Have you ever thought that being a mother was exhausting?
Did you ever think that you were never going to sleep again in your life?
What about taking a shower while looking at your newborn and trying to listen if your toddler is still sleeping?
Have you been to the shopping mall and returned home with everything for your baby but nothing for you?
WELCOME TO MOTHERHOOD!
Now, close your eyes and think again about all those situations multiplied by ten.
That’s basically being a parent of multiples.
I’m going to tell you a little about my journey. I’m a mother of 4 (two of them are TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD twins…yes you can feel for me, haha). We tried for our third baby with in vitro treatment and we had the surprise of duplication! Always on the positive side, two for one!
Read carefully… These are a couple of tips to help you deal with the incredible task of taking care of more children than you have arms on your body.
- Never, NEVER, tell a multiple parent you meet, “Oh, that is so much fun, two babies!” Girls, it’s not a good thought for us. Fun? Fun is having a drink with my friends, getting a massage in a spa, sleeping more than 5 hours in a row, changing one diaper at a time and having one bottle of milk to prepare at a time. Speaking of diapers, what you are going to spend is directly proportional to the amount of multiples you have.
- At bath time a great tip is to have everything prepared before: diapers, pjs, food, pacifiers, bed, patience … “ORDER AND PLANNING!” Repeat this with me, “ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING!” It is the key to multiples survival.
- Leaving your home is not an easy task either, nor is finding places where the DOUBLE STROLLER will fit. If you are invited to a café, always take a friend with you. She will be the extra pair of arms that you will need – for sure – guaranteed. (If you can, invite a third friend so you can give yourself the pleasure of eating your food with both hands free).
- HELP. It is essential to surround yourself with EXTRA ARMS. LITERALLY. You will feel that you always need a couple of arms. Again, remember ORGANIZATION and PLANNING are KEY.
- To sum it all up: SMILE. Try to breathe and know that each day gets easier.
I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can tell you with confidence that I have never seen anything in my life quite like the love and union that these two dwarves share.
Multiples are chaotic and exhausting. They take you to the limit of your strength but they are also MAGIC. Welcome to the adventure!
And remember: ORGANIZATION, PLANNING… and a good glass of wine!
