This contest is now closed. The winner has been notified. Sorry if it wasn’t you.
When we began to work out the details of this giveaway with Brica, the makers of these elegant baby items, we were a little embarrassed about asking them to double up the prize package. But they graciously agreed to make it twin friendly — and everyone else who enters is welcome to give the extra items to a friend.
Behold the prize package! The items in this photograph will be sent to the winner, plus an extra set when appropriate.
2 BRICA Fold ‘n Go Travel Bassinets: This bassinet weighs less than 3 pounds and it’s the only travel bassinet to meet strict ASTM bassinet safety standards. It has a steel frame with the Safe-T-Lock system, sets up and folds down in seconds, and has a carry handle when folded. The mattress is removable and includes one fitted sheet. It’s easy for everyday use at home, too. For newborn through 15 lbs. or when baby begins to turn over.
2 extra fitted sheets (each bassinet comes w/ one)
2 Fold ‘n Go Booster Seats: These are lightweight, easy to pop up and fold down, have stain-resistant fabric and are a cinch to transport. They fit into an overnight bag. For ages 6 months and up.
2 BRICA Snack Pods: The dual-compartment pod attaches easily to almost any car seat or stroller.
2 BRICA Clip-on Wipes Case, plus 3 refills (for each): This easily attaches to any bag or stroller for quick access to antimicrobial wipes.
2 BRICA Baby In-Sight Mirror This wide-angle, shatter-resistant mirror is crash tested to the same standard as car seats. A 2011 Cribsie Award winner.
2 BRICA UV Alert Shades: The color indicator on the shade turns blue when UV rays are present. The shades help filter both UVA and UVB rays. They can stay down or retract.
To enter this random drawing, comment below with your best advice for a new twin mom. On Friday, July 22, 2011, we will select a winner. Please feel free to share this giveaway on your twin mom forums (although we realize that reduces your own chances of winning). U.S. Residents only.
try to enjoy it as tough as it can be! it will get better….. eventually.
Ask adult twins what they liked and disliked about the way they were raised what they recommend about parenting twins.
Ask for and accept help! Here’s what was a huge help to me: a close friend offered to organize my friends & neighbors for food-deliveries. She planned out a calendar and over email, coordinated friends who volunteered to bring meals over. Because she was so organized, we had meals delivered a few times a week for over a month. We had twins, we needed the extra help!
This is my first pregnancy and I’m expecting twins so my only “advice” is to listen and learn from twin mommies who’ve walked in our shoes.
Our family motto is: “It could always be worse.” Remember, it could be triplets! (With no offense meant to parents of triplets, etc. Just remember to keep some perspective.)
My advice is to plan on getting two of everything. We thought we could get by with just one swing and one bouncer seat. Wrong! It’s better to be over prepared than to not be able to soothe both babies.
My advise is to get on a schedule that works for your family. My husband and I took shifts the first 3 or 4 months when our boys were born. He would watch/feed the boys from 7PM to 1AM while I slept and then I took over after 1. Get as much rest as you can, everyone will say sleep when they sleep, but seriously it was so hard to get them both sleeping at the same time. And don’t let anyone talk you out of breastfeeding twins. I exclusively pumped for my twins, while not exactly the same as breastfeeding, they still got breast milk only for the first 13 months of their lives. You can do it!
Don’t reject any offer for help. You’re not superwoman and don’t underestimate what you’ve just been through birthing twins
It doesn’t get better; you just get better at it. That’s my advice for any mom…but being a mom of twins…it’s especially true. You’ll conquer one obstacle only to encounter another. You’ll just find you slowly get better at dealing with it all!
AGH! I want this!
I am a pregnant with twins, but these are my frist so I don’t have a ton of advice to offer yet. I’ve heard some great advice for the first few months, though:
Have a few boxes of the tiny diapers on hand for the first month, as twins are generally smaller than singleton babies. Tape the receipt or gift receipt directly to the box just in case they grow out of them too fast so they can easily be exchanged for the next size up later on.
Go to bed around 8 and “get up” (for the day) around 7. This gives you more time to catch some sleep in between feedings and will hopefully make you feel more rested.
Have an extra diaper bag packed and ready to go in the car with essentials in case of an emergency trip. Make sure to pack enough for two babies and change the items out as needed. Include things like a change of clothes, diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, binkies, etc.
My twins are only 7 months, but I can only advise to do everything at the same time when possible; feedings, naps and bedtime. If one wakes to eat, feed the other one or you will find as soon as the first one goes down, you get comfortable, the 2nd will inevitability wake up.
Doing everything at the same time (twice) helps so much in the long run!
before you nap, have everything ready for the next round: diapers, bottles (if applicable), clothes, etc.
Also, towels and receiving blankets make excellent bottle props.
My Brest Friend is a great nursing pillow, I still use ours!
My advice would be to try and get sleep whenever you can!
twice the work twice the love!!! enjoy each stage ~ while you are in it, you may want it over, but once it is over you miss it for some crazy reason!
I only have one, and thats hard enough! So my advice would be – say YES to any and all help offered!
Ask for help!
If there is an older sibling to the twins, encourage him/her spend time with each twin individually. This is special bonding time between them that often gets forgotten when the dynamic is 2 + 1. This is advice handed down from my mother-in-law, a twin mama for 36 years.
I am an almost-”twin mom” (we adopted my oldest as a baby, and he and his sister are only three months apart), and I remember that first year being really, really difficult. My best advice is to take lots and lots of photos of your two little ones together. I absolutely love looking at photos of my “twins” playing together, eating together, sleeping together…so sweet. The best part of being a mom of multiples is seeing their interactions with each other and watching that sibling bond, which is already so naturally strong, grow and develop.
I am currently pregnant with twins and they are my first but I did receive some great advice from a friend who has 9 month old twins.
She recommended getting them on the same feeding schedule if at all possible and as soon as possible.
Nap whenever they are napping!!!!
She also said even though the days are hard and long nothing beats seeing your smiling babies first thing in the morning.
Relax and remember that as long as you and your babies are alive at the end of the day, you have done something extraordinary.
Brehelp, take it one day at a time and ask for (and accept) help!
Breathe and repeat: It’s going to be ok. I can do this. It’s going to be ok. Then breathe again.
Try to relax and enjoy the chaos! They grow up way too fast!
Don’t hold onto any preset, prebaby “rules”. You’ve decided you are absolutely not going to use pacifiers (for whatever reason) but 4 weeks in realize that one or both of your babies has a really strong suck mechanism and would benefit from them? Then use one, and don’t beat yourself up over it (as I did). This can apply to anything. And don’t be afraid to delegate, lots of people will ask, “Do you need anything?” because they don’t know what you need and they want to help. Be creative–ask someone to take your dog for a walk or to pick up something that you need at the grocery store on your way over.
I am a new mom and so far the best advice I have received is to take help when it is offered…no one can do it alone!!
allow some time for yourself by asking for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People will be much more willing to offer help in the beginning than later on. Make a schedule of who wants to help with what and when. Also try to make your twins share the same schedule. It will be easier on you and them in the long run. And just because you’re having twins doesn’t mean you can’t breastfeed. Lots of moms do it and you can too!
Just breathe! It’s going to be a wild ride!
Enjoy the babble! We have all seen the adorable videos on the net, but each set of twins has their own cooing and “talk” within a few months. Enjoy your separate time with each of them and revel in the connection they form with each other!
Everyone has great advice on how to cope with caring for twins. I accept every single piece of advice I hear, but for myself…..I’m gonna try and enjoy every minute of this wonderful rollercoaster ride I’ve been blessed with to experience. Hope you do the same!
I’d have to say to remember that if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of your kids so ask for help when needed, take it when its offered! And no parent if perfect, just be the best parent you can be
Sleep when the babies sleep. That advice was given to me as a mom of one baby. I imagine it would be even more helpful when you have two!
my twins are 5 years old and i have a 6 month old. my advice would be:
enjoy every minute
rest when you can
buy 2 of everything
join a support group (very important!)
stay on a schedule
read as much as you can about caring for babies
it does get better. i love my twin boys and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Just take it one day at a time and NEVER be scared to ask for help. Also, they usually sleep better when they are together as that mimics the way they were in the womb.
Have quality time and unique rituals with each of your twins, beginning at a very young age, even it’s just a special song you sing to each one individually or certain clothes that aren’t shared.
Surround yourself with a support system of family and friends. Never be afraid to ask for help.
All it takes is a simple smile, a giggle, or just that look from your babies and the whole world disappears…
Definitely ask for help.
just for today, a lot of patiece
I just have one and imagine I’ll have my hands full in about 6 months when I have a 14 month old and a newborn, so I am in awe of what twin mamas do every day!
What helped me the most when my son was born was treating him like my one and only job (besides eating and sleeping for myself!), letting cleaning or other tasks wait until I was ready and able. It helped me to not worry about doing anything but getting that baby through another day, and then suddenly, it got easier and the feeding and diapering and napping moved from absolute immediate foreground to seamless background. As someone above mentioned, making it from dawn to dusk with all surviving is a big feat!
Know and embrace that each of the children are INDIVIDUALS!
breathe, focus on the moment, ask for/accept help often!
get a baby nurse! It helps to have extra eyes, hands and energy and especially from someone who has experience with twins already.
Say “yes” when people offer to help!
Best advice? Remember to laugh. Seriously. Somedays you will forget what your own laugh sounds like
I don’t have twins, but I can imagine that it is tough. Remember to breathe, take all the help you can get, and take every free moment you can spare for yourself. Even if its a simple smile in the mirror in the morning.
Take care of yourself first sometimes- you will be that much better able to take care of your babies!
Just take it moment by moment and if something isn’t working for you, no matter how many people give you the advice, don’t do it. Do what works for you and your babies.
I am the mother of a singleton 20-month-old son. And I have to admit, the thought of twins makes me want to hyperventilate! Double kudos to all you parents out there with twins!! My brother and his wife are expecting twins in the fall. I sent them a link to this site, because I think they have no idea what they’re in for!
The advice I give to any parents is to sleep whenever you can. Especially with twins, that probably means you’ll need to get help so you can take a nap. I’m not very good at asking for help, but I’ve had to get better at it since I became a mom. So don’t be afraid to ask family, friends, whomever to come over and give you a break – every day if you can!
Accept any help that is offered.
When someone offers you the chance to shower or rest take them up on the order and don’t feel guility. The small break will make you a happier mommy which means happier babies. Plus with twins there is probably twice the spit up guility hair so a shower may be in order.