If you found yourself here you probably just found out you are expecting twins, congratulations! Twins are absolutely incredible and you are in for one crazy and fun ride! I am so excited for you!!
*This post may contain Amazon affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link!*
Thankfully, we have made it through our first year as twin parents! Woo!
With a year under my belt, I feel slightly qualified to pass on some knowledge I have gathered on this journey.
When we first found out we were expecting twins, I spent a good portion of the first month researching everything. Now, I’m passing on some of that knowledge to you.
Fraternal and Identical
The most common question I was asked when we found out was probably “Are they fraternal or identical”? Guarantee you will be asked the same.
For us, Madeleine and Vincent are di/di boy/girl twins, aka fraternal.
Di/Di stands for dichorionic/diamniotic which means there were two completely separate eggs fertilized and our twins are fraternal. Most of the time di/di twins are boy/girl twins and that’s exactly what we have.
There are quite a few different types of twins but are mostly known as Fraternal and Identical.
In my findings, people do not know identical twins can only be identical if they are the same sex. Also, if you didn’t know this, it’s ok because neither did I. Of course, this makes sense since you can’t look exactly the alike if you have different boy/girl parts.
They May Be Twins But They Are Very Much Their Own Person.
A few months after our twins were born, Vincent had a hard time gaining weight due to what was thought to be an under developed sphincter muscle in his stomach (this is pretty common). This, however, caused irritation when eating since none of the milk would stay down. This blew my husbands mind because in his mind because our girl had absolutely no issues.
Why were there such differences when it came to the two of them? They are twins for crying out loud!
Yes, twins were formed and birthed at the same time, but I promise you they are two completely and totally separate beings, and they deserve to be recognized as their own individual person.
For us, Madeleine is super spunky and outgoing with just a hint of RBF, while Vincent on the other hand is super reliant on routine, shy, and likes to sit back and watch. They may be twins but they are very different.
And while it’s extremely possible, don’t expect for both babies to act alike, to like the same things or even be on the same schedule.
Routine, Routine, Routine.
Lets talk routine. I have read plenty of blog posts saying to get your twins on a schedule and now that we have been doing this for a year, I completely agree. With twins, anything is game so having a schedule and routine will help in the long run.
Not to mention, a schedule, routine, and structure will help your twins thrive and develop the best. But don’t rely on others because what one mother suggests for a schedule may not work for you or even both babies.
For us, Vincent needs a nap twice a day, where as Madeleine only needs one in the afternoon. So, find what works for you and your babies but definitely try to get them on a schedule so you can have a moment to yourself every day, you’re going to need it.
You Don’t Need Two Of Everything, Yet.
Don’t worry about buying two of everything, at first. An important piece of advice when it comes to twin must haves would be to have at least one of everything since you’re not sure of what each baby will prefer. Twins take up a lot of space and you don’t need more clutter in your house from unused swings and bouncers. You can find my twin mama must haves here to get started!
You Need A Support Team Behind You.
Build your support team before your twinnies are here.
If you are a first-time parent you may be feeling super overwhelmed by the thought of a baby, let alone two. Go ahead and reach out now to those closest to you and let them know that you are asking for support for when the babies are here, even if it is just to shower, cook dinner, or to have someone help with feedings.
If you are an experienced parent, I still suggest having a support team ready to go when the twins arrive until you get the hang of carrying, changing, feeding two babies. Either way, I know you’ve got this!
God Gave These Babies To You, Mama.
My absolute most important piece of advice – know that you were made to be these babies mama! God gave these baby beans to you because he knows you are a special kind of of mama and can pour twice the amount of love into them. You were made for this.
