10 TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR WITH TWINS

I still remember the day the doc told me there were two babies inside my growing belly.

I was a mixture of not possible/ I can’t do this/ holy buckets, and it honestly took me awhile to let reality sink in. I think it finally hit me when the twins turned 15 months.

Seriously. I talked to friends with multiples, read everything I could find, but nothing prepared me for what raising twins is like. I’m not quite sure anything can until you step foot into it.

The first year with twins is a ROUGH and joyous one. Adjusting and balancing take time, but here are 10 tips that really helped me.

1. Don’t Compare

From the second they are born, they will have differences. They eat, learn, grow, and act differently. Slobber Monster was jaundiced, Monkey Girl loves her soothie, he  has very fair skin, she has a darker complexion and drier skin.

Slobber Monster also reaches milestones about two weeks before Monkey Girl. She is more relaxed than he is and goes at her own pace.

2. Take a Break

You NEED to schedule in some “Me”time for yourself. I don’t care if you go sit in your car and stare at a barn, although I hope you do something a bit more exciting.

For the first three months, I didn’t leave the house unless it was to head to the doctor’s office. I was tired, still adjusting to this new world with multiples, and didn’t feel like primping myself for a night out.

When I finally did, it was the best thing for my soul and I regretted not doing it sooner.

3. Get Organized

Even before the arrival of your twins, you want to get organized. Trust me. Momma ain’t gonna have time for that after. I did pretty well, aside from an area in the basement.

That area is still sitting exactly as it was almost 2 years ago (at the time of writing).

4. Always have a diaper bag ready to go

Doing this saves me at least 15 minutes every time we leave the house and I don’t forget anything.

Diapers, wipes, back up soothie, toys, and a change of clothes are always packed.

That means just grabbing bottles/ juice cups and snacks, and we are out the door.

5. Accept Help

People will offer help. TAKE IT! The dishes probably haven’t been done in a week and you can’t remember the last time you showered.

All the more reason to accept when friends and family offer to come over and snuggle this little babies.

6. Easy Meals/ Meal Train

Get your crockpot ready and a list of freezer meals because easy meals are all you will have time for until you get into a routine.

The first week we were home with the twins, dinner was taken care of each night. From friends dropping off casseroles, to my mom bringing over sloppy joes, to having pizza delivered.

You know what? It was the best thing ever to have people do that for us. Meal Trains are a great way to set something like this up.

People can pick a day and a dish, and the train begins.

7. Have No Fear

This is way easier said than done but once you conquer something once, it gets easier.

That first trip to the grocery store, alone with the twins was scarier than the first Nightmare on Elm Street Movie I saw.

Our first dinner out at a restaurant was equally terrifying. But you know what? Both went very well and everyone is still alive.

I just had to put on my big girl panties and do it. Give yourself the old “Little Engine The Could” pep talk when fear starts to strike.

8. Multiples Club

Join the Multiples Club in your area. It has a wealth of information as well as parents of multiples that have been through it before.

I’m a fan of advice (if it is solicited), so having a group of people you can turn to is essential that first year.

I’m lucky enough that my best friend runs our Multiples Club so she was always getting “After Hours Texts” with my crazy questions.

9. Are They Twins?

I have to mention this because you are going to hear this question. A LOT.

I honestly figured people would put two and two together, but with so many blended families.

I guess I see why they ask. The first 997 times I simply said “Yes.”

10) PLAY

Yes, I’m talking to you mom. For me it’s not about the playing itself, it’s about watching the twins experience and learn.

Seeing their tiny fingers learning to grasp the arm of their favorite stuffed animal.

Sticking shapes inside of holes and watching their eyes light up when they finally get one in the right place.

Those wobbly legs daring to defy gravity as they float mid-air to take the biggest step ever (the thoughts I assume are going on in their head…) 

Whether you have twins, or not, that first year is a fun, interesting, and exhausting ride. Enjoy it!

This is a guest post written by a fellow mom of multiples.

About the Author

Lisa Collins is the busy mom behind Mom on the Side, where she chronicles life with twins, a tween and a teenager.

Lisa lives in the heart of the Midwest, and enjoys entertaining, travel, and attempting new recipes.

Follow Lisa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+.

Check out more of Lisa’s writing!

• 8 Must Haves for a Nursery Room for Twins
• Things Restaurants Need to Know for Families Dining Out with Small Children