Tips From Parents

Cuddly Twins

 

Before Your Babies Are Born

  • I tried to make extra food to fill our freezer. We then had a home-cooked, healthy meal when I didn’t have the energy or was too tired to cook.
  • We didn’t buy two of everything before our babies were born. We just had the basics and got what we needed as they grew.
  • Your babies will probably surprise you in how fast they grow and the changes they go through. Remember that you will receive lots of gifts so wait and see what you need after the babies are born. You might find that your babies need different brands of nappies (if using disposables) so don’t buy too many in advance.

 

Babies Routine and Sleep

  • We always wrapped our twins, until they could unwrap themselves, then we went to sleeping bags.
  • Look out for the tired signs. Putting our babies to bed before they were too tired seemed to make it easier for them to go to sleep by themselves. Sometimes one baby was ready for bed before the other, we tried to keep them synchronised but sometimes had to put them to bed separately.
  • Avoid feeding to sleep all the time, putting your baby to bed awake most of the time will help them to learn to self-settle.
  • Be consistent, we usually followed the feed, play/awake, sleep routine and it worked really well for us.

Links for support services specifically relating to sleep:

Child Health Nurse  Child Health Centres - Department of Health and Human Services

Walker House Parenting Service  Walker House Parenting Centre - North

St Helen's Private Hospital

 

Parents Care and Sleep

  • Sleep and rest when you can, I sleep sometimes while the babies are sleeping.
  • Don't worry about your house all the time, do the basics and leave the rest for another time or ask a relative or friend to help out.
  • Make a sign for your door saying that babies and mother are sleeping, please call another time (and to bring a yummy cake when you come back!).
  • My mother always brought milk and bread when she came to visit, most of the time I kept it, but if I didn’t need it she just took it home again.
  • Don't forget: It will get easier. Sooner or later.

 Bath Time

Daytime Routine

  • I think that our daytime routine helped with a better night sleep.
  • I had a routine for the babies and a routine for me. When I breastfed them I had my feeding pillow, remote control, phone, book, drink bottle and even my laptop on the couch ready.
  • If you have an answering machine, screen your calls, especially when bathing or feeding. Unless it is a really urgent call, you can return the call when it suits you, rather than interrupting your baby bonding time.
  • When bathing multiple babies, make sure you have everything laid out and at your fingertips before you run the water. As long as the room is warm enough, you can bath and dry one baby and leave them for some bare skin time while you bath and dry the second baby (or third or fourth...). Then the babies can be dressed together. 

   Getting Out and AboutNorthern Branch Playgroup

  • Stimulation and outings are as important as sleep. My children loved getting out in the pram and so did I.
  • Having a good pram is a must. I could go out for a walk easily to the shop or just around the block at any time.
  • It was hard work getting out the door some days, but it was always worth it.
  • We had two baby slings, one for me and one for my husband. I could also put an unsettled baby in a sling at home and  still be hands free to get some things done while my baby slept, or at least was content.
  • Sometimes it was easier to ask people to come to my house for a visit, or to ask my mum or friend to go with me when I went out.
  • Call ahead to the supermarket to put aside the double trolley at the service desk. Online shopping is also available at major supermarkets and some smaller local supermarkets will do home deliveries. 

Helping Older Siblings Cope With New Babies

  • I found 2 little boy dolls & a dolls nappy bag for my daughter. She still puts them in the highchairs, bed etc and does all the things I do with the babies.
  • I would pack food boxes or containers with little snacks, then grab one for my little boy while I was feeding the twins.
  • At the start, I tried to get my partner or someone else to look after the babies every now and again so I could do something special with my older child.
  • I always try to give my daughter my undivided attention even if just for a few minutes of cuddles so she knows she is still special.
  • Keep a heap of kids stuff (books, cheap toys, bubble blowers etc) in a box and at feeding time let your older child pick one thing out of the special box.
  • We made feeding time with the babies a special time for reading to the older child. He then felt involved with the babies and was also occupied during the time when he knew I had physical limitations.

 








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