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]]>Paediatric Nutritionist and Pampers Institute Member, Claire McHugh, suggests increasing your nutritional intake by 300 calories a day for each baby.
Claire also advises that you;
Watch the Pampers YouTube video for more of her nutritional tips.
Helpful advice and tips from the Pampers® Institute are available at www.Pampers.co.za and on www.youtube.com/PampersZA Receive emails with information tailored to your baby’s age by subscribing at www.Pampers.co.za/registration and connect with us at www.facebook.com/PampersSA
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]]>The question is: do you need two of everything? Certain items will require that you have one for each, whilst others can be shared.
One of the biggest purchases will be your twin pram. Careful consideration should be given when selecting your twin pram.
It is essential to buy a twin pram that will suit your needs and lifestyle. Your pram should be lightweight, compact, and easy to push and manoeuvre and most importantly, it must fit into your car boot and down the isles in a shopping centre.
A pram that is suitable from birth to four years will save you the unnecessary expense of having to buy two prams.
You will definitely require two infant car seats and preferably ones that are compatible with your twin pram so that you do not need to disturb your sleeping babies whilst moving the babies from the car onto the pram and vice versa.
Bassinets or carry cots are handy to have, but not essential. Most are compact and can fold flat for easy transportation. Bassinets can be used in your bedroom for the first few months.
Car seats bases remain installed in the car and alleviate a lot of trouble strapping two car seats into the car. Car seat bases increase the safety aspect of all car seats.
Choosing the correct travel system will give you the independence that you need to travel with your babies, short and long distance.
Twins fare better co-sleeping when they are little but eventually you will need to buy two cots. It is best to provide for this before their arrival to prevent unnecessary stress once the twins arrive. There are many configurations available for twins.
L-shaped cots are fantastic for small spaces as they fit into the corner of the smallest room. Babies can lie head to head and still have room to be separated.
Cots that convert into toddler beds will allow you to use your cot and linen from birth to approximately three years of age. Your babies will also adjust quicker to sleeping in a bed. Toddler beds come with guide rails to prevent your restless toddler from falling out. The toddler beds are also low to the ground so that your toddler can climb in and out safely.
Twins that are born prematurely and have spent time in NICU, will need to be monitored using apnoea pads, also know as breathing pads.
Preemies are more susceptible to suffer from apnoea episodes and therefore have an increased risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Apnoea monitors can be hired from most hospitals or bought in our local baby stores. There are two types of apparatus that can monitor an infants breathing.
Breathing pads can be placed under the cot mattress and monitor the babies breathing whilst sleeping in the cot only. If you would like the babies to co-sleep it is essential to look at the sensitivity of this type of breathing pad. Certain brands are not able to detect the breathing of two babies. An infant could suffer an apnoea episode without you ever being aware of it.
Alternately, there are breathing pads that attach to the infants nappy. These devices are small and compact and monitor the babies breathing in every situation. Should they become dislodged the alarm will sound. Most of the breathing monitors come with a sound monitor so when the babies are old enough you will only utilise the sound component of the monitor.
Breastmilk is essential for the survival and well being of preemies and small babies.
The benefits of double pumping (simultaneous breast expression) compared to single pumping (one breast followed by the other breast), are well known. Recent scientific research has not only confirmed this, but has also uncovered further benefits for pumping mothers.
These benefits include:
Key advice to parents expecting twins is to keep practicality, versatility, safety and high quality as the forefront when purchasing your twin baby gear.
About the Author: Double Trouble is a Cape Town based company that specialises in baby products for Twins and Singletons. For more information, visit www.double-trouble.co.za.
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]]>Over the past 30 years there has been an increase in the number of multiple births globally.
Since 1980, the number of twin births has increased by 70% in the USA and the number of births involving three or more babies has quadrupled.The two main reasons for this increase are that women are having babies later, and more women are having fertility treatment, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
The biggest increase in multiple births are among women aged 30 and older. Older maternal age accounts for about one-third of the rise, and two-thirds is due to the increased use of fertility treatments.
Other factors that contribute to the development of a multiple pregnancy are hereditary;
Multiples are termed ‘high-risk’ pregnancies. The most immediate risk is pre-term (early) labour resulting in premature birth. A normal gestation is about 40 weeks, but a twin pregnancy often lasts between 35 and 37 weeks.
Nearly half of all twins are born before 37 weeks.
In addition to the possibility of premature births, other medical conditions that are more likely to occur during a multiple pregnancy include:
Multiple births can also be associated with long-term health problems in the infants. Developmental delays and cerebral palsy occur more commonly in twins than in single births, and there’s a higher risk of health problems with higher-order multiple births.
When you fall pregnant with multiples, you may need more prenatal check-ups than you would with a single baby. Be prepared for the possibility of experiencing a double dose of everything – higher levels of hormones can mean more severe morning sickness.
Multiples place greater stress on your body: with twins, a weight gain of 20 kg isn’t unusual. You can expect symptoms such as heartburn, indigestion, shortness of breath and extreme fatigue.
Prepare yourself emotionally that you may give birth prematurely, says Lousanne Terblanche, seminar co-ordinator of the South African Multiple Birth Association (SAMBA).
Your hospital bag should be ready and packed by 28 weeks. Plan to take maternity leave from 30-32 weeks, and aim to take five to six months off if possible, she suggests. Organise your home so that the babies’ routines can be managed as easily as possible.
“From 28 weeks of pregnancy, rest a lot with your feet in the air. Sleep on your back with pillows piled under your feet or on your side with a pillow between your knees and a pillow under your stomach.”
“It is possible to have a natural twin birth if the circumstances around your pregnancy are optimal.”
About the author: Dr Noluthando Nematswerani is a Discovery Health Clinical Specialist. For more information on Discovery visit www.dicovery.co.za.
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