Twin Talks

After getting over the initial shock of being pregnant with twins, most soon-to-be parents want to know if their babies are identical or fraternal. How do medical care providers determine your twin type? What exactly are they looking for during those ultrasounds? How do they determine if your pregnancy is more "high risk" than others? And how accurate are their findings?

Most twin parents agree that getting your twosome on regular sleep schedule is one of the biggest challenges for new parents of twins. What are some of the main issues when it comes to getting twins to sleep as opposed to singletons? What are sleep patterns and what can you expect from your newborns within those first few months? Plus, tips for getting your little ones on a consistent sleep schedule so you can get some shut-eye too!  

You've just learned you're pregnant with twins! Odds are, you're in complete shock. You may be asking questions like, how did this happen? How common are twins? Are they identical or fraternal? And could it happen to me again? Today we're learning all about "twinning", the process of conceiving twins.

Pink and Blue. That’s what we usually think of for girls and boys. But what if you have one of each? Do you have to decorate your twins' room in pink and blue?  What other options are there? And how can you update their room as they become preschool and school-age kids?? 

If you have mo-di twins, you may have already heard by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. It's a complication that can happen during any twin pregnancy in which the babies share a placenta. How are pregnancies diagnosed with this condition? How can it impact your twins? And what options do you have to hopefully remedy the situation and keep your babies in utero for as long as possible?

Working with twins? Is it really possible? Not everyone can afford full-time childcare, so what other options do you have if the traditional model of full-time work isn't an option? Where should you look for jobs that are a little more flexible? How can you adjust your resume if you've been out of work for awhile? And what about the possibility of starting your own business?

You’ve heard all the standard comments about twins:  “Are they twins? Are they identical? Are they natural? Who was born first?”  And you’ve come up with answers to those questions. But what about your kids? How do they respond?  Have you talked to your twins about how to address these questions from complete strangers?

Carrying more than one baby creates a higher demand on an expecting mother’s body during pregnancy. This often includes tapping into her iron supply which can result in iron-poor blood for mama and babies. If you’re pregnant with twins, should you be concerned? What can you do to prevent this condition? Can it be treated effectively?

Needing a full night of quality sleep? This is literally a dream come true for many twin parents. But how do you make it happen? You may have read or heard about sleep training. What exactly is it? What are your options? And does it really work for twins and triplets, or just singletons? Parents of multiples share what works best for them!

No matter how hard you try, sometimes your twins just want to be naked. These little escape artists will strip down to nothing (including no diapers) at a moment's notice. Sometime they don't even care if they're out in public. So, how do you keep their clothes on? Duct tape? Glue? Or maybe wait it out? Our twin parents share what's worked best for them!

Cribs, Co-sleepers, Bassinets, and Bunkbeds. With twins, there’s a lot of equipment and transitions ahead. Should you put newborns together? Keep them in your room or put in the nursery? And when they’re older, when should you separate them? Do they need their own rooms? Our twin parents are here to talk about sleeping arrangements for twins.

Ever wonder if your same sex fraternal twins are truly fraternal? Perhaps you've even considered DNA testing to determine if they are actually identical? So, what's involved in the testing process? How accurate are the tests? And how can the results impact the relationship between your twins?

You're getting ready to send your twins to kindergarten, but are they really ready? How do you know? What if one child is ready and the other isn't, do you still send them both? Do you put them in the same class? Learn how various twin types may react to this new social environment.

Having trouble finding the perfect baby names for your twins? That's because there's double the pressure to get it right! What's trending right now with baby names? And what should you consider when making this big decision? 

Twice the fun and twice the mess (usually)! If you're a parent of toddler twins, it's hard to imagine meal time where the majority of the food actually ends up in mouths rather than lying on the floor. So, how do you keep your twinnies from spitting out the food and throwing their bowls, plates and spoons across the room?