133. Our Best Strategies for Raising "Twins"

Crystal Paine Show

Although we've never actually had twins – neither biologically nor via fostering – we have had two babies for most of the past year and a half, so we thought that we would share some of our best advice and tips on either having twins or fostering twins!

The biggest thing we've learned is that it takes time (our experience has been 4-6 weeks) to establish a comfortable rhythm and routine, so be patient, and give yourself (and those around you) a lot of grace. We also recommend finding creative ways of keeping track of things. Setting up different stations around your house (such as a feeding station and a diaper-changing station) and using an app to keep track of when each baby is fed, sleeps, has their diaper changed, get their meds, etc. can really help when you are sleep-deprived and caring for multiple babies -- especially if one is medically fragile or has special needs.

On a somewhat related note, we also share lessons learned from a recent trip that we took to Colorado Springs and how we encountered some unexpected obstacles due to having two little ones, so yes, even traveling via plane is going to be different if you have twins! Having two babies at once can feel overwhelming at first, but we promise that you will get into a comfortable groove! It will get so much easier over time, and it will even become natural to you.

Have you had twins or two babies who are almost the same age? If so, I'd love to hear your best tips and strategies!

In This Episode:

[0:35] – Today's topic is advice for having twins.

[2:39] – We just got back from a quick trip to Colorado Springs!

[4:00] – Learn why we couldn't sit together on the plane.

[5:35] – Jesse shares what he learned from our recent trip.

[10:04] – We both share what we're reading, plus some fun emails/messages from listeners!

[16:13] – We answer a question sent in by a listener about why we don't book Airbnbs when we travel.

[19:26] – Now let's talk about our best advice for raising twins...

[21:03] – Expect it to take at least a month to establish a comfortable rhythm.

[23:11] – It was helpful for us to set up different stations around the house.

[24:56] – I recommend keeping a log of when each baby eats, sleeps, has their diaper changed, has medicine, and so forth.

[27:25] – Give yourself and others grace!

[30:18] – You will eventually get into a groove.

[31:04] – The most important thing for us is relying on God and getting to see Him be so faithful!

Links and Resources:

• James Patterson & Bill Clinton - The President Is Missing
• James Patterson & Bill Clinton - The President’s Daughter
• T.J. Menn & Jenn Menn - Faith to Foster: An All-American Story of Loving the Least of These
• Hoopla - Website
• Libby
• Huckleberry: Baby & Child
• Love-Centered Parenting
• 10 Days to Be a Happier Mom
• Sign up for the Hot Deals Email List
• MoneySavingMom.com
• My Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
• Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [e-mail]

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