So you think you’re in the know when you buy “what to expect when you’re expecting” along with the pregnancy test.
That is…until you find out you’re having not one, but two (or more!) babies.
You are reading: Books on twin pregnancies
Once you find out you have multiples, everything changes.
After being struck by shock and disbelief that you’re really cooking more than one bun, you do everything you can to learn about your crazy new reality. Even if I expected it (because of IVF and such), it’s still an overwhelming reality.
prompts search for books (I know the first thing I did was google “books for expecting moms”!).
With a twin pregnancy, there’s so much more to keep track of. So, without further ado, I bring you…
books for moms expecting twins
diary
A journal can help you remember everything as your mind slowly slips back into pregnancy. sure, you can get a blank diary, but if you have no idea what you need to record or remember, then the “what to expect: pregnancy diary & organizer” works well. it has separate sections to document all sonograms, doctor appointments and a space for a journal to remember all those fun (and ridiculous) moments of pregnancy.
summary of twins
Back to the topic of twins: There are several books specifically for twins, but my favorite is “What To Do When You Have Two: The Twin Survival Guide From Pregnancy Through One Year” by Natalie Diaz. Natalie, also founder of twiniversity, recently published a revised edition of this book, with even more essential information.
This book is an excellent overview of the entire twin/newborn pregnancy process. Natalie highlights the twin-specific knowledge you’ll need and how to prepare yourself, your home, and your family for twins; it also covers childbirth and the care of twins.
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My favorite part is the advice on how to handle all offers of help, like “wow, the twins will be a lot of work, let me know if I can help!”…why yes you can…the spreadsheet record (who defecated, who ate how much) and birth plan references are also very helpful.
If you’re looking for something a little quicker and dirtier, I’d recommend “Twins 101: 50 Must-Have Pregnancy Through Early Childhood Tips From Doctor Mom.” has 50 tips for twins with facts, clues and stories of twins. is written by a doctor of child health education and mother of multiples (m.o.m.).
a really entertaining book but packed with amazing advice is “parenting like a triplet: the ultimate guide for parents of twins and triplets… to an identical triplet”, by kari ertresvåg, a real identical triplet. According to Kari, she wrote this book “for parents of multiples, meant to entertain, comfort, and most of all make them think, ah-ha, now I get it.”
And, if you’re even thinking about breastfeeding, do yourself a favor and get “Multiple Parenting: Breastfeeding and Caring for Twins or More! (International Milk League Book).” It’s basically the bible for breastfeeding multiples, ’nuff said.(note: maternal multiples have been out of stock on amazon for quite some time, but you can find them secondhand here).
dads
Your baby’s daddy doesn’t get a free pass, no, no. The “Dads’ Guide to Twins: Surviving Twin Pregnancy and Preparing for Twins” helps expectant twin dads navigate the entire process and covers everything from a dad’s perspective.
From the same author (Joe Rawlinson) is also “A Parent’s Guide to Raising Twins: How to Thrive as a Parent of Twins,” which is a brief summary of the first book and has more on surviving the first year with twins.
My husband naturally waited until the girls were seven months old to read it, so most of it was useless. therefore, make sure that your guy does not procrastinate in this case. I already hear them, “I already read the other one…” yes, mmmhmmm. cry me a river – try to carry two babies at the same time.
sleep and schedules
if you have plans to sleep during the first year, you should read dr. Weissbluth’s, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins: A Step-By-Step Program for Training Your Multiples to Sleep.” explains all about sleep, reviews sleep studies, and how to best approach naps and nighttime sleep with twins.
every book/person you talk to will tell you how important it is to have a schedule with twins (it definitely is!) and this book will help you do just that. note that weissbluth recommends ways to cio (cry), which you may not like, but the book still has a lot of valuable information about twins’ sleeping habits, even if you don’t want to use your method.
to complete your knowledge about sleep and for a good rest from reading, the dvd the happiest baby on the block: the new way to calm crying and help your baby sleep longer (which you can also play on amazon prime), teaches the 5s to help create the perfect sleep environment. this is not a specific content for twins, but a good general knowledge of the baby. The best part is that it’s a 30-minute video that you can watch on your exciting Friday night! not required, but…just another tool in your arsenal. you’ll quickly learn that raising twins is exactly that: an arsenal of tools.
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You may be interested in the “attachment parenting” style, as explained in dr. sears “baby book” I started reading it until I realized that a lot of it isn’t really practical with twins (feeding on demand, carrying their babies all day, etc.). That said, some people are committed to that style, and if they can pull it off, they support it. In a few words: it is very difficult with twins.
If you want even more detail on your twins’ schedules, I recommend “On Getting Smart With Babies” (not specific to twins). It is very similar to Weissbluth’s method and also extends the sleep schedule with food/activity. again, twins on a schedule = sanity.
now that you’re an expert on twins [ahem], if you’re stuck on bed rest or just want to put your feet up (you should), the “double time: how i survived, and above all thrived, the first three years being a mother of twins” is the memoir of her journey with the twins and depression. she is funny and honest about what life is like with her daughters. it was a great read and helped pass the time when i was tired and ready to end the whole pregnancy thing.
recap
To recap, if I were to do it all over again, I would get the following:
▢ a diary to keep everything in order while babies suck my brain cells
▢ what to do when you have two for an introduction to the world of twins
▢ multiple maternity for successful breastfeeding
▢ a book for your partner (we don’t want anyone to be left out), and…
▢ healthy sleeping habits, happy twins so everyone can get some sleep (eventually)
Happy reading, and don’t worry, everything will be fine!
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