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Multiple births

Toddler twins

34 replies

jumblejam · 24/01/2013 16:57

We have 1yo ID twin boys. They're beginning to get around a bit but having seen some of the slightly older babies at play group I'm absolutely terrified of what's to come; climbing all over everything, into every drawer. tipping up all the boxes. You get where I coming from? How on earth do you cope when you have two of them going in different directions and causing all sorts of mayhem? Has anyone who has got through the the other side of having toddler twins (or more) got any tips please? I'm terrified!! Thanks x

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LaVitaBellissima · 24/01/2013 17:02

Gin not joking I have 2 year old twins!

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bigboobsatlast · 24/01/2013 19:45

Hi jumble. My id boys are nearly 9 months and I also have 'the fear' . Mine are nowhere near crawling or cruising but I know the day will come when I will no longer be welcome anywhere but my own bomb site home.

Hope others have a positive experience / coping techniques to share

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bluerememberedthrills · 24/01/2013 19:51

Mine are 20 months and yes climbing all over everything and falling off things and pulling open drawers.
But they are tougher than they look, I've found, and learn to respond to 'no'.
Tips: baby proof the house as far as possible, reins or buggy on the road and run them ragged somewhere safe.
But I have given up going to cafes for now.

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ceeveebee · 24/01/2013 19:52

At home - massive playpen, make everything safe eg fix tv to wall, furniture to wall, move everything breakable and edible up a level

At playgroups - go to quieter smaller groups where you know they cant escape - and relax a bit - once they're crawling/cruising/walking they will fall over and get the odd bruise. I spent a lot of time in parks as they could just crawl on the grass.

If you haven't already mastered the art if carrying one under each arm like pigs then get practising- make sure you bend at the knees or you'll do your back in

Mine are 14 mo, not yet walking - when they do I'm getting reins

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HappyAsASandboy · 24/01/2013 19:58

You also learn to move fast! I never sit down now.

One tip for when you're out and running around - stay close to one child at all times. Then when you need to chase the other one, you can scoop the chd your with and run to the other one. There is no feeling more helpless than standing in a large playground/park with toddler twins running in opposite directions. ALWAYS STAY NEXT TO ONE OF THEM SO YOI CAN SCOOP AND RUN!

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TwelveLeggedWalk · 24/01/2013 22:06

"If you haven't already mastered the art if carrying one under each arm like pigs then get practising"
Proper ROFL at that, I;m always getting disapproving looks for bundling mine around, sticking them in puddles while I strap the other one in the buggy, etc

Mine are 16mo and walking. Reins aren't great tbh, as they're so unstable they stop/sit/swing on them and then when then do go, the go in opposite directions.

I second the giant playpen. I think the neighbours must think I'm terribly neglectful as they seem to be in there on their own crying for ages each day, but it's just prepping and cleaning up each meal - they won't wait in the kitchen, it's food or meltdown only!

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ClairesTravellingCircus · 24/01/2013 23:31

Grin I do that ceeveebee.

Happy your tip about the park sounds great!

Mine are nearly one and crawling/cruising. Second the babyproofing, put anything dangerous/breakable out of reach. Mine love rummaging in my desk drawers and tipping all the contents out it's amazing what they find Grin

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jumblejam · 25/01/2013 05:08

Thanks everyone Smile. I have visions of carrying them like pigs - that gave me a good giggle!
I thought when they were tiny and the nights were so hard with lack of sleep that it could only get easier - i honestly didn't even give a thought to having two tiny tearaways on my hands.
Since having them Ive had problems with my back so goodness only knows how I'll get on there but you all seem like you've come up with ways of coping.
Thanks for all your ideas and thanks for taking the time to reply. x

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SureFineWhatever · 25/01/2013 06:08

Mne are 14 months and I agree with everything already said by PPs esp the gin

It is bloody exhausting. Mine absolutely do not stay still for more than 0.2 seconds at a time, they are into everything (wipes are the current fave; nothing better than pulling out a whole packets' worth one by one)

The worst part IME is the fighting; when the both want into something, they'e taken to pushing each other over and pulling hair. It's horrible.

But, I've heard it gets better. Apparently.

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Supergiggle · 25/01/2013 08:21

Mine are 3.5 and I can confirm it does get easier Smile. They can play together nicely now for hours at a time though are still prone to toddler meltdowns

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DW123 · 25/01/2013 13:30

Hello - mine are 21 months now. They only started walking at 19 months so I'm getting used to that but I found other stuff wasn't too awful. Because I can't do everything for them they actually only climb things that they can climb and then they have to learn to get down. I found some singletons got into tricky situations because they were helped up and down so much. I babyproofed as much of downstairs as possible as they just screamed behind a gate. Then let them learn to negotiate it (easier for me as they were late walkers so not as many bruises). If you have wooden floors, get slippers with rubber soles - socks are lethal. Most soft play places are ok but I avoided a few that have lots of platforms behind nets - its just too hatd for me to crawl through them guarding my two against bigger children.
I'm taking them to parks etc to practise walking together on and off reins. Until I'm more confident streets etc are done in a pushchair or with DH.

Having witnessed some humdingers I'm now dreading tantrums (especially simultaneous ones).

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DW123 · 25/01/2013 13:34

Oh - and teaching them to climb and descend stairss/steps was worth the time, and teaching them to go down slides feet first on tummies was one of my very few sensible parenting choices (some kids won't do it of course!).

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DW123 · 25/01/2013 13:35

Oh - and teaching them to climb and descend stairss/steps was worth the time, and teaching them to go down slides feet first on tummies was one of my very few sensible parenting choices (some kids won't do it of course!).

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DW123 · 25/01/2013 13:36

Sorry for duplicate post - love the sound of my own voice...

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benjalamummy · 25/01/2013 19:25

Agree with everything here. Love the scoop and run technique! Mine are just 2 and most days are pretty bonkers. Tantrums, food refusal, fights with each other, general carnage of toys and emptied stuff everywhere! But interspersed with loads of fun too, and now they are talking and really starting to play together, it's fab.
Best thing to help recently has been red wine and reading threads like this, just to feel like I'm not the only one :)

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jumblejam · 25/01/2013 20:06

Thanks for the positive posts - lots of ideas there DW123. Thank you. Our two are coming up to 13 months and have only just really got their heads around crawling (when they can be bothered) so walking might be a way off yet but that hasn't stopped me from having a complete meltdown panic.
I can't drink alcohol but often take refuge in the cake tin - really must try to get online more though x

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BlueberryHill · 26/01/2013 21:37

I love the idea of scoop and run also. Mine are 2 1/2 years and I find this age difficult, they are both daft and have no sense.

Agree the smaller playgroups or Surestart centres, they helped me out a lot and other parents will watch them especially as you start to make friends. I babyproofed the downstairs rooms and had a gate going into the kitchen so I knew the area was safe, we are slowly moving furniture back in as grow up and stop swinging off it. Keep an eye on how safe it is as they grow up and get taller etc plus twins working together can create hazards that single babies can only dream of. I've lost count of the number of times I have changed a nappy single handed whilst trying to stop the other twin running the other one over with a ride on with the other hand.

Accept that they will fall over more than singletons as you aren't there to catch / hold them all the time.

On the other side, they play together really well, they talk to eachother so much, it is really sweet.

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minesapintofwine · 26/01/2013 23:24

How do you carry them like pigs? No seriously I need to know this for my own sanity!

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minesapintofwine · 26/01/2013 23:28

Oh yes op it is a bloody nightmare isn't it? Mine are 1 too (looks fearfully at the other posters) they break everything and then fight each other. Hate supermarket trips most. They always fight, bite, pinch pull hair and take each others hats etc off. What can you do but suck it up? One kindly lady said to me today 'I just told dh if I had twins I wouldn't go out'. She meant well but ha ha like Hmm. Erm no words of wisdom or advice whatsoever just get through the next few years like I will. Stay away from gin it's a mothers ruin (all other alcohol optional necessary).

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ceeveebee · 26/01/2013 23:34

Minesa, one under each arm like this

Easiest way to apprehend two crawling babies (or even walking)

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MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 27/01/2013 21:38

Take all the 'security' precautions you can, and don't be put off by parents of one toddler thinking you're being a bit neurotic. We had baby gates on virtually every doorway for a couple of years, so we could quickly fence off various areas. A huge playpen, too, useful in all sorts of ways. It's so easy to be distracted by one toddler and not notice that the other is up to mischief.

Be prepared for them to help each other out - two toddlers can climb higher if one clambers on top of the other. They can get over baby gates this way after a while, so keep an eye on them all the time. We had a trainee nursery nurse one afternoon a week - she had lots of energy and gave me a bit of a break - might be worth asking around.

When you're out and about, it may be worth dressing them differently, even if you dress them the same at home. When one runs off, you need to know INSTANTLY which name to shout. Training them to walk nicely on reins in approximately the same direction was something we never managed, although a friend with triplets used to do it fairly successfully.

You may feel that you can't do things that friends with one toddler can do - ours didn't go swimming for ages as there wasn't a suitable session when we could both take them. Not a problem in the long term, both started lessons when they were at primary school and can swim like fishes now.

It will be fine, though, toddler twins are huge fun, and we enjoyed nearly all it it! When anyone says "double trouble" to you, just give a big smile and reply, "no, twice as nice."

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MrsB74 · 28/01/2013 20:05

My two are also 3.5 and it does get easier as they get to about 3 and seem to develop a bit of sense! My girls both walked before age one, it was a nightmare for a while, but we got through it. I stopped going to one group as it was too big and there was too much scope for trouble! Our local twins club was my saviour, all the mums help each other as they know what you are going through. I also second the play pen and baby proofing - one of mine was also a real climber!!!

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rednellie · 30/01/2013 14:20

I love http://www.shitmykidsruined.com this website. And the worst carnage is always that caused by twins. They seem to be able to achieve more than any simpleton could dream of.

Best advice is to baby proof beyond any reasonable amount then sit back have a tea (whilst not putting the tea on the ground) and watch the chaos unfold.

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rednellie · 30/01/2013 14:20

Damn link. here it is

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ClairesTravellingCircus · 30/01/2013 16:10

Simpleton? GrinGrin

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