If you’ve just been told the baby in your belly is actually twins, then you’re in for lots of fun! Having two at once is a little riskier than just one. And chances are you’ll be induced to deliver early. But beyond the bigger tummy and double wriggling, there isn’t a lot of difference during pregnancy. You may get some extra attention from the midwives. And a natural birth will involve a bit more work on your part.
Once your beautiful bundles are here, things will be quite busy. To cope with two lots of nappy changing, you may need to watch the clock a bit more. When one has ‘delivered’ a full nappy, it is usually easier on your time to give it just a few minutes to see if the other one might go too. Of course, if the nappy is particularly full, you must clean up straightaway. A playpen or the cot could be the safest place for your other twin during changes if you are alone.
Feeding can be done simultaneously (so that’s why we were blessed with two!), but this can be quite uncomfortable for some women. Some Mums also like to bond with their babies one at a time. The choice is yours. You may find you need to supplement feeds with the bottle. This may prove disappointing for you but chat with your midwife to talk about your options here.
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Unless you are particularly ambidextrous, you may find dressing two at once a challenge. However, it is much easier if you have both babies laid on the floor and both sets of clothes next to them. At first, the babies won’t get very far. But when they’re toddlers, you may need to give yourself extra time to chase them down!
The cost of having two at once may be more than having them staggered. There are no hand-me-downs, and one mess can easily get both sets of clothes filthy. However, there are many ‘twins clubs’ up and down the country. You can find out more about your twins. Perhaps you have identical twins or mirror twins. And there is an enormous amount of support for common twin problems.
Having one baby may seem easier when you have twins. But you only have to go through pregnancy once to have siblings. And twins can be quite happy to share a crib or cot. As they get older, they may be quite keen to share a room. Of course, some twins prefer to fiercely defend their independence. Others may demand to be dressed identically. In the early days, it is your choice.
Twins will always have company and a friend to play with. And two can keep each other entertained while you’re able to get on with a couple of chores. You can take advantage of two-for-one deals, and make savings on family tickets for outings. It’s not so bad when you have twins!
Whether they fight like cat and dog, or they can’t bear to be without each other, your twins will have a special bond. You may feel a little left out of the relationship at times. But you’ll always be their mum.
