Any advice for mums expecting twins?

E

e-mum

Registered User
Hi, just wondering if there are any mums out there expecting twins or have had twins, have any advice for looking after twins. I already have a 2.5 yr. old son.

Also anything you would suggest to buy or prepare before arrival of twins? Any comments will be much appreciated!

e-mum
 
I have 7 week old twins and a toddler too.

My advice is to hire a maternity nurse if you can. The fee's can be high, but in my view it is worth every penny.

For their sleeping arrangments, I bought 2 moses baskets so that if one disturbed the other she could easily be moved to a different room. As it happens they can both sleep through the others screaming.

We have the Maclaren Twin Techno buggy, and also 2 carriers.

I know some people are against routines, but mine are on a schedule and have been from the start pretty much....I would have lost my sanity if I had demand fed. However, I do know a mum of twins the same age who is demand feeding...so it can be done.

I'm still learning as I go but if you have any more specific questions I can try to answer them.

I haven't yet joined, (although plan to) the Mothers of Multiples group, but I hear great things about them.

K
 
CONGRATULATIONS E-MUM!

I also found schedules really work with twins!

My two girls are 8 and half months now. We had them sleeping in Moses baskets til they were 4 + half months old!! They even shared the same basket for the first 3 weeks hahahhaa

OK the best purchases we made:
2 bouncy chairs (can feed two babies bottles at once - I started doing this from around 3 months - still use it now when I'm by myself even though you're not supposed to when they can sit up but its the only way I can feed two babies with two bottles at the same time..)
1 swing (great for napping)

Purchases that went to waste:
cloth nappies (we were in the process of renovating our new flat and were living in small flat with no washing machine - by the time we moved ~ girls were 3 and half months old & we had got so used to the store nappies... plus I had enough to do without washing nappies on top!)
twin breast feeding pillow (it just wouldnt fit around my hips and was really uncomfortable, I did fine with pillows propping babies around me)

I HIRED a double breast pump and that was brilliant - they are so expensive here to buy new and you can never know if you will be successful breastfeeding and pumping, so renting is great way to go.

I had a 'confinement nanny' for my first month at home and she was great. I highly recommend if you have any Chinese blood in you :)

Books -- I liked Twins, Multiples by somebody called something Luke.

If I think of anything else I'll come back in and post again!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for your comments KatBoo and somebodyfamous! Just wondering, did both of you have C-sections? Did you have a choice to choose natural?

e-mum
 
Yes, C-Sect. I was leaving an open mind about it but was originally planning to have a vaginal birth, but both babies were breach so it was impossible.
 
Hi KatBoo,
I am also expecting twins and have a 4.5 year old son.

Where can I find a maternity nurse that you mentioned?

Thanks,
csy
 
CS as Ashley was breach. Luckily we did as she also had the cord wrapped round her head 3 times.... A friend of mine with twins chose natural, her boy came out fine but then her daughter was too high up and she ended up having an emergency CS after hours of labour....
 
e-mum said:
Hi, just wondering if there are any mums out there expecting twins or have had twins, have any advice for looking after twins. I already have a 2.5 yr. old son.

Also anything you would suggest to buy or prepare before arrival of twins? Any comments will be much appreciated!

e-mum
Click to expand...

Hi e-mum

I have 4 month old twins (Ashton and Kira) and had a natural delivery. Kira was the second one out and was breech so I was taking a bit of a risk. There were only 3 mins between them. But I was back on my feet the same day and was able to hold them and breastfeed etc. I didn't like the thought of waiting for a week or so to recover from a major C-section. So unless your doctor thinks you need a C-section, I'd try and go for a normal delivery.

My mum helped out for the first month and we also have a helper. When I go back to work, we will probably get day care.

We also used moses baskets but they have outgrown them now so they both sleep in a single bed with a bed rail. You'll definitely need a twin buggy with sun parasol in HK. We also have baby carriers but they are quite hot to use in this heat so we tend not to use them.

If you'd like to buy our moses baskets, you're welcome to have them. They're both from Mamas and Papas.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll be fine.
 
You can use the nanny agencies to hire Maternity Nurses...

Annerley
rent-a-mum
nanny experts

Hope this helps
K
 
I also have a 2.5 yo and 2 mo old twins and I agree with pretty much everything everybody above has said. We didn't have a maternity nurse for the first 5 weeks because my husband had time off from work but then we hired a nurse and she was great!

I'm demand breastfeeding my twins and it is fine. I'm finding that they are pretty much on a schedule anyway.

In regards to the c-section, don't let anyone scare you about it. If you want a vaginal birth then obviously go for it if your dr thinks it is a good idea, but a c-section is really not that bad. I had an emergency c-section with the twins and was on my feet later that day and was walking around the next day. A c-section isn't really that big of a deal as long as everything goes well. You can still breastfeed right away with a c-section as well. I'm not trying to be an advocate of c-sections but I remember how scared I was when I had my first (my 2 year old was an emergency c-section as well) and I just want to reassure you that if you do end up needing one it is nothing to be afraid of.

I find my twin breastfeeding pillow is the absolute best purchase I made. The bouncy chairs are really useful as well.

Good luck!
 
Hi Thaimac,

Expecting twins in Nov. and wonder where you bought your twin breast feeding pillow and/or what brand it is.

Many thanks!

L
 
Hi LBC

The pillow is called EZ-2-Nurse Twins Nursing Pillow. I bought mine in the US but somebody else told me that you can get it at Eugene Club on Queen's Road East

Good luck!

Thai
 
I still have that EZ 2 nurse pillow, I must find it and sell it, it was CRAP for me, for some reason my body went really WIDE when I got pregnant and it was really tight around me... You petite twin mums are so lucky!!
 
Thanks Thaimac. From what somebodyfamous writes, it's obviously very individual what works and doesn't work. I do not think I will be able to count myself among the petite twin moms...

Thanks again for advice!

L
 
Breastfeeding pillows

I used the EZ to Nurse breastfeeding pillows with great success with our twins and with our older son, and i'm absolutely well beyond a petite mama!! (plus size) esp after our twins were born!! defnitely could not have nursed without the pillow. it straps around your waist and leaves your arms free to shift and change baby's position. Yes, you "could" use it to nurse tandem, but i rarely did that (one would alwasy slip off) ... but 1:1 ... EXCELLENT PURCHASE ... so good i even bought a second after our twins were born (one for upstairs and one for down). i even had extra covers made for them so i could have one cover in the wash

I'm no longer nursing, and have 2 for sale ... if anyone's interested, drop me an email zamcan at hkstar.com or p.message here. I can send you a picture if you want
 
I didnt' dare measure my hips but my boobs went from 36" to 44" whilst pregnant and nursing!! I used to have 36 hips too.... those were the days!!

You've motivated me Rebecca to find mine and pack it up for sale!
 
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