When did you have your twins?

September 2010 when our eldest daughter was 2 1/2 … 3 under 3 whoop whoop

How did you feel when you found out the news?

Gosh where do I start its a complete mix of emotions, excitement, scared, worry, elation.

What was your biggest fear considering you already had a child, so you knew new-borns are not easy?

How would it work … logistically how do you feed two and put them to bed.  It did work you find ways to make it work but it is intimidating and I will be honest I felt like a first time mum all over again!

What was your biggest achievement with the boys in the first 3 months?

Brest-feeding them!  I was really concerned about how it would work but it was actually easier than I thought.  I had fantastic support from my local multiple birth club support page and lots of advise from mums that had been there done it type thing.

Describe the biggest sleep challenge in the boys first 6 months?

The usual … teaching them to self settle.  It was hard work honestly and my husband had to step up (and did above and beyond) to help.  What surprised me was that they could sleep thru each others cries … so if only one woke it was easy ha ha!

Describe the biggest sleep challenge in their first year?

Honestly … the biggest sleep challenge was lack of it for mum and dad!!  Someone once told me that the noise from a baby crying was equivalent to a party of 10 adults … so we had the noise of 20 adults partying hard out.  Throw in the mix our other toddler who decided when the boys arrived it was the perfect time to cut her day sleeps, we had no chance to make up for lost sleep.  With the boys I also found once I sussed a nap/sleep routine then they would up and change their needs on me … how rude!  That was a big challenge in the first year.

What is the best piece of advice for an expectant mum due to have multiples?

If you are a first time mum with multiples – sleep when babies sleep!  If you have other children ASK for help.  Don’t let stupid pride get in the way.  I used to leave my washing to be folded in a basket and when visitors came I would pull it over and say ‘while your here help me with this’, then conveniently have to do something else mwah ha ha ha evil but no one actually minded.  Oh and another triplet mum told me she used to leave her vacuum cleaner in the lounge, then if anyone visited she can say Im so sorry that’s there I was just about to vacuum.  She guaranteed 9/10 people would then vacuum for her!

Don’t worry about routine let babies lead the way … pffft that person obviously didn’t have twins!  I decided to try that advise.  Were previously if one woke for a feed I would wake the other  so they were on the same routine.  Well that was the one day I called my husband to come home early from work because I couldn’t do it … it was mayhem I swear I didn’t sit down for 12 hours!

If time flies when we have babies do you think it flies twice as fast having 2?

DOES IT EVER!  Its actually quite sad but that first 12 months is a blur with my twins.  My two singletons I remember their first 12 months so clearly, even down to sitting and feeding them at night.  My boys it really is a blur but then I wouldn’t change it for a thing!

Tracey is a mum to 4 beautiful babies now, and is heavily involved with the multiple birth club association in Auckland.