Blog Archives - Page 4 of 33

October 16, 2023

Things to take to the NICU or SCN for twins and triplets

Are you possibly facing a stay in the NICU or SCN with your twins or triplets?

Twins and triplets have an increased chance of needing a stay in acute care. This can be due to early delivery, no birth weight or complications during delivery. The time that you will spend in special care depends on the needs of your little ones. It can be a difficult time for everyone involved, but your babies are in the best place they can be. If you are looking at an extended stay in the NICU or SCN you might want to be prepared.

Check out our list of things to take to the NICU or SCN for twins or triplets.

Things to take for twins or triplets in NICU

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October 10, 2023

C-section for twins or triplets: Things you may not expect.

Over half of multiple birth deliveries result in needing a c-section for twins and almost all triplet births. This can be for a number of different reasons including sizing, early delivery, personal choice and emergency c-sections when there are issues that arise.

Having a c-section can be daunting for mums to be and the thought of it can be worrisome. However, delivering your babies and looking out for both the health of mum and bubs is paramount. It may be the safest way to deliver your babies. When it comes to having a c-section for twins or triplets, you will receive a lot of advice and recommendations from the doctors. They will talk you through the procedure, the preparation, and the healing time. But what about the things you didn’t expect during your c-section? The things no one mentioned? We asked our community at Parents of Multiples Australia what they didn’t expect during their c-section and how they felt. These are their personal responses.

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September 1, 2023

Official things to do after having twins or triplets

Having a baby is an exciting time. Having two or more babies at the same time is truly spectacular!

Your life has now changed. There are different things that are now a priority. A new routine that you need to work out. And then work out again because it didn’t work the first time. There are things to learn, milestones to reach and lots of love to give. But there are also a few official things that you need to do after the birth of your babies. And I am not taking about the official Facebook post announcing their birth. While this official Facebook status seems to be OK for relationships, the various government departments won’t accept that! When you have a baby – or two or three- your word for it isn’t quite enough!

There is only one negative about having twins or triplets as far as I am concerned. And you are about to learn this rapidly when undertaking the the official things to do after having twins or higher order multiples. It is the duplicate paper work!! Filling out the same form time after time again, then (in your sleep deprived state!) having to go back and double check you have one filled out with each name etc.

To help you, here is a list of the official things to do after having twins or higher order multiples

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August 11, 2023

When one twin gets an award and the other doesn’t

Note: This article refers to twins, but applies to triplets as well. In fact, there is more of a chance with triplets that one will get an award and the other two won’t.

When your child comes home with an award, it is always a time for celebration. The excitement, achievement and confidence that comes with getting an award is something worth celebrating. However, it can be difficult at times when you have twins or triplets and only one of them gets an award. It can cause the others to become upset that they missed out. Missing out comes in many forms throughout childhood and it is important to talk to your children about opportunities and how they vary from person to person. Check out below some tips on what to do when one gets an award and the other doesn’t.

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June 6, 2023

Your relationship after having twins or triplets

After having your babies and bringing them home, your life will have changed a lot. There are a bunch of new routines to learn, different priorities and then there is the lack of sleep. So much lost sleep!

The first few months at home with your babies can be rocky as you are settling into the new routine and change of lifestyle. There may be times when your relationship feels like it is also changing.

Does it every feel like your relationship changed in the months after bringing your babies home? Did things get better or worse with your partner? A changing relationship after having twins or triplets can happen for a number of reasons.

Your relationship after having twins or triplets

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June 1, 2023

Starting solids with twins or triplets

Starting solids with twins or triplets is a exciting milestone. It is a time where you can start introducing your babies to different textures, flavours and help them to build different skills. Learning how to hold different foods, learn the skills around eating and give them some independence.

Deciding when to start solids can be a confusing time. There is a lot of different information and recommendations that you will see – some times it is hard to know what to follow.

Here are a few tips we have for starting solids with twins or triplets.

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May 22, 2023

Owed to a Mum

Author: Abbey Free

As I lay in bed,  I find my mind race 
I’m exhausted by life being so fast pace
But when it slows down, even for a day 
I find myself not even wanting it that way 

Being a mum, comes wherever you go…
Even at night when times running slow 
You want to switch off, you want to have a break 
But you’re minds always going, how much more can I take

But then when you wake up and your kids smile at you
You know there’s nothing in the world you’d rather do 
Times goes by so incredibly fast
& you start to realise this time doesn’t last 

In the blink of an eye your baby is gone 
And then the next stage, well it doesn’t last long 
You want to soak it all in, and enjoy every day 
But there’s lots said in society that get in your way

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April 20, 2023

Vaginal birth with twins at 36+5 weeks

Author: Kara Lambert

When I found out I was pregnant with twins at my dating scan, I was both excited and terrified. My previous two babies were born early (at 34-35 weeks) following premature rupture of membranes and both required some weeks in NICU/special care, so I knew there would be even a higher risk of preterm birth with twins. My second baby in particular was a fast labour, and both times my waters broke spontaneously out of the blue, so I’d pretty much been waiting for this to happen with the twins at any time. I spent a lot of my twin pregnancy anxious, googling outcomes of babies born very preterm!

My preference was for a vaginal birth with twins

My first two babies were both born vaginally, and my private OB and I had previously had discussions about trying for a vaginal birth with the twins (which I wanted), but I was advised I would need an epidural in case twin 2 needed help birthing or moved around in my uterus after twin 1 was born. I was ok with that, given I wanted to avoid a c-section if possible. Luckily both twins were head down from about 28 weeks which made attempting a vaginal birth with twins possible.

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March 28, 2023

Getting out the door with triplets. Triple the fun, triple the challenge!

Getting out the door with triplets easily

If you’re a parent already, you know firsthand how challenging it can be to get everyone ready and out the door on time. Between feedings, nappy changes, and outfit changes, it can feel like a never-ending cycle of chaos. Add in three babies, and that chaos can become overwhelming. But fear not, because with a few simple tricks and some careful planning, you can streamline your routine and get your triplets out the door with ease.

Whether you’re a seasoned parent of multiples or just starting out on your journey, read on to discover how to triple the fun and tackle the challenge of getting out the door with triplets.

If you haven’t already, I suggest you check out WonderFold Wagons, as they make being out and about so much easier. You can check them out here.

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February 13, 2023

Triplets, Twins and Toilet Training- tips, tricks and checklists to ensure a smooth transition

Author: Angelique Woodburn from the Midnight Gang

Ah toilet training! I think every parent you speak to will have some kind of toilet training story! It is such a hot topic amongst parents and strangely can come with so much pressure. If you have a toddler (or two or three!) you will no doubt have heard the question ‘are they toilet trained yet?’ Often from a well meaning friend or family member, but it can be really frustrating and often triggering when these kinds of questions or comments come your way. So, how do you know if your child/ren is ready for toilet training? What will you even need? And how do you manage toilet training with twins? Below are my top tips and checklists I have compiled over the years of working with twins as a nanny and also with my own three children.

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