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Multiples
crystaleyes39
member
How you manage w/ twins?
crystaleyes39
member
in Multiples
So lately I've been feeling a bit down in the dumps. I have 7 month old twins and feel like it's next to impossible at this age to really take them anywhere by myself. Anytime I do, I feel like I ran a marathon and never want to do it again. My girls still aren't fully sitting up on their own unassisted...so I cant just plop them in a shopping cart or sit them in a high chair. My husband works horrible hours and is gone everyday from 12pm until 11pm at night. My question is how do you manage getting out w/ your LO's when it's just you? ANy tips on how to make it easier?
Thanks in advance!
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Re: How you manage w/ twins?
The only place I've gone with them on my own is to the store once and it was a store that had a double cart so I could sit them both in the top part. I just used my purse and blankets to prop them up. That was a couple of months ago and since then I haven't taken them anywhere on my own, but my H has regular hours.
Do you have family or friends close by who could join you on outings? What about taking the stroller into stores so that you don't have to worry about them sitting? What about a multiples group or a mommy and me group? If you go to one of those I'm sure it would be easier to get help because of all of the extra hands there.
honest truth, my wife and I dont take them out alone if we dont have to and our girls just turned one. The reason for this is because of that overwhelming marathon feeling. So if we have to do a errand or something either one of us stays home with lo's or we all go. Our rational is why add stress or overwhelm ourselves.
I will say I know the feeling when ya just wanna get out . My wife went out of town for business and I was solo and I just wanted to go somewhere and I could of but i realized that its would just be smoother and calmer and better if I wait for her to get back. Thats our Take
our Blog -http://dosbabies.wordpress.com/
Oh girl, I feel ya. Mine do sit up unassisted but still so limited on what I can take the out to do. I tried to take them to a little zoo this week and it was a total bust. So many things they could not do because it was just me. I do take them to story time at the library every week and that works well. When they couldn't sit up, I would just prop the against my legs. We go to target a lot and that's when I really appreciate the big basket in contours stroller. Im trying to get out as much as possible to get used to it.
I just make surely trips anywhere are short and I'm full of patience.
This is me. I would lose my ever-loving mind if I didn't get out frequently. We usually do something daily.
I also have a Combi Twin Sport stroller and take the boys everywhere in it. We go to the mall, zoo, aquarium, Target, the grocery store, BRU, wherever. Now that they are old enough I use double carts when I can, but before they could sit up I used the stroller and either dragged a shopping cart or just put everything in the basket of the stroller or in bags I hung from it.
Did they sometimes have double melt-downs? Yes, but I never take them places that aren't kid-friendly. And you can always leave if it's a bad day. Now people are always commenting at how well my kids do out and about, and I really think it's because they are so used to it. They expect trips out and enjoy seeing the world.
I do think its difficult to take them out alone. I guess it gets better the more you do it. My girls are out of infant carriers but I'm having luck with one in a shopping cart and one in the backpack carrier.
My girls get bored and lose it if I stay home all day so I make a point to get out at least once a day to go walking at the mall if nothing else.
They cry if they are tired/bored/hungry but unless it is hungry they usually calm down really well if I take them out in the stroller or in the car. Its their personality I guess that makes going out doable/necessary.
That said, I still make sure they get the majority of the naps in their cribs at home. People keep telling me (singleton parents I should clarify) that movement sleep is "junk" sleep......I'm sorry but I would go crazy if I didn't allow for one "on the go" nap since they only have 1.5-2 hours awake time at a time. Its life and I figure my sanity is important and I don't have to follow everything "by the book."
Ever since they were 3 months, I would just feed them and go out right after a feed. There certainly have been times we'd have to bail, but they would fall asleep in the car or it was because they got hungry before we got home. Maybe go with someone the first few times in case you need an extra set of hands. Or start with walks outside so you don't have to deal with getting them in and out of the car.
This is coming from someone who didn't take the babies out in public at all until they were 8 or 9 months old.
I remember the MoM's with older kiddos here would say, just do it! The more you do it, the easier it will get. It's true.
Plan on one or two small errands with them right after breakfast and their first nap. Take them in the stroller and go get some fresh fruit or milk at the grocery. Go the pharmacy, go walk around the outdoor mall mindlessly for an hour. Anything to get out of the house with them for 45 minutes to an hour a couple of days a week.
This aspect never gets easier-just the norm and the more you do it, the more of an expert you become.
I always try to go during the mornings, after they've had breakfasts and their bottles so they are generally in a good mood and a little bit sleepy.. Stores are usually less crowded then.
My girls are also still in their Snugride carseats so that makes a big difference. I put one in the top basket of the shopping cart and one in the lower part, both facing me. If there are no decent carts (ie small ones at Walgreens) I use my double umbrella stroller.
I also have a diaper bag that will clip around the shopping cart handle and have it ready to grab whatever thing they need to keep them quiet, paci, mum mum, bottle, etc.
I get more aggravated with onlookers who won't move out of the way, like I am there for their amusement...
It's not easy, but it gets a little easier. Now it's no big deal.We've even survived our first family trip to Chuck E Cheese!
Haha I have too done this! And I know I am lucky as well I wouldn't trade being a mom of twins for anything in the world, but definitely do have my poor me days. I will definitely try what people are saying and "just do it" I dont want my girls not used to going out and about then it only will be harder on me when we finally do. I still try to get them out a couple times a week but usually when my hubby is home to help...Tomorrow will be day one of my first outing w/out anyone. Fingers crossed it goes well!