Becoming pregnant is awesome, but sometimes our bodies surprise us! We are capable of creating not just one baby but sometimes two, three, or even more at the same time!
Having more than one baby can pose challenges you may not have considered. Lancaster Doulas LLC has worked with many sets of multiples and we have found a few things can make the transition easier.
Here are some suggestions that our doulas have found to be the most helpful:
Create a meal train.
This is a great idea to set up BEFORE the babies are born. Having ready made food brought to your door is a must have for new parents whether you have one or more babies. There are a few meal train websites that you (or a friend / family member) can input special dietary restrictions or allergies and participants can see what each other are bringing so you don’t end up with lasagna six times in a row.
Don’t be afraid to delegate
Many new parents want to do “all the things”. This is hard enough when you have only one baby. With multiples it is paramount that you learn how to delegate tasks. Let someone else change one baby while you feed the other. Maybe you prefer to do all the baby care. If so, make sure you have someone else there to make sure your needs are being met. Proper food and rest on your part will make all the difference.
Have a routine
It is hard to get one baby on a routine, let alone multiple. It is worth it in the end though. There are apps for keeping track of what time/how many oz each baby ate, wet and poopy diapers, even if one or more babies are feeling sick.
Once you have a routine for meals and naptimes try to stick to it as best you can, even if you have a new caregiver or it is over the weekend. Even babies know when their schedule gets out of whack!
Hire a Postpartum Doula and Infant Care Specialist.
A Postpartum doula is a professional that can come to your home and spend several hours a day or even overnight with you. They can help you get systems in place for things like: diaper changes, baby sleep, laundry, feeding schedules, and making sure you and your partner are taking care of yourselves as well. They can also create a safe space to process how you are feeling about raising multiples. There are different challenges with more than one baby especially if one or more spent time in the NICU. We are compassionate and non-judgmental when supporting you.
We love supporting families of multiples, give us a call to see how we can help !
Lancaster Doulas LLC is honored to support families of multiples in Adams, Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Schuylkill and York Counties.