Caring for twin babies is a lot of work. There are two mouths to feed, two diapers to change and two different cries to soothe. So don't be afraid to get help from friends, family or a nanny. “I thought I should be able to handle it all while my husband was at work,” Szydlik recalls.
Moms of multiples will tell you that the first three to four months is a stage of pure survival mode and sleep deprivation. The babies are colicky, gassy, and don't even offer a smile in return. Tandem breastfeeding is awkward, and you still have to cradle their heads.
The reality is that raising multiples is hard. You have double or triple the feeding, diapering, and laundry and, as a result, less time to spend cuddling and getting to know each baby. To be sure, there will be days when you feel as if you're walking up a down escalator.
Since embryo splitting is a random spontaneous event that happens by chance, it doesn't run in families. Genes are not involved and there's no scientific evidence that being from a family with identical multiples has any impact on your odds of having twins.
“Having twins is not twice as hard—it's exponentially more difficult,” says Natalie Diaz, author of What To Do When You're Having Two and CEO of Twiniversity, a global support network for parents of twins.
You'll Be Feeding Babies All Day
Whether you decide to breastfeed or bottle-feed, expect to spend a lot of your time on feeding. Newborns need to eat 8-12 times a day (and night), and you have two newborns. You can see how that adds up to a lot of time. To this I say, this time will pass.
Twins and other multiple-birth individuals can suffer from much deeper and troubling loneliness than single-born individuals. Separation anxiety, which often begins at birth, is the underlying cause of loneliness for twins.
This is called co-bedding and is perfectly safe. In fact, putting twins in the same cot can help them regulate their body temperatures and sleep cycles, and can soothe them and their twin. If you put your twins in the same cot, follow the same safe sleeping advice as for a single baby.
For women born 1870-1899, moms of twins averaged reproductive spans of 14 years 11 months versus 14 years for singleton moms. Both results were statistically significant. Moms of twins also were older at the time of their last birth.
A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).
Milk supply works on the principle of supply and demand. Breastfeeding tells a mother's body to produce more milk in response to her baby's (or babies') needs. With two babies, more milk is removed from the breasts, so more milk is made.
Try some baby-soothing tactics
Try singing or reading to them, giving them a little massage, doing a funny dance to entertain them or even taking them outside for some fresh air. Just remember that what works for one baby may not work for the other, so you may have to try something totally different for each infant.
May 24 (UPI) -- According to research published on Tuesday, mothers who give birth to twins are more lucky than they are biologically unique -- a conclusion that goes against previous research done on the issue.
Your first year of raising twins will be tough. Expect less sleep, as your world will revolve around feeding your twins, burping them, changing them and putting them to sleep, all while constantly washing two sets of everything from clothes to feeding bottles. Financial costs are also higher with twins.
It's a good idea to leave a period for rest and relaxation at the end of your pregnancy, and most people who've experienced this recommend stopping work at some time between 28 and 30 weeks.
Taking parental leave
Each parent can take up to 18 weeks for each child. If you take it, it should be: in blocks of a week at a time. a maximum of 4 weeks a year for each child.
According to Stanford, the likelihood of twins during any particular pregnancy comes from the mother, because, as they put it, "A father's genes can't make a woman release two eggs." If you're the woman who is trying to conceive though, it's not just your mom's genetics that matter.
Having two babies at a time is associated with a longer life, according to a new study. But that's not because doubling up on dirty diapers increases life span; instead, moms of twins are physically stronger in the first place.
What are the benefits for the twins? Their buddy is always there. They've known each other since they can remember and that is very comforting. They are also a little more social than the average child since they are used to being with another kid since the beginning.