The safety of your twins should be one of your top priorities. As such, twinproofing your home is something you need to do.

What is Twinproofing?

Twinproofing is how you childproof your home when you have twins. Having twins in your home requires special safety considerations.

You Need Basic Childproofing for Twins Too

The classic tips on how to childproof your home also apply with twins.

As a basic strategy, try to prevent your twins from accessing, reaching, touching, or discovering anything that can do them harm. Expand your mind as you look at your home.

Get down on your hands and knees so you are at your kids’ level and look around. Analyze your home and see what trouble you can get into and what things you can reach that you didn’t think about before.

The kitchen and bathroom are areas where you need to be very cautious because of the overabundance of potential hazards (water, chemicals, sharp objects, etc.).

In the rest of the house, look at power outlets, cords, drawers, shelves, window blinds, and anything else that can be reached by your twins.

Regular Childproofing Isn’t Enough

While general advice on childproofing your home works for twins, you can’t stop there. Twinproofing your home requires extra vigilance and prevention.

Singleton babies can only do so much damage by themselves.

Twins, on the other hand, take mischief to a whole new level.

Keep in mind that each of your twins is an individual. This means that each of your twins has their own thoughts, imaginations, and crazy of ideas of how to get into trouble.

If one your twins doesn’t come up with a creative way to get into trouble, his or her sibling will. Once that idea is formed, it will be immediately shared with the other sibling and you’ll have double trouble.

Two little minds working together to reach the forbidden object or open the off-limits drawer can quickly invent a method or solution to get what they want.

Twins Enable Each Other’s Mischief

Your twins will be each other’s partners in crime. Twinproofing means you need to account for what your twins can do, not just by themselves, but with each other’s help.

Twins will help push each other up to places one can’t reach. Twins will combine their strength to break things. Twins will both squeeze into places only meant for one.

Look at your house from a new perspective: your twins’ view. What trouble could you cause if you were their size and had a ready accomplice to join your adventures?

One danger zone to consider is the door. Your twins will chase each other around the house and one will turn and slam the door on the other twin. Little fingers or toes can easily be smashed when this happens. Childproof your doors with simple finger pinch prevention devices you can buy at the home improvement store that keep the door from shutting all the way.

You’ve got your work cut out for you. Start twinproofing your home today and you’ll get a head start on your curious, and often mischievous, twins.

Picture by Cheryl

Shopping for car seats for twins can be a challenge.

Car seats are one of the most important things you need to buy for your babies. In fact, the medical staff won’t let you leave the hospital without car seats for your twins.

Find a Car Seat You Love, Then Buy Two

Unlike strollers, or even baby carriers, there aren’t car seats made specifically for twins. Do your research and find a car seat you like, then buy two. One advantage of buying two of the same car seat is that you can interchange babies or positions in the car without having to remember the nuances of each particular seat.

Different Styles

Even though you may buy the same model car seat for your twins, you can often get different colors, patterns, or styles. This is really personal preference but you might like some variety in the back seat. As your twins get older, they will have an opinion on which seat they like the best. Different styles could lead to them taking turns and sharing – which is always a good thing.

Car Seats for Growing Twins

One challenge of buying car seats for twins is that the babies grow so fast that they may soon outgrow the car seats you buy. The good news is that you can purchase a car seat that will accommodate your twins as they grow. A convertible car seat like the Britax Roundabout will work for your twins for many years.

Check weight limits on the seats. Are they rear facing to accommodate newborn infant twins? Do they recline and then adjust upright to support a child who can sit up?

Our girls started in a pair of Graco infant car seats. After about 6 months, they graduated to a pair of Britax Roundabouts that served them past their third birthday.

If you can’t get by with just one set of car seats for your twins, don’t worry. You can look for a gently used car seat from a sibling or family member. One tip is that you shouldn’t buy a used car seat from an unknown source. Your babies’ safety is the priority when selecting a car seat.

Car Seats and Strollers for Twins

Do you want an all-in-one travel system with car seats and stroller? Or do you want to leave the car seats in the car and move the twins, as needed, to a stroller?

With our newborn twins, we had a pair of infant Graco car seats. These had a base that was anchored in the car and a removable baby carrier that we could transfer to and from the car with ease. We combined these car seats with an inline Baby Trend Double Snap N Go Stroller.

Considering newborns sleep a lot, it was nice to be able to remove the car seat and snap it into the Snap and Go without waking up one of our sleeping girls.

Don’t Forget Twin Discounts on Car Seats

It can get expensive very quickly to buy car seats for twins. Don’t forget to ask for your twin discount. We purchased two car seats at Babies R Us and they gave us the “twin discount” of 10%.

What to Look for in a Car Seats for Twins

The features you want from individual car seats also apply to the car seats for your twins.

Be sure any car seat you buy includes these features:

• Easy to clean – Can you quickly and easily remove the cover to wash it after your baby spits up or has a diaper blowout?
• Consider air travel – If you will be flying with infant twins and want them in their own seat, make sure the car seat is approved for airplane use.
• How heavy is the seat? How will it be to carry two car seats through the airport? Will you be moving your seats around a lot? Car seats can be pretty hefty.
• Five-point harness – You want your babies securely tied into place.
• Do the car seats fit in your car? Measure and test them in your vehicle before the twins are born.
• Latch anchors or seat belts? Most modern cars have a latch system for attaching car seats. Inspect your car and see how you will anchor the car seat. Be sure the car seats for your twins can safely be attached.

My Recommendation

I recommend you start with a pair of small infant carriers like the Graco car seats we used. Combine these with a Snap and Go inline stroller and you’ll be set for 6-8 months.

Once your twins outgrow those you can move to convertible car seats like the Britax Roundabout that served our twins for more than three years.

Your twins will wake up in the middle of the night for various different reasons.

They may be hungry, fussy, need a diaper change, or just hit the end of a sleep cycle.

Regardless of the reason for waking up, you need to train them to sleep through the night.

Your goal is to get them back to sleep as quickly as possible. The sooner they sleep, the sooner you will sleep.

Examine Your Routine

Think about how you interact with your twins when they wake up in the middle of the night.

Do you turn on the light and greet them with excitement just like it was play time? If this is the case, your babies will want to stay awake.

When you need to care for your twins in the middle of the night, make it as boring as possible.

Boring

Your twins love to play and interact with you. If you give them the chance, they will want to play even in the middle of the night. Avoid anything “fun” when you are called upon to care for them at night.

Quietly

Take care of the business at hand quietly. You’ll be amazed how many things you can do for your little one in the middle of the night without saying a word. Additionally, the quieter you are, the less likely you’ll wake up the sleeping twin or your spouse.

In the Dark

Train your twins to understand that light means daytime and dark means sleeping time. With very young babies you can do this merely with actions. For example, don’t turn on the lights in the middle of the night, or use very minimal lighting (just enough to get the job done).

For example, I’ll turn the closet light on in our girls’ room and crack the door so I can get just enough light to see what needs to be done without waking everyone up.

Sleeping Time

Once your twins are a little older, you can explain to them that it is still sleeping time when it is dark outside and they need to go back to sleep.

However, don’t expect to reason with a newborn. Here, you’ll need to show through your actions and reactions to their behavior that it is still time to sleep.

Consistency

Maintain a consistent routine for bedtime and overnight. Your twins will start to see the pattern and know what to expect.

If every time they wake up in the middle of the night there is nothing fun to do or see, they will soon skip the boring night so they can sleep until the exciting daytime has arrived.

Picture by Ruth L

As a parent of twins, you’ll likely want to purchase twin related products like books, clothes, gifts, etc. for both your twins and yourself.

Here’s a list of several online stores that offer products specifically for twins and parents of twins:

• Just Multiples
• Double Blessings
• Double Up Books
• Trends In Twos
• Twinz Gear
• Just 4 Twins

Do you have a favorite site you’d like to see added to this list? Please let me know.

As a father of twins, you want to bond with your twins and build a strong, lasting relationship.

The key to this bond with your twins is to spend one-on-one time with each of them individually.

If you spend all your time with both twins, your attention will be divided.

Remember that your twins are individuals and each has his or her own personality and quirks.

Bonding with Infant Twins

The best time to bond with infant twins is when you are helping with their daily necessities.

Take the opportunity when you are feeding, changing diapers, or dressing your twins to talk with them and focus on them individually.

When our twin girls were still infants, I loved to take turns feeding each one. As they slowly drank their bottles, I could study their faces and expressions and talk with them about the great future that was (and is) ahead of them.

Bonding with Toddler Twins

My favorite bonding activity with toddler twins is to take them out one at a time to lunch. You can have father/son or daddy/daughter lunches with each of your kids too. I’ve found that getting out of the house with one of the twins helps focus all my attention on that one child and is a great way to build and strengthen my relationship with each child.

If lunch doesn’t work for you, consider other outings with just you and one of your kids. This could be a Saturday activity, an errand to the store, or another time together that best meets your schedule.

Make these one-on-one times a routine event and your kids will look forward to this tradition with Dad.

Regardless of the age of your twins, you can make time for each individual child. This time focused on each child will be the foundation of a strong bond and lasting relationship with your twins.

(Picture by redagainPatti)

I got the following great question from an expectant father of twins:

“Do I really need all that gear and a double stroller or can I get away with one?”

This question underscores one of the great concerns with having twins: the cost of all the stuff you have to get for your babies.

The good news is that you don’t have to buy double of everything for your twins.

Ask yourself two questions when considering the purchase of baby gear for your twins:

Do I Really Need This?

First, ask yourself: Can the main purpose of this piece of gear be handled manually or with something easily available around the house?

Lots of baby gear is designed to do something that has been done with babies for centuries. Odds are you can get by with a low-tech or manual option to solving a particular problem. Think about how you can keep your babies warm, feed them, or change diapers without buying extra gear.

Seriously consider if you really can’t live without the baby product you are considering. Odds are you can get by with a simpler (and cheaper) solution.

Will This Help With Twins?

Next, ask yourself: Do I need this piece of baby gear (or two) to be able to handle and care for my babies at the same time?

Caring for twins becomes extremely demanding when there is only one caregiver. If you’ll be home alone with the twins, it is OK to have some baby gear that will help ease your ability to care for them.

For example, we had two bouncy seats so we could lay each of our infant girls in them for feeding. This made it extremely easy for one person to simultaneously feed our twins.

A double stroller is something I definitely recommend for twins. The good news is that there are some affordable options that won’t break your bank.

If you are lucky enough to have young children in the house when twins join your family, you get the bonus of an extra adventure.

A big challenge in this case is: how do you keep the older kids busy while you tend to the babies?

Here are some things you can have your twins’ older siblings do to keep them busy while you tend to the twins.

Get Helpers

The best option for your older children is to get a family member or friend to come help you. The extra person can play with or entertain the older kids while you tend to the twins. Consider even getting a babysitter to come over and help you when things get crazy. During the summer months, it is typically easier to recruit school-age kids to help since they are available during the day.

Kid Swap

Talk to other parents and see if you can swap kids. They take your kids one day and you take theirs the next. If your older kids can play independently with friends, having the extra kids in the house may not be a big deal. In fact, if they are so busy playing, it will seem easier than when you just have your kids running around.

Something New

Kids are always distracted by something new. This is a trick we use when we travel on long trips. Pull out a new toy, book, or activity that the kids haven’t seen or haven’t done in a while. This will likely keep their attention for at least a few minutes while you tend to the twins.

Have Them Help

If your young children can physically help with caring for the twins, let them help! Our oldest son was 3 years old when our twin daughters where born. He loved to help by bringing us burp clothes or diapers or picking things up so we didn’t have to bend down with a babe in arms. Take advantage of the often selfless desires and love your older siblings have for their newborn twin siblings.

Before you need your kids’ help, make sure that you teach and show them how to do the job you need before the actual need arises. This way they are prepared and ready to help when the moment arises.

Food

Our kids are always the most quiet and still when they are eating. Keep a supply of healthy snacks available to distract your kiddos when you have to take care of the twins.

Try some of these options and you’ll buy yourself a least a few moments to tend to a fussy baby, change a diaper, or feed your newborn twins.

What have you found that works with keeping your other children occupied while tending to your newborn twins?

One of the great challenges of parenting twins is that you never get out of the house without them. If this goes on too long, it directly impacts your sanity and happiness.

In fact, one parent of twins wrote and asked me, “Do you ever get to go out without kids again?”

When it comes time for a date or evening out, what do you do with the twins? Can you even leave the house?

The answer is yes. You can get a babysitter for your twins.

The underlying question becomes, “How long before you can go on your first date post twins’ arrival?”

The first thing you need to do is reconsider your definition of a date or getting out of the house.

With infant twins in the home, you have to start with low expectations for getting out of the house without them.

Start considering your get-out-of-the-house plan when you start to see a repeatable pattern with your twins sleeping. When you put them down at night, how long do they sleep?

Consider getting a babysitter that comes over once you’ve put the babies to sleep. You can then go out for an hour or two. Maybe grab a quick dinner and return home. If you are worried about the kids, don’t go too far and be sure your babysitter can reach you via your cell phone.

If you are lucky, your first date will have the babysitter watching over a quiet house with your twins sleeping the entire time.

As soon as my wife and I got a babysitter to watch our sleeping kids, we wondered why we hadn’t done it sooner.

As your twins start to sleep longer stretches of time, you can lengthen out your dates, go farther from home, or even do things that are hard to quickly return home from (like a concert or play).

Newborn twins will wear you out and make you miserable — if you let them. However, the misery can be countered by the happy and joyful moments of watching your little twins.

If you don’t pay attention to the joy of your little twins, you’ll soon realize they have grown up and you didn’t notice.

Here are some tips to help you to savor the early months with your twins.

Sleeping

Go into your twins’ room and watch them sleep. I loved watching our girls when they were newborns and sleeping in the same crib. They always tended to lean into each other. As they started to move about, they often ended up in very random sleeping arrangements with parts of one twin on top of the other.

What quirks can you observe with your sleeping twins? How does that change as they get older?

Tummy Time

Tummy time with any newborn is fun. Put two newborns on the floor and you get a real show. Each experiences the frustration of trying to lift her head off the floor but also interacts with the other twin. Tummy time with twins promises to never have a dull moment.

Pay close attention to how your twins interact with each other and you during tummy time. Get down on the floor and encourage your newborns verbally. Do they respond in sync or are they each doing their own thing?

Smiling

Nothing is cuter than smiling babies. You’ll eventually reach the stage when your twins smile because they are happy instead of a bodily process or for some physical reaction.

Can you make your twins smile? Does the same thing make both smile, giggle, or laugh?

Feeding

When breastfeeding didn’t work with our twin girls, we successfully bottle fed them. This was a great opportunity for me as a Dad to participate in the process. I loved holding one of my little girls and hearing the sounds of her rhythmically drinking her latest meal. It amazed me how they could seemingly be asleep and yet still down an entire bottle of formula. Other times it was a challenge to even get them awake enough to feed if they had fallen asleep.

I loved playing with my baby’s toes or fingers when feeding them. What can you admire about your little one during feeding time?

What eating habits do your twins have? Is one a good eater and the other not? What sounds do they make? What mannerisms make you smile?

Holding Both Twins

Nothing makes you feel more like a parent of twins than holding both at the same time. Newborn twins can easily be held in a double football hold. However, that won’t last forever, so enjoy it while you can.

How many different ways can you hold your twins? How can you pick them both up by yourself?

Take a second look at the day-to-day interactions with your twins. See past the repetition and trials and focus on the special moments you can share with both of them.

A common concern of parents of twins is “How can I help people recognize my kids as individuals and not just as “the twins”?”

It is easy for most people to see a pair of twins and automatically group them together. It is a shortcut because most people don’t care or have the time to think about the differences between your twins.

This can be frustrating for you, the parent of twins. After all, each of your kids is unique.

Here are some ways you can help others recognize your twins as individuals and not as a single entity known as “the twins”.

Start With Yourself

Start by evaluating the way you refer to your twins. Others are watching your actions and how you talk about your kids. They will follow your lead.

Do you group the twins together when discussing them? Do you call them “the twins” or “the girls” or “Bobby and Susan?”

Don’t be surprised when others do the same.

Mention your twins individually and by name in conversations with others. If you must group your kids together when discussing something, then refer to your twins as “the kids” or lump all your kids together as “the kids” (if you have more than just the two) so that the twins aren’t singled out.

Immediate Family

Your example will go along way toward how those in your household refer to your twins. If Mom and Dad are always calling the twins by name, other siblings will do likewise.

When you have visitors over at your house, they will never hear about “the twins” – only about each individual by name.

Physical Differences

It helps others when your twins look physically different. This is definitely easier when you have girl/boy twins, and can even be easier if you have differing distinct characteristics on your same sex fraternal twins. I’ve shared some helpful tips for helping others tell your twins apart before in the event that your twins are identical. But the end result is the same: when people see different-looking kids, they are less likely to group the twins into an automatic pair and will be more likely to treat them as individuals. When you dress your kids identically, don’t be surprised when others can’t get past the sameness of the pair.

Don’t Go Crazy

How others refer to your twins can be a pet peeve that annoys you to no end, or it can have no effect on you.

You decide how others’ comments impact your mood. Most comments about “the twins” are not made with malicious intent. Receive them as they were meant to be received – take no offense and roll with it.

Give it Time

As your twins mature, they will develop very distinct personalities and tastes. These will manifest themselves in appearance and behaviors that will reinforce the reality that your twins are individuals.

Eventually, your twins will have an opinion on the matter and will be able to challenge other’s comments themselves.