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How to care for multiple newborns

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When you first found out you were having more than one baby at the same time, chances are there were all sorts of emotions and questions flying through your head – many of them centred around just how you were going to cope when your littlies were on the scene. But take heart! It’s definitely possible to thrive amid the delightful chaos.Every situation is unique

Once you’re all home from hospital, the first thing to realise is there’s no one way to do things when parenting multiples. Every baby, every parent and every family environment is individual and you do what is best for your family at the time. However, there are some basic tips and techniques that can help with the unique challenges you face. For example, if your babies are different weights or one has a health concern and the other (or others) doesn’t, you would usually need to feed them at different times or in different ways for a while. If your babies have different temperaments that require different settling techniques, you’ll learn what works best with each.

Managing these issues in the early days is easier with an extra pair of hands, which is why it’s ideal if your partner is able to take some time off work as you initially settle in. If this isn’t possible or you don’t have anyone to help, make it easy for yourself by using gadgets such as swings, a light stroller for moving your babies around the house, rockers and dummies. Carry slings are a wonderful investment, even with twins – you can wear an unsettled twin or when two adults are available, use two slings and go for a walk together.

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Special considerations

Multiple bubs often have lower birth weights and so may have difficulty regulating their body temperatures, with minimal subcutaneous fat layers to keep them warm. Ensure rooms are warm (around 24°C) and that you have plenty of suits and bedding made of natural fibres. Synthetic materials trap in heat and can cause overheating.

You’ll also need to stock up on plenty (plenty!) of nappies. Your babies will need nappy changes every two to five hours, so you could be looking at well over 100 nappies a week for twins and many more with triplets. If you’re reading this ahead of time, why not put in a request for packs of nappies or reusable nappy pants and liners in a variety of sizes for your baby shower?

When it comes to sleep, large cotton swaddling wraps are excellent tools for establishing good patterns during the early months. Your babies will generally be happy sleeping together in the same cot or co-sleeper attachment until around four months of age, but you can have them in separate bassinettes from day one if you choose. Have them sleep in your bedroom, or close by, in the early months as you’ll be up several times feeding overnight. You can help avoid your babies developing cranial flat spots by changing what side of each other they sleep on or sit on when in the cot and stroller.

Related: A to Z of pregnancy surprises

Feeding and cleaning

When breastfeeding, you may need to support and position your babies on a pillow while they’re small, which will also take the strain off your wrists, arms, back and shoulders. It’s usually easier to master breastfeeding one baby after the other, before trying tandem feeding, which is where both babies feed at the same time. A couch, bed or floor will provide the most space for this type of feeding.

With multiples, it’s best to seek professional lactation advice in the early days of feeding as good attachment and feeding comfort is vital for ongoing success. Keeping up your breastmilk supply can be difficult, especially if your bubs were born premmie. You may need an infant formula ‘top up’. But don’t worry, taking away some of the stress of supplying enough milk can actually help increase its production – for more on milk supply.

For bathtime, it’s important to know that bathing multiples in the same bath is impossible to perform safely on your own. If you’re bathing them alone, the easiest and safest thing to do is pop your bath on the floor or a large dining room table or kitchen bench (only before your bubs can roll) and have all the bathing items at your fingertips. You could bathe your bubs one after the other at the same time each day or every few days. You could also bathe one baby at a time after different feeds each day or on alternate days. Remember that your personal hygiene is also important, but some days you may not get a shower and actually end up staying in your PJs all day. Other days you’ll get organised and hop into the shower before your partner goes to work or during the babies’ first morning sleep.

You are your babies’ first and most important teacher, but don’t worry if you feel you don’t have time. Attending to their needs with your gentle touch, warm smile and soothing voice says a lot. If it becomes too difficult and you find yourself struggling, speak up and seek professional advice from your GP or health nurse. Your babies need you to be healthy.

The first months home from hospital are going to be tough. Parenting multiples can be an overwhelming responsibility, so there may be tears from you as well as your babies. Join your local Australian Multiple Birth Association group for support, and accept any offers of help – and pin those offers down to a time and action straight away. Employ help or outsource duties if you can and give yourself time to adapt. It’ll all come together in time.

Jan Murray is a child and family health nurse and midwife with a passion for helping and nurturing young families. She runs online parenting resource Settle Petal, offering information and advice for parents of babies and toddlers.