The kind of help you may be considering can come in many forms—from hiring full-time childcare to volunteer assistance with chores and meals.
Tips for Arranging Help
Whatever your needs are, it’s never too early to start thinking about what kind of help will be most beneficial to your family and begin making arrangements.
Consider Your Needs
Start by thinking about what you’ll need the most help with once you bring your babies home. Will you need helping hands to hold the babies during feedings or when they’re fussy? Will you need help around the house, such as having someone to fix meals and keep up with housework? If you already have children, you might need someone to help care for them who can provide entertainment, get them off to school, and drive them to their activities while you recover from childbirth. Maybe you just need the reassuring presence of an experienced parent.
Make Lists
Make a list of issues that you anticipate will require extra assistance, and then prioritize your needs. It may be helpful to talk to other parents of twins and multiples. Discussing their experience can help you focus on your priorities. Once you’ve established your list, you’ll be ready when family, friends, and neighbors offer their help. The outpouring of support can be amazing; many people genuinely want to be of assistance to a family with multiple newborns. Others sincerely want to help but aren’t sure what to do.
Get Help Coordinating
You may want to consider designating someone to help coordinate your helpers. While you’ll appreciate offers of help from others, it can be overwhelming to delegate tasks when you are trying to focus on caring for your babies. Having someone to organize and efficiently delegate will ensure the people helping you are coordinated and productive. A coordinator also benefits your helpers, who will appreciate having a specific answer when they ask, “What can I do?” The last thing that new parents want to deal with is entertaining visitors instead of catching a few precious moments of sleep. You’ll avoid much frustration if you are open and honest in communicating your needs during this busy time.
Getting Professional Help
If your budget permits, there are several services that can make life easier when your multiples are young. Hiring help with chores allows you to concentrate your time and attention on caring for your babies. A cleaning service can tackle the housework; a landscaping service can work on the yard. If you can’t afford ongoing service, a one-time touch-up will help keep things in order until you can resume your regular routine. Doulas are professional caregivers. While they commonly serve during childbirth and labor, many are qualified to offer postpartum care. This can involve assisting with breastfeeding, newborn care, and family adjustment, all while helping mothers recover from childbirth. Lack of sleep is a strain for all new parents. You might want to look into hiring a night nurse or night nanny. These professionals are trained newborn caregivers who can provide parents with respite overnight. While this type of service can be pricey, even if you can’t afford extended care for a long stretch of time, you may want to consider a one-time consultation or as an occasional option during a time of transition (for example, as you’re preparing to return to work).
A Word From Verywell
Help for families with new multiples comes in many forms and serves a variety of functions. Not every family needs or wants help. Some parents prefer to handle things on their own, and given the right circumstances, they won’t require any outside assistance. Most families find that a helping hand—or two—makes for an easier adjustment to life with multiples.
