How to take care of your twins

Handling twins may be less difficult than you think through a little patience and determination.Some dos and don’ts on parental tips for twins:

Dos:

• Your babies may develop language skills more slowly than the singletons because of prematurity, birth weight or other factors. Speak and read regularly to each baby to help prevent the delay in language development.
• Encourage individuality. Give them distinctly different names.
• Spend time alone with each twin so that they know they are important as individuals and not just as twins.
• Try giving them their own toys and encourage sharing as they become older.
• Give your twins separate gifts and cakes on their birthday.
• Unfortunately, many twins are born before their due dates. If your twins are born premature, be sure to maintain regular health care appointments and keep an eye on their nutrition, development and growth.
• Expect to go on a bit of an emotional roller coaster, which is perfectly normal. In time, your emotions will begin to settle down. Be sure to find time for sleep and take every opportunity to rest.
• Talk to your partner about your feelings and problems
• Find other parents of twins to talk with as you can get many helpful tips from them.You may also want to subscribe to books and magazines about taking care of twins.

Don’ts:

• Avoid addressing them as “the twins”. Refer them by their names as it will help them to learn that they are different individuals. Do not pick names that rhyme or sound alike.
• Avoid dressing them alike, for the same reasons above.
• Do not make comparisons between the twins as it may create competition between them.
• Do not forget the older siblings in the family. Try to set aside time regularlyto be alone with them.

Taking care of yourself Oh Mom:

To provide the best care to your babies, it is crucial to take care of yourself. Mothers of twins are more likely to suffer from “baby blues” or “postpartum depression” than the single mothers. You may feel a little depressed, easily upset or worried, lose appetite or find that you cannot sleep well even when your babies are asleep. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek your doctor’s help.

Source: Dr. Sonia

Related posts: