Ah, the drama in our home when a tooth is lost.  First, there is excitement, then a little bit of jealousy by the co-multiple who did NOT lose a tooth over all the attention the other one is getting… but the REAL drama comes the next morning, after the tooth fairy has left her treasure.  Until last night, the tooth fairy usually left two quarters and whichever boy lost the tooth had the good sense to see that clearly the tooth fairy knows he’s a twin, and left two so he could share with his brother.

Ah, but the age of innocence ends all too early.

As the boys grow older (they are 6 now, and going into grade one!), they discover the ways of the world.  Both Simon and Alex are now well aware that a coin is more than a shiny souvenir.  They know that some coins can be put into machines and a gumball or other treasure gotten out. They know that street musicians play for coins.

But most of all, they know that several coins often garner great new riches when traded for goods at a yard sale.  So, when Twin B woke up this morning, and found two loonies under his pillow, he chose NOT to share his personal gain with his brother.

Twin A was understandably upset, and you can imagine the drama which ensued.  Even with much cajoling and reasoning (“surely the tooth fairy left two coins, meaning for you to share.  Maybe if you don’t share, she won’t come back next time you lose a tooth”, etc., etc.) Twin B could not be convinced to part with a coin.  Twin A’s howls grew louder and more extreme as he sang the song of his injustice.

In the end, the boys cooperatively selected a toy from the yard sale we visited later in the morning, and the wealthy twin paid.

But oh, the misery of the morning… how many more will we endure?!

We are proud to share this guest blog, co-authored with Erika King, Dental Hygienist. Enjoy!

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A sometimes overlooked health factor when pregnant is… Dental Health!

Carrying  multiples in particular impacts the health of your gums and teeth; both can be affected by your pregnancy, and in turn your pregnancy can be affected by how well you take care of your mouth.

Some women find their gums become puffy or swollen and bleed more when they are pregnant.  This is due to the increased production of estrogen (normal during pregnancy and particularly increased for moms pregnant with twins, triplets or more), and is called pregnancy gingivitis.  For some women the increased estrogen causes their gums to become extra sensitive to plaque (bacteria) that accumulates on their teeth.  Women who experience this need to be extra diligent in their oral care at home, and it is usually recommended they also see their dental hygienist during this time for additional cleaning and/or guidance.

One of the early signs of multiples pregnancies is more extreme than normal morning sickness.  Women who experience morning sickness also need to pay special attention to their dental health. Frequent vomiting or regurgitation can lead to acid erosion of the teeth. When stomach acid frequently comes into contact with teeth, the outer enamel covering can wear down, weakening the tooth and increasing sensitivity.  After an incident of vomiting, the best thing to do is to rinse out your mouth with water or mouth wash, and avoid brushing your teeth for at least 45 minutes.   Brushing your teeth right after vomiting actually increases the rate of erosion as you are scrubbing the acid into your teeth.

Many pregnant women, particularly those pregnant with more than one, also experience nausea or an increased gag reflex, making it difficult to take proper care of her teeth/gums.  Using non-foaming toothpaste often helps (i.e. no sodium laurel sulphate– these toothpastes may be hard to find, try looking in health or naturopathic stores, or online.  Some examples of brands are: Tom’s of Maine, Therabreath, the Natural Dentist, Nature’s Gate, CloSYS, Squigle, Sapphire Toothpaste ), as well as leaning over the sink while brushing your teeth, allowing the toothpaste to drain out of your mouth instead of building up.  (Yes, this becomes a bit tricky towards the end of the second and into the third trimester, when your belly is full of big babies!)  Other women may find it helpful to take a deep breath and then hold it while brushing the teeth at the back of the mouth. Using a smaller toothbrush, as well as using floss holders may also help.

So why is gum health so important during pregnancy? Scientific studies have found women with severe gum disease are seven times more likely to have pre-term, low birth-weight babies. This is due to the labour-inducing hormone called progesterone, which is present in oral bacteria.  When your gums are unhealthy, the bacteria in your mouth can enter your blood stream, increasing the circulating progesterone. This becomes especially significant for women pregnant with multiples, as they are often already at risk for pre-term labour.

Seeing your dental hygienist for regular dental cleanings can help you have a healthy pregnancy. She will give you advice and guidance for your specific situation. She will also teach you important preventative tips for your growing family.

Erica King, RDH

www.ericasmobilesmiles.ca

We have our first guest blogger! This one comes from Janet MacDonald, president of Optimum Childcare and Nannies. Hope you enjoy!

Many parents become overwhelmed when recruiting and screening nannies. Often this leads them to rely on a stereotypical idea of what makes the perfect nanny. But even though Mary Poppins may seem to have a lot to offer, parents require more that a spoon full of sugar and a song to meet their expectations. Read the rest of this entry »

Their voices, personalities and other small nuances make mono-zygotic twins Alex and Simon unidentical to us.  But then, we’re their parents.  And yes, we did rely on nail polish and positioning (see Class Three) for the first several months!  Now that the boys are six years old, we are trying to help others distinguish them as well.  A few months back, Alex and I went for a hair cut.  Simon decided to stay late at daycare and play with his friends.  We’ve kept the heady difference, and Simon’s hair is now quite long, making him clearly… NOT ALEX! 

They both appreciate their unique looks and the individual recognition it fosters amongst family and friends alike.

I remember when our twin sons were born… my husband and I had been doing volunteer work with refugees and immigrants at Toronto’s Detention Ctre.  It all had to stop once we became parents, as they didn’t allow babies/children in the Centre.  As our babies grew into toddlers, we began searching for volunteer endeavors to do as a family; we really wanted to set the tone in our family about the value of giving back, and we wanted our children to learn about this while they were still young.  Alas, it seemed that any opportunity that might be open to having kids tag along somehow didn’t fit into our nap or bedtime schedule!  (Yes, we were still ruled  by the need to sleep at 3 years old!)

The boys are 6 now, and I recently decided to revisit the volunteering dilemma.  Typically my work in this area had involved interacting with people, but in an attempt to try something new, I did a little research on volunteer opportunities elsewhere in the city.  It wasn’t long until I discovered that one of our local greenspaces, the Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat, accepted volunteers every Wed evening from 6-8 p.m.  On the agenda: weeding, planting and just general outdoor labour.  The timing was ideal, just after dinner and before bedtime (well, we’d have to leave at 7:20 or so, but I figured if I brought extra labour, I shouldn’t feel bad about cutting out early!)

Twin B and I went to check it out last week.  Six year old Simon was perfect for the job of pulling mustard garlic from under some important shrubs that were being choked out.  Small and nimble, he easily crawled into tight places to pull the highly invasive weed!  He also enjoyed being outdoors and learning more about plants — his constant stream of chatter and questions were most entertaining to everyone there, and showed me a side of my son I don’t usually see in public.  Not sure if I would bring both boys next time, but in any case, it was a great opportunity for each boy to have some special time apart with one parent.

If you’re gazing in sleep-deprived stupour at your multiple newborns wondering how long the traumatic stage will last, and if you’ll ever get back to your “real life”, I can promise you this: As your babies grow from toddlers to children, these little people will make your real life richer than you can ever imagine!  If you really want to bond as they get older, consider doing some volunteer work with one or more of your multiples.  It’s a great way to expose them to something new, while teaching them strong community values and just getting to know them in a whole new way.

Guest Column by Lynda P. Haddon, Multiple Birth Educator
Multiple Births Prenatal Education & Bereavement Support
www.multiplebirthsfamilies.com

First-time Moms especially worry about not recognizing their babies’ cues.  There are several ways a baby lets you know when s/he is ready to feed.  As they are waking they may stretch a little, maybe arch their back, smack their lips and/or tongues against the roof the mouth, or put a hand to the mouth and suck.

Babies who are NOT ready to feed will be quieter, move less, show very little mouth movement, and there may be movement noticeable under their eyelids (from REM sleep).  If your baby is in this state, it is not advised to wake him to feed but to let him continue to sleep until he is ready to wake on his own.  If woken too soon and not ready to feed due to sleeping soundly, it could become frustrating for both of you.

Babies are programmed to turn their head towards a nipple when held across the front of you, so another way to know if baby is ready to feed is if she is fussy, turning her head side ways trying to “root” for a nipple to feed. If this is the case and baby is not fed in a timely fashion say, because you are busy changing another baby, the situation could erupt into some full blown hollering to get your attention.  If a baby gets too worked up or angry, it can be a challenge to get her to settle down to feed.  Watching for the signs that each babies is ready to feed can help things move smoothly.

Think about how you feel when you are angry
and someone offers you a sandwich.

If you don’t manage to get to the baby(ies) before things get out of hand, focus on calming the baby down before trying feeding. Shushing, small bouncing while holding against your chest can work.  So can swaddling and shushing.  Don’t try to feed a baby when she is upset as she will just bring it all up again due to being agitated. Think about how you feel when you are angry and someone offers you a sandwich.  You won’t feel hungry until the feelings of anger have passed.  Calm baby down first and then offer the breast.  The breast is a familiar calming factor, once a baby is settled.

It won’t take long for you to read each baby’s cues so that you are able to recognize when each needs to be fed.  Best wishes.

Many expectant POMs wonder how they will breastfeed two or more babies.  Ironically, this important consideration is really only relevant in the intial stages of parenting.  Few consider the longer-term question of how to manage the logistics of multiple feedings once babies are eating solids.  For example, is it okay to use one bowl/spoon, or does each baby need his or her own feeding utensils?  Do you feed one at a time, saving valuable real estate vis-a-vis high chairs, or do you line ‘em all up, and shovel the food in simultaneously?

Although there is no “right” or “wrong” way to feed your little ones, it may be helpful to consider some of these questions before your babies get to the solids stage, so that you and your family can think about how best to manage time and space with multiple babies. Read the rest of this entry »

With babies, even the mundane can be exciting.  Every daily task can be an opportunity for language development. 

Research demonstrates that one significant difference between “successful” and “not yet ready” readers in grade one was the sheer number of words they had been exposed to in their early years.  Since multiple birth children are sometimes considered “at risk” for language development, this finding is key.  Exposing our young twins, triplets or more to language is someone every parent can do!

Beyond the much touted task of reading to your infants and toddlers, involving them in every day chores, and talking to them as you complete these activities, is one way to enrich their vocabulary exposure.  While walking to the park, shopping at the grocery store, waiting at a red light, riding the bus, TALK!  Comment on everything around you.  “Look, there’s a tall tree!”  or “Do you hear the bird?  He’s singing a beautiful song for you!  Do you hear him chirping?” or “Well, we need 4 red apples, let’s count out four apples:  1-2-3-4, there, let’s put them into our basket.”  Each of these statements, while mundane to you, is infinately fascinating to your young child.

I remember making lasagnas with our twin boys when they were about 18 months old.  My husband would take one twin grocery shopping or on some other errand.  I would plunk the other into his high chair in the kitchen, and begin making lasagnas.  You can imagine the language development seeds that were planted during this exercise. 

“Okay”, I would begin, “First we have to boil some water for the lasagna noodles…”  Later, Alex would get to examine a “squishy” lasagna noodle in his hand and with his mouth, consolidating his idea of “basana”, as he referred to the pasta at the time.  He also observed “chop”, “zuccini” and “layer the ingredients” first hand, and sampled many chopped up vegetables in the process.  To this day, Alex in his high chair, surrounded by bits of lasagna fixings, is one of my favourite early parenting memories!

By including your young multiples in the ordinary, everyday tasks of life, you are equipping them with important language, words they will return to throughout their lives.