I’m the proud mother of triplets. Two girls and a boy. When I was caring for them, as infants (they’re 6 now, and in first grade), there were a couple of things I found very helpful. I’m not a big “consumer” and am not the type to push products or say things are necessary., but the items I’ll mention are wonderful tools for both mom and baby, and definitely help the family’s quality of life!
One thing I couldn’t live without-a triple stroller! When I was pregnant with triplets I researched triple strollers and some of them were outrageously priced. I also became a member of a group that sent a monthly magazine about triplets out. The strollers advertised online and in the magazine were very expensive. I don’t know about you, but my money was better spent on formula, diapers, three cribs, three car seats, three highchairs, all of the doctor’s co-pays that first year (when they get all of their shots) and regular household/living expenses. I chose the least expensive option I could find, which isn’t cheap…but much more affordable than the alternatives. It’s called the Trio Triple Tandem Stroller. I was very lucky because my sister bought it for me for my baby shower. Learning to set it up and fold it took a bit of study, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist (thank goodness). If you’re going to go anywhere alone with your babies you simply have to have one. Nobody has the luxury of always having two other people around all the time so they can each hold a baby.
One of the major stress relievers, and cure for cabin fever, was packing up the babies and taking them to walk around at the indoor mall. Outside walks in the middle of summer, when it’s 115 degrees in Arizona, just don’t happen! The air-conditioned mall was a great way for me to get out of the house. Consider this fair warning-if you want to be able to actually shop and not be stopped every five feet it’s best to do it without the babies. I felt a bit strange, but got accustomed to people being in awe that I had triplets. They wanted to ask me questions and, of course, look at the babies. It’s a bit difficult to miss a triple stroller! It’s a great way to beat the cabin fever and isolation that being home with three babies can bring. Back to the stroller. I mentioned that it’s the least expensive one I found. I’ve noticed, online, that it is still the least expensive. When the kids were close to a year old I decided that we needed a triple jogging stroller.
I thought it would be better because all of the babies would have a “front row seat.” I was worried about the middle seat of the tandem stroller becoming too cramped. SO, we spent three times the amount of money on a triple jogging stroller. I’ll admit-it was very easy to push. That was the ONLY benefit to it. The seats weren’t as comfortable or supportive. I couldn’t get through doorways. If I needed to go in somewhere I’d have to try to pull the stroller (with kids) sideways through a door. If I was in a store it was too wide to be able to fit through aisles of clothes. In the end I only used it about 3 times-then I went back to the tandem stroller. The expensive one sat in the garage and collected dust.
You only have two hands!
One product that was wonderful, before the babies were old enough to hold their own bottles, was a hands-free feeder. I found one by the brand name Podee. They were very inexpensive and could be used on any bottle. A very neat contraption! It’s clear tubing connected to a top that fits on a bottle. Some tubing goes into the bottle, like a straw, under the top lid. A longer piece of tubing connects to the top of the bottle and has a nipple at the end. All you have to do is connect it to the bottle and then “prime” the nipple, simply by squeezing it. You’ll see the milk/formula traveling up the tubing. Prime it until it’s up to the nipple and then it’s ready for the baby.
When I was traveling around with the trio in the stroller I would hook their Podee’s up to their bottles, set the bottle next to them in the stroller, and put the nipple in their mouths. It looked very high-tech…3 babies with these tubes of milk going up to the nipple they were sucking on. It was great when they weren’t able to hold their own bottles-and very inexpensive. The only thing I didn’t like, which has probably been improved upon in 6 years, was that if the bottle tipped over it would leak. I saw a Podee set that looks like it comes with 3 bottles and it looks as though they may have made some modifications to prevent leaks. Even if it were the same as when I had it-it’s worth it! It makes it easier to keep everybody on the same schedule…and nobody has to sit around hungry and fussing.
One thing I see now that I didn’t have, which would’ve been really helpful, is something I found called a “Bottle Snuggler Feeding Time Helper.” When I was home I didn’t use the Podee system often, because it leaked. I liked using it when they were in their stroller, because I could wedge the bottle between them with their blankets and the side of the stroller and it wouldn’t tip over. At home, when I was by myself with the babies, I took turns with who I held/rocked to feed. The two who weren’t being held sat in their bouncy seats, facing me (so I could make sure they didn’t choke) and I’d roll up a baby blanket and put it under a bottle to prop it up. If I’d had the bottle snuggler it would’ve worked better, because sometimes the baby would turn his/her head and the bottle would roll off the blanket and fall. The snuggler looks like it hooks around the bottle and the shape of the little stuffed animal prevents it from rolling.
Looks very handy! There are plenty of other contraptions out there. Many that I likely don’t even know about. You don’t need a bunch of fancy tools to take care of multiples. The only things I had that were geared towards triplets/multiples were the stroller and the Podee feeders. The rest was your basic, average baby stuff. No need to break the bank…but sometimes the added convenience is a big relief! Hopefully this helps some of you. Best of luck if you’re at the beginning of your journey with multiples. Mine are in first grade, now, and in 3 separate classes!