Life with Irish Twins
By TMoM Team Member Suzy Fielders
Up until I got married in May 2021, I was a single mom of one daughter. If you asked me in early 2019 what life would look like in 2023, I certainly wouldn’t have thought it’d be as part of a family of five! But now I have a 16-year-old, 14-month-old, and 3-month-old. Life is never dull in our house!
If I thought single parenting was hard, raising Irish Twins *might* have that beat for difficulty. I’m not going to sugar coat it – there are days where I’m pushed to the point of wishing I could scream or cry out of exhaustion and frustration. However, like anything I know this season will go by too fast and my little Irish Twins will quickly be independent teenagers like my oldest daughter.
Now that I have a little over 3 months under my belt of taking care of these cute babies less than a year apart, I’m slowly getting into a routine and learning a few tricks along the way. I wanted to share a few with you, whether you have Irish twins, twins, or just multiple kids, I hope they help you to keep your sanity a little!
Don’t Forget These Important Points!
Here are a few important reminders, before I get into those tips…
- Get help when you need it and accept help when it’s offered! My mother-in-law comes up almost every Tuesday morning to help out, and I don’t think I could manage without those mornings of help each week!
- Self-care is important and not something moms should feel guilty about doing. This is still one that is hard to fit in, but my oldest daughter and I recently went to see the Barbie movie. It was so nice having a baby break and enjoying some solo time with her! I regularly strive to fit in self-care and recommend this for all moms!
- While self-care is important to mental health, diet and exercise are just as important for your physical health. We now try to take walks every evening and I’m slowly getting back into a routine of working out twice a week! As I have Celiac Disease, diet is always a tricky one on my end!
11 Tips to Keep Your Sanity With Irish Twins!
I often get asked things like ‘how are you doing now’ (you know due to all those babies at home haha) or ‘how do you manage it all’. So, going to share some of my tips and tricks that I’ve been picking up along the way – or already knew from being a single parent because honestly both are in the same wheelhouse of hard parenting!
First, and most importantly, do what is best for you and your family.
You want and need a flexible nap and feeding schedule, then do that. You want a strict nap and feeding schedule, then do that. There is no right or wrong way to go about your day as long as it works for you and your family! Do not let someone tell you or make you think otherwise!
Get and stay organized.
There is no doubt in my mind I wouldn’t be able to take care of both babies and work full-time if I didn’t heed this advice! I highly recommend utilizing a digital calendar, like Google calendar, that you can access from a computer and a phone. While I always loved my paper calendar (I know plenty of other moms out there do too!), if you want to not miss appointments, juggle work and family, etc. then a digital calendar you can access and update ANYWHERE (without having to tote yet another thing along) is a must!
Have lots of ‘areas’ and spaces to keep your kids.
These help so that you don’t require you to constantly hold them. For my younger 3-month-old that’s the swing, bouncy seat, and playyard (with a bassinet) and for my older 14-month-old that’s her playpen, jump chair, playyard, and stroller (read more on that in tip 5).
Live in the moments.
Enjoy the time you have while they are small. There are days or hours within days this is hard. You know when both babies are crying and those thoughts you are feeling like you are failing as a mom creep in. But, trust me time is a thief so cherish every moment – even the most difficult ones.
Get creative with entertainment.
Those measuring cups in your kitchen are a wonderful toy for a baby and gives them something new to play with! That stroller doesn’t need to be for outdoors only. My 14-month-old LOVES to stroll in it around the house and keeps her contained while happy!
Utilize baby sensory or learning videos.
If my pediatrician is reading this – sorry but not sorry – sometimes a mom needs a break so yes Hey Bear (a miracle-saving YouTube channel) or Baby Einstein DVD’s (yep I said DVD’s – they do still exist!) get played in our house when needed!
Invest in a double stroller.
It’s so great strapping them both into one stroller. We purchased this one and love it!
Utilize those nap times!
Whether it’s relaxing, playing on your phone, working, grabbing a glass of wine, whatever it is you need to do – make use of that time every single day!
Prioritize what’s actually important and needs to be done.
With babies you need to wash laundry a lot yes, but does it need to be folded that minute or even that day, nope! Give yourself some grace and space on things like housework. Trust me it’ll always be there waiting for you, but time with your babies and jobs/projects/clients to make money will not always be!
Get out and have fun still!
Staying cooped up in the house will do no one good. So whether it’s simply walks in the neighborhood, visiting a park, or going to a family-friendly event like a local baseball game, get out, get some fresh air, and have some fun! You’ve definitely earned it!
Be ready for the unexpected, and possibly unwanted.
Will the oldest baby want to constantly touch the youngest one? Yes. Are your chances of getting spit up on or pooped on doubled? Yep. Are there days any routine or schedule will go out the window? Absolutely. Would you trade it for anything in the world? Nope!
I hope these tips help you moms out there who have Irish Twins!
What are some of your favorite ways to juggle babies close together in age? Let us know in the comments below!
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