how do you handle when they both are screaming?

Just wondering how other twin moms handle this?? IF they are hungry I will sometimes put them both in there seats and feed simultaneously but then burping is an issue so I will work on one put down the other and switch...Waiting for the bottles to warm up is sometimes an issue it takes at least 3-5 minutes.. So then I have to try to pick one up and sooth the other with the binky. They sometimes will start doing high pitched cries when its been a little longer and I Feel bad but only have two hands. How does everyone else handle this??

 

Triage. Whoever needs me more is who I go too, the other will cry. It's hard, but like you said only two hands.

 

I also triage. And I serve bottles straight from the fridge so less waiting for them.

 

sing!

i know that sounds glib but seriously, if i knew i was moving as fast as i could and i only had two hands and couldn't soothe both, i would sing at the top of my lungs along with their screaming. because at some point you're doing as much as you can and all you can do is roll with the punches. as PP said, you prioritize by need and try your best to address whoever is most in need, and maybe that means you put one in a bouncy chair and bounce with a foot while you feed/rock the other in your arms. and if the screaming still won't stop, SING!

 

I agree singing/talking are great in my book! I know even know if Annabella falls, etc and starts crying, I start singing the "ABC's" she almost instantly stops. It's like magic! My boys were huge spitters. It was awful. I had many times when both boys were screaming due to hunger. I would heat up the bottles(I would try to heat them up ahead of time as I knew when they were going to feed) on the counter in a hot cup of water. I would remove the couch cushions, and then prop both boys up in the Boppy. I would hold both of their bottles. When it came time to burp, I would raise them both up and put one over my shoulder, and the other over my lap and burp them. Ohhhh the memories! LOL! Or, I would burp one, and have the other bottle propped under the other one. Does that makes sense?

One other thing that really helped-I would hold them both, even as they got a bit older, and DANCE. It almost instantly soothed them.

 

It's the worst when they are crying and you can't soothe both, right? One trick I've started using is getting the bottles out ahead of time, like way ahead of time. We're using expressed breast milk so it might be different than formula but once I'm done with a feeding, I know they'll eat again in 3 hours so I get out the next bottles. Then they are up to room temp within an hour or so and we're ready to go.

Also, singing, I agree, is a great trick. I totally surprise myself at the songs I sing- I just can't remember the words to most songs so I'm singing whatever I can remember (probably inappropriate songs for kids!). They love it.

Lastly, they might just have to cry. You're right, when you're feeding both in the chairs (or whatever) and you need to burp one, the other is just going to have to wait. There's nothing you can do about it. So they might just have to cry for a few minutes. It's not a great solution but they will be ok. (they really will). Think about all the families that have triplets or more--there is always a crying baby in those houses. Not that we want the babies to cry but they will be alright for a few minutes. It gets easier as they get older and you will get used to their cries. Again, not ideal but survival is the name of the game.

 

:good: This is the best word ever for the situation. I have never heard it that way. Totally true.


Hang in there. It will get better. I also served out of the fridge when they got a bit older. But when they were small, I also tried to anticipate when they were going to do a feeding and then get it ready ahead of time since it can sit on the counter for a bit.

 

Hi everyone thanks, I never even thought to try singing! :FIFblush: Hmmm, have to try that..