Meet the Board: Kim S.

My pregnancy / delivery story:

I vividly remember our future flashing through my mind while I lay on the ultrasound table, just finding out I was ten weeks pregnant with twins.  The technician left the room to check on something with her supervisor and I was left alone, freaking out over visions of two carseats, two high chairs, two cribs, two of EVERYTHING, and *gasp* we’d definitely need a minivan!  The technician returned eons later to tell me that one of the babies was much smaller than the other and that it would likely be absorbed in my body and that the bigger twin may also be absorbed.  What?!  That “routine” ultrasound went from an anxious, emotional high freak out to a low feeling of mourning I’d never experienced before.  I sat in the parking lot and cried to my husband over the phone, not yet able to drive to go pick up my then one year old son.

I wasn’t too keen on this news of absorption and decided I desperately needed to know the best case scenario, so I got in to see a perinatologist the very next day and received excellent news.  The doctor thought I might have conceived TWICE in one cycle, or simply put, one twin was smaller than the other.  I saw the perinatologist regularly and the twins both grew at the same rate with Twin B remaining a week behind Twin A.  Not a big deal.  Probably, they were fraternal and simply different sized babies.

I was put on strict bedrest at 25 weeks, but since I was also put on modified bedrest for my first son, I had been expecting it.  Lucky for me, Carson was such a fun companion.  We watched movies and read books, and he played really well.  We had a good set-up with food and drinks set out for him on a little table and the gate up, so we just spent the days hanging out in our family room.  Fabulous friends and family took Carson with them to the park or on little outings.

The day before my sister’s scheduled c-section for her first child, I went in with contractions.  With a false alarm, we checked out the following morning as my sister checked in (to the same hospital).  She had her daughter on the 7^th, checked out on the 11^th and we checked back in, planning to be induced at exactly 37 weeks.  Six hours later, the doctor realized that Baby A was actually not going to be delivered first.  Baby B was lower, even though he appeared to be higher up on the ultrasounds.  So, Baby B became Baby 1 and Baby A became Baby 2.  Confusing?  Yes, but we’re pretty sure they weren’t switched around.  We still kept their original names whereas Bennett was Baby B, and Gavin was Baby A even though Ben was born six minutes earlier.  

Since the boys looked so similar, but were over two pounds different in weight (Gavin-7 lbs. 5 oz., Ben-5 lbs. 2 oz.), we decided at four months old to send away for a genetic test, finding out finally that they were identical.  (Bets were placed.  Money may or may not have been exchanged.)

Occupation & Hobbies: 

Before having kids, I was a full time 6^th grade teacher and reduced to half time after Carson was born.  I became a full time mom by the time Ben & Gavin came along.  I began substitute teaching a little over a year ago and enjoy the flexibility that comes with that position.  

I am an avid scrapbooker, blessed to be able to go away on girl’s scrapbooking weekends throughout the year. (Thank you, Brian!)  I dabbled in having my own business as a Creative Memories Consultant on the side, but quit shortly after the twins were born.

My husband and I used to take the occasional dance lesson, and I recently took a tap class with some friends.  Without time or motivation to practice, I didn’t go too far, but the experience was great.  Our date nights usually consist of dinner and a movie these days since we’re (I’m) just too exhausted to do anything else.

Advice to New Moms:

Accept help & have a list ready: Having twins plus an older child meant that any “spare” time (not feeding, burping, changing, cleaning, rocking, holding babies) was spent keeping our two year old happy.  So, when friends or family offered to bring over food or help out with something, the answer was, “YES, PLEASE!”  Really, it was hard to accept help, and we were very fortunate to have both Grandmas living relatively close.  We kept a list of grocery items or things that needed to be done around the house, like laundry (the never ending pile) or unloading and reloading the dishwasher.  We weren’t particular about how things were done, just very grateful for any help folding laundry or putting away dishes.

Accept all offers of food:  We were very fortunate to have a couple of groups of friends bring over food.  We usually ate half, then froze the rest for the next week or so.  My mom cooked for us often during the first few months, making up large batches to freeze for later.

Favorite things about having multiples:

They fight, they cry, they tease each other almost incessantly, but they also love, hug, and help each other out.  When the boys are playing with friends, they want to be on the same team together.  They are so lucky to have built in playmates.  I used to joke that the “instant playgroup” has arrived when going over to friends’ houses.  Having all boys can zap my energy, but they are so fun and make me laugh constantly throughout the day.

 

Kim S.
2011 FHM Community Manager
Mommy to Carson (3/04), Gavin & Bennett (7/06)

Cloth Diapers Cont.: YES YOU CAN!

Cloth diapering has come a long way since the days of our parents, and no longer requires the use of safety pins and thin strips of cloth that must be fashioned into a reasonable semblance of a diaper. What I found is that there are cloth diapers that are just as easy to put on and take off as a disposable diaper, maybe requiring some extra work to clean, but certainly nothing that’s too hard to handle (that is until the introduction of solid foods, but we’ll talk about that later).

After researching the various options I chose to go the middle ground. Some cloth diapers are cheaper than others, but may not work as well or last as long. The reality of the matter is that these diapers are going to get plenty of use, so you need something that can stand up to the task at hand. Being that my family was about to change our status to “single income”, we didn't have a lot to spend. So we chose a brand of diapers called "Happy Heiny's", because the price is reasonable, about $18-19 which includes the liner in a small and a large size for the one size diapers, and because they are extremely user friendly.

There are lots of pocket diapers out there that work equally as well: Fuzzibunz, Bum Genius, Rumparooz, Tweedle bugs, Knickernappies, BabyKicks, Thirsties, etc.

Here is a link to a diapering website where parents have reviewed a lot of products so you can see what others have to say: http://www.diaperpin.com/diapers/diaperpages.asp

Happy Heiny's cloth diapers fall in the category of pocket diapers, meaning that the inserts which absorb liquid go inside an outer cover and are removed for washing. The entire diaper, cover and inserts, is washed at the same time, though separated into pieces. The second, smaller insert that you see above is an extra hemp "soaker" that helps stop leaking (these cost about $2-3 a piece beyond the price of the diaper and are necessary if you have a heavy wetter).

The above diaper is also a "one size fits all" diaper. It is supposed to fit all the way up to the child is potty trained. I did not have the one size diapers with my first son, so I can't attest to it, but it gets pretty darn big. They were actually too big at first, so we used Chinese Prefolds instead.

Prefolds are very affordable and, though they are not nearly as cushy and plush, they work very well. I actually thought that these were only one step up from the pin and cloth diaper, but they are much better than that.  We use these as our "back up" diapers so we don't run out. I use organic hemp ones, which run a bit more, but hemp is extremely absorbent and gets even more absorbent the more you wash it. 

As you can see, you fold the prefold under on both sides (called a prefold because the fold is already there for you), and place it on top of the outer liner. You usually need to fold the front under, which keeps boy babies from leaking out, and makes the diaper fit better. The outer liner (red) does not necessarily have to be washed every time. It is lined with a waterproof coating that you can just wipe down if it is a bit wet, but you should wash it if it gets a little poop on it, which can happen. The outer liners can cost around $10-13, but you don’t need as many since they can be wiped down and used more between washes.

There are also diapers called "all in ones" that have the inserts built into the diaper and are washed all as one piece. I personally don't like these at much so I don't have any of those. Some people love these because there is no “stuffing” involved and they are easy on easy off. I find them a bit harder to get clean and you can’t bleach or strip them in any way, whereas with pocket diapers you can strip the inserts to give them new life (see below). 

Now, we also decided with Kyan and again with the twins to do cloth wipes. This may sound crazy, but once you start doing it you will realize it is so easy! There are several options here. We ordered hemp "washcloth" wipes the first time we did this, and they worked fine. This time, however, I got some terry fleece wipes that I LOVE! 

I have them stacked in the drawer of the changing table and when I need one I pull it out and wet it down with my wipes solution, which is in a bottle next to the changing table. 

 

 

The wipes solution is simply water with a bit of a wipes solution concentrate that I purchased. I recently bought some little discs that dissolve in the water and smell quite nice. It’s nice to have a bit of a smell and the essential oils moisturize baby a bit; Using just water works perfectly fine, however.  Just check out diapering sites and search for "wipes solution" if you are interested in that. I use much less of the concentrate than suggested just to make it last. 

The other alternative here, which I have seen done, is to pre-wet your wipes with the solution, roll them up and put them in a wipes warmer. Sounds nice, but a lot of work, and when I did that with the hemp wipes they eventually smelled really bad. I haven't tried it with these new ones. 

Now, once you have the diapers you have to use them and this is where it gets a bit messy. Here is the system I have set up:

Basically, the diaper champ is the dry bin, and the other is a wet bin. You can get these at a diapering store, too. The wet bin has a removable 10 gallon bucket in it that can be filled with water and I also add a few squirts of "Biokleen", an environmentally friendly product that reduces smell. I never had a wet bin with my first child, but I highly recommend it!

In the dry bin I put wipes or diapers that don't have any poop on them. I put ALL inserts in the wet bin, because they are the thing that tends to get stinky eventually. The diaper champ works for cloth diapers, as I was told when it was given to me, but I wouldn't say it works fabulously. You could certainly use something else for a dry bin, though it should have a lid of some sort as it tends to smell. 

I lug the big heavy bucket to the utility room, dump the water in the utility sink (or not…it can go right into the machine, too), and put the rest in the wash. When the twins were newborns I could just dump the poopy diapers right into the wet bin, but once the poops get more solid you will need to put the waste into the toilet before putting the diaper in the bin. There is a great product that attaches to your toilet and has a sprayer on it to rinse them right into the toilet. I may get that eventually, but never had it with Kyan and I did fine! 

In the washing machine I rinse the whole load once in cold water on a "light" wash, then again in HOT water with detergent on a "heavy" wash. Then it all goes in the dryer. There are a few different cloth diaper friendly detergents to choose from. You cannot use regular detergents with cloth diapers because they will break down the waterproofing and the fibers. I use "Country Save" because it is less expensive, and I can order it through Amazon.com's subscribe and save program for an extra 15% off and free shipping. GREAT DEAL!!

I did have to recently "strip" my liners because the older ones, from the days of Kyan, were kind of stinky. To do this you use a bit of vinegar or bleach (bleach is a HUGE no no with cloth diapers, EXCEPT for the terrycloth liners, which should occasionally be bleached), and wash them in HOT water at least 5-7 times! You only use the bleach the first time, and the other cycles you just use the hot water. It works wonders!

Now, the next point of difficulty is leaving home. With Kyan, I must admit, I did not use the cloth diapers outside of the home. I figured I would be easy on myself and buy chlorine free diapers to use for outings. If you choose to do this I would suggest the Seventh Generation chlorine free diapers, and again, I order those through Amazon's subscribe and save and get a great deal! 

With the twins, however, I decided to go all out and cloth diaper almost exclusively. So, I purchased a wet bag (also at diapering stores) that goes in my diaper bag. When I take off a cloth diaper, I stick it in there and deal with it at home. It's much easier than I realized! We still use disposables if we go out of town, since it is harder to do the laundry etc. wherever we may be. As they are getting older they are leaking a bit more so we have been doing disposables more when we go out. I think the most important thing is to do what works for you!

All in all, I have to say that it is not a huge inconvenience to do cloth diapering, but it is a HUGE benefit for our income, our environment, and our babies. There is a rather large starting cost to get yourself all set up, but it is only a fraction of what you will eventually spend over 2-3 years of disposable diapering (especially with twins!). I cut our initial costs by registering only for cloth diapers for my second baby shower, and I also had a lot of friends hand down stuff to me, like the prefolds and the diaper bins. You can sometimes find cloth diapering supplies at consignment stores, and I know in Portland several of the diaper stores have consignment, too.

So, if you decide to go for it, GOOD LUCK! Feel free to comment or e-mail me (support@fullhousemoms.com) if you have any questions!

Taira H.

2011 FHM Support Services

Mommy to Kyan (3 1/2), Mason and Ronan (8 months)

Cloth Diapers: YES YOU CAN!

Think about how many people have said to you, “I don’t know how you do it!” It seems that as parents of multiples we amaze and astound singleton parents on a daily basis. Every time someone says that to me my automatic thought is, “what is the alternative?” I mean, really, it’s not like I have a choice whether or not to “do it”, I just have to.  You certainly don’t “have to” do cloth diapers or make your own baby food or any of the other more natural choices that add more to your “to do” list, but if you choose to I would argue that it becomes much like the above issue…you just do it and it becomes a part of the routine.

When I began, during my first pregnancy, to consider the supplies I would need when my new baby arrived I was plagued by a feeling of guilt and trepidation when contemplating diapering my child. "The Real Diaper Association, an advocacy group founded in 2004, estimates that 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the U.S. (according to the EPA, that translates into more than 3.4 million tons of waste dumped into landfills) and that producing those diapers also consumes huge amounts of petroleum, chlorine, wood pulp and water." [1]

With these statistics in mind I wanted to consider how I could decrease my son's still growing carbon footprint. I began to research cloth diapers, chlorine-free diapers, and other earth-friendly options. What I came up with was that, not only could I save my family a lot of money, reduce our personal waste, thus benefiting the planet, I could also improve the health and well-being of my child. Conventional diapers contain chlorine and other harmful chemicals that can cause allergies and often contribute to diaper rash and discomfort, but what really sold me was the idea that I could keep thousands of diapers out of the landfill. For more in depth information on the problems with disposable diapers check out this article by Peggy O'Mara, one of the editors of Mothering magazine: http://mothering.com/green-living/a-tale-of-two-diapers

When I found out that my second pregnancy was a twin pregnancy there was no question that I would be using cloth diapers. I mean, yes it is more work, but we are talking disposable diapers for TWO! The cost of that alone is staggering! So, the real question is… “How do I do it?”

Check back tomorrow to find out!


Taira H.
2011 FHM Support Services
Mommy to Kyan (3 1/2), Mason and Ronan (8 months)

[1]Time- Diapers Go Green Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008 By Pamela Paul

Question for all to answer

A FHM friend of mine posted on facebook today:  "I wish people wouldn't ask my twins which one of them is the "evil" twin."  Nice, right?  What's the strangest or worst comment you've received about having multiples?

 

Meet the Board: Julie N.

Finding Out That We Were Having Twins:

It was an interesting experience for us. I was diagnosed at 23 with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). My Husband and I were already trying at this point to start a family, and it wasn’t working, due to the PCOS. After talking it over we decided, well we are young and the odds are in our favor at this point, let’s go to the next step. After discussing it at length we decided to go with the lowest dosage of Clomid to start. Well, that’s all it took. After a couple weeks of horrible mood swings (thank you Clomid) we had our positive pregnancy test at the Midwife’s office. We had no idea what we were in for at the first ultrasound. We went in at 5 weeks, turns out they made a scheduling error and that’s too early to see much. The tech told me she thought she saw two babies but it was just too hard to tell, so home I went and we waited 2 more weeks to go back in. The next ultrasound she informs us that she doesn’t see twins, there appears to be just one baby. She proceeds to zoom in on the “one” baby and then things get really quiet. She went out to grab a doctor and at this point I’m freaking out wondering what’s wrong with my baby. Doctor comes in and they inform us that we are indeed having twins, but they are identical and look to be mono mono twins (twins in the same amniotic sac sharing one placenta). I said good bye to my midwife at this point and hello to my new OB who specialized in fetal maternal medicine. I can’t remember my husband really saying anything during the appointment, it was shocking and terrifying all at the same time. 

The Pregnancy:

After the 2^nd ultrasound we went home and started doing some reading up on twins and mono mono in particular. Best piece of advice if you are pregnant, Stay Away From the Internet! I panicked. Thank goodness my new doctor called me back and told me not to freak out just yet, the babies could be mono di (babies in separate sacs sharing one placenta) and they would check again at 12 weeks to verify that there was or wasn’t a membrane separating my babies. I calmed down and then bam, the “morning sickness” hit.  I had read that this was a good sign that things were progressing normally so I embraced it like a trophy. I was so excited to be pregnant.
After not being able to hold water down though for an entire 24 hours I went in and was given Zofran and Phenergan- best stuff ever! I managed to get the morning sickness under control (vomiting only once an hour) and thought everything would be ok now. Well I woke up at the end of week 7 and had horrible pain in my stomach. I thought for sure I was having a miscarriage and was so upset, I then felt a huge gush. I couldn’t believe that this was happening. My husband raced me back to the OBs and yet another Ultrasound. This one I didn’t even want to look at the screen. Well turns out I had a huge Sub chorionic Hemorrhage, both babies were just fine. This was when the day bed rest began for me.

Bed rest was not something I had planned for this early in the pregnancy. I knew there was a possibility later on, but 7 weeks, never! I went in and filled out my leave papers for work, and went home to begin my indent on the couch. I went back in at 15 weeks and the hemorrhage had healed and the babies looked great, best ultrasound yet! We also found out at this point that we were having girls and there was indeed a membrane. I was ecstatic; I think my husband went further into shock. Went back home on light bed rest (I was able to walk around for several hours at a time). I called my work back told them the good news that I was cleared to go back in soon and they put me on the schedule for the following month when I was off complete bed rest. I went back in to work, and I was feeling good.  I had the big growth and development ultrasound in three days. Life was good! 

I went in at 19 weeks and well, back to being scared. The tech discovered that the girls had a 19% difference in weight. Too much and the words TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome) started being mumbled around. I was scheduled for an Ultrasound at NW Perinatologists in two days to confirm or rule TTTS out. I tried not to freak out, I had made it this far, I could handle this. I didn’t even do any reading yet, didn’t want to scare myself if there wasn’t a problem. I went in hoping for the best and walked out in tears, with TTTS (when mono di twins share a blood supply through the placenta, can cause fetal death from lack of nutrients (donor) and heart attacks in the over nourished (recipient) twin) confirmed and back to strict bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. I was told I needed to lie on my left side and start drinking protein drinks to help with the development of my babies, I was only allowed up to use the bath room and shower every other day. Thank goodness my husband worked from home. He was able to cook for me and if he did have to leave he just piled food up next to the couch. 

We started bi-monthly ultrasounds after the diagnosis. Everything remained unchanged for the next couple of weeks, the girls stayed between 19 and 20% weight difference, but then at 24 weeks things started changing again. The babies were doing well, but my body started to fail on me. My cervix went down to 2 cm and my blood pressure shot up and I was having contractions. I was seriously at this point wondering how all this can happen in one pregnancy. I had to now add lying with my hips slightly elevated and no salt to the growing list of things I had to do while on bed rest. The salt killed me, it was all I was craving, I couldn’t believe I had to say good bye (a blessing in disguise-now I can’t stand the stuff). 

I stayed in this routine for another 6 weeks and at 30 weeks I went in for another ultrasound and stress test and discovered I had some serious issues with my blood pressure. I was sent to the hospital for a 24 hour monitored collection.  That was good times-my body freaked out and went into labor. Welcome Terbutalin (a drug used to stop contractions) into the mix. They gave me a shot of that stuff along with steroid injections for the babies. Let me tell you this- steroid shots, OUCH!  After 72 hours they got everything back under control and on track and I was allowed to go back home to my comfy bed with the terbutalin and blood pressure medication on hand. 

The next five weeks were filled with ultrasounds, and non-stress tests. It was clearly better for the babies to still be on the inside. At 34 weeks my body had had enough and my OB said we were just trying to trick it into staying pregnant for a little while longer. At 35 weeks exactly I went in for my last ultrasound and discovered that the weight difference had grown significantly in the last two weeks. Also much to my surprise I had gained 22lbs of water weight in two weeks. My blood pressure went up again and my OB scheduled me for a c-section for the following week. She was hoping we’d make it. Well I went in 3 days later feeling like I had the flu, having contractions like no other, and just in bad shape. She looked at me and sent me to the hospital. 

Delivery:

I had to wait around a few hours for the c-section thanks to the bagel I had to have earlier in the day, delicious but not worth the additional 8 hours of pregnancy I had to endure because of it. I was brought to the OR and the girls were born 2 min apart. Brooklyn, my recipient twin of the TTTS was red as a lobster and almost 2 lbs heavier than her sister at 7lb 1oz, Ella weighed in at 5lb 6oz. Ella did great from the start which is typical of the donor twin, and Brooklyn had to go on C-Pap in the NICU for a week. I wish I could say that after the girls were born my body returned to normal but I’ll be darned if my blood pressure didn’t sky rocket after the C-section. I couldn’t even get out of bed for 2 days and I was on blood pressure medication for an entire month afterwards.

I’m so thankful that I really got the brunt of the discomfort and issues during the pregnancy. The girls did great. Brooklyn, in the scope of things did really well; one week of NICU was not that bad. Ella came home with us after 4 days and Brooklyn followed 4 days later. All three of us are healthy and have had no long lasting effects due to any of the complications of the pregnancy. It was just an insanely crazy roller-coaster ride that I was happy to get off of at the end. 

Life after Babies:

Fantastic! I love being a MoM.  The first year was rough. A good chunk of it I don’t even remember, but I was so happy that we had a positive outcome to the scariest situation I’ve ever experienced in my life.  I actually went on to have another baby two years later believe it or not.  It was a picture perfect pregnancy and I welcomed a baby boy, Evan, to our family.  I’ve been told I’m crazy, but I really wanted to know what a normal pregnancy was like.  I hope my story gives hope to MoMs who are in similar predicaments in their own pregnancies.  Good outcomes happen! 

Advice to New Moms:

Don’t forget to take care of yourself;  A happy mommy equals happy babies.  Forget the house work.  If they are sleeping, take a nap. Realize that there will be days that you won’t be able to comfort both babies at the same time and don’t feel guilty about it. Get out of the house with the babies, even if it’s just to run an errand. Meet up with other MoMS. I would go out 3 times a week with another MoM and we would walk the malls. We are great friends now and so are our children. Last, but not least, do what you have to do to survive that first year. 

Julie N.

2011 FHM Co-President

Mom to Ella and Brooklyn-4 years and Evan-2 years

Photo Credit:  Rebecca @ www.catchlightsnw.com

Parties

A little glimpse at a few of our parties from the past:

Fall Party 2010

Summer Party 2010

Spring Party 2010

Double Stroller Conclusion a.k.a. Robyn's Soap Box ;)

NOTES ON “JOGGING STROLLERS”

When most brands (like BOB) first released their strollers, they did not have much of a recline and had a soft hammock-like seat. This was ideal for jogging as your child swayed with you, rather than bouncing on a seat back, but was not “stylish” and the brands succumbed to the pressure and made more “mainstream” ALL-TERRAIN strollers. An all-terrain stroller is NOT designed for jogging. If you want to jog, check craigslist and you can find a great stroller with 3 air wheels that are all 16”+ for less than $100. They don’t have cupholders, or snack trays, since NONE of those things should be in use when jogging. They are made with static wheels that don’t rotate, because that is SAFER when you jog. Even wheels that “lock” are capable of “unlocking” if you hit a bump or crack in the road.

When it comes to jogging stroller, please do your research. You should NEVER jog with an infant! Regardless whether your infant is in a car seat or flat in the stroller, jogging with an infant can lead to "shaken baby syndrome." Take a cup of water and place it in your stroller. Have someone do even a light jog towards you and watch the water spill all over your stroller. That’s your child’s brain. Babies cannot support their own heads and they will move and “jog” along with the stroller. If you read the manual for your jogging stroller, it will recommended an age of at LEAST 6 months before jogging with your stroller.

While I am on my soap box, let’s talk about car seats for a moment. They are called car seats for a reason. They are for the car. Babies should not be in their car seats for prolonged periods of time. I KNOW it’s easy to “snap” in two car seats into a stroller, but it’s not that much harder to put them in a bassinet and they are so much more comfy there. To each their own, but please do the research on infants in car seats before decided how much time your child will spend in one. Just because “everyone else” puts their kid in a travel system, doesn’t mean you have to.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you have found some value in it. Few things are easy when it comes to being a parent, but by having a good, easy to push stroller that is comfy for your child you can help make outings more enjoyable for everyone in the family.

If you are interested in learning more about double strollers, please visit www.strollerqueen.net

For $7.99 you can see pictures of all the strollers, read personal reviews from Janet (the StrollerQueen) on each of the brands and strollers that were presented at the ABC show.

I am happy to answer any questions that I can for you.  (Please post below in comments.)

Robyn R.

FHM Mommy to 4 yr. old twin boys & 1 yr. old girl

Stroller Review- Continued-Part 3

 Previous stroller posts: Which double stroller do I need? , Stroller Review-Continued

5)      Bugaboo Donkey

2011 marks the year that Bugaboo finally released their double stroller. I have owned a Bugaboo and can say that they do push quite well. The Bugaboo, much like the Stroll-Air, can have either seat facing either direction. The donkey can accept two bassinets, or two regular seats. I am not sure if it will accept car seats or not.

Here, you'll see the Bugaboo Donkey in action.

6)      Baby Jogger City Mini

The BJCM is likely one of the “up and coming” most popular double strollers. It is being sold by Babies R Us, which makes it a bit more “high profile” than the other strollers featured here.

If you are looking for “easy to fold” then you have found the stroller of your dreams. It doesn’t get ANY easier than this! You hold on to the handle that says “pull to fold” and pull it… That’s it. One part, SUPER fast and super easy. This makes the BJCM ideal in climates like Portland where you don’t want to be fighting to fold a stroller in the pouring rain.

As a TOTAL bonus, the 2011 line will include a new PURPLE colorway!  The BJCM is also the most affordable double featured here at $400.

Despite the name, the BJCM should NEVER be used for jogging.

7)      Bumbleride Indie Twin

The Indie is another “up and coming” popular stroller. It has a much larger footprint than the BJCM, but can also be used on rougher terrain, since it has air tires.

The largest advantage to the Indie is that the footrest is adjustable and you can create a bassinet-like feel to the seat, almost cocooning your baby, without purchasing anything extra. Bumbleride has FABULOUS fabrics that are machine washable and great colors.

While this stroller does have air tires, it is NOT designed as a jogging stroller.

8)      Mountain Buggy Urban Double

What sets the MBUD apart from the crowd, is the fact that it is one of few strollers that offers a “twin” bassinet option. The bassinet is also large enough to fit newborn triplets.

With an adjustable handle bar, and large basket, it’s an ideal strollers for most any family. I believe it was in 2010 when MB released the double with independent canopies. Prior years had one canopy for the two seats.

9)      BOB Duallie

If you’ve ever wanted a BOB, now’s the time to buy. BOBs are rarely on sale, but with the new 2011 models, you can find them for up to 25% off at several retailers, who are clearing way to make room for the new models. The stroller does accept a car-seat, but only one.

Robyn R.
FHM Mommy to 4 yr. old twin boys & 1 yr. old girl

Meet the Board: Kelly B.

Finding out I was having triplets:  Like many others in the group, my husband and I had been trying to have a baby for a couple years so I was ecstatic when I found out I was pregnant.  Then at 6 weeks I had some minor spotting and, though we knew it was a bit of an overreaction, my husband rushed me to the ER in the middle of the night.  They sent me back for an ultrasound and the ultrasound tech immediately looked nervous.  We begged the tech to tell us if our baby was alright.  She wasn’t supposed to give us any information, but we looked so desperate she finally told us the baby looked fine and then she grinned and told us she saw MORE THAN ONE… “Twins!?!?!!?”  my husband and I exclaimed at once!  We were so relieved everything looked okay and immediately began contemplating how our life would change now that we were having 2 babies, not 1.  The tech took many pictures of the babies and was entering data into the computer, when I noticed she selected a 3, and not a 2, from a list of numbers…we had mistakenly assumed that “more than one” meant twins, but we were actually having triplets!  So we had a whole new wave of shock as we thought about our future with not 1, not 2, but 3 babies.  

Pregnancy and Delivery:  The rest of my pregnancy was relatively uneventful.  At 27 weeks I was put on bed rest.  The babies were delivered at 33 weeks 5 days, weighing 3lb 14oz, 3lb 6oz, and 3lb 13oz, and I got to see each of them and hear their little cries before they were whisked away to the NICU.  The babies came home one at a time over the next few weeks and have been making our lives infinitely more exciting – and busy! – ever since.

Life Pre-baby:  I worked as a consultant for biotech companies and then as a research analyst for the state before deciding to stay at home with my babies.  There are definitely times when I miss working, but I am so thankful for the time I get to spend with my babies.  Before babies, I also loved, traveling, cooking, hiking, and seeing movies – none of which I get to do much of anymore but I’m looking forward to getting back to them someday.

Advice to new moms: 

·       Get help:  I think many of us are not the type of people who like to accept help, but try to put that aside and accept help from anyone who offers; most people really are eager to help.  Not everyone will be able to watch babies for you, but even bringing a meal, folding your laundry, cleaning your bathroom will make your life easier and allow you to  rest and spend more time bonding with your babies. 

·       Prepare food ahead of time:  I think most moms of multiples (well, probably any mom) can attest to the fact that its difficult to find time to cook.  Anytime I do actually find the time to cook a meal, I make a double batch and freeze half.  This gives me many easy to prepare meals for the days when I’m just too busy to find time for preparing a big meal.

·       Enjoy the ride:  Raising multiples will be more exhausting and stressful than you could ever comprehend, but it will also be incredibly fun!  Instead of focusing on the difficult parts (it's noon and I’ve already changed 12 poopy diapers), try to focus on the fun parts and see the humor in your situation (the other day, my son had to go home from church in pink pants because I hadn’t restocked the diaper bag and we only had spare girl’s clothes…not many parents of singletons are forced to do things like that :).

Kelly B.

2011 FHM Newsletter Editor

Mommy to 10 month old GGB triplets