What No One Tells You About Parenting Twins: Day-In-The Life Edition
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I don’t know any other version of motherhood than being a twin mom. Two babies. Born at the same time. With the same—or at least very similar—needs, at the same time.
From the moment I found out I was pregnant with twins, I was overwhelmed. How were we possibly going to do this? We didn’t have any family nearby, and I didn’t have a network of local mom friends to lean on.
That uncertainty is what inspired me to share more openly about our experience. My goal here is to paint a realistic picture of what life as a twin mom looks like—because as hard as parenting can be, raising twins brings its own unique set of challenges. And let’s be honest—the system already doesn’t make things easy for parents of one. For parents of two (or more) the same age? It’s really not set up to support us.
Here’s what life has looked like for us in some everyday situations:
Feeding Two Babies at the Same Time
This was a whole experience. Before the boys were born, I told myself I would try to breastfeed—but if it didn’t work out, that was okay. We’d use formula, and I wouldn't put too much pressure on myself.
Cue the pressure I ended up putting on myself anyway.
I tried tandem breastfeeding, but both boys had a hard time latching. It took so much effort to get one latched, and trying to get a second baby latched at the same time? Nearly impossible. In those early days, I needed a second person just to help me get them both positioned—but that wasn’t always an option.
We tried a lot of different things, but what worked best for us was mostly bottle feeding pumped milk. I pumped for nine months (even though I hated pumping!) and we bottle-fed about 80% of the time. I’d usually nurse one or both of them once a day—it actually felt easier than pumping once they got the hang of it. But I only ever produced enough milk for one baby, so we supplemented with formula from the very beginning. They ended up getting about 50% breast milk and 50% formula, and I’m proud of that.
The hardest part? In those early months, we fed them one at a time—which meant that every three hours, someone was always waiting, hungry and crying, while their brother got fed first. It broke my heart. I cried a lot during those feeds too. We were so tired, and I think we just didn’t have the capacity to figure out a better system.
It wasn’t until our nanny joined us around four months that she showed us how to feed both boys at the same time. Game changer.
Pro Tip: You can position each baby on a Boppy on the floor and hold both bottles at once—or prop the bottles with a small stuffed animal. If only we’d known this sooner!
And of course, even with bottle feeding, the work wasn’t over once the milk was gone. We still had to burp each baby—one at a time—and pray the one we just finished didn’t spit up everywhere while we were trying to burp or feed the other. It was a delicate balancing act every single time.
Introducing Solids: It Wasn’t “Fun,” It Was a Mess
Introducing solids? Honestly... it was scary.
Everyone kept telling me, “Just have fun with it!” That still makes me laugh. It wasn’t fun. It was messy—and with twins, it was double the mess. People who say “have fun” clearly weren’t cleaning oatmeal off the walls (and their own hair) after every meal.
We started somewhere between 4–6 months, slowly introducing a mix of purees and solid foods. I was so nervous about choking, especially because I was doing a lot of those meals solo. It was overwhelming—trying to figure out what to feed them, how to introduce it, and how to keep both babies safe while managing the chaos.
I was also excited to move past bottles and start actual meals—but then quickly realized that feeding two babies three times a day was a new kind of hard. It’s a constant rotation of planning, prepping, cleaning, and second-guessing yourself.
One resource that really helped me build confidence was Solid Starts. Their guides, videos, and food database were such a lifeline in the early months. I wanted to offer the boys foods we were already eating as a family, and Solid Starts made that feel more doable.
Now that my boys are creeping up on two? Well... mealtime is still unpredictable. They don’t want to sit in their chairs. They insist on feeding themselves, but then get frustrated when it’s hard—and that’s usually followed by a spoon or fork flying through the air. 😅
Some days they eat a ton. Other days they barely touch anything. The inconsistency can be maddening, especially when you’ve spent time trying to put together a balanced meal. But we’re learning to ride the wave and remind ourselves that this is a phase (even if it’s a long one).
Bath Time x2
My husband works non-traditional hours, which has meant I’ve done a lot of bath time solo. It’s shifted over time, but it’s never been easy.
In the early days, when the boys still used bath inserts, I could only bathe one baby at a time. That meant I needed a safe space for the other one—usually a bouncer seat. Thankfully, the apartment we lived in at the time had a large bathroom, which helped. One baby in the bouncer, one in the bath. Then: dry, lotion, diaper, dress, swap.
Our son E has always been more vocal and didn’t love waiting—whether he was first or second. Then we moved into a house with a much smaller bathroom, and the boys outgrew the bouncers. So, I’d set up the pack and play right outside the bathroom door to keep one in a safe, visible spot while I bathed the other. E still didn’t love that.
It wasn’t until recently—within the past four months—that we started doing a true dual bath time. They were simply too unstable before, and it was overwhelming trying to safely manage them both in the tub by myself.
Of course, new challenges came with that stage too: like both kids being out of the bath, running around without diapers, while I scramble to get one dressed before someone pees (or poops) on the floor. Yes, I had one poop and then proceed to pick it up and hand me the poop! Now they unravel toilet paper, turn the shower on themselves, and adjust the water temperature. It’s wild. It’s hilarious. And it’s exhausting.
Final Thoughts: You're Doing More Than You Know
Twin parenting stretches you in ways you don’t expect. It’s constant logistics, endless negotiation, and adapting over and over again as your babies grow. It’s also full of joy, laughter, and a bond between siblings that’s really special to witness.
But it’s okay to admit that it’s hard. That some things just feel inaccessible. That even the most ordinary daily routines require strategic planning and flexibility.
If you’re in the trenches of twin life—especially that first year—I see you. You’re not alone. And you’re doing an incredible job.