Moms of multiples?

[redwagon]

I know you're out there, but I can't remember your screen name! Mom2-4 Boys or something like that?

In any event, I just found out I'm having twins (AHHHHH!) and would love to pick your brain a bit. I hadn't budgeted for two at once, and while I know we can and will make it work, thought it'd be nice to have someone to chat with who has been through it. Thanks!

[mizbear]

Congratulations!

[constanz22]

red! Twins! Holy cow!!! Congrats!

[seriousthistime]

Jando is the mother of twins, but she disappeared a while back. We miss her.

Twinmama is also what her name implies

Congratulations, redwagon!

[redwagon]

Thanks ladies! Still processing the news over here, and praying they both stick around the next 34 weeks!

[financialpeace]

Oh my gosh!!!! Wow!!! Congratulations ;D

[taz157]

Congrats!! ;D

Fyi, sam in the kid thread has a SIL with quads.

[redwagon]

I do remember that! Don't know how she does it!

[Deleted]

Congratulations Redwagon! Soon your wagon will be full of little ones. ;D

[InsertCoolName]

My mom had twins. Close to 30 years ago. LOL

Congrats though, I always wanted twins. They are awesome. Wishing you the best of luck and a happy healthy pregnancy.

[Sam_2.0]

There are two currently on here with very similar screen names: twinmama & twinmomma (or something like that - on the grocery thread). I still have Jando on FB & sent her some messages, but not sure if she's coming back here or not.

I would suggest you look up the Mothers of Multiples groups in your area. My SIL has joined one (the one with the quads), and some other ladies from our church with twins are in the group too. They have lots of great support, and they do consignment sales a few times a year so you can stock up on the essentials for very little $$.

[misspt]

Congrats!!! Twinmama and twinsandmore I think are two of the other users you might look for, too....

[Jaguar]

[redwagon]

thanks guys!!!

[mom2-4monkeys]

Hey Red Wagon... Congrats!!! I'm not sure if it was me you were looking for, but i'm here.

I have two sets of twins. My girls will be 5 in a couple of weeks and my boys turned 2 last October.

Anything I can help with just let me know.

[redwagon]

Mom2 4 monkeys - hello there!! Yes, it was you I was thinking of! Any tips for survival? Did you use a double stroller? I don't even know where to begin... lol. I think we're getting mini cribs now because two regular ones probably would take up the entire nursery. I just welcome any advice or tips.

How far were you when you delivered? I'm due 11/26 but figure I'll probably go earlier in November. Crossing my fingers for two healthy babies!

[econstudent]

Apr 9, 2012 15:13:20 GMT -5 redwagon said:

I think we're getting mini cribs now because two regular ones probably would take up the entire nursery. I just welcome any advice or tips.

(I am most definitely not a mom of twins, but there are twins at one of Maggie's play groups, and they sleep together in the same full-sized crib. Just thought I'd mention it as an option.)

[mom2-4monkeys]

tips for survival.... my best advice is "just go with it"! With twins, (& kids in general) always have a plan, and be ok when it doesn't happen the way you planned it.
We did use the double stroller. We got the just the "frame" kind so you could just stick the infant seat into it. That was awesome!! Once they were out of the infant seats we did get a regular double stroller.
I was just over 35 weeks with both sets. with the girls i HAD to have a c-section because of the position of one of them. She was feet down and there was no room to move around. With the boys, my Dr. gave me the choice, both were facing down and both were measuing small (5lbs each). I chose to have another c-section. Both times went well.

twins are so much fun!! Feel free to PM me and we can chat any time.

[InsertCoolName]

Oh I just thought of something to pass on. Until my brothers got a bit older and we could really tell them apart-I would say around 2 months- we always and I mean ALWAYS kept 1 of them in a certain color. Like baby A always had red on. A sleeper or sock. But ALWAYS everyday was red. And it was awesome that one of them just happened to have a birth mark and the other one did not. Saved mine and my sister's asses more than mom knows.

The cool thing with my brothers was, when one started rolling over or sitting up or cooing. Whatever it was that was "new" the other one would do it within minutes after watching his brother do it. We just figured it was them one upping the other. Yeah they still do that too.

Oh and my mom didn't know she was pregnant with twins til 7 months. And she was able to carry them full term. And she is a little woman. 5 foot nothing and 100lbs.

[Deleted]

Wow, Red, congratulations! One of my closest friends has two sets of fraternal twins (boy/girl and boy/girl). They are bigger now (13 and 15).

She delivered at nearly full-term, and had two C-sections. She is a doctor. She kept them both in the same crib until they started "bothering" each other (not sure when ... maybe three-four months?)

They had a very big house, so space wasn't an issue. But, the parents put each set of twins in the same bedroom until the kids requested their own rooms (about 6-7). At that point they got their own rooms, but each child had a high-riser so they could "invite" a sibling to sleep over (either their twin, or their same-sex sibling, or a friend.)

The kids have an incredible dynamic between them: each set of twins, as well as the two boys, and the two girls. DS3 envies them SO much. He LOVES sleeping over there. (They used to live two houses away, but they recently moved about 10 minutes away).

I know this doesn't help with equipment or anything.

Again, congratulations! I hope all goes very well for you!

ETA: Mom 2-4 Monkeys wow, I had never realized you had two sets of twins!

[startsmart]

definitely not as cool as the identical twins wearing red but I picked up a few tricks when I nannied for identical twin boys who are now 14 (sob! I'm OLD).

*First born twin is always photographed on the left when they're together
*M always wore shoes with laces, P always wore shoes with velcro. Worked wonders until the devils took their shoes off at the park leaving a confused startsmart yelling at the wrong boy.
*M has a prominent cowlick at the front of his crown so his hair swirls. Easy way to tell them apart unless they grow their hair long and the wind is blowing. Be prepared for relatives to yell at the wrong child should your twins be identical.

Of course they're still "my boys" and last year when I was in NYC (when we met for drinks red_wagon) I was staying at their house when P told M he was "not cute like justin beiber" - a valid insult unless you're identical twins. They still crack me up.

[redwagon]

Thanks for all the tips, ladies! I believe they are fraternal (each in own placenta) so hopefully we'll be able to tell them apart okay. I told bluewagon before we even got preggo that his job was to mark our baby with a sharpie right after birth so there'd be no mixups with other babies lol.

start - laughing at "your boys." Twins are so fun, and such a handful!

I'm encouraged that it is possible to go full term, at least!!

mom2-4 monkeys - how much did your girls weigh at birth? 5lbs seems sooo tiny!! I'm going to break them!!

[yogiii]

red, I know someone who had fraternal twins almost 2 months ago. They were 6 weeks early. Boy was 5lbs2oz girl was 4lbs13oz. Both are healthy so far. I know someone else who has fraternal boys that are 2. They were born at 37 weeks, 7lbs 4oz and 7lbs 1oz, again both were healthy.

[redwagon]

So really, it can go either way. Got it! lol. Hoping to be more 37 weeks than 34!!

[startsmart]

red - "my boys" were early and had a lot of trouble in the first month. breathing detectors that went off at all hours and no sleep for mom and dad. Also, baby 1 was natural, baby 2 c-section. Just in case you needed more motivation to get that c-section we still tease the younger boy about being too stubborn to come out into the world.

[redwagon]

Oh I am definitely thinking c-section! Breathing detectors sound scary, but good to know they are growing up fine!

[startsmart]

Yes, aside from some unfortunate justin bieber haircut decisions they are normal as normal can be.

[mom2-4monkeys]

Apr 10, 2012 18:35:50 GMT -5 redwagon said:

mom2-4 monkeys - how much did your girls weigh at birth? 5lbs seems sooo tiny!! I'm going to break them!!

My girls weight 4lbs 3 oz and 4lbs 13 oz. Both went straight to the NICU, but were fine. They both had Jaundis which is very common. One came home with me on day 5, but the other stayed in for an extra week. She didn't want to eat, so they had to put a feeding tube down her nose/throat. While it sucked to leave one baby there (and go back to visit with a newborn) it was nice to have only one to get used to the whole "mommy" idea. We waited for baby # 2 to come home for my husband to take the week off to help.

The boys were almost the same. They weighed 5lbs 7oz and 5lbs 13 oz. One was perfect and spend only one day in the NICU before going to the regular nursery. However one was in the NICU for almost 4 weeks. He had the Jaundis, low heart beat, water in his lungs, trouble breathing and some other stuff. I couldn't even hold him for the first 2 weeks. He had iv's in his head (best place for babies that small), breathing tube, wires everywhere! He was very scary to look at, but the Dr.'s told us he was just fine. He lost some weight and drop down to just over 3 lbs. Once he was breathing on his own and could drink from the bottle he gained it all back in no time. Once he came home he was fine.
Keep in mind that with twins, they will have a high chance of going to the NICU. Most of the time it is just procedure, so don't freak out!

[redwagon]

so tiny!!! I'll just keep telling myself they will be in good hands. The hospital I will be delivering at is one of the best perinatology and maternal-fetal medicine hospitals in the state, if not the country. I'll just do my part and try to be as healthy as possible for the next 7 months!

[shelly527in]

Congrats Redwagon! FI and I've talked about how twins would be harder at first, but easier in the long run. I have 3 nieces that are 11 1/2 and 12 1/2 months apart--- niece #1 turned 2 four days after niece #3 was born. That seemed crazy! I'd rather have two at once and be done. I'm turning 37 next month (that sounds so old to me) and don't have time to wait 3 years between babies like I'd like to.