TWINS!! With Two Kids Already

Congrats! Although I am not in your situation I give you credit. Your husband is working his butt off and you are in school. Once you are out of school, the world will open up for you. Squeeze it tighter for a few more years. This is a blessing and great news!

CONGRATULATIONS ! ! ! on the twins. You are so lucky. I know it may not seem that way now. But things will be better.

In two years you will be so happy you had both of them. As far as how to survive economically, it will just take more effort to find the best sales and the best prices. We had eight kids and it worked that way for us.

Look here on mama-pedia. There are lots of suggestions on how to save money. If you want to talk, PM me.

Good luck to you and yours.

I had four kids all one year apart. Planned that way. Then two years later I became critically ill. The medical bills were unreal. Illness was ongoing actually to this day but have a handle on things. Our church used to send some money for food so the kids could enjoy a roast etc. somehow it all worked out, it always does. We did not take vacations until my youngest was like 21. Somehow you just do what you have to do. Congratulations. You will be busy for sure. It goes by so fast though. The key to survival with twins is a strict schedule. Eat together etc. You will do just fine, really. We now are enjoying retirement and our 8 grandchildren, the youngest who we babysit for during the week.

I was a stay at home mom with a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old (that just started kindergarten) when I got pregnant. 2 months later I found out it was twins so I'd have 4 kids age 5 and under. I cried, I worried, I wondered how this would ever work out. Money was tight and our single income budget supplemented by a little babysitting was stretched as tight as it could be. Then a 'friend' who was also pregnant and wanted to be in the spotlight said 'You know you can always just abort if you don't think you can handle 2 additional children' and in that moment I just knew everything was going to be ok.

My son ended up in the NICU for a week and our insurance at the time was terrible. But we made payments and joked that we'd finally own both kids outright by the time they were ready for college. Family pitched in to buy some things like diapers every once in a while. The budget was still tight but in the end we were ok.

I think your life with be crazy busy and crazier by a lack of sleep. But I also think that as long as you and your hubby are on the same page it will be ok. Hit up tag sales, hit up friends for hand me downs, and hit up your ped for samples of everything.

I know these words don't help much, and tend to be over used, but the truth is....things work out, they just do.

You learn how to budget better, you figure out what is really a need and what isn't, you just do what you have to do.

We are a family of 10 and did it on 45,000-50,000 a year. The high end only being every once and a while.

If your interested I belong to another forum, it's for large families (4+ is considered large) and they will have great tips and idea's. Just PM me if you are interested.

A friend of mine has a 2 year old daughter, a 6 month old daughter who was born at 25 weeks and has a very rare genetic disorder, and is expecting a baby this September. Finances are very tight, but, like you, they know their kids are a gift from God. They have been able to get much support from our church community.

Good luck and God bless!

Congratulations!

It will be okay. Look in to things like WIC which will help get you food for your 19m and you while you are pregnant, and then formula and food for the babies.

You don't say how far you are away from completely your degree. If you are close, please continue.

Look in to increasing the # of withholdings on your husbands W-2.

Start stocking up on certain non-perishable items now, slowly, over time.
- wipes,
- diapers size 1 +
- washclothes
- onesies

Do you have a vehicle that will fit 4 carseats? If not, you need to look in to trading up.

Talk to the ladies at the church. Maybe the ladies from church can help a few mornings a week for the first few weeks.

Talk to the local HS. Around here, students have to get community service hours that count towards their graduation diploma. Helping out with newborns, or even just your toddler would be a big help and completely doable for a HS teen in the afternoon from say 3 - 5p.

My bestie also had twins after having 2 kids. She says today (the girls are 6) that it was the greatest blessing.

It will be okay. Pray. Ask God's guidance. He will provide.

Congratulations! Twins are awesome! I was almost 40 when I had mine, then my world fell apart. (not from the twins) My FIL was diagnosed with lung cancer, husbands job was being deleted and he got depressed. He started using pills to cope and got addicted quickly. His personality changed, drastically. He became angry, mean and violent. He quit his job. We lost my house. (bought it myself before we were married) I took all I could then had an epiphany. I am worth more than that and so are my girls! I am now a full time teacher, full time single mother of 4 year olds and he got arrested two nights ago for DUI (1st offence and I hope last).
I only have my income to depend on. Support from him was small and sporadic. I rent a parsonage from a small church for an amazingly good price, drive a 10 year old car with almost 200,000 miles and hope it will last a few years more!
It can be done. You have to believe, prioritize and be vigilant with spending. You will be exhausted, but the joy and fund they bring is so worth it.
We do fun, free things a lot. Parks with playgrounds and splash pads are a life saver in the summer.

S.,

Congratulations! I have a 7 year old and a 24month old - I had hoped for twins with baby #2 since he was so tough to get, but it wasn't to be.

There are mommy of multiples out there and lots of companies do extra samples, discounts, etc for twins. Join a mommy of multiples group and get their tips. There are several around Houston - here is just one:
http://nwhmom.com/ There are also several yahoo groups:
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/1600115389

Mobility will be an issue - you will probably need a triplet stroller - look for a used one. Take one day at a time. Build the best support system you can - and don't be afraid to ask for help. God bless you and your family! C.

Well, I have some (not a lot) of disposable income, and I would be asking the same questions if I found out I was expecting again, much less twins! I have a friend that just went through a very similar situation and so I will answer based upon what she has shared with me. Her first two were 24 months and 12 months when her twins were born. She figured out really fast to never say no or turn away from help or assistance despite her intense pride. I told her one day that any help she accepted now would be more than made up for when her children grew up and became caring, productive members of society. Not to mention the joy they bring to all of us right now! It's so much fun hanging out her house with the little ones! They are truely a gift.

Financially, other than learning to never say no to help or assistance, it was a real epiphany for her when she realized she doesn't need all the baby gear marketed to us western moms. They didn't need a closet full of outfits that would be worn only once, and she found out that gently worn outfits from garage sales were a god send. After the 2nd baby was born, her whole dogma changed. She shifted into "Mom" mode, centering her life around the babies. She didn't think about what she was missing out on or care that she didn't fashionable clothing. "This is my new normal" she said to people who asked how she did it. Expense wise, she saved money in areas she never anticipated. As it's really hard to take 4 toddlers anywhere, she never drove saving a ton in gas, mainenance, tires, etc. She's not even going to dream of new carpet or furniture until the kids are older. As she's at home all the time, she barely spends anything on clothing, makeup, or her hair - and she still looks neat and presentable. Her biggest expense has been diapers, as she got her formula through WIC. And her mom and aunt stockpiled diapers while she was pregnant with the twins so that wasn't too bad either. She grows a lot of their food, preserves it, and buys almost no processed foods.

We still laugh, though, thinking ahead 10 years to when she will have 4 teenage boys to feed. But she'll be able to get a parttime job by then to finance the food bill!

Thank you for all the kind words and positivity. Yes, I have two kids in day care, the baby all day and the older before and after school. I take classes during the day but can change once the other two have arrived. We have a camry but have talked with our loan company and know that we can trade in after we buy our house. thats another stresser to the plate. Had paperwork on a home but after finding out about twins had to walk out on the home to look for something bigger. I do work, I am a massage therapist, so I can eventually work oout of my home just need to establish a clientel. I would like to talk to those who have offered but I am new to this forum and not sure how it works. Hopefully I am using it the right way lol.

Congratulations...I am sure this is a scary time for you, but you will make it through!! First of all, are you going to school and working? Is your 19 month old in daycare or do you go to school at night? I would plan on continuing going to school at night (even if you have to cut it back to 1 class at a time after the babies are born due to hubby's schedule) so you do not have to pay for three kids in daycare. Try to find a part time job where you can work nights or weekends.

Enlist help once the babies are here - friends, family, etc. Start buying diapers and wipes NOW every time you go to the store - you will stock up and be ahead of the game!

Do you have a car that will fit all of you in it? If not, think about how to get that before they arrive. Look online for used baby items.

I am excited for this journey for you and your family!