twins or two very close in age?

topic posted Sat, November 3, 2007 - 10:29 PM by  Elizabeth
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Okay, so I've written before. I have two sons. One is six-months-old (I gave birth to him) and one is two-months-old (my partner, a woman, gave birth to him). Yes, it's a lot of work, but that part isn't really what's hard for me. What's hard is that I feel the need to have an intense, one-on-one relationship with each of them for all their waking hours, but of course, since there are two of them, this isn't possible. It's looking like I'm going to be the SAHM, and my partner will soon be going back to work. I feel guilty when I'm holding one and not the other. I can't easily wear them both (though I'm thinking of trying a moby in front and an ergo in back). I sometimes nurse the younger one, but I worry that it upsets my older guy (though he seems fine, mostly). I imagine that people with twins deal with some of these issues, and also that having two babies has certain impacts on attachment parenting, and I'd love to hear from parents of twins or others close in age about this! Thank you.
posted by:
Elizabeth
SF Bay Area
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  • Re: twins or two very close in age?

    Sun, November 4, 2007 - 6:15 AM
    Hi. My partner and I have 14 month-old fraternal twin boys. She gave birth to them, but I'm the SAHM. We were both home until they were 3 months old, so that helped, and since she's gone back to work, the boys and I go see her at lunch every day for them to nurse. Before my advice, I have to say I really envy that you are both lactating. (Rereading your post, I'm assuming that, but if it's true, that's awesome.) I comfort nursed both boys for the attachment and still do rarely as needed, though they are less interested now.

    OK, on the guilt thing. That's a hard one. How I've figured out dealing with that is really remembering and thinking about them as two separate people with two different sets of needs. Sometimes one needs me more than the other, so the best and less guilt-inducing thing to do is to attend to/hold that one. Sometimes they both cry and I hold both of them the best I can. Sometimes I cry too, though that's happening less and less.

    As for doublewearing solutions, I have only done double wearing with them as bigger babies -- Ergo front and back. I take an Ergo every where we go in the stroller though in case someone needs it (again, trying to let go of the guilt). Now that they can hold themselves up so well, it's pretty doable to Ergo one and hold the other for a short period (both on the front to walk to our car for example).

    Have you tried nursing both of them at once? Don't know how that would work with two in different developmental stages (the older one grabbing at the younger one, for example), but my partner still double nurses frequently which seems to help on the who gets attention issue - though doesn't stop one of them from wanting solo time with her now and then. She recognizes that need and gives it to the one who asks for it when possible.

    Finally, do you cosleep? We do (king + twin on the floor) and I think any lack of attention we feel like we give them during the day because there are two of them we can make up cuddling all night long. Now they are in month 2 of marathon teething (woo-hoo!), so the cosleeping seems like a total savior on being able to comfort them through the crying wakeups without ourselves having to get out of bed.

    Hope this helps.
    • Re: twins or two very close in age?

      Sun, November 4, 2007 - 9:43 AM
      I said this directly but want to say it publically, too: this is just what I needed to hear about. Just the twist that two gives to the attachment parenting approach. And my partner will be coming home to nurse at lunch, too. Yes, we both nurse, sometimes nursing the non-primary-nurser when the other is gone but mostly nursing the one we gave birth to. She'll be starting work when the little one is just shy of three months. Anyway, thank you, and if any one else out there has experience with this, I welcome all thoughts. It's great to hear.
      • Re: twins or two very close in age?

        Fri, November 30, 2007 - 3:43 AM
        Hey there, I have twins; they are 5 months old. i wear them both everyday for my walks, moby on the front and ergo on the back. It works for me and they love it. I usually don't wear them around the house, my body needs alone time too. We co-sleep a bit but also use a crib thats next to our bed, in general they start in the crib and end up in bed with us but not always. I find this helps me sooo much, I have sometime to stretch and *not* be touched at night aswell as cuddle my darlings and play in bed with them in the morning. As a nursing twin ma, I can get a little overstimulated by the babies and constant night nursing so i like to sleep alone part of the night. I think you've just gotta do what makes you feel the most sane, after all thats what they need the most, a momma with her wits about her. I never feel guilty about not having one on one time, but maybe thats because it's all I've known, I could see that it might be a challenge to adjust from having one for a few months the another newborn right after. I will say that I savor the moments that I interact with each of them, I really make sure I connect when they want to, as I find often one will be more interested than the other certain days and stages. They don't always nap at the same time, so there is that time too. Just do what you can and what works, I don't focus to much on being an "attachment parent". I love my babies, they feel that and imho thats the most important. Remember too, that they have each other, when the little one gets a little older that relationship will start to show more. That is a truely special thing, to have another being so close in life to experience with. There is lots o love all the way around and just from the nature of your post and your thoughtfulness about it I'm sure they are getting more love than most singletons.

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