Managing Triplets

I met a mother of triplets yesterday in our downtown!! She has 2 boys and 1 girl, and they are 14 months old! Boy, did it bring me back in time!! Those days of three toddlers seem like they were just yesterday. I tried to encourage her that the physical demands do become easier as they gain independence!!

I thought I'd share some tips for having multiples!

-Assign a color to each baby... use this color on their bottles, beds, pacifiers, etc.  Our colors were green, pink, & lavender.  Our friends have continued to use the colors when wrapping gifts, etc!  At age 7, the triplets like other colors too, but "their" color will always have special meaning.

-If someone offers to help you, LET THEM!! NO ONE truly understands how physically & mentally exhausting your days are, even as the children are growing older.  Try to think of something they can do to help whether it be entertain the children, take out trash, do laundry, bring a meal, etc. It's OKAY to accept help!

-Buy a notebook or journal for each baby.  I use my notebooks (in their colors, of course) to write down cute stories about them so that I can remember! You can use them to write down medical info when they first come home from the hospital, firsts for the baby book, or whatever you choose!

-If you can afford any help from babysitting to a night nurse to a house cleaning service, do it.  We found MH & she would come once a week to keep 2 babies while I took 1 baby to run errands.  As the babies grew older, MH would keep all 3! She is like part of our family!!  We also hired her to keep the trips for a month after K was born since I couldn't lift b/c of the c-section.  You can't care for 3 2-year olds without lifting!  MH was our lifesaver.  I would do anything for a housecleaner & laundress now!!!!

-Take time for date nights with your husband, even if it has to be an "at home" date night.  Try to get OUT of the house & put on something clean & go somewhere you can't go with 3 babies!  

-Take a shower every morning & BRUSH YOUR TEETH!  There is no excuse not to do this & it will make you feel so much better!  I try to wake up, shower, brush teeth, and put on makeup first thing every morning.  It just helps!

-If possible, take a weekend away per year with your husband.  Certainly take more than one, or stay for 4 nights, if you can!  Four nights is the maximum I can comfortably be away from our sweet ones!

-Pray!  God is with you & He blessed you with these babies, and He will help you survive and flourish! What a gift!!!