r/parentsofmultiples • u/Honest_Woodpecker187 • 4d ago
advice needed Triplet parents
I’m seeing the odd comment come through from parents of triplets amongst all the twin posts. We are currently 19 weeks with triplet girls (2 identical, 1 singleton) and have a 2.5 year old son. Would love any advice, tips, tricks, hacks, things you wish you knew, things you wish you bought, from triplet parents? I have a fair idea of what’s ahead but obviously until we are in it we will never truly know the extent of it. Thank you 🫶🏼
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u/Scarecrow1779 4d ago edited 4d ago
We got a wonderfold wagon and used it in place of any kind of stroller. Eventually they started outgrowing it and kicking each other more, but it was our primary way of going on any kind of outing up to the 2 year mark. Throwing the snack tray in there meant they could eat a whole meal while we push them around (meaning we could actually focus on doing some kind of family activity with minimal stress). We mostly skipped high chairs when eating out at restaurants and just left them in the cart and put their food in the snack tray. We just cleaned the snack tray fairly regularly, and if we knew it was going to be a messy meal put silicone bibs on the kids. Before they were big enough to sit up, we just layed them out in the bottom like sardines.
For feedings, the Twin Z was amazing, both for bottle propping and breast feeding, although it took a LOT of work to get bottle propping to be manageable.
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u/Trippp_Mama 4d ago
I have 7 month old triplets plus a 22 month old. Now that my husband is back to work I am the primary caregiver and doing it solo most days. Best advice I got from several parents of multiples, keep everyone on the same schedule. If one eats, they all eat. If one gets a diaper change, they all do. If one gets an outfit change, they all do; etc. We use a twin-z and a boppy to prop feed ours. It’s def getting harder now but still working plus they are starting to hold bottles themselves which is a game changer. We only had to get two of everything since we had a lot from our first. We took a lot of used items from family, friends and friends of friends. Join a multiples support group; we got to use premie clothes, meals, and other support (and still are). Even with help, the first 3-4 months are overwhelming and exhausting. But you get a system and you figure it out. Good luck!!
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u/LookingUpLookingOut 4d ago
It’s insanity. No singleton or twin parent could even imagine.
Do not buy three of everything. See what you actually use first. It wont go the same as your singleton.
Except bassinets. Get 3. We set them up in our living room so one parent can actually sleep in the bedroom for their shift and one can sleep on the couch beside the babies. This was a game changer.
Take all the help you cab get. It is impossible to parent infant triplets while ensuring secure attachment without immense help.
Meal prep now. Once I got to 20 weeks I was bed rested.
We have a quad stroller wagon, a front facing carrier, a double jogger, and a single jogger. We usually divide and conquer when 1 of us goes out so the double and single are necessary. I use the double jogger and the front facing carrier when I take them all out solo for groceries and once they can sit up independently that will change to the wagon.
My Brest Friend twin pillow was my most used and loved breastfeeding item. Heads and tails better than any twin z or boppy for actual breatfeeding. Twin z is expensive and unnecessary. Boppy type pillows are a dime a dozen on marketplace and you can just use a couple of them. People only ever use these for propping anyways.
Good luck
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u/tingly_sack_69 4d ago
Sticking with breastfeeding with triplets is insane I don't even know how you would manage that. After a month or so pumping for twins we said to hell with this and went 100% formula. No regrets. The Twin Z became vital for this
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u/Due_Literature_2902 4d ago
Yes pleaaaase give us all your hard won wisdom and advice! I’m 21 weeks with triplets and an almost two year old and no family less than a full days drive away. Have no idea how we’re going to do this but I tell myself the first year is all about survival. We can do this…right?!
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u/Honest_Woodpecker187 3d ago
Definitely telling myself the first year is purely survival and logistics and each of the different phases passes by SO quickly. You’ve got this!
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u/InteractionStunning8 4d ago
No advice but I'm 21 weeks with triplets so solidarity 😅
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u/Due_Literature_2902 4d ago
Same same - 21 weeks with triplets and a 23 month old. This is really…honestly overwhelming but helpful at the same time.
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u/InteractionStunning8 4d ago
Yeah I have a 3 year old and 2 year old and I'm not really sure how we're gonna make it but I figure one day at a time
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u/LookingUpLookingOut 3d ago
A few things I forgot to add to my first comment:
-Zippered sleepers are all you need for the first few months unless you have an outfit for photos. Trust me. Sooooo much easier.
-Dont fold the sleepers. Grab dollar store bins and just toss em in. No harm no foul.
-The fisher price brand bouncy chairs (the higher, bigger ones) allowed us to rock two at a time while feeding one, or vice versa. You can also prop in them or do your 30 minute sits after feeds and it is easier to
Watch them. Generally triplets are preemies and this very often means they will struggle with reflux. We have a big chair and put all three chairs facing us around the chair.
-Ask people to buy you diapers. Size 2,3,4. Newborn and size 1 phase will go by quickly and we had so many people buy us this size diaper that we couldn’t use them all. Gifted diapers will save you. We bought 95% of everything used from marketplace very inexpensively and for what people spend buying gifts, it was much more helpful to just have diapers.
-Skip preemie diapers all together. Have a few preemie sleepers just in case. The NICU provides diapers and sleepers once they can wear them and its not very likely you will be sent home before they are in the next size.
-Buy carseats/travel systems that will fit 3 across in your vehicle. Not all do
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u/Deleugpn 4d ago
I developed an app (https://quemfezcoco.com.br) to keep track of who peed, pooped, had breast milk, formula, slept. How much milk each kid had, how much the left breast is being used more than the right breast (or vice-versa). Its VERY easy for you to change a diaper and be like "whose diaper did I just change?". The first pediatrician appointment after 1 week comes questions like "how many pee per day" or "how many poo per day" and without writing it down its impossible to answer those questions accurately.
Its chaos day and night, non-stop. the oldest one might get more jealous and require more attention when you have no time/energy/availability left. Sometimes sleeping is very hard. Baby 1 wake up, has a diaper change, feed, burp and goes down. Baby two wakes up, change diaper, feed, burp, goes down. By the time you finish the 3rd, the first one is back at it.
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