What to Expect in the First Year
Welcoming a newborn in the family can be both exciting and daunting. Many parents admit it’s quite overwhelming during the first year — so how much more stressful is it if you have twins?
Caring for twin babies is hard work, especially during the early years. Having twins means exerting twice the effort and spending twice the resources you would dedicate to a solo baby.
There are many things to know and expect in your twins’ first year. We collected everything twin-baby parents should know during their babies’ first year.
Invest in baby gear
Baby swings, wraps, and carriers can help if your twins struggle to sleep in their cribs and bassinets during bedtime. Mobiles and bouncers can also help entertain one of your babies while you are accommodating the other. For instance, they can be helpful when you change one baby’s nappy and the other one can be distracted while you work.
You can also invest in gear like baby seats to foster the independence of your twin babies and keep them safe and comfortable from points A to B. Maxi Cosi offers a convenient Melbourne delivery service so that you can have your new baby seats delivered to your door.
Sync the twins’ schedule
You will likely feel exhausted halfway, so it will also be easier to synchronise the twins’ schedule. This means feeding them, putting them to sleep, and waking them up simultaneously. You can also get them active by encouraging play for both babies on the same schedule.
This would familiarise them with a routine — plus, they can connect with each other and nurture twin telepathy as early as their first year. It will also benefit you; you can offload some of the repetitive work for the day.
Nurse or bottle feed them in tandem
With twin babies, tandem feeding can save mummy lots of time. For a more convenient feeding session, you can use a nursing pillow for twins to nurse them hands-free.
If one baby finishes before the other, you can burp them by sitting them on a pillow or holding them up to your shoulder. You will get satisfaction knowing both twins get equal care and attention with tandem feeding.
Use a twin stroller
There will be times when you need to bring your babies with you to run errands. It will be daunting, but a twin stroller can help you finish your tasks.
A twin stroller also allows you to exercise and give your twins a healthy amount of Vitamin D to absorb phosphorus and calcium. Dress them with breathable clothing and cover them with a wide-brimmed hat to keep them comfortable.
Ask for help with bathing
Bathing two babies simultaneously can be challenging — you will need help with this chore. Couples will need to collaborate on bathing twin babies. One could take charge of bathing them and the other drying and changing their clothes.
However, for those caring for twins alone, getting everything ready before bathing them is essential. Prepare the nappies, baby clothes, moisturizer, and other essentials so that you won’t have a hard time.
After the First Year: What to Expect
After their first year, there will be lots of exciting developments in your twins’ abilities. Learn more about what to expect after twelve months of twin life.
It gets harder and easier at the same time
After a year, your babies can explore things independently or with their twins. However, as they become more curious, it could get messy — this means more clean-up tasks for you. There will also be instances when they fight over things like toys, so you better start working on patience during their first year.
Expect more fun
As the twins learn to communicate and interact with each other, you will witness many amusing moments. They will burst into laughter just by looking at each other and cackle nonstop while playing, giving you a daily dose of joy.
You will find your feet
After a year, it will be easy to identify which twin is which. Besides who’s who, you will also get accustomed to your routine, making your everyday tasks easier.
You will likely be able to distinguish the emotions of each baby, knowing who needs immediate attention just by hearing their cry.
Final Thoughts
Caring for twin babies can be exhausting, but a double bundle of joy can bring a double dose of happiness to the entire home. Ensure you know what to expect in the first year so you can care for them more efficiently as they grow.
Remember that the most challenging part of the process is the beginning, but once you get used to your routine with your twins, the experience will be more fun than daunting.
