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Top Tips and Tricks from Moms with Multiples
Are you a mama managing multiples? If you have twins, triplets, or several kiddos all within a few years of each other, you know taking care of several little lives all at the same time can be quite an adventure.
Our team at Mum & You is built completely of moms (and a few dads!) and many of them are moms to multiples. We understand the joys and the challenges because we have been there too! Below we outline five top tips from moms who have experienced caring for multiple children under the age of five.
Real Mama Tip # 1: Remember That You’re Enough
Mindset plays a big role when parenting, especially when managing multiples. Between different feedings, diaper changes, laundry, and to-do lists that usually span the course of days or weeks, it’s important to remember you are human. And therefore, how incredibly amazing it is that you do all you do!
As Karen, a mom to triplets indicates, “I have to remind myself over and over that I’m only one person and I’m doing a great job, even when it can be so, so easy to believe the opposite.” Karen’s little trick for a quick mindset makeover? “I leave index cards around the house with small encouragements to help me remember truths about who I am.”
Real Mama Tip # 2: It Takes A Village! Remember to Ask for Help
We know, how hard it is to ask for help. We read all the books, we prepare as much as we can, but still, we can’t always do it all.
Courtney, a mom of three, recognized she was in trouble when she nearly collapsed from exhaustion and a searing mastitis infection shortly after her daughter was born. “If I had simply asked for help, I would’ve recognized the need for rest and would’ve listened to my body before it was too late. I was hospitalized before I knew it and it all could’ve been avoided. I should’ve asked for support”.
Try daily mental and psychical check-ins (use an index card or too!) Ask yourself, or a friend, if what you are feeling is normal for you or if you need to give yourself time to recuperate by asking for a helping hand.
Real Mama Tip # 3: Take Time for You
The phrase “make time for you” has never held such importance as when you become a mom. Now that you have multiples, this phrase is now your daily mantra.
Making space for you is a key part to maintaining not only your physical and mental health but also your relationships. You are able to give your best self to others when you feel your best.
This doesn’t mean you need to hit the spa or go out for a night on the town each week (although those ideas are perfect as well). Ask a family member or a friend to come over to give you a few hours each day to go for a walk, a run, do some yoga, read a book or write in your journal. Any activity that helps you to connect back to you is important.
Below are a few quick tips for ensuring you get the most out of your “you” time:
- Double down on scheduling time for help. Make plans with one or two family members and then switch off to friends each week. This will ensure you don’t exhaust your helpers too quickly.
- Schedule your sitter close to naptime. This will alleviate your worry about leaving them and will help the sitter out as well.
- Get organized ahead of time. Ensure that you have diapers, wipes, and other necessities within reach for your sitter. There’s nothing worse than leaving the house to an immediate phone call from your babysitter in a frantic search for diapers.
Real Mama Tip # 4: Buy Multiples of Everything & Take Advantage of Home Delivery
What is one of the major benefits of being a mama in this day and age? Online shopping! Not having to worry about moving yourself and your little ones out the door to shop for diapers or tonight’s dinner is an amazing advantage that e-commerce has brought to our generation.
Take full advantage of online shopping by doubling down on subscriptions that automatically renew. Mum & You eco-friendly diaper and wipe subscriptions offer the best solution for moms of multiples.
We offer free delivery without the worry of being tied into a subscription. Moms can schedule the frequency of delivery and can cancel, skip or pause at any time! The best part: you’ll never run out of diapers or any other necessities again!
Real Mama Tip # 5: Master Meal Prep
Mealtime doesn’t have to be a source of stress. As moms, we understand how fast the days move and how quickly those mealtimes sneak up on you.
If you can find a couple of hours one day to prep for the rest of the week, either by making something everyone loves that can last for a couple of days, or pre-cutting healthy grab-and-go snacks, it will make mealtime feel a lot less stressful.
We also can’t say enough about slow cookers!
Pop it all in the pot and set it for when you are scheduled to eat and go about your day.
Real Mama Tip # 6: Get Out-and-About When you Can:
Feeling a bit stir crazy but nervous about venturing out with your crew? We completely understand. With multiple little ones in tow, moving out the door takes on a whole new meaning.
Wrangling diaper bags, car seats, snacks, wipes, and more, it can take nearly an hour before you’re ready to put the car into “drive”. Thankfully, we have you covered on this one too. Here are some quick tips for getting out of the house with multiples:
- Timing is everything: If you’re meeting someone or going to a mommy and me class, give yourself a good hour ahead of the scheduled time you’re needing to get anywhere. This will help to prepare for unforeseen events like diaper blowouts or shirts destroyed by spit-up.
- Pack your bags ahead of time: packing your diaper bag will save you time and prevent overwhelm.
One great idea from Carrie, a mom of three, is investing in two diaper bags. She recommends keeping one fully stocked diaper bag in the car at all times.
From diapers and wipes to changes of clothing, snacks, toys, and even hand sanitizer, having a diaper bag ready prior to your adventure out will save your sanity.
Real Mama Tip # 7: Synchronize Nap Times
Aside from feedings, synchronizing nap times is one of those essential pieces to managing multiples. Don’t get us wrong, we completely understand the early days of the “newborn haze” and while planning naptimes during this phase is probably the farthest thing from your mind, you’ll want to start planning how to get the little ones on the same sleep schedule.
As the babies (and you) grow more into a routine, it’s important to notice when your little ones start to get tired. Establishing a daily routine so they start to associate certain activities with naptime is one of the easiest ways to get your babies on the same schedule.
While every family is different, here is a potential morning schedule that might work well for you and your newborns or infants up through 6 months of age.
600 a.m: morning feeding
7:00 a.m. getting dressed, washing up, playtime, diaper changing feeding
8:30 a.m: diaper change, go for a walk in the stroller
8:45: a.m: possible feeding, read a story
9:00: a.m: naptime
These times will vary of course but remember: it’s not so much the timing but rather the activities that matter in this situation.
The sooner you establish a routine, the quicker your littles ones will start eating and sleeping on the same schedule.
Managing Multiples: The Wrap Up:
Having multiples can be a rollercoaster. Establishing routines and schedules that work for your family is important not only for your health and wellness but for your little ones as well.
From preparing meals ahead of time to asking for help and so much more, these quick tips will help you to take back your day and help you to enjoy all the little moments ahead.