Increasing your protein intake is critically important if you are pregnant with twins.

Why Increase Protein intake in your Twin Pregnancy?

• Increase your  chances of carrying to term
• Increase your babies’ birth weight

How much protein do you really need if you are expecting twins?

While recommendations for protein intake for singleton pregnancies are right around 80 grams per day, protein intake recommendations for twin pregnancy are much higher.  Upwards of 130 grams of protein per day is recommended for moms expecting twins, with some researchers recommending more than 170 grams of protein per day for your twin pregnancy.  Beware, out-dated information is still floating around with much lower twin pregnancy protein recommendations.  It is best to check with your doctor for the most current recommendations.  If your doctor recommends less, be sure to dig deeper to understand the recommendation.

Why so much?

Preterm and/or low birth weight babies are much more likely to have health problems at birth resulting in the need to spend time in the NICU (newborn intensive care unit).

Researchers have found that there is a direct correlation between protein intake and weight at birth.  Low protein intake typically results in low birth weight.  For singletons, each 10 gram increase in daily protein intake by mom correlates to 1/2 pound increase in baby’s birth weight.  

What birth weight is considered to be “low”?

According to the March of Dimes, babies born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams) are considered to be low birth weight.  These babies are at increased risk for serious health problems as newborns, lasting disabilities and even death.

What are some good sources of protein?

• Lean meats such as Turkey, Chicken (skinned), Pork, and Lean Beef are a great source at an average 7 grams per ounce
• Nuts/Seeds including peanut butter at 4-5 grams per tablespoon; Sunflower Seeds 6 grams 1/4 cup; Pumpkin Seeds 8 grams 1/4 cup
• Milk Products milk 8 oz = 8 grams!, cheese 6-10 grams oz, yogurt 8-12 grams/serving, cottage cheese 1/2 cup=15 grams, powdered whey
• Fish 6 – 10 grams per oz — but don’t overdo tuna as it contains mercury
• Eggs 1 large = 6 grams
• Beans 7 – 10 grams per 1/2 cup / Soy 14 grams 1/2 cup / Tofu 1/2 cup = 20 grams

Any steps you can take to increase your protein intake during your twin pregnancy will pay off — in bigger babies. So go ahead and have another serving of milk or that extra piece of cheese — you’ll enjoy it, your babies will benefit, and so will you!

It’s a (day after) Halloween Costume Contest!

We are so excited to announce a quickie Twin Halloween Costume Photo Contest!

Super easy to enter.  Please just come to our Facebook Page and share your photo on our wall.  That’s it! 

One random winner will be selected from all “twins in costume” photos posted to our Facebook wall anytime in October — ending today, November 1st, 2011 at 11:59:59 pm PDT.  Winner to be announced within 48 hours.

What can you win you ask? We have a Piano-K Level 1 Self-Teaching Piano Game for kids.  This book includes animal stickers that you place on your keyboard that enables very young children to match the animals to the musical notes in the song book – allowing them to immediately play a song.  So fun!

Extra entries

Do any of the following to receive an extra entry into our contest. You must come back here and post a comment (one for each extra entry) with a link to your extra entry.

1. Tweet About It:    Post a twins in costume photo at TwinParenthood to win a Piano-K Self-Teaching Piano Game! http://bit.ly/tph-photocontest  #twintuesday
2. Share it on Facebook.  (Click the “share” link from our Facebook page announcement”)

As usual, please refer to our contest rules page for all the little details you might need.  So come post some photos and have some fun! 

Good Luck!

11/3/2011 Update:

Our winner is Emily Ewoldt. 

Congrats Emily!

Most twin parents want names that will sound good together. Whether you choose names to honor family members, because they rhyme, or because they don’t — choosing names for twins can be tricky.  If you’re like me, you probably checked out (or are in the process of checking out) all sorts of resources before deciding on names for your twins.  To make is easy for you, we’ve compiled our own list of techniques: How to choose your twin baby names, gives you all the inside scoop for selecting twin baby names.

Plus, every year, the US Social Security Administration publishes lists of popular names, and fortunately for us, they also publish a list of most popular twins names.  The formatting is not fancy, but hey — I’m a working girl and it’s the quick and dirty version.  So, without further ado, here is their list of most popular twin names for 2010.

Girl Twins Names

1 Ella, Emma
2 Olivia, Sophia
3 Gabriella, Isabella
4 Faith, Hope
5 Ava, Emma
6 Isabella, Sophia
7 Madison, Morgan
8 Ava, Ella
9 Ava, Olivia
10 Mackenzie, Madison
11 Abigail, Isabella
12 Abigail, Emma
13 Hailey, Hannah
14 Makayla, Makenzie
15 Addison, Avery
16 Elizabeth, Emily
17 Ava, Mia
18 Heaven, Nevaeh
19 Abigail, Emily
20 Emma, Olivia
21 London, Paris
22 Chloe, Claire
23 Mia, Mya
24 Anna, Emma
25 Arianna, Brianna
26 Isabella, Olivia
27 Abigail, Lillian
28 Addison, Ava
29 Emma, Isabella
30 Samantha, Sophia
31 Ella, Olivia
32 Emma, Hannah
33 Emma, Mia
34 Faith, Grace
35 Madison, Makenzie
36 Madison, Olivia
37 Abigail, Olivia
38 Anabella, Isabella
39 Chloe, Zoe
40 Elizabeth, Isabella
41 Elizabeth, Victoria
42 Jada, Jade
43 Julia, Sophia
44 Kayla, Kylie
45 Madison, Megan
46 Mia, Sophia
47 Natalie, Olivia
48 Paige, Payton
49 Serenity, Trinity
50 Valentina, Valeria

Girl/Boy Twins Names

1 Madison, Mason
2 Emma, Ethan
3 Taylor, Tyler
4 Madison, Michael
5 Jayda, Jayden
6 Madison, Matthew
7 Samuel, Sophia
8 Addison, Aiden
9 Olivia, Owen
10 Zachary, Zoe
11 Addison, Jackson
12 Aiden, Ava
13 Emily, Ethan
14 Emma, Ryan
15 Isaac, Isabella
16 Natalie, Nathan
17 Abigail, Benjamin
18 Andrew, Emma
19 Isabella, Isaiah
20 Jada, Jaden
21 Brian, Brianna
22 Emma, Jack
23 Aiden, Emma
24 Eli, Ella
25 Jacob, Olivia
26 Lily, Logan
27 Michael, Michelle
28 Naomi, Noah
29 Abigail, Alexander
30 Abigail, Andrew
31 Brandon, Brianna
32 Chloe, Christian
33 Elizabeth, William
34 Emily, Matthew
35 Emma, Jacob
36 Emma, William
37 Jacob, Sarah
38 Lilly, Logan
39 Nicholas, Sophia
40 Noah, Sophia
41 Oliver, Olivia
42 Sophia, William
43 Abigail, Jacob
44 Addison, Austin
45 Alexander, Sophia
46 Ella, Jackson
47 Emma, Evan
48 Emma, James
49 Jayla, Jaylen
50 Zachary, Zoey

Boy Twins Names

1 Jacob, Joshua
2 Ethan, Evan
3 Jayden, Jordan
4 Daniel, David
5 Matthew, Michael
6 Landon, Logan
7 Elijah, Isaiah
8 Jacob, Joseph
9 Jayden, Jaylen
10 Isaac, Isaiah
11 Caleb, Joshua
12 Andrew, Matthew
13 James, John
14 Alexander, Nicholas
15 Jeremiah, Josiah
16 Joseph, Joshua
17 Nathan, Nicholas
18 Jonathan, Joshua
19 Logan, Lucas
20 Ethan, Nathan
21 Aiden, Ethan
22 Jeremiah, Joshua
23 Alexander, Andrew
24 Alexander, Benjamin
25 Logan, Luke
26 Jacob, Lucas
27 Jonathan, Joseph
28 Nathan, Noah
29 Andrew, Anthony
30 Brandon, Bryan
31 Daniel, Michael
32 Daniel, Samuel
33 Isaiah, Jeremiah
34 Jaden, Jordan
35 Jayden, Kayden
36 John, Joseph
37 Matthew, Ryan
38 Aiden, Austin
39 Benjamin, Samuel
40 Christopher, Nicholas
41 Taylor, Tyler
42 Benjamin, William
43 Hayden, Hunter
44 Santiago, Sebastian
45 Alexander, Anthony
46 Alexander, William
47 Brandon, Brian
48 Carter, Cooper
49 Evan, Owen
50 Evan, Ryan

When having twins, you should plan to complete all your preparations before your 30^th week of your twin pregnancy. 

• Twin pregnancies experience a much higher rate of bed rest than singleton pregnancies.
• Twin pregnancies experience a higher rate of pre-term labor.
• If you manage to make it into or through your 3^rd trimester, you will very likely be so tired that you will not be able to accomplish much on your to-do list.

 Tasks you can (and should) complete before the 30^th week of pregnancy

• Nursery setup

The most important piece of equipment for your nursery is a crib. It is not necessary to get two cribs immediately, as you may wish to have your twins share a crib at first.  Twins often take comfort from sharing a crib.

• Stock the freezer with meals 

Whether you make meals ahead and freeze them, use a service where you prepare 30 days of meals in advance, buy pre-made warehouse meals, or schedule family and friends to bring meals — you will not regret being prepared in this way. When your twins arrive, you will be so relieved to have meals at the ready.

• Organize your help schedule

 When expecting twins, many will offer help. Our tendency is to say thank you, but then never to bring it up again. You must resist this tendency! Practice accepting offers of help. Think about what types of help you are willing to accept. When friends and family offer to help, be prepared to tell them specifically how they can help.  Try using a “care” calendar.  These online calendars allow you to list your needs and facilitate sign ups for help. Don’t be shy — you’ll be needing help.

• Get your equipment basics

 As we mentioned earlier, your most critical equipment need is your crib. Don’t go too overboard and purchase everything you’ll need to raise your twins into adulthood. Just focus on the needs to cover the first 3 months. You’ll have time later to purchase additional equipment and supplies for the next stage.  The second most important piece of equipment is your stroller. For your first stroller, we recommend a Snap ‘N Go, or convertable system that allows you to put your infant car seats into the stroller.  This will save you headaches when your twins are sleeping soundly and you don’t have to remove them from their car seats to put them into the stroller.

• Prepare birth announcements and thank-you notes

This is a great time review styles for birth announcements and thank-you notes. Pick out the layout and shop around for prices. Prepare as much of the information in advance as possible. You can even address envelopes so they will be ready to personalize and pop in the mail.

Completing your preparations before the 30th week will give you peace of mind as you move into the final weeks of your twin pregnancy. Enjoy this time as you prepare for your little ones.

Copyright 2011 – Kathryn Whiteley / TwinParenthood.com

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and a Big Thank you for allowing us to share in a small part of your family’s life. May this season and the New Year overflow with love, joy, and peace for you and your family.

Drop-side cribs have been outlawed in the United States. Do you own one of these? We have seen countless recalls on drop-side cribs in the past few years and many infant deaths — Danger! Danger!

A drop-side crib is any crib that has a rail that drops down to allow parents easy access for picking up or laying down the babies.

As a parent to two sets of twins, this was the only type of crib we used. I must say, that the ability to lower the side saved our already sore backs. However, if I had known how dangerous these cribs were, I would not have used them.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to ban these drop-side cribs. Please note that the manufacture, sale, and RESALE of these cribs is banned.

The new standard requiring cribs to have fixed sides would take effect in June. The move by CPSC would also prohibit hotels and childcare centers from using drop-sides, though those facilities would have a year to purchase new cribs.

According to an article on MSNBC, “In all, drop-side cribs have been blamed in the deaths of at least 32 infants and toddlers since 2000 and are suspected in another 14 infant fatalities. In the past five years, more than 9 million drop-side cribs have been recalled, including cribs from big-name companies such as Evenflo, Delta Enterprise Corp., and Pottery Barn Kids.” Read more at MSNBC.

TwinParenthood is pleased to turn over this space today to guest contributor Cori (of Cori’s Big Mouth) to bring us a nanny’s guide to finding the perfect twins (or more) nanny. Cori is currently a nanny to triplets, and a previous nanny to many sets of multiples including quadruplets & quintuplets.  We hope you will enjoy this valuable insight into finding the right twins nanny, from a great multiples nanny, Cori.

Picking the Right Twins Nanny for Your Family

One of the first things, that expectant parents think of – well after  that initial shock of finding out you’re expecting multiples has worn off – is how are we going to do this? 

Is mom going to work?  Stay home?  Can we do this alone?  Daycare?  Nanny?  There are so many options to pick from, but what’s right for your family?

Hi!  My name is Cori and I am a nanny who has personally known Kathryn for many years through her local twins group.  I was excited and honored when Kat asked me to write a guest-post for TwinParenthood on my experience as a nanny.  I have spent the last 11 years as a babysitter and/or nanny for many families of multiples, including quadruplets & quintuplets.  I’ve  spent the last 3.5 years with a family who has BBG triplets. 

What Type of Nanny is Right for You?

That’s the first thing you need to ask yourself.  Are you looking for a post-partum nanny to help when you bring home new babies?  Or are you planning on going back to work and will need full-time long term childcare for your children?  Or, maybe you just want help a few hours a day to get things done or take a nap?  Well, you’re in luck; you can find help for any of those types of childcare needs.

Mothers Helper: A mother’s helper is a great option if you just need a few hours a day a couple times a week.  If you want to just to get stuff done around the house or nap, a 12-year-old girl is the perfect person.  They really want to babysit but aren’t quite old enough to be left alone, plus they’re cheaper.  If you want to be able to leave the house then I recommend finding a high school student to come over a couple afternoons a week.

Post-Partum Nanny: Is hired to help you the first few weeks to months after your babies come home.  They support you in caring for your babies, give you tips, and of course give you rest.  They aren’t long term, though. They last a short time, and then move on to another family.

Nanny: Is a person who comes to your home and cares for your children.  They will follow your instructions, ways of doing things, etc.  Your children get to stay in their own environment.  Nannies tend to work on a 1-year contract, with a hope that she’ll be a great fit and will stay for many years.

When to find a Nanny?

Early In Your Twin Pregnancy

If you know early on in your pregnancy that you are going to need a nanny, I highly suggest you start researching and finding someone while you still have the time and energy.  If you find a nanny you love, it’s nice for them to get to be a part of the remainder of your pregnancy.  They get to know you, your spouse, other kids, etc.  Plus, they can help you prepare for the pending arrival of your little ones.  If your babies are born premature, they will probably spend time in the NICU – your nanny can also spend time with your babies in the NICU, getting to know them and their schedules, working with the nurses to learn to care for preemies along with you.  Makes a much smoother transition when the babies come home and you go back to work.

I had this wonderful opportunity in this job I’m in now.  I was hired when the mom was about 20 weeks along.  I helped them get things ready for the triplets, gave tips and advice, and was right there with her, holding our breath that she would make it to the high risk pregnancy milestones.  I then got to spend a lot of time with the babies while they were in the NICU, which was a really special experience.

After Delivery of your Twins

If you’ve already had your babies, or are going back to work when your kids are older, don’t panic there’s still hope for you.  By now, you have an idea of what type of care your kids need and are in search to find the right person to fit the mold.

Where to Find Your Multiples Nanny?

Anybody (and I mean anybody) can be a nanny.  Don’t get me wrong, there are great nannies out there, but keep in mind, it takes a special (and possibly crazy) nanny to take on a family with multiples.  As you know multiples take a lot of work and a lot of multitasking.  Many nannies aren’t comfortable and/or capable of handling the stress and extra work that comes with more than one baby.  That’s fine, it doesn’t mean they’re not good nannies, they just aren’t the right nanny for you.

The best way to find a great nanny is through your local twins group, friends and family.  Talk to other parents, get names and information.  Once a great nanny is found, she is likely to be known by many families and passed from family to family.  Word of mouth is the best way to find the right nanny for you.

How Do You Know this Nanny is Right?

Before Delivery

If you haven’t had your babies yet, and think you’ve found the right nanny get to know her.  Befriend her.  I’m not just talking about an interview; I’m talking getting to know her as a person.  Invite her over for dinner.  My jobs that I have had a genuine friendship with my employers have been the best and longest lasting.  Think of your nanny has an extension of your family.  You’re going to be spending a lot of time with her, so you really need to like her as a person, and not just as a childcare provider.  You’ll know quickly if she’s the right choice for you.

After Delivery

It’s okay to have a trial period.  Hire the nanny on a short term basis, for a week or two.  That will give you time get to know each other and see how she interacts with your children and if she meets the expectations you have.  You’ll know quickly, if she’s the right nanny.  If the trial period passes and you’re happy, hire her for a long term position.  If the fit wasn’t quite right, that’s okay; you can try again and aren’t committed to one person.  Don’t settle for a certain nanny; try until you find the right one.

So there you have it – A Nanny’s Guide to find the perfect twin nanny.  I think the most important thing to remember is don’t settle for a certain nanny, the perfect one is out there.  Good luck in your search.

Be sure to check out Cori’s blog at Cori’s Big Mouth, or connect with her on Twitter @cori_shelley.

All pregnant women should be aware of the dangers of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS).  TTTS is a complication of disproportionate blood supply to twin fetuses during pregnancy.  It is critical that all women have an early ultrasound to identify if they are having multiples.

World TTTS Awareness Day is an international mobilization effort created by The Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome Foundation to increase awareness of the #1 problem facing multiples. It is crucial for women to get an ultrasound in the first trimester to identify multiples and then to determine whether there is one placenta or two. Women must learn the warning signs of TTTS, the 15 questions to ask at each ultrasound, and the available treatment options. World TTTS Awareness Day is about empowering parents and is filled with messages of Hope, Help and Encouragement. Your babies can make it and be healthy. Don’t ever give up. Please, Get Educated, Get Ultrasounds, Ask Questions, Get Treatment and Get Involved! This day is also a remembrance day for all the babies who have had TTTS. Candles will be lit tonight across the world during the vigil and messages may also be left for your babies through lighting online candles.  Please visit their websites to learn more about TTTS.

What is Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome?

• Twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a disease of the placenta (or afterbirth) that affects identical twin pregnancies.
• TTTS affects identical twins (or higher multiple gestations), who share a common monochorionic placenta.
• The shared placenta contains abnormal blood vessels, which connect the umbilical cords and circulations of the twins.
• The common placenta may also be shared unequally by the twins, and one twin may have a share too small to provide the necessary nutrients to grow normally or even survive.
• The events in pregnancy that lead to TTTS – the timing of the twinning event, the number and type of connecting vessels, and the way the placenta is shared by the twins are all random events that have no primary prevention, is not hereditary or genetic, nor is it caused by anything the parents did or did not do. TTTS can happen to anyone.

If you are pregnant, what should you do?

Get Ultrasounds

If you are pregnant, it is critical that you get an ultrasound within the first 3 months.  With this ultrasound, you can determine if you are having twins, triplets, or even higher order multiples.  As early as 7 weeks of pregnancy, it can be determined if you are having multiples.  If the placenta is monochorionic, or single, your pregnancy is at risk for TTTS.

Ask Questions

Once you have identified that you are having twins or higher order multiples, it is imortant that you ask questions at each ultrasound.  For multiples, ultrasounds should be performed more frequently than in singleton and lower risk pregnancies.  Listed below are the TTTS Foundation’s 15 Most Important Questions to ask at each ultrasound.

Confirm at initial ultrasounds (preferably by 10-16 weeks)

1. Is the placenta monochorionic?
2. Are the babies the same gender?
3. Can you see the dividing membrane?
4. Is the placenta implanted on the anterior or posterior surface of the womb?
5. Do the twins’ umbilical cords each have the normal 3 blood vessels, or does one of them have 2 vessels?
6. Are the umbilical cords fully attached to the placenta?

Questions to ask at weekly ultrasounds (16 weeks to delivery)

1. What is the largest vertical pocket of fluid for each baby?
2. Can you see the bladder of the donor baby?
3. What are the weights of the babies in grams? (every 2-3 weeks)
4. Are the dopplers normal for both babies?
5. Is the heart of the recipient baby enlarged or thickened?
6. Does the recipient baby have hydrops?
7. What is the measurement of your cervix, is it long and closed or thinning or dilated?
8. Is the smaller baby growing at the same rate?
9. What is the fundal height?

Read the explanations for these questions at the TTTS Foundation’s website.

PLEASE, get an early ultrasound to determine if you are carrying multiples.  If you are pregnant with twins or higher order multiples, PLEASE ask the questions provided by the TTTS Foundation.  It could save your babies’ lives.  If you are diagnosed with TTTS, or would like more information, please contact the TTTS Foundation for help, information, and support.

Newborn twins require a 24 hour sleep / feed schedule

Whether you are having twins (triplets, or higher order multiples) soon, or are already in the first few weeks with your twin infants (your “twinfants”), there is one overarching reality that you cannot escape — newborn twins require round the clock care to support their sleep / feed schedule. You will feel like a feeding, burping, diaper changing machine running on minimal sleep. But, arming yourself with some basic information about newborn twins will certainly help you to cope with the reality of the first few months in your twins lives.

Reality #1: Newborn twins sleep a lot

Newborns sleep from 14 to 18 hours per day in the first week, and from 12 – 18 hours per day by one month. Granted, this sleep is broken into 2 – 3 hour chunks, but they do sleep a lot. Planning your time wisely will allow you to maximize your sleep as well. 

Caregivers need sleep, too

In these early weeks, it is tempting to want to be there for every waking.  But, in the long run, doing so may wear you out — literally.  Think about your options — are there ways that each caregiver can obtain an uninterrupted 4 hour sleep stretch?  If you are breastfeeding your twin infants, you might consider skipping 1 feed (and having another caregiver give a bottle of pumped breastmilk or formula). Or, can another caregiver do all the “extras” that need to be done with a feeding and bring the babies to mom for a ”sleep feed”?

Get creative — that single 4 hour sleep stretch can do wonders for your mental health in these early days.

Reality #2: Newborn twins are hungry often

Newborns tummies are tiny. On top of that, formula digests quickly — and breastmilk digests even faster than formula — leaving an empty tummy that needs to be filled. Newborns will wake when they need to be fed — usually every 2 – 4 hours. 

Gently begin moving your twins toward a schedule

While gently working your newborn twins towards a schedule can begin as soon as you bring them home from the hospital, attempting to force longer stretches between feedings should not be attempted for a while. Newborn twin infants should be fed whenever they show signs of hunger. Still, there are many things you can do to begin the process of moving towards a schedule.  For example, if one baby wakes to feed, you can wake the other baby and feed both babies at the same time.  

Check back with us — we’ll feature an article soon about steps you can start to gently begin moving your babies toward a schedule.

Reality #3: You cannot “spoil” a newborn.

Newborn twin infants do not have the mental capacity to cry for attention or just because they want to be held. At this early stage of life, they cry because they have a need. If your twin infants are crying, respond to them quickly — this builds confidence that they are loved and you will take care of their needs.  Check for the big 3 needs of this stage… Hunger, Burp, Wet.

Lay your twin infants down drowsy but awake

Even though you can’t “spoil” them, that doesn’t mean that you can get away with always holding and rocking your babies to sleep. While it is okay to do this sometimes, you won’t want to do it every time — as your babies will soon require holding and rocking in order to fall asleep.  Your twinfants are learning how to fall asleep.  Most of the time, you will want to lay your babies down in their cribs while they are drowsy but not fully asleep yet. If they begin to fuss, you can pick them up and repeat the steps to get them drowsy before laying them down awake in their cribs. 

While in the short run, it may seem easier to rock them to sleep and lay them down after they are fully asleep — in the not too distant future you will be so glad for making the extra effort to lay them down awake in the early days. We promise!  This can be one of the hardest things to do when you are exhausted and you just want to get the babies down as quickly as possible, so that you can return to your bed. But don’t worry, if you choose to hold, rock, and cuddle your babies to sleep, later gentle sleep training techniques can help to solve any issues that might result. 

Reality #4: Growth Spurts will knock your schedule off track.

Just when you think things are settling down to a routine and the start of some kind of schedule, everything will go off-kilter.  Your babies will experience several growth spurts that will require cluster feeding. Your best bet is to expect this to happen and to respond with more frequent feedings when they need it. Don’t get frustrated or feel that you are doing something wrong, or that there is something wrong with your babies — this is normal.

Trust your instincts

If, however, you feel that your babies are hungry all the time and show some other signs of a problem (such as not gaining weight) don’t hesitate to contact your physician. 

Reality #5: “Sleeping Like a Baby” means a lot of interruptions, noises and needs.

Whoever made up that expression “sleeping like a baby” must not have had one! It’s true that sometimes when a baby sleeps it is a very sound sleep and loud noises will not disturb them.  However, most of the time, your babies will be grunting and groaning, and even crying out — but they often continue sleeping despite these noises. The trick is to figure out when they need to be picked up and fed and when to let them resettle themselves. If you respond to every sound, you won’t get any sleep yourselves! 

Baby Monitors in good measure

While baby monitors are wonderful inventions — sometimes it makes sense to go without a monitor, or to keep the volume on your monitor low. Unless your babies are on the other side of the house, you will hear them when they cry.  Keep the monitor’s volume down so that normal sounds of sleep cannot be heard, while cries can.

Reality #6: Sleeping Through The Night (STTN) is really only a 5 hour sleep stretch.

As soon as you’ve had your babies, people will start asking you, “Are they sleeping through the night yet?” and commenting, “Things will be better as soon as they start sleeping through the night.”  What they don’t know — or don’t remember — is that babies don’t really sleep all the way through the night without waking up until many months down the road.

Your Twins First Milestone

But, somewhere after 6 weeks of age (adjusted), babies will be begin to organize their sleep.   This results in a longer stretch of uninterrupted sleep of 4 — 6 hours, usually happening in the late evening hours. For most babies, this will happen between 3 – 6 months of age.  This is it.  This is what your pediatrician means when they ask about “sleeping through the night”. 

The babies will usually still require 1 – 2 feedings during the night at this stage.  And, since there are 2 (or more) babies involved, this still makes for quite a few feedings in the night. Still, once this longer sleep stretch becomes a pattern, you can claim your STTN award. Cherish it — you’ve reached your first major milestone!

copyright 2010 – TwinParenthood / Kathryn Whiteley