Since getting pregnant and becoming the Mom of twins, I have entered the world of nosy multiples questions.  I’m sure that you have either entered this world yourself or are about to embark on a journey to this world.  I have come to be able to decipher nosy questions/comments and curious questions/comments, but some still leave me stumped and a bit speachless.

What I have found is that the more I get asked these questions, the better answers or responses I have been able to come up with.  I hope that by addressing some of these issues in this article I will help you to be prepared and give you some time to come up with your own answers before you are faced with these questions.

The question that we have gotten the most is “Do twins run in your family?”  Sometimes this a genuine question because people who have twins in their family have a higher chance of having twins.  Sometimes this question translates to “What kind of fertility drugs did you take to get pregnant?”  This can be offensive to either someone who did take fertility drugs or someone who didn’t.  I would really rather someone come out and just ask us if we did IVF or another fertility procedure than beat around the bush.

We did do IVF and that is how we have our beautiful babies, but I have found that I don’t always want to share this and shouldn’t always share this with others, so I have come up with some standard responses.  First of all, twins do run in my husband’s family so, for someone who doesn’t understand genetics and the fact that a woman’s eggs and chances of having twins have nothing to do with her husband’s side of the family I can simply answer that yes, twins run in my husband’s family.  Often I just say “No they don’t.  We are just twice blessed.”  When I was in the hospital on bed rest and constantly got asked about our twins, I would just say that we had a little help getting pregnant.  In the hospital, most nurses asked if they were “spontaneous twins” which, although it sounds a bit odd, I can understand is simply medical terminology.   I did however take a little offense when one nurse kept referring to them by asking if they were “natural twins or”…kind leaving a pause after that question which led me to believe she was calling them unnatural if we had used IVF or another treatment.  I would always answer her that they were very natural, but we had done fertility treatments.  She never got the point.

Along with the questions about twins running in the family, I often get the stories from other people of how they know somebody who did fertility treatments and now have twins, triplets or quads.  This is from people who don’t know we’ve done treatments.  I think that they are just fishing to see if we did any type of fertility stuff.  I don’t tell these individuals that we did IVF.  I just listen to the stories and say how wonderful it is that these people are now parents.

Every now and then someone is bold enough to come right out and ask if we did anything to get pregnant.  I have always been open about the fertility process and 9 times out of 10 I will say yes without going into any detail because that is really none of their business.  I’m not ashamed that we did IVF and I’m not going to lie either.

Of all the multiples questions we have gotten, the most bizarre and reoccurring question is whether or not our twins are identical.  This is AFTER we tell them we have a boy and a girl.  The first time I got that question was from a friend.  I thought it was her own pregnancy hormones causing her to not think before asking.  Most of the time I just smile politely and say “no”, but every now and then I have pointed out obvious genetic differences between the two when I think it is appropriate.  Two years later I still get that question even though my son has straight, blond hair and blue eyes and my daughter has brown curly hair and hazel eyes.  Go figure!

I would also often get asked questions about the logistics of breastfeeding my twins.  I even had someone ask how I could breastfeed two when I am so small chested.  I kid you not.  I recovered quickly from that one and just gave the standard size has nothing to do with milk production answer.  I often wonder if that stranger ever thought about that question with embarrassment.

These are just a few of the most asked questions about my twins that I have gotten so far.  I’m sure that there are more to come.  Think about these questions and come up with your own standard, witty or educational answers.  The more prepared you are for the questions/comments that might come your way, the more satisfied you will be with the way you answer and respond to them.

When you are pregnant with twins, triplets or higher order multiples, you need to follow separate guidelines regarding many of the nutrients and vitamins that you need during pregnancy.  What you need to be aware of is that you should get try to get these additional vitamins through healthy foods that you eat rather than through a vitamin supplement.  This should be easy since you already have to increase your caloric intake anyway.  If you combine calories with nutrients needed then you are killing two birds with one stone.

Before we start talking about vitamins and minerals for your multiples pregnancy, you must know that when you are pregnant with multiples, you should NOT take more than one prenatal vitamin per day (unless ordered by your doctor).  Prenatal vitamins have specific measurements of vitamins and minerals in them.  Some of those vitamins and minerals can become harmful if you take them in too large of a dose.  What you will find is that you don’t need twice the amount of everything for twins and three times the amount of everything for triplets.  You will just need a slight increase in some of the most essential vitamins and minerals.

Why is proper vitamin, mineral and nutrient intake so important for your multiples pregnancy?  They all help ensure that you are healthy during your pregnancy and they help ensure that your babies are healthy and develop appropriately.  They are the building blocks for helping to develop your babies’ muscles, organs and tissues and they help your babies’ to have proper eye, ear and mental development.  When you are expecting multiples, there are certain vitamins and minerals that you will need to increase to help your babies’ development.

Calcium intake is one of the most important things to watch food-wise during your pregnancy.  It is important to help your bones and teeth to stay strong as a multiples pregnancy can take it’s toll on those two things because your babies’ are taking the calcium from you.  You need to take enough calcium in for them AND for you.  It is also essential in helping your children develop strong bones and teeth in the future.  Instead of the 1000 mg of calcium recommended daily for a woman expecting one baby, women expecting twins or triplets should get at least 1200-1300 mg of calcium daily.  This equals about four cups of milk per day. You can also get your calcium through other foods such as cheese, yogurt, fruit smoothies and broccoli.

Many pregnant women experience constipation.  When you are expecting multiples, you are even more prone to having problems with constipation.  You should eat plenty of foods high in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, bran cereals and beans.  You can also discuss taking a fiber supplement with your OB/GYN.  They might have a particular brand to recommend.

Women expecting multiples have a higher risk for low iron levels and anemia.  Your OB/GYN should check your iron levels during your visits.  They might either prescribe an iron supplement or put you on a diet that contains foods that are high in iron.  Some foods high in iron include Total cereal, green, leafy vegetables, whole wheat, brown rice and watermelon.

Protein intake is also important for women carrying multiples.  If you are expecting twins, then you should aim for between 110-120 grams of protein daily and if you are expecting triplets then you should aim for between 140-150 grams of protein daily.  This means moms-to-be of twins need four protein servings daily and moms-to-be of triplets need five protein servings daily.  You can get protein from many sources including chicken breast, turkey breast, lean red meat, fish, soy-based products and eggs.

We have all heard the importance of taking Folic Acid during pregnancy.  If you are pregnant with multiples, you do not need to take any more Folic Acid than the recommended dose for a single pregnancy unless, of course, your doctor tells you differently.

Make your snacks count.  Choose snacks that are filling and rich in nutrients.  These could include peanut butter, peanut butter crackers, yogurt, nuts, cheese, dried fruit, granola and healthy bars, such as Luna Bars.  Keep these snacks handy.  To avoid temptation, clear your cupboards of unhealthy foods such as chocolate bars, pastries and cookies.  Yes, you can be bad every now and then, but the more healthy stuff you have around the better it will be for you and your babies.

This article can serve as a guideline to help you choose healthy foods for you and your babies during your pregnancy.  You should always consult with your OB/GYN and a hospital or clinic nutritionist to ensure that you are getting the proper nutrition.  By increasing some of your vitamin, mineral and nutrient intake you can help ensure that you are having a healthy pregnancy and that your babies are getting everything they need to help them develop appropriately and be healthy.

If you are already the parent of a child and are pregnant with multiples, you have a big task ahead of you to keep your child from getting lost in the shuffle.  Everyone always oohs and ahhs over twins, triplets, etc. and often their older sibling is left on the side lines.  You need to take extra steps to ensure that they do not feel left out of anything, especially your family circle.

Whether you are getting ready to welcome your multiples or they are already here and you are just looking for a way to help your other child to adjust, just recognizing that this is going to be a hug adjustment is the first step.  Going from an only child to a new brother or sister is hard enough, but if you have an only child and all of the sudden they are going to have to share the spotlight with not one, but two, three, four or more brothers and sisters, this is a huge adjustment.

Start by making them a part of the pregnancy from the beginning.  Have them help pick out clothes, baby toys and other baby things.  They need to feel like they are an important part of the process, that the toys or clothes they picked out for their new siblings are special.  Buy matching bibs that say “I Love My Big Brother” for the babies to wear.  Perhaps they can even help with name choices as well.  Whatever you choose to have them help you with, it is important that they are a part of everything and they have some control over the situation instead of feeling like they are just sitting back and watching everything happen with no input.

At the same time, don’t focus on the fact that they are going to be a “big brother” or “big sister” all the time.  They need to have “Mommy and Daddy and Me” time.  Time where nothing baby is discussed.  Whether you read together, go for a stroll down the road or watch their favorite TV show together for the 500th time, they need to feel like they are just as important as the babies that are coming.  As parents of multiples, it is easy to get caught up in all the preparations, but sometimes you have to set things aside and focus your sole attention on your little one that is already here.

During your pregnancy it might be a good time to introduce them to a Mother’s Day Out program or Day Care one or two days/week.  They will love being with other kids, learning new things, playing games and getting all that exercise.  It is good to start this during your pregnancy for two reasons.  First of all, you will need to have more rest and they still need the same amount of exercise so this will help meet both of your needs.  Second of all, you don’t want to wait until after the babies are here to start a program otherwise it might seem to your child like you are shipping them off or that they have to go to this program because the babies need all your attention and you don’t want to be with them.  I know you would never mean this by doing a Mother’s Day Out, but little kids can be sensitive and that might be what they take from it.

Make sure that, even after the babies get here, even if you are totally exhausted, that you take time to read together, go for a stroll down the road or watch their favorite TV show together for the 501st time.  They need to feel some normalcy amongst the chaos that multiples can bring.  They need and crave that one-on-one time.  You might be reading that book with two or three babies sleeping on one side of you and your toddler on the other, but they need that contact, that comfort and that feeling that you still care and love them and spending time with them is still important to you.

Arrange play dates for your child.  Most parents will understand that, for a short period of time, you will not be able to host the date but that you still want your child to get to spend time with your friends.  You don’t want this to become like a babysitting option for you or you will wear out the option of play dates pretty quickly.  But, at least 2 times/month, it would be good for your child to go play at a friend’s house, just like they used to be able to do.

Knowing that your child’s life will forever be changed with the birth of your multiples, you need to attempt to keep some sort of normalcy for them.  This might be as simple as still having pizza every Friday night or ice cream on Sunday afternoons.  They might just need you to read their favorite bedtime story or give them butterfly kisses.  As parents, we can sense some of what they need, but it is ok to ask them what they want as well.  They will tune into the fact that you are asking because you care.

So, as you prepare to add your little bundles of joy to your family nest or, if they are already here, as you try to get things back together at home, don’t forget the needs of your other child or children.  They need to know that they are still loved and cared for and that there is plenty of room in your life for them and your babies.  Everyone wants to feel that they are special, so be sure you do your part you help them feel that way.

From the time we found out we were having twins, they forever became lumped together in sentences.  They were always referred to as “the twins” and probably will for the rest of their lives by many people.  One of the things that I have tried to do is to work on fostering their individuality and letting them be who they are as individuals.

As a parent of multiples, it really is easy to fall into the rut of doing the same thing with one as you do with the other.  This includes buying the same toys, feeding them the same foods, dressing them the same and expecting the same behaviors, likes and dislikes from each of them.  I have had to work hard to keep out of this rut.  Yes, it might involve a little more work on my part but I want them to be seen as two little people, not just “the twins”.

From the beginning I have sworn off matching outfits (much to the dismay of some of my family members).  Since I have boy/girl twins this was somewhat easier but we still managed to receive a lot of identical clothing.  I felt like if I dressed them alike it wouldn’t show their personalities, interests and, as they grow, hobbies.  I broke down on some coordinating stuff like pjs, I must admit I am a sucker for coordinating pjs like pink with sheep for her and blue with cows for him.  But, that is where I’ve drawn the line.

When it comes time for pictures, I make sure that I get just as many pictures of them alone as I do of them together.  This is true for the “milestone” pictures as well such as 3-months, 6-months, etc.  I always get poses of them by themselves and one together.  I keep a separate baby book for each of them for myself and to give to them when they are grown.  I want them to know that it was important to me the day he said “it’s a biiiiig truck” and the day she said her ABCs for the first time.  I want them to know that I recognize their individuality.

I always try to buy them different toys and books.  She loves books right now and he loves cars and trucks.  I don’t buy them both a book or both a truck, I buy them what they like.  Yes, it would be easier just to pick out two of the same or similar thing all the time but I really want to buy them toys that match their personality and interests.

Food has become the biggest challenges with them.  They are picky eaters, but picky in different ways.  I used to try to feed them the exact same thing. This would always result in left over food.  If you think about it, you and I probably like different things so why would we force ourselves to sit down every night and eat the same thing that one of us doesn’t like?  This often means cooking pasta for her and a chicken patty for him or slicing an apple for her and an orange for him.  As long as they are eating a healthy meal, that is all I care.

As I have learned to let go of the convenience of doing things in twos, I have learned to embrace their individual personalities even more. As a mom of multiples, it is so amazing to watch them grow up at the same time and develop their own personalities, their own quirky ways of doing things and their own likes and dislikes.  As their mom the best thing I can do for them is to offer some guidance and guidelines and let them be who they want to be.  And oh what wonderful little individuals “the twins” have become.

I am somewhat of a perfectionist and definitely one who likes to do things on their own and not ask for help.  I was determined to take care of my twins without any outside help: just me, my husband and two munchkins.  After the twins were born, I hung on stubbornly for a short period before I broke down and realized that it is ok to ask for help.  It doesn’t mean I was a failure or that I was giving my childrearing duties over to someone else.  It just meant that I was exhausted from 1-2 hours of sleep every day for almost 2 months, I wanted to take a shower more than once every 3 days (don’t think that is gross, especially if your multiples aren’t here yet), and I discovered that I wasn’t superwoman.

It all started when my son’s water broke at 28 weeks.  We spent 3 weeks in the hospital before they came into the world at 31 weeks.  Then, for the next 5 weeks, I was either pumping or hanging at the hospital.  My husband played superman for as long as he could for the 3 weeks of hospital bed rest until he became exhausted and we realized it was ok to ask our neighbors to let the dog out in the morning and put him up at night.  Somewhere between bed rest and NICU time I learned to say “yes, there is something you could do for me.  Could you please pick up milk, bread and cat food at the store for me”.  I didn’t fall over or get hives for asking for help and it allowed me to focus on the babies while they were in the NICU.

When I got back home, I turned back into superwoman for a long time.  For about 1-2 months I would feed, feed, pump around the clock until they learned to breastfeed and then I would feed, feed and start all over again.  I tried not to wake my husband during the week as he had to go to work.  After getting only 1-2  hours of sleep every 24 hours for almost 2 months, I  finally had to break down and ask him to help with either the 1:00 or 4:00 feedings.  It wasn’t long after that that they started sleeping longer at night, but I cherished that extra 2 hours of sleep while he was helping.

I again had to learn that it was ok to take people up on their offers.  Yes, if you want to come visit on Wednesday I would love if you could bring some diapers.  Yes, if you want to come watch them for 3 hours I would love to sleep.  After about 4 months I even had my mother-in-law come weekly to hang for the afternoon while I took a bath, cleaned or went for groceries.  It was good for me and a good change for them.

As you prepare to give birth to your twins, triplets, quads or higher order multiples, the biggest tip I can give you is to ask for help and accept it when it is offered.  Friends, family, neighbors are all good resources for you.  Send thank you notes often to let them know how much you appreciate them and what they are doing for you.

If you have triplets or more munchkins on the way, please consider asking for overnight help.  You would be surprised at how many people will volunteer.  Everyone loves to snuggle with a baby!

If you have a strong church family, ask if there is anyone who would be willing to volunteer to help once you come home.  Don’t be surprised if you aren’t overwhelmed with the number of people who want to come help you.  Set up a schedule of when you need volunteers.  Better yet, if you have a friend who would be willing to coordinate a volunteer schedule, let them help you with that task too.

You can also advertise at local colleges for someone to come a couple of hours/week to play with the kids while you get things done.  Yes, you might have to pay a little for this, but you would be surprised at how much you can get done in 2-3 hours and it will be $30 well spent!

If I had it to do all over again, I would have shed my superwoman costume and accepted offers for help from the beginning.  It helped me to be better rested, stay healthy and get a few things done so that when my help wasn’t there I was able to devote all my time and energy directly to my children.  That in itself makes any help well worth the asking and the taking.

If you are a Mom-to-be or new Mom of twins and are planning to breast feed, there are a few tips that can help make your job easier.  Even if you are having triplets and quads, it can be done with a little ingenuity!  It truly is one of those things that “practice makes perfect”, but hopefully these few helpful hints will help your breastfeeding experience to go as smoothly as possible.

The first thing that you need to realize is that every baby is different.  Some take to breast feeding immediately and others never do.  It is not something you have done or something you didn’t do, it is just in their nature.  Particularly if your little ones have a stay in the NICU and start out by taking a bottle you might find that some prefer the bottle to the breast when it comes time to eat.

The reason I write this is that this was how things started in my case.  My one twin came home from the NICU and took to breastfeeding immediately.  The other twin took forever to decide to breastfeed and always preferred the bottle over breastfeeding.  I finally had to let go and realize that I needed to let him feed the way he felt comfortable and I would pump for him to give him breast milk.

I would highly recommend that you breastfeed your twins at the same time.  You can still snuggle and cuddle with them while you are feeding.  It will save you plenty of time which, as a mother of twins, you will come to cherish time.  If you feed at the same time, when you are done you can play with them both and either take a nap when they nap or have a little “me” time while they nap.  If you would rather breastfeed one at a time, make a pallet next to you on the floor so that you can breastfeed one and lie the other one next to you and dangle a toy over him/her for play or talk and sing to them both.  You have to find the routine that works for you in order to feel the most comfortable with the breastfeeding experience.

They have special nursing pillows for Mom’s with twins.  If you can buy one of these, I would encourage you to do so.  These truly help you to be able to breastfeed them both at the same time comfortably.  If you can’t buy one, purchase a Boppy or other breastfeeding pillow for mom’s with singletons and create an extension with pillows on either side.  You need to do this for height and comfort for both you and your babies.  I actually did the Boppy and pillow thing using large sofa pillows and I maneuvered them around to find the best position for them and me.

Before you get totally comfortable with breastfeeding at the same time, have someone hand you your twins one at a time if at all possible.  This helps prevent the fumbling and awkwardness of trying to latch one baby on and then attempting to latch the other one on without disturbing the first baby.  After a while you will get the hang of it and be able to find a comfortable way to perform this task alone.  The first few times I did it by myself I was a wee bit uncoordinated but it didn’t take long to get the hang of it.

In the beginning, you might have to stop nursing them both to burp them both and then start nursing again. As they get older and you get more comfortable, you will actually know their burping needs and can burp one while continuing to feed the other.  I would not suggest doing this in the beginning though because it is awkward enough to burp a newborn let alone burp and nurse at the same time.

Keep toys, books and other things of interest close by so that if one twin is done nursing before the other you can keep them occupied.  They might just want to lie against you and snuggle even though they are done eating and that is fine too.

There are a number of different ways you can position your children to breastfeed at the same time.  It was easiest for me to have their heads both facing in and bodies out to either side.  Trying to feed them facing the same way was too awkward for me but might be perfect for you.  Try out the different twin breastfeeding positions to find the one that is most comfortable for you and them.

Drink tons of water when breastfeeding twins.  It helps in milk production and helps keep you hydrated.  It doesn’t matter whether you are an A cup or a D cup, you can breastfeed twins successfully.  One of the greatest keys to accomplish this though is to consume plenty of water…at least 80 oz per day if not more.

These were a few of the things that I found the most helpful in my breastfeeding experience with my twins.  There is an abundance of breastfeeding information for Moms of multiples.  Talk to your local la Leche League or the Lactation Consultant at your hospital.  Both of these places gave me an abundance of information to help me with my breastfeeding experience.  In fact calling them for tips is one of the best tips that I can give you!

If you are a Mom-to-be or new Mom of twins and are planning to breast feed, there are a few tips that can help make your job easier.  Even if you are having triplets and quads, it can be done with a little ingenuity!  It truly is one of those things that “practice makes perfect”, but hopefully these few helpful hints will help your breastfeeding experience to go as smoothly as possible.

The first thing that you need to realize is that every baby is different.  Some take to breast feeding immediately and others never do.  It is not something you have done or something you didn’t do, it is just in their nature.  Particularly if your little ones have a stay in the NICU and start out by taking a bottle you might find that some prefer the bottle to the breast when it comes time to eat.

The reason I write this is that this was how things started in my case.  My one twin came home from the NICU and took to breastfeeding immediately.  The other twin took forever to decide to breastfeed and always preferred the bottle over breastfeeding.  I finally had to let go and realize that I needed to let him feed the way he felt comfortable and I would pump for him to give him breast milk.

I would highly recommend that you breastfeed your twins at the same time.  You can still snuggle and cuddle with them while you are feeding.  It will save you plenty of time which, as a mother of twins, you will come to cherish time.  If you feed at the same time, when you are done you can play with them both and either take a nap when they nap or have a little “me” time while they nap.  If you would rather breastfeed one at a time, make a pallet next to you on the floor so that you can breastfeed one and lie the other one next to you and dangle a toy over him/her for play or talk and sing to them both.  You have to find the routine that works for you in order to feel the most comfortable with the breastfeeding experience.

They have special nursing pillows for Mom’s with twins.  If you can buy one of these, I would encourage you to do so.  These truly help you to be able to breastfeed them both at the same time comfortably.  If you can’t buy one, purchase a Boppy or other breastfeeding pillow for mom’s with singletons and create an extension with pillows on either side.  You need to do this for height and comfort for both you and your babies.  I actually did the Boppy and pillow thing using large sofa pillows and I maneuvered them around to find the best position for them and me.

Before you get totally comfortable with breastfeeding at the same time, have someone hand you your twins one at a time if at all possible.  This helps prevent the fumbling and awkwardness of trying to latch one baby on and then attempting to latch the other one on without disturbing the first baby.  After a while you will get the hang of it and be able to find a comfortable way to perform this task alone.  The first few times I did it by myself I was a wee bit uncoordinated but it didn’t take long to get the hang of it.

In the beginning, you might have to stop nursing them both to burp them both and then start nursing again. As they get older and you get more comfortable, you will actually know their burping needs and can burp one while continuing to feed the other.  I would not suggest doing this in the beginning though because it is awkward enough to burp a newborn let alone burp and nurse at the same time.

Keep toys, books and other things of interest close by so that if one twin is done nursing before the other you can keep them occupied.  They might just want to lie against you and snuggle even though they are done eating and that is fine too.

There are a number of different ways you can position your children to breastfeed at the same time.  It was easiest for me to have their heads both facing in and bodies out to either side.  Trying to feed them facing the same way was too awkward for me but might be perfect for you.  Try out the different twin breastfeeding positions to find the one that is most comfortable for you and them.

Drink tons of water when breastfeeding twins.  It helps in milk production and helps keep you hydrated.  It doesn’t matter whether you are an A cup or a D cup, you can breastfeed twins successfully.  One of the greatest keys to accomplish this though is to consume plenty of water…at least 80 oz per day if not more.

These were a few of the things that I found the most helpful in my breastfeeding experience with my twins.  There is an abundance of breastfeeding information for Moms of multiples.  Talk to your local la Leche League or the Lactation Consultant at your hospital.  Both of these places gave me an abundance of information to help me with my breastfeeding experience.  In fact calling them for tips is one of the best tips that I can give you!

When we found out we were having twins, the hunger started almost right away.  I didn’t suffer morning sickness, I had morning dizziness unless I ate properly and drank enough water.  I consider myself somewhat healthy, so I began to search for ways to get the extra calories I needed for the twins from healthy foods and drinks.

I was told to eat an additional 600 calories/day while I was pregnant and while I was nursing them.  Wow, 600 calories seemed like a lot.  But, once I began looking at calories on different foods and drinks I realized that it didn’t take a lot to get those extra calories.  About that same time, I talked to a Mom-to-be of quads and discovered that 600 calories/day was nothing compared to 1500-2000 calories.

When you are pregnant with multiples, your OB/GYN should discuss calorie intake with you and outline what he/she feels is the best amount of calories and weight gain for your body type, height, current weight, etc.  In general, women pregnant with twins should eat an additional 600 calories/day and gain 35-45 pounds during their pregnancy.  Women pregnant with triplets should eat an additional 1000 calories/day and gain 50-60 pounds during their pregnancy.  Women expecting quadruplets should eat an additional 1500-2000 calories/day and weight gain should be discussed with your doctor (I’ve read anywhere from 60-100 pounds).

For the mother of quads I mentioned, a book about how to eat that many calories stayed with her at all times and really helped her in preparing meals and snacks.  Women pregnant with twins and triplets have a somewhat easier time trying to fit in their calorie intake in a 24 hour period.

The first thing you need to realize is that you should not put your additional calories into your three main meals each day.  Because your belly is full of babies, you don’t have enough room for large meals.  Instead eat frequently but in smaller quantities throughout the day.

All of your calorie intake doesn’t need to come from solid foods.  Liquids can be a great source of calories and nutrition for you.  You need to increase your calcium intake during your pregnancy and 1 8oz glass of 1% milk gives you an additional 105 calories.  I would drink one glass in the morning and sometimes one at night.  Two glasses of milk knocks out 210 calories!  Fruit juice and fruit smoothies are good for you too.

Fruits and vegetables are great sources of fiber and calories.  One apple has about 50 calories, one banana 100 calories and 1 grapefruit 100 calories.  Just an extra serving of a fruit and vegetable each day adds anywhere from 100-200 calories.  I would often put a little peanut butter on my apple slices (really my only craving during the pregnancy and it had to be Fuji apples with Skippy peanut butter). This gave me protein and additional calories.

One of the quickest ways to get calories during my pregnancy was the nutritional Luna Bar.  Packet with nutrients including folic acid, protein and calcium each Luna Bar has about 180-210 calories.  They come in a variety of flavors and they were my mid-morning snack to get me through.  They are geared towards women who are pregnant and are nursing.

With just those few changes I was able to get my 600 calories/day.  Let’s review them: 2 8oz glasses of 1% milk = 210 calories, 1 apple with peanut butter = 100 calories, 1 banana or grapefruit = 100 calories and 1 Luna Bar = 200 calories.  If you add that all together you get 610 calories.  It doesn’t seem like much food, but the calories and nutrition of it all added up quickly.

If you want to keep a strict count of your daily caloric intake, you can look up different foods online to see how much calories they have.  This was how I started and I was pleasantly surprised that it was easy to get 600 calories.  If you are expecting quads, I would encourage you to work with a nutritionist to come up with a healthy way to get all your additional calories.

So, put away your box of Ho-Hos (I had a friend pregnant with one child who would polish off a box in two days) and pick up an apple and a nutrient bar.  Eating healthy to get all your calories for your multiples pregnancy is good for you, good for your babies and helps you to lose weight after the babies are born.  That fact is an incentive in itself!

When you are pregnant with multiples, your whole pregnancy game plan changes.  You have a whole new set of rules that you need to follow to make it through your pregnancy.  What you do or don’t do during your pregnancy can affect how for you make it before the babies are born.  I have included in the article some things that you can do to help you have a long healthy pregnancy.

First and foremost, rest is important.  The more you take it easy the better.  Your doctor should give you guidelines for resting, but as a whole you need to sit or lie down 1-2 times per day for about 15 minutes starting at 23-25 weeks for twins and triplets and around 18 weeks for quadruplets.  If your doctor suggested resting earlier or bed rest, follow his suggestion.

This is not always an easy suggestion to follow.  If you have other children at home, they demand attention.  Find an educational DVD or TV show and lie down with them while they watch it.  Have them lie next to you and read a book or color.  Children need down time too so why not get the rest you need while they are relaxing too?  If you have a helpful neighbor or friend or family member that lives close to you, see if they would be able to come over for 15-30 minutes every now and then so you can rest.  You need to find someway to fit this rest into your schedule.

Cut out any exercise programs or excessive activity.  If you are an avid jogger, you need to learn to like to stroll during your pregnancy.  Jazzercise or spin class is just not in the cards when you are expecting multiples.  It doesn’t mean you can’t get any exercise during your pregnancy, you just need to find a way to do it that will not but too much exertion on your body, such as stretches or leg lifts while you are sitting down.

Drink plenty of water during your pregnancy.  You should drink at leas 80 ounces of water per day.  I found the easiest way for me to keep track of water intake was to refill a 24 ounce water bottle 4 times everyday.  Research shows that not having enough water intake can contribute to preterm labor for women who are only pregnant with one child and the risk increases as the number of children increase.

Get proper food intake.  When you are pregnant with multiples, you need to increase your caloric intake and also increase the amount of nutrients and vitamins that your body receives.  The more healthy you eat and the more food intake you get the better because you can ensure your babies are getting the calories and nutrition they need to grow and develop properly.

Go to all your doctor’s appointments.  When you are pregnant with multiples, you will be required to go to more doctor’s visits then a mom pregnant with just one child.  These extra visits are crucial to make sure that your pregnancy is progressing properly and you and your babies are healthy.  Your doctor will do more ultrasounds, blood work and tests to ensure that everything is going the way it should.  If it isn’t, it will hopefully be detected earlier with more frequent visits.  If you don’t attend all your scheduled visits, your doctor might miss something.

By following these suggestions and anything your doctor recommends or orders, you will hopefully have a long, healthy pregnancy. If you have any questions or concerns or something just doesn’t seem right, do not hesitate to contact your OB/GYN.  Sometimes a mother’s instinct will beat out any test or exam a doctor can give.  After all, you know your body and your babies’ activity better than anyone else.  If something seems wrong do not waste any time acting on you feeling.  A little prevention and caution might be all you need to get a few more weeks out of your pregnancy before your babies come out to meet you and the world.

The moment we found out we were pregnant with twins, we began to get what I call the “doomsday” stories or comments.  Everyone was determined that my little ones would come early.  I became determined that they wouldn’t.  I followed doctor’s orders and even created my own precautions.  My husband became the main cleaner in the household.  I rested twice a day starting at about 23-25 weeks.  I ate what I was supposed to and avoided excessive exercise and activity.  But still, being the planner that I am, I began to gather a few preemie clothes together just in case.  When my son’s water broke at 28 weeks (something I had not thought of when I was considering the “premature” scenario) I was glad that I had stored some preemie clothes away.

What I found when I began searching for preemie clothes was that they are hard to find.  When you do find them, they are often very expensive, which is crazy since they would probably be only used for about a month or two depending on how early they are born.  While I was on bed rest for three weeks in the hospital, I searched for preemie clothes online so that I could have some clothes ready for them when they were born.  I wanted to share some of the best deals that found so I can hopefully make your job searching for preemie clothes easier.  If your little ones come early, the less you have to worry about the better.

If you are not opposed to clothes that are gently used, I found some great deals for you.  Once you get the clothes home, you can wash them once or twice to be sure they are clean.  The best place I found to buy preemie clothes was online auctions.  You can buy clothes in lots, meaning you buy many outfits at one time.  I was able to even find some boy/girl twin lots that I paid less than $20 for 5 outfits each with some hats and socks included.  They were adorable and hardly looked worn.  In fact, one outfit still had the tags attached.

You can check a local Good Will for preemie clothes as well.  This way you can view them in person and see what kind of condition they are in.  If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on preemie clothes, check with pregnancy counseling centers in your area.  They often have a clothes closet and will give you the clothes.  You can then donate them back when you no longer need them to help someone else.

If you must have brand new preemie clothes, I found the most affordable preemie clothes at Wal-Mart.  They have a good amount of clothes to choose from and they are adorable!  They cost an average of $5 each and they have sleepers, gowns, onesies and pants among other articles of clothing.  Baby Gap and Gymboree also carry preemie clothes and, if you can catch them on sale, you can get really good deals as well.

I did find a few other sites online where you can purchase preemie clothes.  They were all very sweet, but they tended to range between $20-$40.  I wanted to get more bang for my buck and have plenty of outfits for the NICU as they changed clothes there 2-3 times/day depending on what they were doing that day.  However, we did splurge on the going home outfits!

I hope that this helps you in your search for preemie clothes for you multiples.  Even if your pregnancy is going well, you all know that the higher the number of children you are carrying, the greater the risk for an early delivery.  It doesn’t hurt to keep a few articles of clothing on hand just in case.  Hopefully you will never need them.  If you do, then you are ahead of the game.  If you don’t, you can donate them to a program that helps pregnant moms who might not be able to afford purchasing preemie clothes for their babies.