As I crawl my way through the hole of a very sleep-deprived season, I am excited to share a few thoughts with you about what it’s really like having twins and a toddler!
I say this with as much tenderness as possible having just lived through it… having newborn twins and a toddler is hard. Like really hard at times. Looking back, so much of it is a fog of just getting through the day and barely sleeping while navigating all the newness and recovering from a c-section. There were so many sweet and tender moments too but the hard ones were pretty hard during those first 6 months. I’m so grateful for all the help we received and let me tell you, we got help. Finally reaching a season where we have become more independent feels good. We are excited about the days ahead and can’t wait to make more memories. For now, let’s talk about some of the good and challenging parts we’ve experienced the last few months.
Not getting to hold both babies at the same time when they cried was hard. We learned early on that someone was likely going to be crying at all times but as long as their needs were met the best we could meet them, it was okay. I personally do not like to hear my babies cry for very long but when they were so little and I had to start doing things on my own more, I had to learn to be okay with it. In some ways, I grew a bit hardened (forcing myself to be okay with some fussiness) because I had to in that season. As mamas, we learn to do our best and deal with what comes our way the best that we can. We rise to the occasion and are so much stronger than we ever imagine!
Double the nursing was hard at first but has been so sweet! After we got the latch down, which was a huge challenge in and of itself, nursing two babies felt so time consuming because it was! I was on my phone a lot trying to stay awake and entertained so I wouldn’t fall asleep. There was a moment when I thought I would give up or that I would’t be able to make it very long but my mama reminded me to keep my mind set on the day at hand rather than worry about the months ahead. Now it’s one of my favorite times to snuggle them one on one. I’m so glad we made it through the first challenging weeks/month!
Two car seats to buckle, diapers to change, clothes to wash, and babies to nurse in the middle of the night, sleep train, rock as they cried was hard. BUT having two babies to smile at, wake up to, snuggle close, giggle with, watch grow, and interact with is one of the best parts ever! Double the challenges but double the joy!
Our twins have not been great sleepers. Our first daughter was and boy did we not realize how good we had it (despite everyone telling us otherwise)! I’m not sure if it was because I nursed them and they just needed so much milk in the middle of the night or it it’s just who they are but getting up every couple of hours for months on end was one of the hardest things yet. By month 4, we were ready to sleep train and then it got even harder! But about a month and a half later, we are not seeing the work we put into it and sleep/naps have improved so much! For a while there, I didn’t think I was going to make it but I did.
Bringing two babies home with a 2 year old had its own challenges just like it would with one. Thankfully, she liked them pretty early and we had minimal jealousy. I did feel guilty about how much TV we watched and lack of attention I could give her but it was out of necessity and with time, we have adjusted beautifully as a family of 5.
Life is just now really starting to get fun and one of my absolute favorite things about it right now, is being a mama to an almost 3 year old and a set of boy/girl twins! Our toddler absolutely ADORES “her babies” and spending our days together caring for them is one of the sweetest treasures I could have never dreamed up! I don’t know how long this will last but I cherish it *every single day*. She loves to “wake them up” with me and snuggle one in their crib while I nurse the other. She loves to make them giggle and help feed them little bites of food. We love to take them with us wherever we go (she thinks it’s a fun thing and doesn’t realize that we can’t leave them at home ;)). We currently love to play, read books, take baths, and eat lots of baby food. A year ago, I couldn’t imagine this and what a gift it has turned out to be!
Someone told me, when I was a few months pregnant, that they “wouldn’t wish twins on anyone.” At the time it felt like such a rude comment when there was nothing we could do to change our situation. In some ways, I now understand what they were saying. However, I refuse to share those same views and will not be caught saying that to anyone! All you will hear me say is that it is hard but also incredibly sweet and is getting more fun by the day. I couldn’t imagine life without our two precious ones and their sister and I can not wait to see how life unfolds in the future!
