How to Take Care of Twins in the First Year: the Ultimate Resource
You likely found this page because you’re pregnant with twins or in the first year with twins. If so, welcome – you are so in the right place! We have well over a hundred articles on this site to help you with becoming a twin mom – and this page is curated to be the very best place to start for those looking for what to expect in the first year. Read on for how to take care of twins in the first year: the ultimate resource.
If you want to explore on your own, the best place for all things twin babies on this page is under the “baby” tab. That has a list of all the twin baby posts we have created at TwinWinning. If you’re in a twin pregnancy, start with the “Pregnancy” tab.
Twin Baby Gear
Planning for a great first year with twins often starts during the twin pregnancy phase. One key area to help you prepare for twins is stocking up on the right twin gear.
I say the right twin gear, because not all gear is equal – contrary to what the baby companies want you to believe.
I tend to take a more minimalist view of twin baby products. The only things twin babies really NEED are a few outfits, safe places to sleep, adequate nutrition, and daylight. Most other things exist to make your life easier. Some of them are definitely worth it in my opinion – but many of them are not.
To make things easier, I’ve written extensively about the right pieces of twin baby gear.
It starts with twin pregnancy, including 10 essentials to thrive in your twin pregnancy. When it comes time to deliver your babies, we also have the the twin hospital bag checklist.
In terms of what to register for for twin babies, I took a different approach. Yes, we have a list of the twin baby gear must-haves to make life easier – but we also have the list of what NOT to double for twins. Because truly, you don’t need two of everything.
I even made a “no buy” list of what NOT to buy when having twins. Because I don’t want you to spend your hard-earned money on things that don’t make your life significantly easier.
Now, if you don’t want to click on every link above and want everything gear related curated into one list? We have that covered as well. Check out the Ultimate Minimalist Twin Registry Checklist.
One additional piece you’ll likely want is the Twin Budget Worksheet. Spending on twin gear will make you realize the value of preparing for a family budget once your twins arrive. Having this and knowing what to expect can be extremely helpful in helping you feel secure during this time.
The Early Days with Twins
Ahhh, the early days of twin pregnancy. This glorious, incredible, exhausting, awesome time.
You finally get to meet your twins, their personalities and routines, and you start the physical recovery from childbirth.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the 4th trimester (the 3 month period after childbirth) is a time to recover and focus on your babies. The dishes can pile up, the baseboards can get dirty. Your main focus during this time is to sleep and feed, sleep and feed, on repeat. Most other things can wait.
Keeping in mind everyone’s experience is different, I documented my own experience of what the first month with twins is really like. Take a read if you’d like to see a first-hand experience!
When it comes to the early days, you’ll want to think about what it’s like bringing twins home, and how to set up routines that will set the stage for both you and your twins thriving.
This includes getting everyone on a schedule. It won’t happen from day 1, but eventually you’ll see schedules emerge, starting with 3 naps per day. Eventually, they’ll move to 2 naps, then 1 nap, and we have daily schedules for twins for each of these stages.
We also have a free printable, the Twin Baby Tracker. Simply print it out to track your feedings, diaper changes, sleep, and more (for both babies). Trust me, you think you won’t need this – but when it’s 6am and you’re trying to remember who was fed last and who is behind on sleep (aside from you!), you’ll want it.
Finally, there are many more tips for newborn twins. You can find a lot through exploring this site, but one article I really like is 5 newborn twin tips.
Feeding Twins
Next up in how to take care of twins in the first year is all about feeding your twins. Because let’s be real – feeding can be one of the most time-intensive parts of twin parenting for infants.
The debate between breastfeeding twins or bottle-feeding twins is a large one. I’m not here to tell you which is best for you – because the answer will be different for every mom.
I DO know that breastfeeding two babies comes with its own unique challenges compared to breastfeeding one baby – but it is by no means impossible.
Regardless of which path you choose to pursue, I recommend reading both the 10 best tips fro breastfeeding twins AND the tips for bottle feeding twins alone.
That way, you know the pros and cons of each. It also means you’ll have backup options if your preferred method of feeding your twins doesn’t work out.
Twin Sleep
Sleep with twins – does that really exist?? (only half joking here).
Let’s get real – caring for two babies 24/7 can be hard work. I don’t sugar coat that at Twin Winning – but there are SO many ways to make it easier.
This is especially true when it comes to twin sleep (and twin mom sleep!).
I write a lot about sleep on this site, because I truly believe that when twin moms are well rested, we feel like we can take on the world.
One twin sleep article to get you started is how to get twins to sleep. If you’re looking for a more personal story, check out how I got my twins to sleep through the night.
I also recommend checking out 10 tips to get sleep as a new mom of twins. Because even if your twins are the best sleepers in the entire world (it has to be somebody right??), if you’re not getting your own rest during that time, you’re still going to be absolutely exhausted.
Coping as a Twin Mom
So – you’ve prepared for the early days, you have the right gear, you’ve set up sleep and feeding plans. But what happens when things aren’t working? What happens when you have a hard day, an awful day?
The last category I wanted to run you through on how to take care of twins in the first year is a super important one: it’s coping as a twin mom.
Listen – caring for twins is hard, and there are days where us twin moms struggle. Knowing that ahead of time can help you prepare for it and not let those days knock you over.
Start by thinking about how to survive the first 6 months. Knowing what to expect and having a plan in place is half the battle.
You can also read about what to do when getting overwhelmed as a new twin mom – because it will happen at some point. Just recently I did a poll on our Twin Winning Instagram account. It showed that twin moms of every age group (from pregnancy, every pre-school age, and even school-aged twins) are feeling overwhelmed.
So, it’s not about burying our heads in the sand – it’s about preparing for it, adding in the systems and solutions to get us back to good when they happen.
For example, if your baby just won’t . stop . crying? We have over 20 solutions for when your twins won’t stop crying.
And if you’e curious when twins get easier? We polled our Twin Winning community and revealed the answers here!
Preparing to Thrive with Twins in the First Year
There you have it! The ultimate resource for how to take care of twins in the first year.
Now, if you’re preparing for you own first year with twins, you might want to consider the twin course, How to Thrive with Twins™. We go through all the above and way more, walking you through the 7-Point Twin Plan™:
Registration for the course only opens up twice a year though (Spring and Fall). So, if you’re interested in the full roadmap for how to take care of twins in the first year, hop on the waitlist now to be notified when enrolment is opening.
And congrats mama! The very fact that you’re here, reading this article, shows that you care and that you’re going to be a great twin mom. I’m so happy to help you on this incredible journey.
You’ve got this!
Read Next:
Twin Pregnancy Week by Week Experience
How to Thrive with Twins: Online Class
11 Brilliant Twin Hacks to Make Life Easier
