From one to three... help!

I just joined Twinstuff a minute ago. I have three week old fraternal twin boys as well as a one and a half year old little boy. Next week will be my first week at home without any help. Although I am welcoming the idea of taking on all three boys on my own, I am more than worried that I won't give each child enough attention. I have to imagine this is a common feeling for any mom with more than one child.

One question I have for you moms with twins as well as an older child revolves around feeding the babies. I am bottle feeding and would love to have any suggestions and/or tips for feeding the twins. Do you feed them at the same time either propped in a Boppy or bouncy chair? Or do you feed the babies one at a time? I hate the thought of not holding the boys during a feeding. Since I'm not nursing, I would love to maximize any opportunity to bond. But on the other hand, I worry about my little man and the time he will spend playing by himself while I feed each of the babies one at a time.

Any suggestions?

P.S. If there is anyone out there in the Pittsburgh area that would knows of multiples groups I would appreciate it. I live in Moon Township and haven't been able to find a multiples group in my area.

 

:sign0016: to TS and the First Year. My older dd was 26 months when my boys were born. So not quite at young as your little man, but in the same boat as far as attention and needing to feed babies.

When they were that little I could only feed them one at a time. So I fed babies all day long and hired some help for me and my toddler for the first 6 months for 6 hours a day. But once the boys had better head control I would double feed them at first in the Boppy together and then they graduated to the bouncy chairs. I would sit in between them and turn the chairs back to back and rest my elbows on the side of each chair. I also used bottle proppers sometimes to burp one and let the other keep feeding. They got plenty of holding besides just feeding so I didnt feel guilty about not always holding them to feed. When DH was home we each always fed one. Having twins and a toddler is definitely challenging, but it will start to even out at some point.

As far as Pittsburgh TSers (Go Panthers-DH is a PITT grad) you can go to the "members" button up at the top of the page and I think you can search by area. You can also go into our TS Parents Club forum and at the top of that is a TS Gatherings Forum and people post in there from time to time about get togethers. I hope this helps.

Congrats on your boys!!

 

I remember how it was the first three weeks with my dh there. I was really fretting how it would be alone. I did have sporatic continued help with just my TWO but I found the less help I got, the better the day went. Your 1.5 year old boy should be able to help with some minor things like getting diapers and stuff. Make a huge deal of any help he offers! Really talk it up like he just saved the world! You can do it! No advice about the bottles. Good luck!
Jackie

 

:sign0016: to TS!!

Congratulations on your twins!!! :itwins_boys: :itwins_boys: :itwins_boys:

Dianna

 

Welcome to TS!

We have a toddler and twins too. Our son turned one just five days before the twins were born.
We've really let him help us as much as possible and have used this as an opportunity for him to become more independent. He seems to do really well with it so far.

When it came to feedings, once DH was back to work, I fed them one at a time. It worked best for me and also gave me an extra hand if our one year old needed something. We closed off the living room and kept it full of toys for those first few months, just so he had things to do while I was busy and couldn't roam the house. It was a little hard at first, just because whoever got fed second was a little fussy, but eventually they got used to that routine and even now don't seem to have an issue with it.

Hope that helps!
Good luck! It's a lot of work, but it's been so much fun (so far)!

 

I was really nervous the first time I was alone with the twins. My other children are older so all I can offer on that front are hugs, but it can be intimidating. You will make it work, it just kind of comes together. There will be moments but they will pass and you will find your groove.

I feed mine either way. It all depends on if they are hungry at the same time or not. I prefer to feed them one at a time, I feel it is the only time I get to have one on one close time. You can talk to your little guy as you are feeding the babies or have special activities for that time. Maybe when you have help you can spend some one on one time with him as well. He will understand in his own way. GL.

Jen

 

When our girls were small (they're the only two) I would feed them one at a time then we bought the wonderful boppy seats. They are able to lay back in those and I can feed them both at the same time. Of course, sometimes I have to stop to burp one. Our boppy's have begun to flatten a little in the middle so sometimes we have to put a blanket underneath to prop it up a little.

 

Like the previous poster I also feed both at the same time in their boppy pillows. I like to feed them individually but lately they can't wait for each other to eat or the one that is waiting screams bloody murder, so we do double boppy feedings and I stop midway to burp both and give a paci to the one that waits. So far this has worked really well for me.