I was never one of those people who hoped I’d have twins. When I had my first baby, I had a friend who had twins around the same time and I remember thinking better her than me. One newborn was enough work. I was perfectly content popping one baby out at a time.
Fast forward to my second pregnancy. I went in for my 20 week ultrasound and after looking around a bit, the first words to come out of the ultrasound technician’s mouth were, “So did you know you’re having twins?” No. No we did not. We simply thought we were going to find out if we were having a boy or girl that day. Instead, we found out that we were halfway through a twin pregnancy.
The moment I became a twin mom, my life changed forever…in the best possible way.
Don’t get me wrong. The first year was HARD. Harder than anything I’ve done in my life. It was pure survival mode. If you know a twin mom, I’m sure you’ve felt her desire for you to know and understand just how difficult it is. It’s true, we do kind of want you to recognize that having twins is no walk in the park.
However, we also want you to know that being a twin mom is one of the best things that can happen to a person. Don’t pity us too much because while it’s obviously double the work, we’re also having double the fun.
10 Reasons Why Being a Twin Mom Is Awesome
1. ONE pregnancy. We might have been HUGE and uncomfortable, but we only had to go through one labor and delivery, one recovery, one sleep deprived newborn stage, and we got TWO babies!
2. Extra daddy bonding. While many dads of singletons were sleeping during middle of the night feedings, our men were in the rocking chair next to us, and are now totally empathetic when they hear us say “I’m exhausted.”
3. Celebrity status. It’s a bit of a thrill being a twin mom when we venture out in public. We’re almost always stopped and get lots of questions and attention from strangers. And while we might get tired of a million people a day telling us we have our hands full, we also know that means our hearts are too.
4. We don’t judge. We’ve likely found ourselves in every embarrassing new mom circumstance, which may or may not include pumping in the car while going through the Starbucks drive-thru with screaming babies. So when we see a mom of a singleton doing really anything that other moms might sneer at, we’re gonna give you a high five and hand you a Bux gift card.
5. We view milestones as estimations. It’s fascinating to watch two babies grow at the same time. Even identical twins, who are genetically the same, develop at different rates. Instead of comparing them, we notice that each has been gifted in different ways. We aren’t stressed if they hit milestones exactly on time or not, we celebrate their uniqueness.
6. Built in besties. There is nothing sweeter than watching two babies giggle back and forth, communicate in their own language, chase each other around the kitchen, or play peek-a-boo together. Honestly, after they learn to sit up, a twin mom’s job becomes more of an observer than an entertainer!
7. More time at Target. When you’re a mom of multiples, shopping has to be about convenience. Thankfully, Target knows this and has blessed us with the mega cart, making it one of the few places a twin mom can easily take her crew. Target runs being totally justified? Hallelujah.
8. Sharing is caring. Twins have to share everything. We don’t have to work as hard teaching them to share and take turns because they’ve been doing it since birth! They learn from a young age that life is not about them, and it’s so sweet to see the compassion they have for one another, even if it does come in the form of sounding like crying fire sirens.
9. Matching and coordinating. Before twins, I never thought I’d be one of those moms who had the matchy-matchy twins. But it must be of those twin mom phenomenons. It’s just SO MUCH FUN.
10. Double the love. Our hearts explode and our love multiplies constantly. Seeing two smiling babies pop up after nap time, ready to snuggle with mommy is enough to convince us that we’d go through every difficult moment again in a heartbeat.
The list goes on and on. The next time you see a twin mom, tell her how lucky she is. One of our favorite things is when other people acknowledge the double blessing it is to be a mom of multiples!
51 comments
Thank you for this! Just one question as I prep for twins… How do you do the Target runs when they’re still infants and can’t sit up? Maybe you just don’t leave the house… 🙂
Great question! I would just put one car seat in the large area of the cart, one in the seat of the cart, and would have my oldest sit where the girls now sit. It can be done! But always make sure you park near a cart corral so you can use the cart as a stroller! 🙂
You wait until hubby comes home from work and get familiar with the peace and quiet of shopping by yourself at 10pm… At least that was my preferred route with twins + a 20 mo/old.
Samesies lol … I had 3 under 13 months. Now they are almost 3 (twins) and almost 2 (singleton). 🙂 🙂 🙂
I put the car seats in the Joovy Twin Roo and pulled a cart while pushing the stroller. Or if I didn’t need anything bulky, I use Jeep stroller hooks for the basket handles. Swiveling stroller hooks are a necessity! Good luck!
I would put one in the back of the cart in the car seat and then wear the other one in my ergo. Did that until one could sit in the seat in the front.
I would put one in the cart in the carseat and one in the front pack.
Push the stroller, pull the cart
Hello 🙂 I never took my twins to Target when they were baby baby. But Costco was great! You can fit two carrier seats in their big carts and put any items you need on the bottom of the cart. Of course its not for a diaper run because you would have no where to put them lol. But if its an emergency run and you need to bring both, that worked for me 🙂
I had twin babies in 2009! ! boy and 1 girl. Believe it or not I took them out consistently when they were babies. They were in their car seat carriers, I shopped most freqently at Bjs and Costco yet Target too. They did not get sick alot either because they were in their own cariiers. It was good for them as mine had sensory regulation issues! When they grew out of the seats it became harder but I still did it. Now they are 5 and 1/2 pushing the carrige and love to food shop with me BUT I tend to keep them at home as I can go faster without them! It was a great experience for me and kept me thinking “I CAN DO THIS, its hard but I can do this! Word of advice Only shop or head out with twins when you are mentally and physically prepared, as it goes south when you are not charged up for it! Love my Kyle and Kloe!
I held one and put the caraway at the top with the other, that way I could still get a whole cart full.
I had twin newborns and a singleton who was 22 months when they were born. I didn’t leave the house for a long time.
Love this, Amber! All soooo true 🙂
Hi Amber – Yes, they are a blessing. My baby sister, Michelle, (she’s not so much a baby anymore) has 2 sets of twins! The girls, Molly and Megan, are 2 years old and the boys, Max and Jacob, are 10 months. She also has an almost 9 year old! I love all of your points about being a twin mom and am sure she would agree with you. As for shopping – my sister is a master! She has to have 2 carts – each cart holds 2 kids – one in the seat and one in the cart. And since the 9 year old is in school during the day, she pushes one cart in front of her and pulls one behind her! She gets lots of stares for sure! But they make it work! And YES – her husband is great with the kids! BTW – they have a quad stroller too! Talk about stares! Thanks to our Grandpa for being a twin and giving my sister and the rest of us these blessings! 🙂
haha the target one cracked me up! all mommas are rock stars, but i’ve gotta hand it to twin mommas!
I am juuuuust entering the second trimester expecting twins—– -and freaking out a tad. So BLESSED with two, just an unexpected blessing! The logistics is what I can’t wrap my mind around.
We have a 20 month old son that is going to be a stellar big brother- but I’m so nervous for him! I want him to know that he is still my favorite; as I will tell ALL three of my children that they are my favorite- because they will be! …..God’s plan is WAY better than my own & I’m beyond thankful that His plan for my life has included each blessing. This post was just what this momma needed! Thank you! Truly, thank you!
Had some friends that were told they couldn’t have children, so decided to adopt. They were expecting one baby, but the birth mother ended up having a set of boy/girl twins. Several months later, much to her surprise, my friend found out she was pregnant. Surprise again – with twins! This set also ended up being a set of boy/girl twins. She ended up with a little girl after the second set. After years of trying to conceive with no luck, they went from no children to FIVE children in four years. Her sister had a set of twin girls on the same day she had her last one, she admits that for a second, when she found out she was having one and her sister was having twins, she felt a twinge of jealousy. Then she said she laughed at herself because she already has TWO sets of twins. She is grateful beyond belief and says that the twins are amazing and she and her husband love being parents.
I would love to be the grandma! I would always be needed and would love to help out.
I am the Grandma to twin boys, now 6 years old. I babysat them from 9 months old til they started school.. Such a bonding time for us! I love them so much and they make me laugh evey day.
This is my exact story. Didn’t know we were having twins until the 20wk ultrasound, then the tech looked at me and said, “Did you know you’re having twins?” I think my husband’s face was as white as a ghost! Especially since our daughter was only 15 months at that time. But now I can’t imagine our life without Calvin and Oliver, even in their terrible two stage right now 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
As a mom of twins I can completely agree that it has it moments. Multiples run in both sides of our families. Every generation his side has twins and a triplets and every other my side. We had 4 kids in 3 years as well. Our oldest was 13 1/2 months old when the twins were born and our youngest was born 16 months after the twins. Our 4 younger kids are 23-25 now and at the time Target didn’t have the special carts ( which didn’t we shop at much as it was out of our way to go to to anyway) so usually had my husband or a family member along when shopping. Always carried two to three of everything, sometimes more. Between my husband and myself we have 6 kids including 2 sets of twins: Identical boys, single boy, fraternal boy/ girl twins and a single girl. Quite the houseful. Its been chaotic at times but the good definitely outweighs the bad. I breastfed all babies until a bit over 6 months old. Which was easier when my hubby would bottle feed one twin and I nursed the other, then next feeding we switched babies. The youngest twin boy looked just like a Holly Hobby Boy Doll, Brownish hair and Big Blue eyes and his twin sister looked like a Precious Moment Girl Doll, Super Blonde and Big Blue eyes. ( I hadn’t seen/ met the Older twins until they were 16) In High School there were days they couldn’t the stand the sight of one another and had some huge battles. When my twins split up to go to different college’s they missed each other like crazy, but it brought them even closer together.There will always be days when you wonder how you will ever get through it, but honey when it comes right down to it, you just do… you will miss those days. I sure do….. All my kids are my favorites and they know it. … Blessings to all parents of Multiples. Its a wild ride baby, Enjoy it while you can.
As a dad of twins, I got teary-eyed reading this. Certainly I can’t relate to the mommy side of it, but definitely the twin side.
My girls are 21 now, going to separate colleges in different states. Still, they are best friends and even had a countdown to when they’d see each other again for Christmas break. It’s awesome watching their love for each other and their other siblings via Facebook, Twitter, and so on.
One twin was in a car accident last fall and hurt her leg. Her sister posted a picture on Instagram with the most loving and beautiful sentiment of wonder and encouragement.
I used to encourage their mom that coordinating clothing is just fine–no need to match everything!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And if someone offers, don’t be a dummy! Just say “Yes, thank you.”
Extra difficulties when shopping–CHECK
Extra attention when out and about–CHECK
Built-in BFFs–CHECK
Double the love–and how!
And I’ll tell all of you the same thing I try to tell every parent of multiples that I meet: “It WILL get easier!”
I’m a single mom of twins, and I went everywhere with them. I wore out three double strollers before they were 5, but I took them just about everywhere with me. It can be done! =)