Bathing Baby Twins - what the books don't tell you!

Bathing twin babies can be quite a stressful experience.  Often small babies don’t like being dressed and undressed and whilst they can be content while in the water they may want to be wrapped and dried quickly once the bath experience is finished.

If you are experiencing this don’t panic – this stage will pass and soon your twins will be grumbling when removed from the bath because they are enjoying it so much.

To save money I would recommend that you don’t bother buying a baby bath.  I had one which I used a couple of times but I found that they are heavy to move when filled and awkward to fill and empty unless you stand it in the bath to use. 

There are a number of alternatives on the market but the cheap and easy alternative I found was to buy a baby bath sponge which you lay your baby on whilst in the regular bath.  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Infant-Comfy-Bath-Sponge/dp/B000H953Y2

I am a great advocate of doubling up on tasks where you can but I wouldn’t recommend that you try and bath both babies at the same time as it won’t be long until they are trying to roll.  A baby can become distressed very quickly in only a small amount of water so it is safer to concentrate on one baby at a time and have 2 hands available to help your little one out of trouble if required.  Needless to say, never leave your baby alone in the bath.

The other main reason not to bath both at the same time, is that once out of the water young babies can scream until they are dried and dressed, so it is much better to do this as quickly as possible.  If you have two wet babies one will inevitably have to wait while you deal with the first.

Many books on routines for babies recommend a bath as preparation and a cue to the baby that it is bedtime.  DO NOT LISTEN! - There are plenty of other things you can do to bring in bedtime cues other than a daily bath such as cuddles and a feed in a dimly lit room, perhaps some gentle music.  So I’d avoid making a bath a fundamental part of an evening routine unless you absolutely have to.  Babies do not become particularly dirty and the daily top and tail wash will be enough with a bath once or twice a week.  This is also much better for their skin as well particularly if they have eczema.

I didn’t use a daily evening bath within our bedtime routine and my twins have been excellent sleepers once the routine became established at around 8 weeks old.

You may find it easier to bath your babies in the morning when they are less tired and fretful or to bath each baby on a different day.

Once your babies are able to sit confidently then it becomes easier to bath both together.  Look out for longer length non-slip bath mats for in the bath and avoid oil based bath soaps as this can also make the bath slippery.

My final piece of advice when you get to this stage is to invest in a waterproof coat and hat as 2 babies splashing in the bath is great fun but can get very wet!  

Photo by flickr user Rebecca and Bernhard

3rd Birthday Treat - don't pay for a party

It was my youngest daughter's 3rd birthday today and we opted out of a 'proper' party for her.

Instead we spent the day yesterday at Greenwood Forest Park in Snowdonia (near Caernarfon).  Followed by a party tea, cake and candles with all her family.

The highlight of the day has to be this award winning eco park which is absolutely fantastic for children and is a full day out at a competitive price.  At 3 years old Josephine can pretty much take part in everything now.

There is only one small roller coaster which generates its own power and the rest of the activities don't allow the kids to be passive but encourage running, bouncing and playing.

There are 2 large play areas within the forest environment suitable for a younger and older age group, a large bouncing pillow, a jungle boat experience, a bare foot trail, archery, soft play for the under 3s, den building, moon karts and much more.  I think our family favourite is the great green run, a sledging activity on an artifical grass slope - it can go very fast and be enjoyed by young and old alike!

Take a picnic and lots of snacks as the children will be running around all day.

Well worth traveling too and one of many reasons to pick North West Wales as a holiday destination.

Josie absolutely adored her 'all day' party surrounded by her favourite people.  We also had party bags after our picnic lunch and several renditions of happy birthday after our take away treat.  Her face was a delight and I really don't think she would have had half as much fun with a gaggle of 3 year olds at a leisure centre - maybe next year.

To be recommended!

Sleeping Arrangements for your Baby Twins

Your twins will have spent 9 months (or thereabouts) together in an increasingly cosy environment and will be used to close contact with their sibling, so there is a school of thought that twins should be kept together for comfort when newborns.

When my twins were born, the staff at the hospital were keen for them to share a cot.  However, with my son born weighing 7lbs and with my daughter born weighing 5lb 10 there quite simply was not enough room!  So separate cots at the hospital it was!  They didn't seem particularly distraught at this development.

On returning home, rather than the expense and hazards of having 2 Moses baskets we had opted to have one of the cot beds in our bedroom (following the guidance that new babies should sleep in their parents bedrooms).

This worked really well and for a short time my babies slept side by side (see picture below - natey and kiera as very small babies).  They didn't disturb each other when crying in the night (most twins don't), and with a cot top changing unit everything and everyone was in one place within easy reach of the bed for night feeds.

(Top tip - place an extra sheet folded under their heads and then if either are sick / posset you can change that sheet rather than the whole bed which doesn't disturb them as much).

It didn't take long for them to grow too big to sleep side by side and as they became more active they would hit each other (I'd like to say by accident - but they do like to tease each other even now!).  The next step for us was to give them a place at each end of the cot.  As we had bought cot beds there was plenty of space and by sharing neither seemed too overwhelmed by the space.  This approach also avoided the problems that I know some parents have had moving their babies from a moses basket to a cot.

Similarly, they had no problem moving from our bedroom to their own (they shared for 3 1/2 years), perhaps because they had company during the transistion?

This worked well for us and I'd definately recommend saving money by not buying moses baskets which can then be used on some of the many other items that will be of use to you with newborn twin babies.

Good luck x

Choosing a double pram for twins - things to consider

Prams can be a big expense so it is important to try and get the right one for you and your family.  Plus with twins they are even more important, as carying 2 babies for any distance is not a practical option.

OK - so where do you start?

I'd suggest that you start by looking at your lifestyle.  Do you live in a town or a rural area?  Will you be walking a lot or in and out of the car?  Are you hoping to spend time browsing the shops?  Have you already got a toddler?

Probably one of the most important elements is the weight of the pram.  I used the pram for longer with the twins than with my 3rd child because of the safety aspect of keeping 2 young toddlers safe and your babies will soon grow!

If you live in a rural area you may want to consider an 'off road' pram which can cope with all sorts of terrain.  This may also be the right option if you are planning on walking a lot.

There is a lot to be said for a travel system i.e. pram and attachable car seats  - however, these are quite expensive and you will use the pram for a lot longer than you will use the 1st stage car seats.

Once you have worked out what you want then consider your budget.  The reason I haven't put this first is that your preferred option may be available second hand at a fraction of the cost.

I had a limited budget and started off with a Mclaren buggy and separate car seats - the economical choice.  I hated the pram - it was awkward to get up and down curbs, hard to push with any sort of shopping and heavy as the children grew bigger.  It also hated bumps!

I then saw an advert in the buy and sell for an off road twin Terrain Mountain Buggy.  These are a New Zealand make.  Whilst we weren't climbing mountains, the Mclaren wouldn't move across grass and felt every bump.  So we traveled 50 miles to see this pram.  When we arrived, I wasn't sure what to say (I'd never heard of Mountain Buggy) - it looked like a post office delivery cart (not helped by the fact that it was red and blue!!).  But once there, I was too polite not to buy it (not good, I know!).  However...........

........ it has been the best £200 I have ever spent!  (They retail new for £500 - £600).  The children were happy in it - they rocked (literally!).  It was very light (my friend is a childminder and after using mine has bought one and attached a buggy board so she can transport 3 children).  They have a single handle so you can push/steer with one hand and hold a child with the other.  You can also put it up with one hand and fold it down really easily.  You can take it over fields, pavements, in snow and it is narrow so you can get through shop door ways.  The fabric can be removed and is fully washable (very useful).

I didn't realise at the time that you can also purchase carrycots (single or doubles) and car seats attachments as well.

In fact I loved it so much I bought the company (actually I didn't, although I would have loved to) but I did go on and buy a single Urban Mountain Buggy for my youngest daughter.

And I resold it on ebay for not much less than I had originally bought it for - fantastic!

Looking at their website - they have a new model which looks great, although I don't know if it retains the features I loved so much on my Mountain Buggy Terrain.

As you can tell I am a Mountain Buggy  fan but I realise that it won't suit everyone.  So think about what you need and do your research.  There are plenty of sites which provide reviews which will help confirm your thoughts and try and think beyond the pretty fabric or a drink holder to the important factors, weight, size and suitability for you lifestyle!

Check out the Mumsnet review site, which incidentally gives the Mountain Buggy Terrain an overall score of 9.5 - so it's clearly not just me who is a fan!

Happy Shopping!

The joy of twins - the school dance show

I finished work early yesterday to see the children in Year 2 (the year my twins are in) perform the dance that their classes had created for the local dance festival.

It brought tears to my eyes (which I have to say is relatively easy these days!).  I would love to know if this is a biological issue - when you give birth do you get injected with a big burst of sentiment? I never used to cry before I had children, well very rarely anyway.  Now, I only have to hear a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' to end up in floods of tears. 

However, one of the bonuses of having twins was that I had someone to watch in each dance.  Whilst both classes of 6 year olds did a great job, I'm not sure I would have been particularly thrilled to watch a class of children I didn't know do a dance twice (mmm...they did it twice in case you missed any).

I got 2 kisses when the class exited, 2 smiling faces and 2 burst of pride when I watched them and it reminded me of how special it is to have twins.

Incidentally, there was a little boy in my son's class who had lost his mum to cancer about 6 weeks ago.  I also had tears for him (he looked like he was enjoying himself enormously, for which I was so pleased) but I also grieved for him and his mum who would never watch his shows again.  Too, too sad.

Moral of this story?  Even when times are tough (and with baby twins they can be at times) - try and value what you have.

Diary of a new blogger - 2nd week update

Last week I set myself some tasks to achieve with my new blog and I am pleased to say that I have conquered them all.  I am very proud of myself!

I have managed (with the use of the help topics) to set up a 'contact me' page.  Ok - so I'd love one of those pages with interactive boxes (I'm sure there will be a technical name for those!) but I'm happy enough with just an email address for contact purposes for now.  It was after all a triumph to create an additional page.

I have also managed to post my first photograph within a blog. I have used picasa and look, now I have also included my first link!

I have to say that I am so glad that I managed to conquer my desire to only set up my blog once I knew how to do everything - as I would never had taken the plunge.  Developing your blog over time and learning as you go really does seem to be the best approach (at least for a newbie!).

Now - tasks for next week?  Well, we are off camping next week so perhaps my next task should be to expand the content of my blog to share experiences on this and also activities with young children.

I think that I also need to become more sociable and follow some other relevant blogs so that I can learn more and maybe make some blogfriends!!

Wish me luck!

Taking your Twins home - advice on the early days

So - it's time to take your instant family home.  The following tips have been developed from my own experience of bringing my twins home and I hope may help you settle in together.

1.  Car seats - practise using your car seats when you buy them rather than when it is time to leave the hospital.  It will feel like a big deal leaving the hospital with your new family and the last thing you will want particularly if the weather is cold or wet is to take half an hour or more working out how to get the babies into the seats and then how to secure the seats into the car.  Even if it’s a seat you have used before it is worth familiarising yourself again with it.

2.  Additional Help -  Rope in as much help as possible for the early days and if you get a chance to sleep make the most of it.  People offer because they want to help, so don't feel guilty accepting!


3.  Ready Meals - Even if you normally enjoy wholesome, home cooked food do not worry about relying on frozen ready meals, take aways etc during the early weeks.  This need not be a permanent lifestyle choice.

If you'd rather avoid processed meals you could stock your freezer in advance of having the babies but remember that you may be caught on the hop if you go into labour early.  Also, towards the end of your pregnancy you are likely to feel big, cumbersome and tired and you may not feel able to spend hours cooking for the freezer.

4.  Snacks - Some days with newborns just don't go to plan!  Stock the cupboards in advance with easy snacks for grabbing if you aren't able to have a proper meal.  This is particularly important of you are breast feeding.  Dried and fresh fruit, marmite (or alternatives) for toast can be healthy options.  Eggs can also be great for a quick and healthy meal.

5.  Try and get dressed. -   In the early days of returning home it may be tempting to stay  in your nightie or pyjamas.  Whilst this isn’t a problem in itself you will feel so much better if you get dressed  each day - even if your day doesn’t go as normal.

6.  Consider introducing a routine - I’d highly recommend the ‘contented little baby book’ by Gina Ford, although after having my third child I would suggest using the timings as a guide rather than something to follow minute by minute. You can invent your own but in my experience babies (even little ones) do respond well to being guided into a routine and structure in their day.

With 2 babies it makes life an awful lot easier if you know what and when your babies need something.  Better still if they both have a nap at the same time - so can you!!  Having said that, I know some mums enjoy their babies sleeping at different times so that they can spend some time one to one with their new offspring.

7.  Night feeds - up to you but it makes sense to me to wake both babies if one wakes up for a feed (and either rope in dad to feed simultaneously or feed one after the other).  That way you will get a better night sleep and will have more energy the next day.  Generally speaking if one baby wakes in the night they won’t disturb the other (but of course, as with everything there are always a few exceptions to the rule!!).

I followed this and my twins have been excellent sleepers, sleeping through the night from about 3 months so from my experience I would totally recommend it. 

8.  Capturing those precious moments - they will not be little babies for very long so make sure you record those moments.  My top tip is to photograph your babies with a special teddy - it will look huge next to them.  Then repeat the photo at regular intervals - the teddy will act as a benchmark as to the size of your babies and their growth.  Not only will you enjoy looking back but your babies will love it to when they are bigger. 

 (From Left to Right: Teddy, Kiera dressed in the pawprint ensemble, Natey in white, Teddy - all just a few weeks old)

9 .  Find a local twins club - If there is a local twins club in your area then this is well worth exploring.  These can be a fantastic source of support, information and advice from people who understand entirely the challenges you are facing.  I have made a fantastic group of friends through our local twins club and we still keep in touch 6 years later.

10.  Let dad do his bit.   It is easy to feel that you can’t leave Dad in charge - he’ll never cope.  But he is as new to parenting twins as you are - he will cope but only if he is put in the position of having too.

If Dad is not around, then make sure you seek support from other sources.  The suggestion above to find a twins club or parenting group is likely to be even more important.

I hope that the points above will be of use to you - they are certainly things that I found useful or important. Please feel free to share any comments or advice that you have and I will add more suggestions on Twins and the First Year soon.