DOUBLE BONUS

DOUBLE BONUS
TWINS
Bringing them home
The excitement of the birth is over. It’s time to go home to organise cribs, nappies, feeding patterns… Get in extra help
Even with a supportive husband, with twins, a mother needs another pair of hands (as many as possible, actually!). The whole ‘feed-burp-clean-change-put to sleep’ routine becomes a mammoth task with two babies. So don’t burn yourself out! You won’t achieve much if you try to do everything and then end up as an exhausted heap in a corner within a few months.
Cut down on fancy garments and other luxuries if need be, but get in hold that experienced hand: Ask parents and in-laws to chip in. After all, there’s no substitute for experience, even if you’ve read a dozen books on raising twins! Remember your mother-in-law has brought up children too (you are married to one!) and they’re in all likelihood doing fine - so learn to let go.
Getting micro-organised Wipes, nappies, bottles, piles of baby clothes strewn around, one whining baby plus a howling one… Your home looks tornado-struck. You’re running around in circles wondering what on earth to do. Relax - it need not be as nightmarish as this! But only if you know organisation is the key. There is no hard-and-fast rule; every household must come up with its own solution. But here are the basic concerns: Sleeping arrangements: If your babies are wide awake at night, it’s a good idea if you and your husband take turns seeing to them. ‘It’s best for infants to sleep with their mother, but if that’s not possible and they’re restful in their crib, that’s fine too.’ You may want to pull up the crib and join the open side to your bed.