Settling into a routine

[meggiestwins]

Hi

I'm new to mums net and am mum to Meagan who's 3 and Oliver and Rebekah who are almost 6 weeks old. Life is chaotic and I want to start to settle them into a routine so that our lives have some sort of structure.

Any of you twin mummies able to give me some advice on how do attempt this realistically?

Thankyou

[FrumpyGrumpy]

OOh just saw this but I already replied on the do you ever thread.....

[mumof4faeries]

It never stops does it, I have twins who are about to turn a year old, and 2 other daughters aged 4 and almost 6, my twins were born prematurely, 13 weeks early and it was 11 weeks before they were allowed home - we did about 2 months of having to feed at 10pm and again at 2am but the 2am feed soon dropped, the routine now is up at 7.30am, they have brekkie and bottle at 8am, lunch at midday then dinner at 4pm with another bottle, then bottle at 6pm and down to bed. We actually have a very good routine and are lucky but to be honest, having 4 young children is so demanding, we have had to set the routine and luckily, all 4 go along with it with no fuss atall, if you want to email me, feel free, I also run a group for twin mums called Peekabootwins, its online, and completely free, we are all really friendly, my email address is [email protected]

[mandybagpuss]

Well I suggest not to feed on demand, its all well and good with one baby, but with 2 and an older child it'll be a little wearing. I stuck to every 3 hours, I fed them at the same time (BF) with a twin breastfeeding pillow, if they eat the same time hopefully they'll be napping at the same time. If you bottle feed then one after the other with a dummy in case the other baby goes mad. Give them a bath at the same time every day. I used to do it at 5pm so as not interfere with Eastenders ha ha. I used to put towels on to our double bed, lay out all the creams nappies etc, made the room nice and warm, put some chill out music on low, low lights etc. then bring the plastic bath in and put it on the bed, that way you can see both babies and it is a soft surface. I always changed into a clean babygro at night so they got used to 'nightime' clothes. one drop of lavender essential oil in the moses basket, swaddle with a soft flannel sheet and bob s yer uncle. They'll be out like two candles.
There's not much else you can do at their age, and you need to recover, I wont say rest as I know it is almost impossible with 2 new babies. And an older child to boot. I spent about two months on the sofa, boobs out every 5 minutes, looking absolutley hideous. Its hard at first then magically one day it'll all fall into place. xx

[zamed]

I'm new to mumsnet too, with almost 8 week boy/girl twins. And breastfeeding. And 3 older girls. Does there ever come a day when you get out of the house for more than an hour at a time? I have no qualms about feeding one in public - but TWO ? Or before it's time to come home again?
I have begun to try a routine - same as you, mumof4 - bath at approx the same time, one after the other, hubby helps, or one of older girls; then massage, clean babygrow, feed and hope for the best! I also think getting the timing right is important. Last night must've been too early - it took two hours to settle them...but we didn't get up until 10am 9a bad night!) and i started bedtime at 7pm.
better luck tonight!

[sparklemum72]

Hi Zamed
Well its 3.37am and have just fed twin 1 and any minute now... I am bottle feeding after a time of breastfeeding as i just felt like i had no life. My boys are 9 weeks and i feed them at 7 after bath and wake them at 10.30 ish then its still 2.30 - 3am and again at 6am. I find that if you let them have a long sleep they still need the same amount of feeds cos they need the calories at this stage.
Have you thought about bottle feeding with your expressed milk for public? You can have them both in car seats and tandem feed.. i find it quick and easy, plus if your with somoeone they can help. Breast feeding twins in public is very hard. Discretion is out!

[zamed]

I find it almost impossible to find the time to express at the moment (mine lovely twins are just 9 weeks) and getting the timing right so that I'm not stealing what they are just about to wake up for...
I have found, so far, that they haven't both needed feeding at once when we've been out. Maybe I've just been lucky?
My daughter is now almost sleeping through the night, but I still have to wake for my ds. He does not seem inclined to give his poor mum any more than 3 hours at a time. My dd then feeds every 2 1/2 - 3 hours during the day to make up for going 8 hours in the night - you can't win can you?
Never mind, I do feel we are getting into some kind of routine...there is light at the end of the tunnel!