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Multiples
thomas&lynn
member
Who else has a 2yo and then twins/multiples?
thomas&lynn
member
in Multiples
Just found out we'll be having twins around when DD will be 23/24mos. Just wondering if anyone else has that same arrangement of kiddos (toddler first, twins second). Mostly right now I'm curious as to how you fed the twins with a 2yo running around. Oh, and what is your carseat/car configuration?
I am a SAHM now and will continue and have no family around to help. DH works long hours, too, so I'm nervous about that.........but Alaina will be old enough for some day program somewhere and if the budget supports, I'd love a mother's helper on the days DD is home all day until the babies are out of that every-2hr/3hr eating phase.
I'm so glad this board is here! Congrats to all of you 
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Re: Who else has a 2yo and then twins/multiples?
Congratulations! I will be in that situation. I'm 21w pg and my toddler will be 2 or nearly 2 when the twins are born.
I'm sure it'll be crazy! We're similar to you as well--no family near by. I'm looking into some programs I can send my toddler too a few days a week for a few hours. Hopefully we can afford it. Those programs can be expensive sometimes!!!
Other than that, I'm sure I'll be going just slightly nuts
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Congrats on expecting twins!!
At the end of the year, we'll have twins with a 16-month-old and 3 year old. I'm also concerned about trying to breastfeed the twins. Even though I really want to, I'm not sure if it will be the best thing for our family as a whole. But, our twins will be coming at the end of the year right around flu/RSV season, so that's adding the pressure to BF for added immunities. Still not sure what route to go on that one...
Anyway, we'll have 4 carseats in a GMC Envoy (XL). Our plan is to put both of the infant seats right next to each other (if they fit that way!) in the 2nd row, and put our older boys in the 3rd row. Problem with that is: it will be very difficult to get the boys in and out of the car.
I'm a SAHM too, and we've actually been interviewing some mother's helpers from our local university this week and will be next week again. I think we will need someone to kind of save my sanity and help wherever I'm having difficulties for a while after the twins are born. (Maybe driving our oldest to preschool, helping with our older kids, helping make meals, etc.)
It's going to be pretty crazy... but I can't wait! : )
I'm reverse but can totally relate - sahm w/ no family around (oh, and I'm over 35). It's hard enough w/ the 2 boys but I'm frozen at the the thought when #2 arrives.
As for seating - we have a Sienna and will be putting the 2 boys in the way back and #3 in a captain's chair. We'll remove the other bucket seat so I'll have easier access to the boys.
Oh wow, I'm so happy there are others who will have the same kiddo configurations! It just seems like a 24ish month old is lightyears different than a baby even 6mos older/younger than that.........they communicate differently, mobilities differ, level of independence has got to be strikingly different and so on..
I'm hoping to have DD potty trained by then and she's already a fantastic walker, just starting to run. Can navigate steps super well on her own, follows simple directions very well, eats all finger food and can use a fork/knife relatively well etc. She STTN and has a good nap thing goin' on. Takes straw sippies etc. Good sharer. LOVES other kids. I'm pretty enthused to have all of that develop even more by the time her siblilngs are born.
I guess we'll need at least a double stroller now (wanted to avoid it) and already have the Baby Jogger Elite (which is a freakin' heavy beast but dang do I love how it handles) and I know now that I NEED a stroller I can stroll with one hand so probably will look into the double version of that.
I have a small car so three carseats in a row won't work at all so will need something with another row I think..........if anything so we can have that extra room for, god forbid, another passenger besides DH! We'll need the extra room for road trips anyway with all the extra baby crap.
I don't know why I just rambled........just thoughts I'm being bombarded with. If you'd like to share what solutions you've come up with so far, I'm ALLLL eyes, ladies
:::off to triple check that u/s photo again just to make sure it's really twins::::: lol
Congrats!! I know it's overwhelming, but you can do it!!!
I had a 20 month old and a barely 3 year old when my twins were born. We've survived the first six months. It's definitely been hard, but the steps you're taking now will be really helpful. A mother's helper is a great idea, and you might want to look into that type of help for the tail end of your pregnancy too. It's pretty common to be put on some type of bedrest in a twin pregnancy, and that just doesn't gel with taking care of a nearly 2 year old
I almost exclusively BF, and I find that it's easier for our family that way. Because I had breastfed before, I wasn't as anxious as I was for my first baby, and I love the fact that I don't have to be up dealing with bottles in the middle of the night. But, I do supplement with formula when necessary, like when I'm out in public - I'll nurse one baby and feed another a bottle of formula if they're both hungry at the same time. I just plain don't have the time or the desire to deal with pumping! Tandem feeding was a litle tricky, and can be really difficult if your babies aren't latching very easily. I was lucky in that my babies caught on by the time we came home from the hospital. It's a huge timesaver to tandem feed, and I'd say I do it 50% of the time now. The other half of the time, I'm usually walking around while nursing a baby - lovely, but true
since there's always something that needs to be done, and I've mastered cooking/nursing, etc. 
I drive a Dodge Caravan with my older two in the third row and my babies in the middle in the captain's seats. There is still room for us to lean over the babies to buckle the kids in the back, and they can walk to their seats by going between the captain's chairs.
Keep your daughter's nap routine going!!!!! This saves my sanity. My older two take a 3 hour nap together, and I try to coordinate it so everyone is sleeping at the same time for at least 2 hours a day. This is the only time I can do dishes, eat, whatever! I dread the day when my oldest won't take a nap anymore
Most importantly, take it easy during your pregnancy. Especially if you had an easy singleton pregnancy, you might underestimate how different it can be with twins. This happened for me, and I pushed myself way too hard. I was put on modified bedrest at about 30 weeks for a shortened cervix, but ended up going to term at 38 weeks and having a very successful vaginal delivery.
Good luck!!!!
Mom to Megan(5), Bridget(4), Tessa and Annie (2) and Mary (brand new)
Griffin was 2y2mo when the twins were born. DH had 4 weeks maternity leave (one week spent in the hospital) so i had him at home for the first 3 weeks- and Griffin was still in school all day - we decided to keep him in full time during my maternity leave so the twins would get the same alone time with mom that he got as a baby....
when I go back to work i'm only going back part time- so i will have all 3 on monday and tues, then I work every other wed - so my mom will watch the twins every other Wed - and Griffin will be in school W-F every week... the twins in daycare only Th/Fri every week (i'll have the twins alone every other wed that i don't work)... sorry, that was confusing...
soooo- i have rarely been home alone with all 3
I did not nurse- I pumped for the first 4 weeks- but it took up too much energy/time so i wanted to be weaned by the time DH went back to work - and did. We have FF ever since and it's giong great.
Griffin understands that I can't play when i'm feeding the babies- I will still talk to him, read to him, etc- but nothing i need 2 hands for when i'm feeding.
I got the twins on a schedule - so i wasn't feeding all day - just every 3 hours (now sometimes every 4). We followed Baby Wise - and the boys were STTN by 8 weeks- this is key, b/c we are not sleep deprived with 3 kids- helps a LOT.
That's me. My DD was 20 months old when the boys were born. They are now 9 months old.
I EBF the boys - tandem feeding 99.9 percent of the time. I can't handle washing bottles. It's easier for me to just BF them.
Our downstairs is kind of a circle - meaning you can get to another room from the previous room and rooms I want her out of the doors are closed.
So when I BF I just make sure that I have sippy cup for her, a snack and her pacifier. I also make sure i have the phone and remote close by.
I am not ashamed to admit that I will use the TV to keep my DD in my sight if needed. I just put on a favorite show or movie. I did this when the boys would feed for 20-30 mintues. Now it is like 5-10 minutes tops.
We had 2 convertible car seats. They were fisher price but made by Britiax.
We then bought another 1 so we had 3. My DH checked and they all fit in the back of our truck. We also have 2 baby carriers which the boys are close to coming out of at this point.
Our truck is set up the following. Baby seat, baby seat, convertible seat.
My DD is by the window - initially we had her in the middle - but found it was actually easier to have her at the end. The truck is big and for me to have to lift her over 1 of the baby carriers was just to hard.
I have done most of this on my own as have a lot of the women on this board. I am also a SAHM who's DH works from 7 to 7 each day. I got some help in the summer with a friends teenage daughter, but only 1 time a week. We can't really aford help.
But the babies on a schedule/routine from the moment you get home. Yes they are to young but this routine/schedule is more for your sanity then anything else. I had the boys on a 3 hour schedule and woke them up every 3 hours to BF. Once they were in bed it was on demand once we got the okay from the doctor to let them sleep longer.
They started STTN by 14 weeks. Which for me was great since my DD still to this day doesn't STTN.
Try to get everything in order and learn not to worry about how clean your house is or what is for dinner. If it is PBJ it is PBJ.
Good luck!
My dd was 23 months when the twins were born. I am a sahm with all 3 of them all the time. In the beginning I pumped and bottle fed the twins at the same time until I could get down the tandem breastfeeding. Now I can usually just feed one right after the other.
I found the best way to keep my dd occupied while I'm feeding the twins is preparation. I get her everything she might need before I start feeding the babies. You might find it helpful to get a basket with a few toys that she can only play with while you are feeding the twins. You might include some snacks, a drink and anything else you will want close in case it is needed during that time.
It is totally possible to do it. If you can get help, by all means use it. We have a minivan because we could not fit three convertible carseats in our car and it is WAY more convenient. We have dd in one of the captains chairs, the other is stowed so we have easy access to the third row where both infant seats are.
Also I'll just add that our dd was potty trained but has regressed since the twins came home. This is the only area she has regressed in but this sort of behavior isn't uncommon with such a drastic change so just be aware that it is a possiblility even if you get your 2yo to all the milestones you are hoping.
i do. dd will be 22 months when the twins are born. we got the toyota sienna 8 passenger van so all 3 car seats can fit in the middle row at least until she buckle herself and i can get into the back to buckle her.
congrats! ill let you know how it goes when they are born!