Being the parent of twins is a mixed blessing. On the plus side, you don’t just have one, but two beautiful bundles of joy to shower your love upon. However, an extra child can be a real handful, especially if you weren’t expecting them.
It’s no longer the case that a mother will give birth to twins without prior warning, as they will always be detected by an ultrasound. However, it is common for the second child to go undetected until fairly late in the pregnancy, particularly if they were hiding in an awkward position. Finding out that you are soon to be a parent of two newborn babies can be quite a shock to the system. If you’re a first-time parent then you may feel worried about your ability to cope with the parenting responsibilities.
But fortunately, the phenomenon is more common that you might think, with roughly one in 250 pregnancies resulting in twins. Plenty of mothers and fathers raise happy, healthy twins, so there is no reason why you can’t do the same. If you are feeling anxious about the task ahead of you, here are four parenting tips to help you cope with twins.
Do your research
There are so many resources and tools out there to support parents in all circumstances, no matter what your demographic or financial background. If you’re worried about your ability to care for twins, it’s worth doing some research to find out what sort of help is available. There may be postnatal classes or parenting groups where you can seek advice and support from trained experts. There are also plenty of baby products designed specifically for parents of twins, in order to make their job a little bit easier. This may include items like a double pram, a twin baby carrier, or an extra large play mat.
Ask for help
You don’t have to go through this alone, and if you’re fortunate enough to have close friends and family that you trust, then they should be more than happy to shoulder some of the responsibility. Make sure your partner takes on their fair share of the parenting duties, and ask your loved ones to help babysit or do errands for you if you’re finding it all a bit too much. You are no doubt rushed off your feet and you need your alone time to decompress.
Connect with other parents of twins
You’re not the only person out there that’s given birth to twins, and finding people in a similar situation can help a great deal. Use social media, internet forums, or parenting classes to find other parents of twins and ask them for valuable advice.
Treat each twin as an individual
Being a twin is a unique experience that no one else can really understand. Their whole lives will be intertwined and they will constantly be mistaken for each other at school. It’s important to make sure each twin feels like an individual and they aren’t always lumped together. Buy them their own personal toys and occasionally spend alone time with each one separately.
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