Twin Resources

Here are some resources for expecting or new twin moms and their families:

BOOKS:

When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, by Dr. Barbara Luke
This book convinced me to switch my care from my slack OB's office to an intense high-risk practice. Quite sure this decision saved the boys' lives at 22 weeks. I cannot say enough about this book (or my MFM's office). Yes, the dietary recommendations are hard to do, but this woman is one of the leading experts on getting your twins to term, and her suggested caloric intake is part of that formula. My MFM even gave me a second copy at our first office visit. It's that good.

Mothering Multiples, by Karen Kerkhof Gromada
The DOZENS of pictures of nursing twins really irked me (dozens? Really? Just a couple would do), but this book is a must if you're planning on breastfeeding. It even has a section on breastfeeding if your babies go the the NICU. I was unable to get my preemies to latch, ever, but this book was still a wonderful resource for pumping and more. When I started to panic about my lack of a bond with the boys, I found a section in there that reassured me what I was feeling was normal. It's hard to fall in love with two people at the same time on just 2 hours of sleep a day.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Dr. Marc Weissbluth
Dr. Weissbluth is directly responsible for me finally falling in love with my twins. When Ren was still not sleeping through the night at 6 months old, I ordered this book. Four days later, I got 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for the first time since the babies were born. Since that day, I've only had to get up with the boys two or three times at night, and only then because they were sick. Dr. Weissbluth is one of the leading sleep doctors in the world, specializing in children's sleep patterns. The biggest key? An early bedtime between 5 and 7. After reading this book, consider Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins, the twin companion. But the original has MUCH more information than the twin version, so you should start with it.

Other Twin Books
I bought several other twin books, such as Juggling Twins and Twin Sense. They were good for some basic information, but I put too much stock in them. For example, one book said to buy baby gowns instead of onesies. So I bought a ton of gowns. And when the boys arrived, I never used one. They just didn't work for us. These books are filled with one mother's opinions, and what works for one doesn't always work for all. One of these days, I am writing a book with multiple opinions so that readers can see several ideas about the same topic. But anyway, I learned more from online message boards, like BabyCenter's Got Twins? board. It's an amazing resource.

WEBSITES:

BabyCenter's Got Twins? Community
I have by far learned the most about twin pregnancies and raising twins from this board. The group is made up of thousands of smart, helpful women (and a few men) who can answer almost any question. Just remember two rules for participating: 1. Look in the group's search bar for the answer to your question before asking (because they see the same questions over and over, and the ladies can only answer "One or two bouncy seats?" so many times before getting frustrated), and 2. Never judge another mother of twins. Ever. If she says she lets her twins eat solid food at 3 months, you can say you plan to do things differently with your babies, but don't criticize. It's a very supportive board and if you don't know it yet, you're going to need all the support you can get. Singleton parents are often not so understanding....

MOMS 
NOMOTC
MOMS Club
I am not fortunate enough to live in an area with club for mothers of multiples, but hopefully you are. If you haven't figured it out yet, you're going to need support. These places are known to be very helpful for new twin moms.


MATERNITY CLOTHES:

I was an Extra Large before I got pregnant, so I had difficult finding maternity clothes large enough to fit those last 2 months of pregnancy (when you start measuring larger than 40 weeks). I lived in Old Navy, as they seemed to be the largest I could find. Even then, though, I fit in just two shirts at the end. But there are now some companies making maternity clothes especially for multiple pregnancies:
Old Navy
For Multiples
Dr. Luke's Maternity for Multiples
Yes, this is the same Dr. Luke who wrote the book I raved about above.


PRODUCTS:

The Buggy Bench
Finally! A solution to grocery shopping that does not involve a stroller! Check out my blog with pictures of this great invention.

Podee Hands-Free Bottles
I didn't use these often because I preferred the bonding time with each baby, but there were times that these bottles were lifesavers.

Summer Infant Video Monitors
Be sure to get an extra camera. You can set the monitor to "Scan" and the image rotates from crib to crib all night long.

Double Snap-N-Go
The "bus" handles most infant car seats, including Chicco KeyFit 30s (although they must be strapped onto the stroller). At only 20 pounds, it's the best stroller to handle after having a c-section. Most twin moms are able to find a second-hand Snap-N-Go on Craigslist, as you can only use it as long as you use infant car seats. I bought mine for $40 and sold it for the same price a year later.