Guest Post: Twins and the City

~ Charlene Tipton

Charlene and her husband Brad, live in Savannah, Georgia. She has 20-month-old fraternal twin girls, Gwyneth & Avery.  She enjoys being a stay at home mom and watching her girls learn new things every day.  “Having twins was never a thought,” says Charlene, “but they are amazing & have taught me so much.”

This past weekend my husband and I went to Boston for a kid free, long weekend.  As we were enjoying our time, riding the T (subway) and taking taxis from place to place; we started to think about how we would navigate a big city with our girls and all the “stuff” we typically take along with us. Since both of us have always lived where driving is how you travel from A to B, many questions came to mind.

Wandering about Boston we saw families, Mom’s with strollers, Mom’s with kids, nannies with strollers… all sorts of kid scenarios.  Riding the subway we mostly saw adults, and kids old enough to walk around from place to place on their own.  Occasionally we saw someone with a single stroller or umbrella stroller.  Taking the subway to dinner one night we really started to think about this. 

1. Getting down to the train: Usually there are stairs to get down to the walkways underground.  Some of the entrances had elevators but not all.  Once you get down to the walkways, most had elevators to get down to the platform you need to catch your train.
2. Getting on the train: Like trying to get on an elevator in a building, most people crowd around the entrance to the train.  It can be hard for an adult to get on the train, never the less a double stroller.
3. Taxis: Do you carry car seats/booster seats and strollers (if needed) with you whenever you leave the house?  Are taxis set up with the latch system? Can the whole family fit in one taxi?

Living in the city or not, efficiency seems to be key when navigating with twins. What are some solutions or tips to these issues?  What is the “best” way to navigate a big city with twinfants?

~Charlene

How to Tandem Breastfeed Twins

One of the most common questions asked by those expecting twins is, “Can you breastfeed twins at the same time?”  Of course you can!  Our previous article, How to Feed Your Twins at the Same Time (Tandem Feeding), offered many practical tips for tandem feeding twins — whether by breast or bottle.  But seeing is believing.  That is why this wonderful video by Melissa that we found is such a huge help.  Melissa shows us easy steps to make tandem breastfeeding twins a success — including how to burp one baby while the other continues to feed.

Here are a number of tricks for successfully tandem breastfeeding twins, captured in this wonderful video by Melissa.

Supplies Needed for tandem nursing twins

• large couch
• 1 back support pillow (for mom)
• 2 boppy pillows
• 1 twin nursing pillow
• 1 support pillow or folded towel
• 2 burp cloths
• water bottle and snacks for mom
• optional entertainment devices for mom (phone, book or e-reader, TV remote, etc.)

Step 1. Prepare your area

Before bringing in your babies, prepare your breastfeeding station.  Set up all your supplies so that everything is within easy reach.  One bobby pillow will be placed on either side of mom, with burp cloths across the back of the couch.

Step 2. Bring in the babies

Place one twin in each boppy pillow on either side of mom (on the side that they will be nursing on — note that you will want to switch sides with the babies for each feeding).  Position yourself, with back support and twin nursing pillow.  Use an extra pillow or folded towel to make the height of the babies on the twin nursing pillow just right for you.  Pick up both babies and set them on the pillow before latching either of them so that you won’t have to twist and possibly un-latch a baby in the process of picking up the other for tandem nursing.

Step 3. Latch ‘em on

Okay, this is probably the toughest part when you are a new mom.  Relax. It’s okay.  Latching is tough when you have just one baby — but add another and the complexity goes way up.  In the early days, you may find that one will latch easier than the other — or one side (of you) will work better than the other.  If you can, plan to have a helper with you for the first couple of weeks of tandem feedings until things begin to go more smoothly.

Step 4.  Re-latch.

As noted above, at first you might spend most of your time latching one baby and then the other, and then back to the first again.  Hang in there — it will get better as your babies learn how to latch, re-latch, and stay latched.

Step 5. Read, Relax, Enjoy, Bond.

This is your time to take a breather.  Relax.  Do something for you — and love on those babies!

Step 6. Burp

When one is ready for a burp — pick up the baby and sit her on the top of the nursing pillow, supporting her on her chest under her chin. Gently pat her back until you get a good burp.  Use your elbow over the other nursing twin to hold him in place.

Step 7. One Twin is Done

When one of the twins is done nursing, burp him and then place him in the bobby pillow on the side where the other twin is still nursing.  This way you will lean in the direction of the nursing twin rather than leaning away from the nursing twin, which could cause her to un-latch.  If you need to attend to the baby that has arleady finished feeding, again, you are leaning toward the nursing twin rather than away.

Step 8. Both Twins are Done

After the second twin has finished feeding — give her a burp and place her in the other boppy.  You have just successfully tandem nursed your twins!

Hopefully this excellent video by Melissa on Tandem Breastfeeding Twins has given you the confidence to try tandem nursing.  There is no faster way to feed your twinfants.  But if nursing (either tandem or one at a time) doesn’t work out for you — don’t be discouraged.  There are many benefits to bottle feeding, too, and this is a very personal decision for you and your family.  One size fits all definitely doesn’t work in TwinParenthood.

Can you add any tips we’ve missed?  What has worked for you?  Please leave us some comments.

copyright 2012 – TwinParenthood / Kathryn Whiteley

Today, TwinParenthood is proud to announce the addition of occasional guest Blogger, Charlene Tipton!

Charlene and her husband Brad, live in Savannah, Georgia. She has 20-month-old fraternal twin girls, Gwyneth & Avery.  She enjoys being a stay at home mom and watching her girls learn new things every day.  “Having twins was never a thought,” says Charlene, “but they are amazing & have taught me so much.”

We hope you enjoy her first installment!

To Leash or Not to Leash?

~Guest Post, Charlene Tipton

Recently, the buying of child harnesses (or leashes) has been up for discussion in my house.  When I first brought it up to my husband Brad, he looked at me like I had 3 heads.  Then basically telling me he’s more on the no side.  I, being on the maybe side, decided to start doing some homework on the subject. 

First asking around.  At my latest Mom’s Night Out with my multiples group – I got a yes. 

Then I started looking on different websites.  Figuring that I would see more negative than positive, I was surprised to see that most parents were pro harness.  Parents were also assured when they saw other children with harnesses on because the parents were taking an active role in their safety. Surprised by these opinions?  I was!

The only negative I read was parents would hear remarks from others walking by or boldly told they were harming their child.

After telling my husband what I had learned he was more on board with the idea.  Also, meeting a family with twin girls a month older than ours, and seeing them with them on helped. 

Which one do I buy?  We’re fans of the harnesses with animals on them.  One person had the idea of flipping them around.  Putting the animal on the child’s front instead of back.  So it’s like they are holding the animal.  My girls are all about carrying stuff right now, so we’ll be trying that. There are different varieties:  lion, monkey, cow, ladybug, alligator, backpacks, clips to close, Velcro to close, close at chest, close at waist, detachable tail (leash).  You can find all different kinds on the web. 

I’ll be buying 2 at my local baby store, probably two monkeys.  This weekend we’ll be going to the Atlanta Aquarium.  I’m sure they will come in handy. 

Charlene

Do you use harnesses with your twins? What brands are best?

While most Parents of Twins report to TwinParenthood that it is important to them to know if their twins are identical or fraternal, the reality is that many are misinformed during prenatal scans, according to UCL researchers in a commentary piece in BJOG[1] (a journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology).

Out of the 1302 families with same sex twins in the cited study who stated they had been given the information by health professionals based on the formation of the placenta as seen on the prenatal scan, 191 (14.7%) were misinformed about their zygosity.

It seems that correctly identifying if twins are identical or fraternal is trickier than some health professionals may realize.

It may be that some health care professionals actually perpetuate the common mistaken belief that all twins sharing a placenta are identical, and that twins with two placentas must be non-identical. But in fact, 25-30% of identical twins can have two placentas, according to the researchers. Separate placentas can develop in monozygotic twins when the egg splits within 2 days of fertilization.

Parents may have originally been told that their twins are non-identical (or fraternal) because of the formation of two placentas. But, if your same sex twins share eye and hair color, and are often mixed up by those around them, your twins may actually be identical.  Twin Zygosity Testing (or Twin DNA Testing) might be your best option to determine if your twins are identical or fraternal.

Zygosity is the genetic relationship between two twins. With respect to genetic similarities or dissimilarities, twins are classified as identical or fraternal.

Monozygotic = 1 egg – identical twins (when one egg is fertilized by a single sperm cell and then splits).

Dizygotic = 2 eggs – fraternal or non-identical (when two eggs are independently fertilized by two sperm cells).

[1] van Jaarsveld C, Llewellyn C, Fildes A, Fisher A, Wardle J. Are my twins identical: parents may be misinformed by prenatal scan observations. BJOG 2012;119:517–518

Zygosity Test Giveaway

Our friends at Proactive Genetics have graciously offered a Zygosity test to one randomly selected TwinParenthood reader.

05/21/2012 UPDATE: Giveaway entry is now Closed. Thanks to all who entered! Our winner is Reagan K of Arcata, CA — Congratulations, Reagan!

Proactive Genetics offers a great service to parents of twins – for a fantastic price. The genetic testing is easy – gentle swabbing to remove cheek (buccal) cells – which contain adequate DNA to perform the zygosity test. And then mail it in. Easy-Peasy.  Have questions about twin zygosity or zygosity testing? Check out thier informative Frequently Asked Questions About Twin Zygosity page.

Basic (required) entry: Please visit Proactive Genetics and find the first word on their website that begins with the same letter as your first name. Then, come back and post a comment here with the word, your first name, and tell us if you were told that your twins are identical or non-identical. Do you suspect that you might have been mis-informed?

Additional Entries:

Post a comment here for EACH entry.

1. Basic Entry (above) is required before any extra entries will be counted.
2. Tweet: Identical or Fraternal? 1 in 7 misinformed: http://bit.ly/JXPrWL @TwinParenthood DNA Test #Giveaway (ends 5/16) #tph #multiples #twintuesday
3. Publicy share our Facebook giveaway announcement to your own timeline (share must be visible to “public”).
4. Post a comment on one of our Facebook giveaway announcements.
5. 5/14/2012 Update!  We’re adding a new way to earn an extra entry: Post a photo of your twins on our Facebook wall and tell us (with the photo) if you were told they are identical or fraternal.  (Please be sure to come back and post a comment here to earn your extra entry!)

As usual, the standard TwinParenthood giveaway rules apply — read them all here.  Giveaway is open to US and Canada. Contest Entry closes 11:59:59 pm on May 16, 2012.

05/21/2012 UPDATE: Giveaway entry is now Closed.  Thanks to all who entered! Our winner is Reagan K of Arcata, CA — Congratulations, Reagan!

Starting twins on chores at a young age and managing chores effectively as they grow older can be a life saver for busy parents of twins, triplets, or higher order multiples. If you begin chores early with twins, you can reap an early payoff and long awaited easing of some of the burden of having twins.

How old should twins be when they start easy household chores?

Parents can (and should!) effectively start twins on chores as young as 12 – 18 months. Yes! Many reading that will scoff and say that just doesn’t make sense. But, in truth, starting twins (singletons, triplets, or any child) on chores at a very young age will teach them that chores are an everyday part of life. Doing chores regularly will ensure that doing chores becomes a habit — like brushing your teeth. And, at this young age they are eager to help.

Even if you have missed the early window for beginning household chores, it is never too late to introduce a nightly “5 minute attack“. Each night after dinner, set a kitchen timer for 5 minutes and everyone participates in picking up the house. Model the behavior you expect, and make it a fun game. Turn on some music, and then in a very animated way, rush around the house picking up. You can even add an occasional “Hurry! Hurry! How much can we get done?!”

But what can very young twins really do effectively? Well, the word effectively is relative. We didn’t say they would do a good job — at a very young age, you are just establishing good habits. In some cases, having them do chores actually results in more work for tired parents — but the investment is well worth it.  You can invest in your children now and have real help in a few short years, or your can just do everything for them and face the music later when you are still doing everything for them into their teenage years.

The truth is, very young children can pretty much “help” with almost any chore if you carefully select out the part that they can do without danger to themselves. It is also important to get them smaller sized tools to make the task easy for little hands.

The following lists will give you some ideas of chores that can be accomplished by age. These lists are by no means exhaustive and you will, no doubt, identify many chores that should have been listed — so please do let us know in the comments. And, stay tuned for an upcoming article about chore charts, assigning chores, and rewards. For now, just get your twins started with the habit of doing chores and being a responsible member of the family.

Chores for Under Age 3

Many of these chores require help, but can be started at a very young age to begin the habit of doing chores. As they grow, you add more responsibility and independence into the chore until they are accomplishing the entire chore on their own.
- pick up toys
- dusting
- sweeping (mini broom & dust pan)
- mopping
- wiping windows (paper towel & water)
- making bed (pulling up the blankets/covers)
- taking laundry to the hamper
- sorting dirty laundry into bins by color
- matching up socks
- helping to feed the pets
- helping to cook
- raking leaves (mini rake)

By introducing chores at a young age and then progressing them through increasing responsibility, they will eventually be able to complete chores unsupervised — at a much younger age than you would expect. One example of this is the laundry. This is a chore that very young children can participate in, and over the years they learn the ins and outs of the chore. By the time they are eight to nine years old, they are capable to performing the whole chore themselves.

Preschoolers

All of the above, progressing in responsibility and independence, plus:
- Pick out clothes and get dressed
- Set the table
- Put away silverware and plastic items from Dishwasher
- Vacuum (buy a small cordless vacuum for them to use)
- Empty some wastebaskets into central garbage
- Folding some types of laundry
- Wipe the bathroom counters
- Carry in some groceries (and put away)

How can you help your child to do chores independently? Preschoolers are ready to start independently doing many chores.  With each chore, try to identify ways to set up your kids for success while acting independently from you.  Emptying the dishwasher, for example, can be a chore they can add and will be excited about the new responsibility.  You can move their plastic cups, plates, bowls and utensils to a lower cupboard that they can reach. That way, you can tell them they are responsible for putting away their own dishes — and keeping the cupboard organized. You have now made it easy for them to be successful.

Young School Age (6 – 8 years)

All of the above, progressing in responsibility and independence, plus:
- Take out the trash
- Clean windows and mirrors
- Empty Dishwasher (after adult puts away breakable items and knives)
- Running loads of laundry (with supervision)
- Sweep the porch / deck
- Assisting with household repairs
- Pack parts of their own lunch

Protecting your children from household cleaning chemicals is important. Try purchasing children’s rubber gardening gloves for use in performing household chores that might otherwise begin to unnecessarily expose them.

Older Children (9 – 13)

All of the above, progressing in responsibility and independence, plus:
- Wash the Car
- Yard Work (mowing, raking)
- Laundry (full job, end to end)
- Bathroom full cleaning

Teenagers

All of the above, with full responsibility and independence, plus:
- Prepare meals
- Changing the oil in the car(s)
- Household repairs

Parenting twins requires a lot of effort. Starting twins on chores at a young age can begin to lessen the effort of Twin Parenthood. It might be more work in the short run, but will quickly pay off in the long run — and that makes it worth the extra effort.

What do you think? Did we miss some obvious chores that you’ve started your multiples on?  Leave us a comment and let us know!

Copyright 2012 – TwinParenthood.com / Kathryn Whiteley

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.

Check out our Twins Names page for the most recent year’s popular twin 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.

Most Popular Twin Names

This list is for 2010, looking for the most recent year? Check our Twins Names page.

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