Preparing for the birth of your baby is an exciting prospect. However, getting yourself, your family, and your home ready for the delivery of more than one baby can be stressful and time-consuming as well as exciting.
The arrival of two, three, or even several babies into your life requires plenty of preparation, planning, and financial budgeting, all of which takes time, so here are a few tips on how to prepare for a multiple birth to get you started.
Stress-free Sleep Solutions
Your babies will need a place to sleep. Co-sleeping with you and your partner is probably not a viable option if you have more than two babies, so you will need to decide where your children will sleep before they are born.
If you are lucky enough to have a large house with plenty of bedrooms, you should have enough space to assign your babies a nursery. If you live in a small one or two-bedroom home, you may seriously have to think about moving to a larger house before their arrival. Even consider renting a larger property if buying is not an option. You may have to move to a different area to get more square footage for your money.
When your babies come home from the hospital, they may just need a special cardboard baby box like those given out free to new mothers in the UK and Finland or a Moses basket. You may be able to pick up second-hand baskets or borrow from friends and family.
As the babies grow, you will need to invest in more substantial beds, such as cot beds. These can be picked up in budget stores such as IKEA and Walmart or bought second-hand once again. Mattresses are best purchased new for hygiene reasons, as are blankets and gro bags. Perhaps you are handy with knitting needles or know someone who is. In that case, you can stock up on some handmade blankets before the babies arrive. Knitting or crocheting is an excellent way to relax and an excuse to put your feet up during pregnancy.
Carefree Cleaning
Lots of babies equal lots of diapers. You will need a large stock of diapers for your babies. Decide if you want to opt for disposable or reusable ones. Obviously, reusable diapers will save you money, but can you be sure that you will have the time and energy to wash hundreds of diapers every week!
Buying in bulk can save you money in the long term, so pay a visit to a store such as Costco and buy bulk baby wipes, diapers, baby lotion, shampoo, nappy cream, body wash, and anything else that will help to keep your bundles of joy clean and contented
Fuss-free Feeding
One of the most important decisions you will have to make concerning your babies’ wellbeing is whether you will breastfeed them or use formula.
Most health professionals will say ‘breast is best.’ However, breastfeeding more than one baby can be a mammoth task if you have a multiple birth. It may not even be physically possible for you to produce sufficient milk for each baby, never mind establishing a feeding schedule that satisfies demanding babies. You may find that you do nothing all day but breastfeed or express milk.
Using baby formula is probably the best option for mothers who have numerous babies. Bottles can be prepped in advance, and other family members can help feed the babies. Bottle preparation can be made easier with an automatic formula prep machine and a microwave sterilizer. Opt for bottles such as Dr. Browns that will minimize acid reflux and colic in your infants and make them more relaxed and settled.
Trouble-free Travel
Getting your bundles of joy from A to B will be demanding, and the equipment you will need to buy for this task will probably be one of your most significant financial outlays.
If you have several babies, you will most likely need to purchase a larger car such as a people carrier or even a minibus! Each child will need to have a forward-facing car seat and a pram or stroller. Car seats are best to be purchased new as you have no real way of telling for definite if a second-hand seat has been damaged in a car accident.
Strollers and pram stores can be bought second-hand. You will have to find travel systems that have seats for more than one child. Great places to find used equipment are garage sales or jack and Jill markets, where parents sell the baby gear they no longer need at bargain prices.
The best way to prepare for the birth of your babies is to plan and buy well in advance so that everything is in place for their arrival. Borrow as much as you can, purchase second-hand, and bulk buy the essentials. Enjoy every second! Life will never be the same again.
