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Crib for Triplets
- Okay, so I don't have this, but I'm sure there are those who do.
With a hefty price-tag, and the inability to use this with crib tents,
no way! But it's adorable!
Little Miss Liberty Round Crib Company
Triplet Tricycle
- Kettler has a great-quality tricyle that can be converted into a twin,
triplet, or quad tricyle.
Here's a picture of mine.
Here's a list of what you
need to complete yours. It's pricey. I bought mine piece by
piece over the course of a year. It's tough to maneuver, but we
just bought it and I'm learning. So if you have any questions,
please email me.
Loads of parents with multiples use newborn schedule
sheets to remember medicines, diaper changes, feedings, etc.
Here's one. I'ts a pdf document, so you'll have to have Adobe
Reader to view it and print it.
Newborn schedule. You can get a
free download of Adobe Reader by going to Adobe's website.
Great ideas for Halloween triplet-themed costumes
were compiled by a fellow triplet mom, Megan Welfare.
Here's the list.
Books for Parents Expecting Multiples - This is a growing list
of books I've read, I own, or I've found listed on Amazon. Still
under construction.
Multiples Pendant for necklace - Loren bought one of these
for
me for our anniversary when we were expecting our trio. These come
from a jeweler in Amsterdam. I love mine and still wear it.
The site is in Dutch, but you can click on the British flag and switch
to English. Payment is in Euros, but you can pay with a credit
card and it arrives very quickly. These come in silver and gold
and he makes them with one, two, three, or four babies. I hear he
even does special orders.
Let your kids do the talking when you are
confronted with rude questions from strangers.
Here are some tactful
responses on some cute clothing.
T-shirts - Yes, We're Triplets and Big Brother
of Triplets t-shirts can be found
here at Micki's
Twin Shop. We bought these and they're so cute. Great
embroidery and the woman who makes them does a fantastic job - great
customer service!
Babies R Us and Toys R Us Multiples Policy -
Babies R Us offers a discount on certain items in their stores.
However, they have offered some resistance in the past when I've
attempted to purchase 3 identical items in their store and request the
discount. I know I'm not the only one who has been through this.
I always carry a copy of their
corporate policy
with me when I intend to make a "multiples purchase." Even the
clerks and managers don't have a full grasp on their own policy.
Carrying their policy into the store saves an argument and money.
Transportation - We use our
Runabout (see below) for most trips, but for trips to the zoo and walks
around the neighborhood, there's no substitute for the Choo-Choo Wagon
by Step2.
Click here to see a picture of our babies in
the Choo-Choo Wagon. You can contact them about availability
(there's some question about whether they'll continue to sell it) or
purchase a used one on eBay. Word of caution, if you need one for
3, then make sure it has 3 compartments, for 4 - four compartments, etc.
They come in 2, 3 and 4 compartments. Make sure it has seatbelts
or if it doesn't come with them, Step2 sells them.
Prepare your older child(ren) for the arrival of
your multiples - Angus and the Triplets, the book, was designed to
introduce a toddler or preschooler to the fun that comes with having
multiples at home. Click on The Book tab
to find out how to purchase your own copy.
Safety Items - This isn't exactly triplet
related, but when you have multiples, you have special safety concerns,
multiplied. My Precious Kid
is a website with loads of safety items. Busy toddlers can get
lost. ID bracelets at the zoo can be a lifesaver. Carseats
should be tagged so emergency staff will know who's who if you can't
answer that question. This website has an answer for loads of
safety concerns. If it's your first purchase, use Voucher
#12063333 for 10% off of your first order.
Blankets for swaddling - Miracle Blankets by
MiracleBlanket.com, although
purchasing them on eBay is a definite money saver.
Click here to see a
picture of our swaddled Miracle Blanket babies.
Mosquito netting - Purchase this at Babies R
Us and surround each infant seat with it on outings to prevent
unnecessary touching by ignorant people.
Click here to see our
protected babies.
Easy clothing for wiggly babies
-
Echofield has affordable cotton
clothing that zips in the crotch. I calculated that I snap about
300 snaps a day when all three wear snap-up clothing - even if they only
snap in the crotch.
Zippers are life-savers for squirmy babies. There are other brands
like Chicken Noodle boutique brand (which I LOVE, by the way) that have zippers, but none so
comfortable, affordable, and washable for everyday wear.
Making formula the multiples way - We bought a
Pampered Chef Family-Size Quick-Stir Pitcher. It has a plunger
in it that quickly mixes a couple of cans of powdered formula and can
keep a gallon of formula in the fridge at a time. No lumps, no
foam. It's great. We had it down to a science the quantity
of water we needed for each size can we used and were able to make a
days-supply of formula for the three babies at one time.
Stroller for infants - No question that the
Triple Decker
is the easiest to use for young babies. We were always on the go
and used it several times a week with the babies until the babies were
10-months old. It folded up nicely and fit perfectly in our van.
Click here to see a picture of
our babies in their Triple Decker. Hint: Find out which
seats, from the website, will fit the Triple Decker and then buy them at
Babies R Us, WalMart, or Baby Depot. Usually you can get a
discount on 3 and they're SO much cheaper.
Triplet
Statistics from the Center for Disease Control - This is a PDF
file from the CDC with twins and triplet statistics from 1980-1997.
Triplet Leashes - Keeping three toddlers from
going in three different directions... I love these leashes.
Click here to see a picture of our
babies with their leashes. Easy to use and they look good, too.
Tommiguard Leashes
Here
are more harnesses. I would love to have a set of these.
I don't have any personal experience with these, but they look pretty
streamlined and easy to use.
Alligator Walking Rope. I want one of these. My
kids are fast-approaching the time when the stroller won't be called for
in every situation. Daycare walking ropes are a good idea for
multiples. There are others if you do a search on Google.
Stroller for older babies - When we left the
Triple Decker behind, we switched to the
Runabout stroller
which is equally a dream to maneuver. Fits like a glove in our
van. Click here to see our babies in the
Runabout. We even painted it with plastic spray-paint for a
custom-look.
Vans to accommodate big families - If my
Toyota Sienna were a man, I'd marry it! Ours is an
8-passenger,version, accommodates 4 car seats nicely and will fit our
Runabout stroller and loads of groceries. Add a DVD player and
you're all set. It has a powerful engine and doesn't drive like a
minivan. Click here to see how well 6 kids fit
in the back two seats. (Kevin, my older son, was camera-shy.)
Car seats - Britax Roundabouts fit nicely in
the Sienna van and are easy enough to clasp and unclasp. Highly
recommend!
Crib sheets - The
Ultimate Crib Sheet
is the only way to go. With three babies,
changing mattress pads and crib sheets is time-consuming and
back-breaking. This is a combination waterproof mattress pad, soft
layer, and top sheet all in one. The Ultimate Crib Sheet snaps on
in about 20 seconds and comes off in less time than that. I always
have the normal sheets and mattress pad underneath the Ultimate Crib
Sheet. That way I can unsnap the Ultimate Crib Sheet and while
it's being washed, there's a fresh sheet underneath for naps and quick
changes in the middle of the night (when necessary). These have
been life-savers for middle-of-the-night vomit episodes, diarrhea
episodes and just washing in general. WARNING - my daughter
got stuck under her Ultimate Crib sheet so we removed it. At
18-months, she unsnapped it and crawled underneath. When your
baby's old enough to unsnap it, this sheet is NOT a good idea. I
did contact the company about the potential suffocation/strangulation
hazard.
Cribs and Crib Tents - I don't have any
preference for any brand of crib over another, but keep in mind that your crib
should eventually be able to accommodate a crib tent. Some cribs
don't work well with the
Cozy Crib Tent.
With more than one, they teach each other things. You don't want
to find out the hard way that they've taught each other to climb out of
the crib (and they will). Crib tents are wonderful to keep your
little escape artists contained. I don't recommend the
Cozy Crib Tent II - the newer version. You can't put hanging
crib toys in the crib. My kids spend about 15 minutes after they
wake from naps playing with their music boxes and hanging activity
centers. The original works fine with hanging crib
toys.
For the NICU - If you're not fortunate enough
to bring your babies home with you... Buy three (or more) disposable cameras (with flash)
and write in black sharpie "A," "B," or "C" on each one. Keep them
with each babies' things at the NICU. That way, when you're not
there for midnight baths, cute moments, etc., your nurse can take
pictures of your babies for you. It was such a gift to get those
pictures developed and see moments in the NICU that we missed, such as
two babies snuggling together, etc. Our nurses were great and
happy to accommodate. Buy in advance of delivery.
Night Nannies - If you're in search of some night help after the
babies come home, consider asking one of the NICU night nurses if she'd
like to earn some extra money. They're already used to dealing
with multiples, they're already on the night schedule, and if you've
developed a rapport with anyone in particular, it might be a life-saver
and give you a night or two each month of uninterrupted sleep. (I
never did this, but sometimes wish I had.)
Day Nannies - Nannies from agencies are EXPENSIVE, but if you sign
on to your local university or college website, you can usually post
that you're looking for part-time help and a college-student's schedule
usually allows for gaps of 5 hours 2-3 times a week for some extra
mother's help.
Freebies and Coupons for New Multiples Parents
- Click here for a list of companies who
generously give to new parents of multiples. Make one request
letter with a blank space for their business name and address.
Copy it as many times as you need to and insert the company's
information. It's SO worth your time. Some companies gave us
clothing, etc. Some may be out of date. You may have to
research to see if addresses may have changed or promotions no longer
apply.
Pediatricians - Multiples have special needs
when it comes to pediatricians. Along with the normal questions
you'd ask a potential pediatrician, you should also include:
- Will you see all of the babies in the same visit?
(Most times it's easier to get them all in at the same time.)
- Do you offer a multiples discount on copays?
(Buy 2 get one free)
- Can we handle simple problems and concerns over
the phone? (Lots of times our doctor will take care of our
common complaints without an office visit.)
- Will your office accommodate the triplet stroller
I have?
Handicapped Placards - This is a "hot topic"
and not one that every parent of supertwins can agree on. I
contemplated not putting this one on, but felt it was important that
expectant parents of multiples be aware of this. Many pediatricians will give a handicapped placard to parents of
multiples for their special needs in parking lots. Taking three
babies (plus a toddler or two) out in a busy parking lot is an
extraordinary event and parking lots are not designed to accommodate
families with multiples safely. When we brought
the babies home we had a toddler under the age of two. We had a
stroller for him and a triplet stroller for the babies. It was
unsafe to unload all babies and Angus in a parking lot without the extra
space a handicapped parking space can afford. It's not an issue of
convenience but of SAFETY. Toddlers run and two big strollers have
no business being in a busy crowded parking lot where cars pass.
The peace of mind of having the space for the time involved in unloading
and loading makes it worth it. Having triplets means having
extraordinary needs. I am in no way implying that we are
handicapped. If you only have triplets - one stroller - and feel
that you can maneuver safely through a parking lot, go for it. But
the safety of my children come before the opinions of others.
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