Jo Tantum offers support to new parents with twins

It doesn’t need to be double the trouble.

Jo Tantum, the UK’s leading baby sleep expert and author of the best seller Baby Secrets book, offers her advice to new parents with twins. With over 24 years of knowledge and experience, Jo has seen it all. She has worked with nearly 600 babies, nearly as many parents their siblings, grandparents as well as working closely with GP’s, midwives, paediatricians and health visitors.

“So you have just had a baby, one baby, how many nappies and Feeds, how tired are you? Now double it and you have twins! Double the fun! Twins are hard work, and getting them into a routine is so important. If they are both on a different timetable, feeding and sleeping it means that you will be constantly doing something and have no time to get dressed or even have a shower.

Write a log of the babies feeding and sleeping patterns, watch for hunger and tired signs. Then put them into their very own natural routine.

Here are my top tips…

1. If one baby is more awake than the other then put them down for naps 15 minutes later.
2. If one baby wakes for a feed in the night, then wake the other, otherwise you are guaranteed that just as you get back to bed the other twin will wake.
3. If you are feeling fed up and house bound then go out with your babies. People will stop and stare and talk to you as though you’re a celeb!
4. Always have a change bag packed by the door and restock it when you get back in this stops the chaos as you try and get 2 babies ready and the pram, and yourself.
5. Let your babies sleep in the same cot together, side by side with their feet at the bottom of the cot. They were together for 9 months inside you, so don’t break that bond. They will settle each other rather than wake each other. Twins mean that they also become each other’s constant playmate which means they entertain themselves.

Another huge plus with twins is that Dads become more involved because they have to. Which is great for you to have the support you need. And Daddy gets to bond with his babies too. Sharing the middle of the night feeds can also strengthen your relationship as you feel that you are working as a team.

Once your babies have good head control, then practise feeding the together by yourself. You can have them in their bouncy chairs and you sit in the middle of them. Or you can put them both on a pillow in front of you. The more times you do it the more confident you will become.

Having twins is rather daunting, but you get double the smiles, double the love and double the fun!

Enjoy your twins!

Jo Tantum will be on stage everyday sharing her tips on sleep everyday at The Baby Show NEC 18^th-20^th May. To book tickets log on to www.thebabyshow.co.uk.

To buy Jo’s book, her range of natural baby toiletries or to seek a consultation log on to www.babysecretsltd.com.