How do you read to 2 at a time when they can't sit up yet?

My babies are 5 1/2 months old, and not yet sitting up. I am thus having a hard time reading to them at the same time. If I lay them on the floor and hold the book above them, I can't read the pages. And if I sit on the floor and place them both against my legs, they immediately topple over. Anyone have any ideas? thanks!
Kathleen

 

My babies are 5 1/2 months old, and not yet sitting up. I am thus having a hard time reading to them at the same time. If I lay them on the floor and hold the book above them, I can't read the pages. And if I sit on the floor and place them both against my legs, they immediately topple over. Anyone have any ideas? thanks!
Kathleen

 

Can you lay down between then with the book above the three of you? Do you have a recliner that you can set them in and then you on the side? I definitely can be a challenge! HTH

 

What I did was put them in their bouncers and have it in the inclined position and that worked pretty good. Or if you have bumbos and they like sitting in them, you can give it that a try! GL!

 

I prop mine between each arm and so we are all looking at the same area. Before bed, they sit on DH's lap and I read to them.

 

I also use the Bumbos or I will read each page and stop for just a little bit to hold it above them to look at, then read the next page...etc. Reading to them is so very important!

 

I use the bouncy seats or bumbos and it works fine. I was a second grade school teacher before having the babies. I'm used to reading to a crowd. Try reading some poems to them . . . mine crack up!

 

When mine were that age I would sit them in the recliner, I would sit on the floor and hold the book sideways so they could see it and I could still read it. It worked for us!

 

At that age, I would sit in the middle of my bed up against the headboard and prop them in boppies on either side of me. Enjoy this 'immobile' time...I actually have to strap mine into their carseats now because they just want to get up and tear the book apart!

 

I sit in my recliner with one in each arm and holding the book, too. Not easy but the easiest way for me to do it. I also lay on the floor with me between the two of them and hold the book above us. Another idea is to put them both in their bouncy seat and sit between them.

 

It's not as much about the pictures etc. at this point. It's about the reading and changes etc. in your voice. You can read, then turn the book around to show them....use their feeding chairs or their bouncies!

 

I usually read to them in the morning after their first bottle, so they're already in their boppy pillows. I just look down over the book (and read upside down), or I'll peak around the book to read the words. I agree with pp that the most important part is your voice and the inflection in it. I was amazed that my guys would sit and listen to The Cat in the Hat. The pictures aren't that great, but they were mesmerized.

 

here's a pic

and another


they weren't able to sit up on their own in these pics yet, but I kinda had them lean back into me so my body was supporting them. Now, this doesn't work anymore b/c they're all over, grabbing the pages, pushing each other, etc.

 

I lay them in the boppys and snuggle a blanket around them and then I lay in between them and hold the book up and read it. I've read one of the books so much I have it memorized, so I just sit in front of them either while they are laying down or while they are in the bouncys and recite it for them.

 

Every since the days the girls have come home I have propped them up on a pillow together on the couch. Then I sit beside the couch and hold the book in front of them while I read.

The girls really listen well so I can sometimes just sit in front of them, read the story and then show them the pics.