The following special classes will be offered at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights in preparation for multiples. You and your babies will survive … We promise! These classes will share helpful hints to help you through the first hectic months. RELAX … Relaxed parents mean happier babies! Please join us for these enlightening classes.

Location
Northwest Community Hospital
800 West Central Road – Room 1-6
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Registration
On Line @ NCH.org; or
Call: (847) 618-5230

TIME SCHEDULE IN PREPARATION FOR MULTIPLES

By 16 Weeks:

• Keep a diet record for at least one week.

By 20 Weeks:

• Arrange to borrow/buy baby items (swings, cribs, infant car seats, etc.)

By 24 Weeks:

• Buy “egg crate” mattress for bed.
• Begin interviewing Pediatricians or Family Physicians.
• Attend infant/toddler CPR class.

By 28 Weeks:

• If necessary, teach Husband how to cook.
• Select Pediatrician or Family Physician.
• Have nursery ready.
• Have Baby Showers.

By 32 Weeks:

• Gather ideas for birth announcements.
• Have layette ready.
• List of people to call after delivery.
• By 36 Weeks: Have birth announcement envelopes addressed and stamped.
• Write out checks for future months’ regular bills.
  
  

WELCOME HOME TWINS

Helpful Hints From The Experienced Moms At “One Plus One”
So, you have been blessed with multiples! You and your babies will survive … We promise! RELAX … A relaxed parent means happier babies! Here are some helpful hints to help you through the first hectic months from our experienced Moms at “One Plus One.”

Do not skimp on purchasing your double stroller — Most Moms agree it was the single most important investment they made. Try pushing the babies around in the house or rocking them back and forth in the stroller — This puts some babies to sleep!

Try to find several babysitters as soon as or even before the babies are born. Have them come to your home several times and help you care for the twins before they “solo.” Some Moms prefer to have their sitters come in pairs.

In case of an emergency, always keep your diaper bag packed. Items to include might be diapers, wipes, cloth diapers for burping, small plastic garbage bags (for soiled diapers and clothes), spare outfits (include sweaters or receiving blankets in case the weather changes), diaper ointment, pacifiers, Tylenol and toys. Some Moms use duffel bags or small suitcases instead of the conventional diaper bags — they hold more!

If you live in a two-story home, set up a sleeping and changing area on both floors. Also, invest in a baby monitor!

When it comes to your housework, set your priorities. Lower your standards for a while. Accept help when offered and/or hire some if you can afford to.

Use disposable diapers or a diaper service for at least the first few months.

Sleep when the babies sleep — no matter what time!

Keep charts to remind you who was fed, when and how much. Other things to chart might include vitamins and other medications, bowel movements, temperature (if sick) and sleep patterns.

Label your babies pictures as soon as possible, especially with identical twins. Using a predominant color for each baby helps in pictures and also helps Grandma to tell the twins apart! Remember to take pictures of each baby alone, in addition to pictures taken together.

For your baby books, scribble “firsts” on scraps of paper and tuck them away to record at a later date (i.e. when you have more spare time).

Consider unplugging the phone when you and the babies are resting or feeding or purchase a telephone answering machine.

Try taking one baby with you shopping and leaving the other baby at home with Dad. This allows you to spend time alone with one baby and you will be able to get more accomplished!

Use toenail polish on the first born to distinguish one identical (or look-alike fraternal) twin from the other.

Consider using “ready-to-feed” formula (instead of the kind you mix) if you are bottle-feeding and can afford to.

Your babies will adjust to the everyday noises in the home (including each other’s crying). “White noise,” such as the vacuum or clothes dryer, often helps fussy babies sleep.

Many Moms believe it’s worth the effort to get their babies on the same or similar schedule.

Baby swings are a wonderful help — have two and consider purchasing (or borrowing) the quiet, battery-operated type. “Bouncy” infant chairs are also lifesavers — two can be bounced with one foot.

For breast-feeding Moms, it may be less confusing if you assign each child their own breast and switch sides every 24 hours instead of every feeding. (Many Moms have successfully breastfed and never switched sides).

If you apply yourself during the morning hours, you can manage your day much more efficiently.

It is never too early in the day to begin preparing dinner; however, just in case, keep the phone number to the local pizza carryout place taped next to the phone!

Once your baby is over 9 pounds and it’s acceptable with your Doctor, begin to gently encourage sleeping through the night. You might try letting baby “fuss” a short while (they will often fall back to sleep) or patting or rocking in a dark, quiet room. Unless baby insists on eating, feed as little as possible and place the baby back in their crib immediately after, even if they are still awake (make sure you get a “burp” up first). They will soon get the idea.

Join “One Plus One” or another local Mother of Twins Club. The support and share experience is invaluable and you will save money at the clothing and equipment exchanges.

Remember — “You often wish there were two of you but you will never wish that there were only one of them!

Caring For Twin Babies

Feeding Separately: Twin one is kept waiting to be fed; however, hopefully, the length of time is reduced. As twin one is kept awake and played with afterwards, he/she gets accustomed to the routine and starts to wake later. Twin two is woken up and played with before he/she is fed. He/she is encouraged to go to sleep after being fed so that he/she learns to wake up herself when it is time for feeding. Both babies are played with individually around each feeding and the parents still have time for themselves between feedings.

Feeding Together: Both twins are fed at the same time; one or both of them being woken up, if necessary, until they learn to wake up when it is time for feeding. They can be played with before or after their feeding. If there are two of you, each can play with one twin. In this way, feeding takes less time and gradually they learn to wake for feeding at similar times.

Dropping Night Feeding: Another type of routine to work towards is the dropping of the night feeding. If your babies are fed at roughly 6:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., delay the 10:00 p.m. feeding and bring forward the 6:00 a.m. feeding to 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 a.m.