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Nothing can match the excitement when you find out you are expecting…well, except for finding out you will be having more than one baby! If you are expecting multiples, congratulations! You are part of an elite club. Did you know only 1 in every 250 pregnancies results in twins? Even more astounding, triplets are a 1 in 10,000 occurrences!
When you hear your ultrasound technician say they have found more than one heartbeat, yours may stop for a moment. Your head is swimming with images of mountains of dirty diapers and wrangling multiple car seats, strollers, and bottles at once. Take a moment to absorb the shock – it's completely warranted! Once your new reality has sunk in, it's time to prepare.
Fortunately, generations of 'multiples' moms have compiled all of their best knowledge so you can triumph your twin or triplet twisters. Below, we have listed out our favorite pieces of advice for mastering multiples.
1. Prepare Early.
Once the news settles, it's time to get down to business. It feels backward, but you have to do even more prep work with less time than women expecting singletons. While pregnancy typically lasts 40 weeks or longer, on average, twins come between 35-37 weeks and triplets around 33 weeks. Make sure to plan your baby shower with plenty of time to spare. Additionally, the majority of women delivering multiples end up having 'Caesarean Sections' ( also called C-Section), which prolongs labor recovery. Having all of your supplies, birthing plan, and post-labor aid set up well in advance puts you in the best position possible for a smooth transition into parenthood.
2. Keep an Eye on Your Nutrition.
Growing a human is hard; growing multiple humans at the same time is a superpower! Your body is working in overdrive to keep you and your babies healthy. Experts recommend consuming an additional 300 calories a day per fetus. However, make sure these extra calories are chock full of the nutrients your babies need to grow big and strong! Our NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY LIST can help!
3. Don't buy everything two.
Many people have the knee-jerk reaction that because you're expecting twins, you will need two of everything. The good news is that is simply not true.
It is not feasible to buy multiples of every baby item, which will eat up all of your space. Instead, take some time to think through what your new routine will look like with your multiples to help determine what items you will and will not need in twos. For example, you will absolutely need two car seats, two high chairs, and eventually two cribs. However, your little ones can share toys, bottles, and more. On top of that, certain products are being revolutionized to accommodate multiples without having to buy multiple.
Here are some of our suggestions:
