Preparing For Twins Or Triplets
Expecting twins or triplets? Get ready with these tips.
“It’s time to put your knickers on now,” I could hear the consultant’s words, but I couldn’t move. I lay paralysed on the hospital bed, staring at the square ceiling tiles, unable to process what she’d just told me. It was our 12-week scan, we’d never got as far as this with our previous two pregnancies. We were bracing ourselves for bad news. But instead, we got three heartbeats.
Triplets.
I barely processed what the consultant said about appointments and risks. I was listening, but my brain was in shock.
My husband was waiting out in the car park because he had Covid and couldn’t come into the scan with me. I got in the car and said, “It’s good news, but–” and he clocked the 3 pieces of paper in my hand, “there are three heartbeats”.
“Oh no,” he said instinctively, worrying about the risks, complications and practicalities of raising three babies at once.
It’s completely normal to feel shocked, apprehensive and overwhelmed when you discover you are going to have twins or triplets. There is no family history of twins in either of our families, so we were extra shocked. The following is the advice I wish someone had given me. A few fundamentals to get you going on the right track. But honestly, you can do this. Of course, it’s more challenging than having a single baby; there will be really tough moments, but I honestly believe that the blessing of twins and triplets is bestowed on the families that can and will relish the challenge and enjoy the chaos.
This is how you get READY.
R - Recruit
I used to pride myself on being an independent woman. I found it very hard to ask for and accept help, but motherhood changed all that. You need to get your squad together. You can never have enough help.
If you have friends or family nearby, talk to them now about whether they could commit to a regular slot, even an hour a week. When you’re in the thick of it, sleep-deprived and flat-out, just knowing that someone is coming, maybe not today, but at some point that week, gives you a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Now is no time for martyrdom.
Also, think about what kind of help you’ll need. I didn’t want help with the babies as much as I wanted help with all the domestic work they generated: laundry, cleaning, sterilising bottles, etc. I didn’t want people to come over and cuddle the babies, I wanted to do that whilst someone else took care of the household work, so I got a cleaner twice a week who would do the laundry, change the cot sheets, sterilise bottles and syringes.
Neighbours and even my hairdresser offered to drop off dinners. God, we were given so many lasagnes, we couldn’t face them for months afterwards, but if anyone offers any help just smile and say, “That would be lovely, thanks.”
Also, check out the Twins Trust - they have local clubs (https://twinstrust.org/supporting-you/clubs/find-a-club.html) where you can meet and chat to other parents in the same boat.
E- Expenses
It’s easy to get carried away and blow the budget on cute stuff in the John Lewis nursery department, but honestly, you’d be better off putting some aside for paid help like a maternity nurse - someone who can do the night feeds so you get a full night’s sleep.
We got given thousands of pounds worth of stuff from other local twin parents that we met through the Twins Trust (don’t be too proud to accept hand-me-downs): baby bouncers, sacks of clothes, feeding pillows, blankets, you name it. Aside from that, we sourced most of what we needed from Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and eBay.
The savings easily covered the cost of getting a wonderful maternity nurse for around 10 days when the babies were first discharged. Because looking after babies is her bread-and-butter, she had all the hacks, helped us set up systems and routines that we still use now. At that point in time, we felt so hopelessly out of our depth, looking after three premature babies with various medications and complications, and having an expert to lead us was a Godsend.
A - Arrange your space
Having more than one baby requires a bit of practical consideration.
-Where are they going to sleep?
-Where are you going to change them?
-Where are you going to put one baby safely while you sort out the other?
-How are you going to get them up and down stairs?
It may sound crazy, but we set up a changing table downstairs in our kitchen (one with drawers for all the nappies, clothes, wipes etc.) so I wasn’t forever traipsing up and down stairs to change nappies. I was changing around 25 a day, so it’s a serious consideration.
We also set up a cot in the lounge, partly for daytime naps and partly so I always had a safe space to “park” the babies. Safety is the prime concern, and when you’re feeding or changing one baby, knowing the other(s) can’t get into any trouble, roll off anything or grab anything they shouldn’t is important. It also gave me the confidence to leave the room if I needed to, knowing they were completely safe.
When they got bigger, we ditched the downstairs cot and got baby bouncers to keep them safe in.
D- Destress
Multiple pregnancies can be stressful. Hospital stays can be very stressful. Dealing with two or three hangry babies can be really stressful.
So it’s a good idea to build some destressing tools and techniques now so you have them ready when you need them. Perhaps it’s listening to a few minutes of meditation or even just calming music on your phone (you’ll have your phone with you in hospital so will be able to keep this up), perhaps a certain object anchors you (when I look down at my grandma’s ring, I feel like she’s here giving me a hug and strength), perhaps a few deep breaths of a calming aromatherapy roller-ball or just some nice toiletries will work. This isn’t about having to learn mindfulness from scratch, but a few super quick tricks you can deploy when you feel your stress levels rising.
Y- You
Realistically, a lot of the things you do for leisure and pleasure will go on the back burner, at least for the first few months, so make the most of the time before your babies arrive to do whatever you love. I love going to the theatre, so I waddled my way to the West End as much as I could whilst I was pregnant because I knew I wouldn’t be able to go once the babies arrived. I visited friends who had moved away because I knew I wouldn’t be able to see them for a while. Think of it like topping your batteries up in advance.
Finally, don’t compare yourself to parents who don’t have twins or triplets - their reality is wildly different from yours. I used to feel horrendous mum guilt that I couldn’t do the things other mums could, things I always imagined I’d be doing when I thought about being a mum. Let that go, and be kind to yourself. Choose compassion over comparison.
Leila Green is a triplet mum, TEDx speaker and founder of the F*** Mum Guilt Movement. She runs workshops on breaking up with mum guilt.
Originally Released On 02 February 2026