Get your toddler t wins to eat well
Exclusive interview with author Melinda L. Wentzel
Cloth diapers: possible with twins?
How to avoid stay-at-home burnout
five
tips for a winning parent-teacher
relationship
April 2018 www.twinsmagazine.com
table of
contents April 2018
In Every Issue
Feature Articles
Twins in the News ________4 Adjusting to life ________22 with twins plus one Mom2Mom ____________ 7 Keeping everyone happy Confessions of a twin mom: by Luci L. Creery the quick and dirty Communicating _______ 24 by Marcia Siekowski with your twins Double Takes __________36 Are they really listening? Your adorable photos of twins by Joshua Coleman
Ages & Stages
Five tips to have _______ 26 fun and enhance Pregnancy Pain management: ______ 10 learning Lessons don’t need to be Should you worry about boring! epidurals? by Family Features by Karen Jobalia, M.D.
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Getting your toddler twins to eat well
How to avoid stay ______ 28 Infants at home burnout Living green one _______ 12 Staying sane while staying cloth diaper at a time home by Catherine Leah Condon by Amy Hurling Avoiding stay at Guillemette home burnout Exclusive interview ____ 30 Toddler Twins with Melinda L. How to get them ________ 16 Wentzel to eat well Aka Planet Mom by Aria Gunman Listening to ___________ 32 twinspeak Preschool Twins Are you teaching _______ 18 Appreciating your twins’ unique language your twins to be sick? by Nancy J. Sipes and Janna S. by Patricia Edminster, Ph.D. Sipes Listening to School Age Twins Discipline 101 _________ 34 twinspeak Five tips for a winning ____ 20 Hard but essential lessons parent-teacher relationship by Vera Caccioppoli by Amy Hurling Cover Photography by Beeboys
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Volume 35 Number 2 April 2018 Founded in 1984
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ANOTEFROMTHEEDITOR Spring is here, and I’m feeling... content. Hello and welcome to another issue of TWINS Magazine. The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, meaning that most of us can breathe a sigh of relief that we’ve finally reached the end of this year’s snowy season. This issue takes a look at contentment. I think contentment is a much overlooked feeling, as we’re all constantly striving for joy, but that kind of happiness is fleeting. Contentment, however, lasts longer and is infinitely more valuable. We have tips on cloth diapers from Catherine Leah Condon Guillemette (page 12), which can add to that feeling of zen you get by living green. Amy Hurling provides tips on parent-teacher relationships (20) and avoiding stay-at-home burnout (28), which should help parents keep a feeling of satisfaction that everything is on track both at home and at school. It’s not just parents that should aim for that feeling of contentment: we’ve also included handy hints so that you can help your little ones to be happy when there’s a new baby (22) and have fun while they’re learning (26). We’ve also got everyone’s favorite feature: Double Takes! Did you enter a photograph of your twins? Pop over to page 36 to see if they made it in! If not, don’t be too disheartened − keep sending us your pictures and hopefully they’ll make it in next time! Sincerely,
La u r a C u n n in gh a m Laura Cunningham, Editor-in-Chief Follow TWINS™ Magazine on social media...
Tel: 1-833-766-3342
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April 2018
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TWINSINTHENEWS Twins diagnosed with testicular cancer 20 days apart
the symptoms that men should look out for. She said: “The age group most at risk seems to be 15-45 and the message is for men to check themselves and if they have any symptoms then they should get it checked out.”
NASA twins are no longer genetically identical
F
raternal twins Ryan and Sean Collard from the U.K. were only 23 when they were diagnosed with testicular cancer less than three years apart last September. Their mother had even asked experts when Ryan was diagnosed whether his brother was more at risk and if he should be checked too, but she was told the chances were “extremely minimal”. Now aged 24, the pair are urging other young men to be on the lookout for symptoms. Ryan said: “First and foremost, people need to be aware it is a young person’s disease, you start to think about these things later in life. “The signs are not always obvious. I’m an example of why you have to think about it.”
Healthy twin ‘felt sister’s cancer’ months before her sister was diagnosed
NASA astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly were born as identical twins, only a few minutes apart. However, new findings by NASA have determined that the pair are no longer identical after Scott spent 340 days on board the International Space Station. According to experts, seven per cent of his genes no longer match those of his brother Mark. But that’s not all − scientists fear that Scott may now be biologically older than his twin.
Sean added: “No one likes getting their bits out for the checks, but don’t be embarrassed. It could save your life.” Their mother, Mrs Collard, said the twins also want to highlight
When he found out about this change, Scott said: “What? My DNA changed by 7 per cent. Who knew?! I no longer have to call Mark my identical twin brother anymore.”
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It is well established that astronauts’ bodies change to adapt to living without gravity, but it was assumed that these changes wore off when they returned to Earth. The Twin Study has proven otherwise − Scott returned in March 2016 and his body is still not back to normal. Some of the genes that appear to have been altered permanently include those involving DNA repair, bone formation and how the cells use oxygen. NASA have been studying the pair to learn more about the genetic changes caused by long periods in space. This is the first study of its kind to have ever been attempted.
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egan Walker, 11, started exhibiting cancer symptoms and baffled doctors when they could find no cause for her illness. She suffered for months, dramatically losing weight and complaining of exhaustion and nausea before her
seemingly healthy identical twin Sophie was rushed to hospital. The doctors found a cancerous tumor on her kidney, known as a Wilms tumor or nephroblastoma. Until this diagnosis, Sophie had shown no signs of the disease, yet the healthy Megan had. Their mother, Rebecca, said: ‘It was heartbreaking. There was no indication anything was wrong with Sophie. ‘We’d been on holiday in August and Sophie was splashing about in the pool with all the kids.
Sophie was ill.’ In December, Sophie had a seven-hour operation to remove the tumour and her left kidney and she will now have chemotherapy until June. Doctors have told the family they are optimistic that her treatment will be successful.
Twins both had miscarriages, and now they’re pregnant together
‘It was Megan we were worried about. She was ghostly pale and drained, not her usual self at all. After loads of tests doctors concluded there was nothing physically wrong with Megan. ‘They’ve put it down to the fact that they are twins. They think Megan was showing us Sophie’s WikkiStix_TwinsMag_AffordX2_7inPRS.pdf symptoms before we even knew
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wins Jalynne Crawford and Janelle Leopoldo both know the difficulties of miscarriage after they both suffered from them at the same time. Jalynne, who had already had a miscarriage previously, says that she and her twin always wanted to be pregnant together. ‘We kept telling each other, “It’s God’s plan,’” she says. ’Maybe this is his way of getting us pregnant together like we’ve always wanted. We’ve got to be patient and accept the journey.’ Both women are now over halfway through their pregnancy, and their due dates are only four days apart. Both are expecting boys in June.
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11:14 AM
Janelle says: “After many struggles of getting pregnant, I’m just grateful to be sharing the experience with my best friend.” A
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MOM2MOM
Confessions of a Twin Mom
y t r i D d n a k c i u Q e Th
by Marcia Siekowski
I
recently had lunch with a friend whose little guy is 10 weeks old. First, let me say that I must have blocked out this age because I don’t remember the girls being that small. I also had absolutely no desire to hold him which I guess answers the lingering question others have of more children. All joking aside, she was commenting on how I put her to shame because I had two at the same time. “I have no idea how you do it!”… is a common statement I’m sure many multiple moms hear. Instead of making me feel like a mutant though, it makes me feel like a superhero. Because I am doing it. It may not be pretty, but I’m doing it. Here’s how—no judgement please.
Laundry: 1. Don’t separate laundry. Don’t separate colors, don’t keep the kids’ stuff separate from the grown-ups or the towels. Just wash it all. In cold water. Done. 2. If it isn’t dryer friendly, get rid of it. Then it all goes from the washer to the dryer. Enough said. 3. Don’t spray, pre-treat, soak, or use other stain fighting methods. Throw in some colour-safe bleach (for sensitive skin), Oxy for babies, or some other product with your detergent and call it a day.
5. Feed the kids the cleanest foods for breakfast and lunch so there’s no changing needed and save the messy stuff for dinner. They will be changing into their jammies soon anyways so that’s that. 6. Let them eat with their fingers. Fewer dishes. Let the dogs clean up the leftovers. Use baby wipes for cleanup (see #8 below). 7. The less food preparation the better. Anything you can eat raw, room temperature, frozen even, do it.
Cleaning: 8. Baby wipes. For everything. 9. If you have pets, let them clean up the mess from the
4. Don’t buy or use white clothing for the kids. It will stain and it’s not worth the hassle of stain fighting (see #3 above). Eating/Feeding:
April 2018
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kids. Why not? My rule is that once it hits the floor it’s fair game. 10. What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger. They will have strong immune systems if things aren’t perfectly clean. 11. Keep a storage bench or ottoman in your living room to put all the toys into at the end of the day. 12. Baths are highly overrated. They are stressful for everyone in the beginning and really not necessary (see #8 above re: baby wipes).
Dressing: 13. Sleepers are okay for the first six months all day every day. Change when needed but don’t feel you have to unless they are covered in poop, pee, or spit up. Milk it (no pun intended) for as long as you can. Sleepers are also okay after the first six months for doctor’s visits. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. So much easier. 14. Sleepers with zippers. When you’re doing everything two or three times (or more!) and your child doesn’t want to be changed, zippers will change your life. Fun fact, did you know some sleepers have 17 snaps?
MOM2MOM
and forth to nursery, and allows them to learn to distinguish between day and night, all encouraging healthy sleep habits for later. 19. Frozen washcloths are a saving grace when babies are teething. Keep a bunch of baby washcloths on hand, get them wet, wring them out, and put in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. I kept four in there at all times so there were always two back up washcloths after the first ones melted. They are a great distraction even when they’re not teething and just fussy. 20. Order whatever you can online provided that you get free shipping. Anytime you don’t have to run out is a blessing. Then you can choose to if you’re up to it. So there you have it. These are my ever evolving rules for survival. Take what you can, discard what you can’t, and do what you have to do. The easier you make things for yourself, the more time and capacity you’ll have to actually enjoy your little ones. Take it from someone who was formally OCD and still learning all the time how to let go—the things that are not worth doing are worth letting go. A
15. I have become a night shower-er. After the girls go to bed, I shower. Then I put on something somewhat sporty that acts as both pajamas and an outfit for the next day. Minimal changing necessary. Less laundry. Other: 16. Don’t disturb a perfectly happy child. They will learn to amuse themselves and play with each other. And you can do dishes or drink your coffee. 17. Don’t try to keep your kids things separate. Bottles, soothers, toothbrushes, clothes. Until they are old enough to do this themselves, it’s just easier. Another story when they are sick but if they are well… 18. Let them nap together in the playpen during the day while they are small enough. This accomplishes a few things: gets them used to ambient noise, fewer trips up and down stairs or back
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PREGNANCY
Pain Management:
Should you worry about epidurals?
by Karen Jobalia, M.D.
T
hree years ago expectant mother-to-twins Leah Casuto, woke early in the morning of her scheduled C-section. When she glanced out the window to check the weather, she was shocked to see there had been a snowstorm. Mounds of white heaped over streets and lawns, cloaking the neighborhood. Her husband, Scott, managed through sheer force of will to get her to Bethesda Oak Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, on time. Unfortunately, her obstetrician was snowed in. Hours drifted by. Leah was no longer on Terbutaline, the drug preventing her from going into labor. She hadn’t expected to need it. So while Leah waited for her obstetrician, labor contractions started. At first she ignored them. She had experienced contractions on and off for months. But the contractions grew stronger until it was apparent she was in full-blown labor. Anxiously, she talked the situation over with her nurse, since there were still no obstetricians in the hospital. She made the decision to go through a “trial of labor” to see if she could deliver her twins vaginally. Now, in labor, Leah had to make a choice she had not been prepared for: What form of pain relief should she use during delivery? Should she ask for an epidural? If she had had the C-section as scheduled, she would have an epidural or spinal without question. But she really hadn’t explored other helpful techniques like meditation
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TWINS ™ Magazine A
or breathing methods. What about other drugs? Leah regretted not thinking about this earlier. Pregnant mothers of twins usually decide in advance whether they will be having a C-section or vaginal delivery. Those planning a vaginal delivery have a big decision to make about pain relief during labor. Those planning a C-section may have enough information about epidurals before the big day. Getting an epidural (or a spinal) can be a scary event, and unnecessary fears may be avoided if women are informed.
What is an ePidural?
Dr. Phillip Bridenbaugh, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and editor of the book “Neural Blockade” the definitive book about pain management, describes an epidural as a tiny tube placed into the spinal fluid. A small amount of medicine is injected and runs through the tube in a continuous, slow drip. The medicine is usually similar to Novocain but sometimes is an opiate, like morphine. It temporarily numbs the roots coming from the spinal cord, stopping pain and other sensations. Higher doses can numb the nerve roots more, preventing leg movements.
hoW is a sPinal different?
A spinal is a similar method of pain control. It involves a single injection of the same medicine into (instead
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