Oh yeah, I changed it up a bit).

Prepare to be unprepared!! (I could almost end this post right here).

2. No one else has it together either, not even moms of singles, though it
may look like they do. (I know, I was one of those 4 times
before our twins came along...never once did I have it all together).
Just remember, this is your family.

You and your husband decide. Seeking advice is good, but you know your

babies better than anyone.

3. Never turn down an offer for help, because it might be your only chance

to take a short nap :)

4. Never turn down an offer for someone to watch your older children for you.

They need to get out too :)

5. Pray. This should really be number one on this list.

Pray about everything. Pray without ceasing. Pray for your children. Pray

for your husband. Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray. Prayer is best advice for just about

any parenting question :)

6. If someone wants to give you a really special gift, don't ask for a new double

stroller, you can pick a good one up at a yard sale or on Craigslist. 

Ditto on the extra crib.

Ask for a weekly PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE for the first 6 months. 

Seriously.

7. Important!! When one baby wakes up at night to be fed, wake the other one up 

right after you've fed the first. I do believe "the feeding schedule" was created

by a mom of twins. (You'll thank me for this in about 3 weeks).

It's the best way to guarantee some solid sleep...

for you :)

8. If you have older children, your are blessed. 

You have instant entertainment for the babies

so you can cook a quick dinner, or throw in a load of clothes, 

or change out of the pajamas you've been wearing for 3 days :)

9. If you've always done the grocery shopping, this might be a good time for your 

hubby to learn. However, it was a huge break for me to get out of the house.

Since my twins are the youngest of six,
I would take one or two of the older kids with me,

and leave the rest with daddy. I think my twins were 4 before they saw the inside of

a grocery store. They were filled with wonder and awe...it was like 

Disneyland for them! "Oh, this is where we get all this magical stuff we call FOOD!"

10. When you do venture out with the twins, be prepared to be stopped by everyone!

However, if they mention that they too are parents of 

multiples, feel free to pick their brains for all the tips they can offer.

It's okay, because they stopped you, after all.

11. Strangers will ask to hold your babies. Perhaps with your first child, you would 

have been shocked at this thought. However, if something possessed you and your

husband to go to a buffet type restaurant with 6 children, and a 

kind grandmotherly type lady sitting at the table next to you asks you if you'd

like her to hold one of your crying babies so that you can hold the other crying 

baby while your husband takes the other kids for refills...

LET HER HELP YOU!!!

Your husband is going to get the kids dessert anyway, and since you'll be going

home with 4 sugar high children,

take her help now, because you can't take her home with you!

(Haha, don't ask me how I know this).

12. If you have identical twins, mark all of your photos!!  You'll be glad you did this.
We dressed our boys in different colors almost from the start, but we had so many
gifts of "lookalike" clothes, that this wasn't always the case.
We got creative and sometimes put their pacifiers in the photo next to them,
because those were different. When they were about a year old, we got ID bracelets,
and placed them on opposite arms.
This is the only means of identification in some
of our photos.
We do think they are both going by the same name
they came home from the hospital with :)
(However, there was that one time when our older son switched things up, so,,,.)
Just sayin :)

13. We forget.

What I mean is, when we pass one stage of life with multiples, we forget

the details of that stage. Of course there are things that stand out (as #11 proves),

things we will never forget, but the day to day details have changed enough

in our own lives that we truly forget how difficult those first few months/years can be.

You WILL get through it, and before you know it....

14. PUBERTY hits...

and you find out all over again how different being the mother 

of multiples can be...

um, can you say "TWINAGERS!"
(btw, getting them to pose together for photos at this age is almost impossible!!)

Never forget that they are two VERY different and unique people,

and of course, always remember...

Good luck!!