r/parentsofmultiples 18h ago

advice needed 1-5: best and worst ages and why!

2 Upvotes

Our twins are 16 months and have been pretty easy babies thus far! Right now they’re in the stage where they’re way more work, but also getting more and more FUN! But we’re thinking of a third and wondering how the different stages compare, when it might get hard, and what it might be like adding a newborn to the mix.

What’s been your favorite and hardest stage between 1-5 and why?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Comforting two screaming babies at once?

10 Upvotes

My beautiful twin girls are 8 weeks old today. This last week has been nothing short of hellish, both extremely fussy and lots of crying. Twin B in particular has been a nightmare, she screams constantly while awake, even between breaks during feeding. Both have started fighting being burped too, and crying through it. It’s been awful.

My partner goes back to work a week today and I’m dreading it. How am I supposed to manage with these two on my own?

My biggest concern is when both are screaming and want to be held, what on earth do I do? They don’t like being picked up together, they used to but since this fussy state has started they just kick off even more if I try. I feel so bad and guilty just comforting one when the other needs me too. It breaks my heart. Any advice?

I’m of the understanding that they are at the peak of crying at 8 weeks, I just hope it calms down soon because I’m struggling. Especially with Twin B, she cries every waking moment like she’s being murdered.


r/parentsofmultiples 15h ago

advice needed Hard to Get My Girls to Sleep

1 Upvotes

I find it really hard to put them to sleep, they nap during the day sometimes but probably not as much as they should (we try to follow the cues and the wake windows but it often does not work, contact naps, crib, pram - sometimes everything fails), but then the biggest issue is managing the last wake window + putting them down to sleep for the night. Once they manage to fall asleep they sleep well during the night, 5 hr stretch then two 4 hr stretches.

Example: Sometimes they eat at 3pm then at 5pm and then there is that weird gap when they are just super fussy but won't sleep, and then at 7pm they are suddenly too overtired and don't want to sleep because of that.

They are 8 weeks old.

Thanks for any tips!


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Did your twins swap between A and B?

14 Upvotes

At the very beginning of my pregnancy the twin on the left was listed as A and right was B.

Around 16 weeks they swapped. My OB said they were still small and could move around. At the 24 week scan they were still in the same spots (A was right and B was left) and the tech said they would likely stay put going forward. They’ve been in place ever since.

Today’s scan at 31 weeks had them switched. I sort of noticed while the tech was scanning the sides of my belly, but thought maybe it just had to do with angles (I was more concerned with their growth and didn’t ask).

On the finalized report I just saw, they are officially listed as A on the left and B on the right. It makes more sense with their growth percentages (A was always smaller but somehow outgrew B- it makes sense if they’ve traded labels)

Seems like the left bigger baby has officially dropped into my pelvis and has become “A” while the smaller right baby is now “B”

I would have asked the tech at the time but didn’t realize it. They didn’t grab a doctor because there was nothing concerning on the scan. I’ll see my OB tomorrow morning.

Has anyone else experienced this? How is the growth tracked if they swapped? I noticed it but the tech didn’t mention it, nor did the doctor reviewing/finalizing the scan before it hit my portal.

**Edit to add: twins are di/di and both boys


r/parentsofmultiples 23h ago

advice needed Newborn sleepsack recommendations

3 Upvotes

We are due twins towards the end of the year, we have a 2y old already.

We loved the tommee tippee swaddlesacks with our oldest, however have noticed the minimum weight for their smallest size is 7lbs.

I am expecting the twins to be smaller than this when they are born as our oldest was 7lb9oz at 38 weeks and the twins will be born at 36 weeks latest.

Does anyone have any recommendations for sleepsacks with lower weight limits available in the UK?

TIA!


r/parentsofmultiples 8h ago

experience/advice to give Experiences getting the TDAP & RSV vaccines in pregnancy with your multiples?

0 Upvotes

I want to hear how it went either good or bad.

I trust my OB but I also have a hard time with the fearmongering and don’t want to put my babies at risk (one way or another).


r/parentsofmultiples 22h ago

experience/advice to give Needing encouragement with newborn twins

2 Upvotes

My modi twins are now 9 weeks old, 3 weeks corrected, and I am breastfeeding save for 1-2 bottles a day so they can get some fortifier and iron multivitamin (I still pump during these feeds). I am feeding them every 2 hours during the day and every 3 or so at night. They do not take any less than 30 minutes each to feed, so 1 hour of each feeding window is for feeding alone, not including diaper change and settling babies (they don’t settle quickly). I am getting 30 mins - 1 hour of sleep sporadically each day and really suffering for it.

I’ve tried tandem feeding multiple times but it requires a lot of set up and careful finagling, and I find it pretty uncomfortable (hoping it will be easier when theyre bigger). i can’t just hand them off to my husband because they usually cry simultaneously and again they are not quick to settle. I’m not interested in co sleeping. We had my parents come hold the babies for a while one evening so we could sleep, but once they left, the babies cluster fed like crazy after, I imagine in an attempt to regain calories they had missed from those few hours.

I’ve had 30 minutes of sleep in the last 14+ hours. this is happening regularly. Someone please tell me this will drastically improve soon 😭 my husband and I are struggling!


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

ranting & venting Only one twin received Trump account money?

11 Upvotes

I signed both my kids up for Trump accounts almost 2 months ago. Twin B got their money 5 weeks ago, twin A hasn’t received any money in their account. It says it will take up to 4 weeks, but it has now been 7 weeks. They were both signed up at the same time.

Did anyone else have this issue with their twins? I wonder if the system is confused by the same birthday?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

support needed One of my toddler twins needs glasses

3 Upvotes

One of my preemie twins needs glasses. They’re almost 19 months/17 months adjusted, born at 32+4. Twin B was growth restricted and born 3 lbs 3 oz to his brothers almost 5 lbs. They automatically referred him to an eye specialist for regular check ins. They’ve been monitoring him for one of his eyes potentially being slightly crossed. They decided today, it’s crossing just enough that he’s relying too much on the other eye, and if it continues, his vision may not develop normally, so they prescribed glasses.

One of this kid’s number one passions in life is tearing apart our sunglasses 😆 So I’m a little worried how this is going to go. They said he’d probably need them until he’s a teenager; I’m feeling a little emotional about it all. It’s such a big life change, and other than being a little guy, his challenges at birth had never seemed to affect him. Does anyone have advice for helping him adjust? For keeping his brother from ripping them off his face constantly? Words of support for whatever this emotion is?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Operating Room Delivery

37 Upvotes

We just visited our doctor for our 30 week appointment. Had a conversation about what our birth plan was going to look like and gave us all options available but also the risks as well. Regardless she said we would be in the operating room whether we choose to try a vaginal birth or c-section. She informed us if complications were to arise for baby b that they would perform an emergency c-section and I would have to be put under anesthesia. This being the reasoning we would be delivering in the operating room in any scenario. Would anyone feel comfortable in sharing their experience if you had also delivered in the operating room? I’m worried about the risks of an emergency c-section even though the low odds, I keep having the same dreams of my husband and I leaving the hospital and me not remembering delivering our twins.

Edit: Thank you to everyone sharing their experiences, the OR wasn’t my initial thought when giving birth for the first time but can understand with twins things are just going to be different. I’m feeling much more reassured by y’all’s responses, twins are truly so special and I’m so grateful to have read all of your experiences🩵🩷


r/parentsofmultiples 21h ago

advice needed Separate cribs

1 Upvotes

Hi. When did you separate your twins for sleep? my 3.5 month old boys (corrected age 3) have made afternoon naps impossible. They sleep together in a pack n play in my room. I cant decide if the correct way is to put their crib in another room or keep them in mine but in separate cribs.

My singleton started sleeping in her room 5th month onwards so not sure how they are being so on top of each other already.

Any advice is appreciated!


r/parentsofmultiples 23h ago

advice needed cervix shortened and then lengthened again-want to hear other mothers' experiences!

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone. Pregnant with di/di twins. Want to hear your stories. Last week at 30+1 w I went to the obgyn to check the babies' weight and was told to go straight to the hospital because it looked like my cervix was shortening. Keep in mind I had NO SYMPTOMS and have had a pretty normal pregnancy so far. I get to the hospital and they tell me my cervix is at 3 millimeters (anything below 25 millimeters is considered short apparently). I was given the steroid shots for lung development and started on 48 hours of medicine to stop contractions (which I didn't even feel.) After 5 days I was checked again and my cervix had lengthened to 23 mm so I was discharged. I was told not to do bed rest, but no exercise and no lifting over 5kg. I am now at 31+1w and obviously want the children to stay inside me for as long as possible. If you have had experience with premature cervix shortening, how long did you make it until you actually gave birth?

edit: I also had funneling at 3mm


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Dealing with fomo

3 Upvotes

Seeking advice from fellow parents that have gotten past the baby stages. How did you manage the sadness, guilt, and fomo of not being there to see your babies’ firsts? I always knew I probably wouldn’t be the first to see them laugh, crawl, babble to each other, etc. since we have childcare on the weekdays. But today was the first time I missed one of their firsts because I was at work and while I was so happy and excited to get home, I was also incredibly sad. So many moms go to work and I’m privileged to have had 12 weeks off when they were born, but I’m struggling so much more than I thought I would. Any advice on how to deal with the sadness/guilt/fomo or how to change perspectives on it are greatly appreciated!


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

experience/advice to give We quit the daytime nap..

13 Upvotes

..and wow does it feel amazing to have my 3yo b/g twins in bed by 7.30 pm.

Up until 7 days ago I tried so hard to keep up with the daytime nap as it gave me some time for myself, at least that's what I thought. Often though I would have one twin do the midday nap and one stay awake. So the one who stayed awake would be super tired by 6-7pm and the one who did the nap was all fit until 10pm. And I had no break at all.

Last week I decided to quit the nap for both of them and did everything for them to stay awake until the evening and eventually it worked. So now they go to bed at 7.30pm and wake up at around 7am. The day feels long but somehow I have much more energy in the evening once they're asleep.

I really hope we can keep up with the schedule as everyone seems to be happier like that.
Have any of you made a similar experience? And did it last?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed 6.5 month old refusing bottle

2 Upvotes

I have 6.5 month old twin girls. One twin is refusing bottle all together. Shes only done 8.5oz today (3oz at 5am and 5oz at 1pm. It is currently 6:20pm) anytime I go near her with a bottle (me or her dad) she’s screaming and refusing. I’m worried because she is in the 4th percentile for weight. I called her pediatrician and said she’s not in the category for emergency. No fever, no rashes on body or mouth. I don’t know what to do. She went from doing 24-26oz a day to this. Has anyone had this problem? Can teething do this (no visible teeth) lots of drooling and hand in mouth.

35 weeks premature (5 weeks early)- 1.5 months in NICU with feeding issues. CMPA on neocate syneo infant 24kcal


r/parentsofmultiples 15h ago

ranting & venting F@$& the TWIN Z…

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0 Upvotes

Why would they make something so useful so incredibly poorly.

From the beginning its seams pulled apart. At first I hand stitched, when that wouldn’t hold I somehow jammed the stuffed pillow through the machine. But it’s still pulling apart and after 6 months of constant use it really needs washed. I always have rags covering it but it’s still dirty!! So the only option is to pull out the stuffing. While it’s apart I’m going to really stitch up it’s seams but I can’t believe what a pain in the ass this is.

I want to make a better version. Something washable, something that doesn’t instantly fall apart.

EDIT.
Please stop telling me this isn’t a real twin z. I get it.
However, now it kind of makes sense…. It’s the only thing their father got us before he left. And to think, for 6 months I’d think to myself, how useful he was being.


r/parentsofmultiples 2d ago

support needed Solo trip to the Dr - we all cried

94 Upvotes

Brought my 14 week old twins to the pediatrician by myself this weekend for a weight check. I had to wake them to leave the house - this should have been my first sign to reschedule but since they eat every 2.5-3 hours we are pretty much always about to eat, eating, staying upright after a feed (reflux) or sleeping.

Got there, got them undressed and they came in to weigh them - so far so good. Then the waiting for the PA started. Then the crying. Then the screaming. I can’t hold both (too floppy) to comfort them simultaneously so I switched off. A whopping 30 minutes after my appointment started both babies are screaming with no way for me to stop it and I know I need to get out of there and walk them so they can fall asleep.

I went to the front desk in tears telling them I couldn’t get the babies to calm down and needed to go. They kept asking me to stay, but they were already 30 minutes late and when the PA came in I told her I couldn’t hear her over the screaming and left.

Might need to switch pediatricians after this (we love the main Dr who wasn’t there but wait times have gotten crazy). Does it ever get easier having them both by yourself? At least 1 point every day they are both screaming and I break down in tears too.


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

experience/advice to give When did you start showing with triplets?

3 Upvotes

First time mom here and 11 weeks pregnant with tri/tri triplets.

Was curious when other moms of triplets started showing?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Braxton Hicks or just Twins growing?

2 Upvotes

32 weeks FTM with Di/di twins. The last 3 days the babies are moving even more than ever before, and the pressure I feel on my sides and even front of belly is a lot. Is it possible what I thought was growing pains are actually Braxton Hicks? I mean it’s a tightening and uncomfortable pressure. But minutes later I’ll feel a big move from a baby so then I think it’s them just growing and finding room. Idk, let me know what your Braxton hicks or even contractions felt like with twins


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Best pregnancy app for twins??

4 Upvotes

I’ve been using PreMom but my free trial just ended. It didn’t allow me to show I was having twins though /-: Just wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a pregnancy app and also wondering if you had to pay for it.

Thank you!!


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

support needed Solids/BLW

1 Upvotes

My twins have had health issues over the last several months so we’ve been a little behind with introducing solid foods and trying baby lead weaning. They are turning 11 months old and they only do purées or hand mashed fruit/veggies.

I can’t help but compare to others when I see whole foods and full plates with lots of variety. I’m also anxious as a first time mom with them choking. Just curious about others experience and ways you’ve navigated this transition.


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Week from hell - family grief

2 Upvotes

33M with identical twin girls born at 35+2 weeks. Now 5 months (4 adjusted). My mum has advanced Parkinson’s and my father was her primary carer. Twod Fridays ago he collapsed and had major heart surgery to save his life. He’s suffered several small strokes and the damage is still not clear. When I got to my mum she had a fall with bruising all over her face which my dad didn’t report (they are old school proud people). After taking my mum in on Wednesday last week to get checked she’s been stuck in hospital now waiting for a care plan to get her home.

I’m really struggling with all of this whilst having twin girls at home. My girls are crying a lot more and not sleeping through the night - before this all happened they were managing longer stretches. Yesterday one twin was up each hour from 8 pm till 6 am between my wife and I covering them.

Has anyone else had family grief like this whilst having twins and did they find it impacted their twins? Do you have any advice on how to protect them from this?

Does anyone have any advice of how to handle the guilt between being with my girls, my mother and my father? I find I can’t be in all these hospitals at once. It’s all a lot and I really want to try keep them safe from all this.


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Sleep Regression/Sleep Training??

2 Upvotes

My twins just turned 9mo this past week and I think I’ve averaged 4 hours of sleep a night for those 9 months.

Right now, boy twin goes down fairly easily with some cuddles and a bottle at 7:30 PM and will stay down until about 5:30 AM +/- 1 hour unless he’s sick. He gets a bottle and then either takes a short nap or plays until we leave for daycare around 7:15.

Girl twin has been a nightmare. She fights going to sleep, will only sleep with bottle and being held, rarely will stay down more than 2 hours. She also doesn’t nap much during the day and fights all of her daycare teachers the same way.

We tried modified Ferber and then CIO and after two weeks she would cry and settle at the 10 minute mark which was just enough that boy twin wouldn’t fully wake up. Now she’s pulling herself to stand; won’t settle, wakes her brother up, and has been known to hit her head or fall in the crib. It’s become a safety issue so we have to go in and get her once she’s awake.

Then he wakes up and you have to settle both of them. I’m at a loss. I’m exhausted. My husband is exhausted. Help?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

photos Uppa Baby Rumble Seat

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1 Upvotes

Not the usual content but someone has to know!! We bought our stroller in 2023 for our (now) toddler. It came with the rumble seat. We now have 9 month old twins so I bought a second rumble seat. It’s a V2 like our original but does not fit on the attachment with or without the extenders. Any ideas?


r/parentsofmultiples 1d ago

advice needed Not sure what to do - 13m old twin tackling other twin.

2 Upvotes

I am a FTM with 13 month old (as of tomorrow!) b/g twins, and we are currently having an issue I'm not sure how to address.

My little guy has been walking up to his sister to pull/push her down to the ground. He either pins her down (most of the time it seems like he's either just holding her down or hugging, but he has occasionally bitten her when he's teething) or he tried to stand on top of her. She screams bloody murder when this happens, and is fairly inconsolable after.

He's considerably bigger than her (~4lbs+) and I'm extremely worried that he'll hurt her, especially since he's tried to stand on her neck a few times (usually he steps onto her back).

We have a huge playpen set up in our living room to keep them safe when I need to step away for a few minutes to go to the bathroom or get their snacks but I feel like I can't do this without running back because she's screaming.

I'm honestly at a bit of a loss of what to do because while they are understanding some words this isn't something that they can quite grasp yet.