A must-have parenting book for anyone who doesn't know what to expect when they're having twins! From getting through the pregnancy to managing toddlers, this is the definitive guide to raising good humans―two at a time! The best twin-tested tips used by real moms! The stresses that come with raising two babies are numerous―but they are predictable and manageable. From a mom who's been there, Juggling Twins is a funny, realistic, and reassuring guide for every new mom of twins who may be asking herself, "Can I really pull this off?" With a focus on positive parenting, from pregnancy to health issues, to eating, sleeping, bathing, and leaving the house, Juggling Twins is packed with the detailed, authoritative information that parents of multiples crave. You'll learn how to: Nurse two babies at the same time, comfortably and efficiently - Get exactly the help you need from family and friends in those first few weeks - Safely transport two babies at once when it's just you and them - Survive the nights by breaking them into shifts (that include you sleeping) - Stockpile the right food and supplies in advance of their arrival - Maintain your identity and your marriage through the madness Get prepared, stay calm, and count your blessings (two!)―raising twins can be a wonderful, intense challenge that draws on the best in you. With this pregnancy, baby, and toddler book on your side, you'll have a firm grasp on child development and raise happy twins! "Practical advice and a healthy dose of humor―this book has exactly what parents need to help them survive and thrive with multiples. Recommended reading for all mothers of twins."―Deborah Platek, MD, Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates When Meghan Regan-Loomis discovered that she was pregnant with twins, she searched fruitlessly for the book that would explain how to manage the logistics and challenges of caring for two babies at once. Discovering that it didn't yet exist, she vowed that she would figure out the answers and one day write the book herself. A veteran high school English teacher, she specializes in American literature, Shakespeare, Milton, and, more recently, How to Burp Two Babies at Once. A competitive tennis player who received her undergraduate degree from Kenyon College, she lives near Boston with her family. Excerpt from Chapter 1: Getting Them Close to Term In my twin travels since having our boys, I have met so many families with multiples who have moving, sometimes tragic, sometimes nearly heroic stories about childbirth: the setting is usually the NICU, and the protagonists, two or three tiny babies who come much too early. Neonatal care has become astoundingly effective, and many of these stories now end happily after a frightening start and much arduous effort. But even when all seems well after the crisis period of weeks or months in the hospital, the lingering tragedy of the hidden harm produced by an early birth remains, and the eventual emergence of these problems is a slow drip of agonized worry and coping over years, whether the problems are as mild as slight learning differences or as severe as cerebral palsy. It is a difficult project for a woman's body, be it twenty-four years old or forty-three years old, to grow more than one baby at once and take them to term. Actually, it's a pretty tall order to do so with one baby. As common as having multiples is becoming, it is tempting for us to think that because everyone seems to be doing it, it must be a reasonable proposition. But in spite of the numbers of us having twins or more, it remains a daunting task right from the first trimester. While it obviously can be done, it is worthwhile to bear in mind that we weren't truly designed to make two at a time. We cannot simply assume that our bodies will figure out what needs to be done and obligingly provide, regardless of the level of our more conscious efforts. Dr. Barbara Luke's book, When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads (coauthored with Tamara Eberlein, published by Harper Collins, 1999), is a great resource for helping to ensure a healthy multiple pregnancy and delivery. When I was pregnant, we read it, re-read it, highlighted it, re-re-read, and marked important passages with stickies. It was completely dog-eared by the end of my pregnancy. In a nutshell, the author, who is a prominent researcher in prenatal nutritional issues, argues for the importance of substantial maternal weight gain in order to bring multiples to term. But please don't be contented with the nutshell version. Go get the book. Eat More and Slow Down The truth is that you can do a lot to increase your chances of getting your babies to term. Ironically, the most important elements to success are two ideas that have become completely counterintuitive for the modern western woman: to eat more and to slow down. Very quickly, you need to reorient your thinking so that you can see weight gain and rest as good th