Personal Stories

Having lived in Cambridge for 11 years I was fairly confident that I knew all of its facilities. However, today for the first time, 4 months after the arrival of Max and Harry, I needed to use the loo while on a solo shopping trip. I have probably used every changing facility in town, but a loo that I and the double buggy could fit into was a challenge…

Starbucks in Borders was the only known venue to me; however, the assault course of lift to the first floor, then tiny lift that has room for the buggy but not the driver (!) and then asking at the café for the key was so unappealing that I was seriously considering the long haul to the Grafton Centre. I also found 2 of the renovated loos in Lion yard to be very well designed to allow a buggy into the cubicle, however with a door too small to fit the buggy through! Eventually with mounting desperation I resorted to asking at the Tourist Information Centre where the very helpful lady directed me to the second floor of the Market Square Marks and Spencer.

The disabled loo there was roomy and unlocked. Apart from a suggestion to amend their sign to 'for disabled and twin pram users only' I found the premises most satisfying!

Selina

For those facing a similarly urgent situation, the disabled loos in Waterstones are also very obliging. (Use the goods lift at the back of the shop - not sure the other lift would even fit a single buggy!)

Funky Fun House 1

The toddler play area at the FFH had 2 nice slides off the big padded climbing frame, a levitating ball machine and a few other soft shape activities, plus 2 walkers and a ride-along toy. Our twins (almost 2) did spend a lot longer than I expected in this area. The main problem was that it was too easy to escape from and we spent a lot of time chasing them round the lovely large warehouse as they raced each other with the walkers (some of the staff seemed to think they should stay contained!). The main play area was very good with lots of activities but was designed for bigger kids. The twins wanted to explore but weren't quite tall enough for most of the climbing required, so needed a parent helping them all the time. The slides were very shiny, hence you went fast and landed with a bit of a bump. The helter skelter slide definitely required small children to sit on their parent's lap (we (parents) had some friction burns from elbows not tucked in enough). The wavy slide was fun; Ros loved it, Sean wanted to sit on someone's lap as it was so fast. Above the ball pit there were some air-powered guns, so the big kids could take foam balls up with them and fire at the targets above the pit, except of course they preferred firing at the people in the pit, which stung a bit. However, there were dedicated staff constantly monitoring all the play areas, so I guess they would stop any really rough play. There was also a soft football/ basketball court and a dance machine, baby zone, big café/restaurant, sofas and party rooms.

If your twins are closer to 4 or 5 years old (or older) they would have a fantastic time playing on their own while you relax on a sofa with a coffee, safe in the knowledge that someone else was keeping an eye on them. Parties could be quite good fun too with all the staff to provide games.

FFH was quite pricey at £4.70 per child (or £4 if you buy membership) for 2 hours (which has to include any meal time). There was no outside area.

Kathy

Funky Fun House 2

I decided to give my 4 year old a half-term treat, to the Fun House. We arrived and after 20 minutes of queuing I was told I could not take my buggy in. I tried to explain the difficulty of keeping my 20 month old twins together, and how stuck I would be when my 4 year old or I needed the loo, coffee, lunch, etc. Instead of being understanding, the member of staff said, 'I've got 3 under 2 and a half and I have to manage'!! (Some people just don't seem to understand how difficult having same age toddlers can be!) I was very upset and asked to speak to the manager, who said, 'Sorry, the only time we can let you bring a buggy in is if it has a sleeping baby in it.'!

I was able to strap my twins into highchairs, which were plentiful, though as they only had lap straps, William and Emily would have escaped if left unattended. I did manage but only because I had gone with a friend (and her 4 year old and 3 month old).

Positive notes on FFH: the food was nice, with some healthy choices, and was reasonable, with kids' meals around £1.75. The toddler play area was well away from the big play area (although it was Emily's sole mission to get there and fast).

Angela Mother of Sam, William and Emily.

Funky Fun House 3

I too decided to take my 4 year old daughter to Funky Fun House for an afternoon out, along with my 10 month old twin boys. On arrival, I was also told that I wasn't allowed to take a buggy in. I stared in disbelief at the woman on the desk and informed her that I had twins and therefore needed a buggy. She replied that I could only take a buggy in if they were asleep! (of course, both boys were wide awake). I informed her that there was no-way that I could carry the two of them and look after a 4 year old and therefore, I was taking the buggy in. She backed down and let me do so.

Motto: Be forceful - those without twins don't understand how hard it is!!!

Chaplins Farm and Cheeky Monkey play area

We had a really good time here. There is a baby area but it is basically a ball pit, big foam building blocks and a slide so our twins (almost 2) spent 2 minutes there before they ran off. The rest of the play area is a fairly well enclosed, very safe structure (plan on website): the twins could do virtually every activity on their own and there was almost no way they could hurt themselves. We thought it should be possible to supervise them with only 1 adult if required next time (though we did have fun climbing and sliding too). The biggest danger was probably the bigger kids not looking before they dived into the ball pit.

The outdoor area was nice though most activities here were better for slightly older kids: the 2 slides required the mastering of ladders and the tractors in the sand were quite hard to pedal so mum and dad had to push. There is also a café and farm shop (cakes, preserves and pickles), plus PYO soft fruit and a golf driving range.

We spent at least 90 minutes bombing around and the twins were thoroughly knackered afterwards (so were the parents). Good value at £3.50 per child.

Kathy

Chaplins Farm and Cheeky Monkey play area, Fulbourn. Closed on Mondays. 90 minute play limit at busy times. http://www.cheekymonkeysltd.co.uk

Medieval Days

So far this year (2006) we have managed to take our twins (2.5yrs b/g) to "experience" a bit of interactive history. There have been two events which have been quite different, but they have enjoyed them both.

First was the Medieval Fayre held in SnailWell in May. Apart from a lack of signposts to the event, it was quite easy to get to. It was held in a big field that was quite uneven and had quite long grass so the buggy was rather difficult to push and sometimes impossible with the twins in it. Entry cost £5 each for us, as children under 5 are free, a family ticket would cost £12 though.

The event was split roughly into 5 main sections - knights, vikings, theatre, falconry and traders, there was also a band of musicians that wandered around the site as well. It was quite well organised and all of the people taking part were very friendly, even though the twins turned shy more often than not!

Some of the events didn't seem to happen quite on time though, as we missed the play, but we did get to hear some medieval stories told by some interesting characters. Unfortunately our twins were maybe a bit young to hold their attention for more than one story.

The traders had a few interesting items like tabards or wooden swords/shields for sale, and various items of jewelry so it was interesting just having a walk round and a look.

We had a picnic whilst watching the falconry display, though there were quite a few food stands in the traders section if you didn't bring food.

Next we watched the knights put on their armour and have some mock battles together. Soon after that there was a big battle in the centre of the field, with knights against vikings. The knights were rather outnumbered 5 to 20, but they did have some archers! It was all very well done, even though after 3 battles it was knights - 0, vikings - 3. By the end our two were cheering with everybody else for the knights or the vikings!

The second day out was a Knights Tournament in June put on by English Heritage at Audley End House. It cost £10 for each adult for non-members it would be half-price for members, under 5s were free. There was some hard-sell to make you join if not a member, but we did not think for the Cambridge area there was enough to warrant the £60+ pounds membership.

The event was all organised very professionally, including a beer tent and a huge tent for merchandise to buy to support your favoured side in the contest! We did get the twins two small flags to wave which they liked (though had a change of mind when choosing the colours they wanted!).

The contest did not start until 11:30 (there was a timetable of events) but for the entry price you were allowed to walk the gardens and the house, though the house did not open very early either. But it was quite nice to have a walk before the event started.

The first event was archery which was good, followed by some falconry displays, which we had a picnic whilst watching (again!). There were, of course, some food vans if you didn't bring a packed lunch. We had some very good views of the birds and the twins especially liked the owl.

After the falconry the "fool" and a band of musicians wandered around entertaining. Next it was time for the mounted skill at arms which the twins enjoyed and even managed to wave the flags at the right time.

The day was very hot and it getting on to 14:00 in the afternoon, so we decided to depart at this stage, but there were events up till 16:00 including foot combat and jousting.

Overall I don't know how much history the twins picked up, but both days were nice ways to spend out and about. Of course, it might have been a different story if it had been raining!

Jeremy

Center Parcs - the Johnson twins take plunge

http://www.centerparcs.co.uk

We decided we needed a holiday. The twins (Sean and Rosalind) were almost two and the only holidays we had tried since they were born involved visiting relatives. From this we had learnt:

How much stuff you need to take on holiday with two young children
How best to fit it all into the car
How much they hate long car journeys
That for the twins the novelty of exploring someone else's home and finding the lack of childproofing wears off very quickly ("What they can crawl already?, I thought they would just sit on the rug and play with their toys" - as Sean sticks his hand in the interesting hole in the VCR, "I hadn't realised how tall they were now"- as Ros tries to pull pretty but smashable items down onto her head).

So where to go?

Well we still can't really fix the huge amount of stuff problem (probably never will!), but at least we could go somewhere fairly nearby. Also from experience:

Bored twins = Naughty twins = Stressed and tired parents

Twins with lots of new activities = Happy twins = Happy but tired parents.

So we needed somewhere with lots for the twins to see and do. The Centre Parcs at Elveden forest near Thetford seemed to fit the bill. Centre Parcs keeps winning Tommy awards for being child friendly, the chalets should be fairly minimal which would mean less stress about who is touching/ climbing on what, the swimming pool is free and available all day and the twins do like swimming, and the brochure claims lots of small children friendly activities from nature walks and teddy bears picnics to soft play sessions, arts and crafts and sing alongs. Plus we could do our own nature walks/ cycles and there would be plenty of sports to watch even if other people were doing them. The restaurants should have enough high chairs and have play areas while we wait for the food. Plus the restaurants, activities and chalet should all be within the 1km range of the scream activated walkie talkies so mum and dad should be able to escape after bedtime! It was definitely worth a try. So we booked a long weekend away, bought 2 bicycle seats and started practicing cycling around Cambridge in anticipation.

Did things work out as expected?

Well the chalet was fairly child friendly, after rapidly removing one vase and a fire poker the living room was safe, there was little in the kitchen to hurt them and surprisingly they showed no interest in opening all the cupboards anyway. Sean liked hiding in the wardrobes and apart from switching bedrooms as the safety gate only fitted on the door of the main bedroom the sleeping arrangements worked well. We had ducks, moorhens, squirrels and even some deer regularly walking right past the chalet window which we all enjoyed watching.

The swimming pool was great, we used it 5 times in 4 days and apart from the last day the twins loved it, I think they were a bit swum out by the end. There were lots of little life jackets free to use so they had a great time floating around and we were able to go on the indoor rapids and one long water slide with them in those. They weren't so keen on the waves but loved the special pirate cove toddler area with a sand pit, little slides and lots of fountains. The changing facilities were good, usually no problems finding a family changing room, which was just large enough for four, but we did need at least two lockers to fit everyone's clothes and bags.

Cycling around the site was OK, the main problem was the amount of stuff we needed to carry for the swimming and nappy changing and snacks etc and the fact that it was still quite a walk from the cycle parks to the main facilities, so we had to either coax the twins to walk the right way or carry them plus all the other bags. So in some ways the pushchair might have been easier but the twins enjoyed the cycling and we probably saw more of the site that way.

The only activity we actually paid to do in the end was the treasure hunt and this took all day since we had to stop for a snack, then because Ros fell asleep (on the back of my bike), then for lunch, then for swimming etc… but it was an enjoyable way to spend the day and made sure we saw all the parts of the site. Baby dolphins was free but was just 10 minutes of singing songs with actions in the pool to build confidence, but our two seemed quite upset about being crammed in one area of the pool with so many other people and babies. The Teddy Bears picnic booked up too fast, but since the morning activities had tired the twins out so much before lunch it was for the best as they would not have been in the mood. For the same reason we didn't bother with the other potential activities as they were mostly scheduled around lunch time too.

Exploring the forest and the nature/ trim trails went well; we had to take a collection of pine cones and leaves home with us. There were a lot of indoor and outdoor play areas nicely spaced around the park and catering for all sizes of children, with a good variety of activities and themes so we hardly used the same area twice. So for the three days away these activities and the swimming filled the day up nicely.

The restaurants were very child friendly but the food quite expensive so we mostly fed the twins at the chalet. The walkie talkie baby monitor idea either worked perfectly or if it didn't we were blissfully unaware as there was no crisis back at the chalet and so we managed to have two nice evening meals out without the twins, though we did spend most of the meals talking about them...

So all in all the holiday went as planned, exhausting but everyone stayed happy and enjoyed themselves, so I would definitely recommend a short break away at Centre Parcs as a good experience with young twins.

Kathy

Happy Flying

Following our March holiday to Portugal with 6 month old twins and our 3 year old, I have a bit of advice regarding no pre-booked seats on the low cost airlines.

On our first flight we were delighted that we had managed to gain the last row of 3 seats (priority seating for families is a bit of a joke when while folding double buggies, etc., you get overtaken by everyone else!). However, once the plane had completely filled we were then told we couldn't have all 5 of us together as there are only 4 oxygen masks per row. This did seem a bit late to be telling us, and it was only down to the EXTREMELY kind man in front of us, who offered to swap seats with Don plus one baby, that my 'air rage' was averted.

On the way back we instead split ourselves across the aisle, which was great because nobody was stupid enough to sit on either row next to us so we got extra space for changing bags, colouring books and Don's newspaper (unread!).

Selina and Don

Our breastfeeding story

Although I didn't know much about breastfeeding, or how on earth it worked, when I found out that I was pregnant I was sure that it would be the right thing for my baby. Like a lot of people, my experience of breastfeeding to that point was almost nil - as far as I can remember I had only seen one baby being breastfed in my entire life! But the books I read assured me that it was the best thing, in terms of the baby's health, my own health, and our relationship. I was sure that it was the right thing to do.

Then, at 12 weeks, I discovered I was expecting twins. After wondering where we would put two cots, and what my partner would say, I began to wonder how I would feed two - was it even possible? The books and health professionals were not much help - agreeing that it could be done, but that it is difficult, you need even more commitment than usual, lots of help (nanny, au pair, mother's help, cleaner, etc.) and finally stating that you shouldn't feel bad when it doesn't work!! The standard twins book 'Twins and Multiple Births' by Dr Carol Cooper, with Tamba (published 1997, but I believe there is a new edition now), says 'you might like to start by breast-feeding. You can always change to bottles later...' which hardly inspires great confidence. And health professionals always seemed to ask 'are you going to try and breastfeed?', and when I responded positively nearly always replied 'good for you', as if I was crazy for even thinking about it.

Being a rather stubborn person, the more negative stuff that I heard and read, the more determined I was to make a go of it. Fortunately, I was sensible enough to take some of the advice given to me seriously, and recognised that I would need lots of support, even if I couldn't afford the nanny, au pair, mother's help, etc. My NCT antenatal teacher recommended contacting La Leche League whilst I was pregnant so that I could set up support systems in advance. La Leche League (pronounced la lay-chay, Spanish for 'the milk', known amongst members as LLL, http://www.laleche.org.uk/) is a charity that aims to promote breastfeeding through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information and education. I went along to a couple of meetings and was very pleased to meet some friendly people who took it for granted (in a good way) that I would be breastfeeding, and who offered lots of positive ideas and helpful information. I was equipped with leaflets and other literature that were to prove absolutely invaluable after the babies arrived. It was also very reassuring to know that there would be someone at the end of a phone line, whom I already knew, who would be able to help if I had any problems.

So, at 39+4 weeks, after an induction and a hasty c-section, my sons were born, weighing in at nearly 8lb each. They both latched on (separately!) pretty successfully in the recovery room, and continued to feed a lot... As far as I was aware the breastfeeding was going ok - I had no pain, no sore nipples, and the boys' nappies were just as required... In spite of this relative success, I needed lots of support, and this wasn't really forthcoming at the hospital. There seemed to be much enthusiasm for teaching me to feed the boys simultaneously. I didn't want this, preferring to get to know them individually at first, and wanting to ensure that both boys latched on properly - hard to do when you are trying to balance two babies on your lap. There were also some unhelpful comments about how hard it would be for me to produce enough milk. I was desperate to get home, and finally escaped after a couple of days.

Back at home I could relax and meet the challenges of those first vital few weeks of breastfeeding with the committed support of my partner. Not surprisingly, he proved to be much calmer in the face of difficulties. When Dan had a phase of refusing to latch on, it was my partner who reminded me of what had worked for us in the first few days, shouting 'tummy to tummy', 'nose to nipple' over the screams of an infuriated baby. When Tom proved to be a rather lethargic feeder (at first anyway!), it was he who reminded me of the techniques we had read about in the LLL leaflet on feeding sleepy infants.

With his support and the encouragement of other mums, things have gone well. I have had lots of moments of doubt, wondering if they were meant to feed quite as often as they were, then later wondering if they should be feeding a bit more than they were... We've had a few problems with reflux, biting, thrush, nursing strikes, with significant sleep deprivation, and sometimes dealing with the feeling that I am just a human dummy, but I have loved breastfeeding my boys. I feel very proud that I can produce this amazing, life-giving and health-giving food for them, and continue to be grateful about the comfort it can bring to them at times of pain, illness, stress, and any other time they need it.

They are 22 months old now and we are all still enjoying our breastfeeding relationship. I suppose I assumed I would give up breastfeeding when I started back to work (that hasn't happened either!), or when they reached their first birthday, or some other time when it suited me. But LLL introduced me to the idea of working together with my sons as we move gradually towards weaning, and so for now, we are taking it day by day. Why would I deny them this food source which is uniquely designed for them as individuals? Why would I deny them (and this is especially, I think, important for multiples) these times when I can focus on them and their specific needs? Breastfeeding two energetic and easily distracted toddlers can bring lots of challenges, but I am just going to carry on being stubborn in the face of all those people who think we should have given up by now.

Ali

Contacting LLL If you have questions or breastfeeding challenges you want to talk over, or want to find out about local meetings, you can phone LLL any time on the telephone helpline, 0845 120 2918. This puts you through to your nearest local LLL Leader (trained volunteer breastfeeding counsellor/discussion group leader, a mother who has enjoyed breastfeeding her own children). You talk to her in her own home so she will appreciate talking with you before 9.30 pm if possible.

Life after twins

The decision to have another baby when you already have twins is one that should probably only be made after careful attention to the effect that this will have on such things as family dynamics, finances and well-being. However, we found ourselves in the happy position of unexpectedly expecting no.3 and so neatly skipped this tricky part. Was this a bit rash? For anyone else with similar ideas, this is what I found.

1. Having one baby at a time is easy! (Just as I suspected.) Hooray for uncomplicated pregnancies! Unfortunately, this made me over-confident about life with a newborn because, surprisingly, it turns out that this is really hard work however many you have. How did I manage with twins? Apparently my memory has been irreparably damaged by the experience.

2. I had vague notions of at last spending proper 1:1 time with one of my babies. Of course, there was a flaw in this - 2 to be precise, known as Toby and Max, who though forced to share almost everything as a consequence of being twins were unwilling to split me 3 ways without a struggle. So instead of giving inadequate attention to 2 children, I gave it to 3. And attempted to get away with it by using my best diversionary tactic of getting out and about as much as possible. Which brings me to

3. Logistics. I thought I had this sussed with twins and could therefore easily cope with one extra bod. Wrong. Seems obvious now, but you can't fit 2 buggy boards on a single pushchair, squeeze 2 toddlers and a baby into a supermarket trolley or even go for a walk easily (not without investing in another arm). You certainly can't keep 2 toddlers, 1 baby and yourself afloat in a swimming pool (even if you were allowed to try). My solution? Double pushchair with 1 buggy board (and lots of negotiation as to who goes where), internet shopping, papoose (possibly until our littlest one goes to preschool), and disgruntled baby in car seat at side of pool, respectively. See, perfectly manageable.

In short, it's not exactly been the easiest 9 months of my life. But compared with our first 9 months as new parents to early twins, it's been a breeze. Which is reason enough to recommend it to anyone.

Emma (with help from Toby and Max, aged 3, and Rory, aged 9 months).

www.twinsclub.co.uk A personal recommendation

Are you wondering?

Whether your pregnancy symptoms are normal?

What to expect at the birth?

How you'll cope with multiples?

How to feed two at once?

Who else is awake at 3am when you've done a feed and now can't sleep?

Which buggy is best to buy?

How to potty train twins?

What happened in last week's episode of Desperate Housewives?

www.twinsclub.co.uk is a website run by parents of multiples, for parents of multiples. The site offers lots in the way of information (e.g. birth stories, reviews of books for multiples), shopping (it now has an online store, and also runs a free 'classified ads' section for users) and more.

But for me, as for most people, its main attraction is the forums. The site has two forums, one dedicated to support and advice, and one for fun and trivia. I discovered Twinsclub when my twins were over a year old, and wish I'd found it much earlier. The members are welcoming, full of advice to newcomers and old-timers alike, and lots of fun.

If you haven't already logged on - go on - give it a go! But don't blame me if you become an official Twinsclub Addict

Catherine (aka CatherineB) Official Twinsclub Addict

ABC of A & E

Last month I had a 'trial run' emergency dash to Addenbrooke's - that is, although not my first choice for afternoon activity, it was nothing that a spot of superglue couldn't fix. Still, it was my first such trip in 4 years of being a parent and I have to confess to being not quite the model of a competent, unflustered mother that I aspire to. So, on the way home I devised a strategy for the inevitable repeat performance

- Arrival. Follow the signs to car park J (patients and visitors). The route from here to A&E is fairly short (with zebra crossings) and wide enough for a double buggy. But if you're struggling on your own with the casualty and their siblings, park in the 'drop off' point outside A&E (next to the ambulance bay). The maximum waiting time here is 30 min but if you explain your predicament at Reception they will understand and will sort something out.

- Buggy. Fling one into the car before you leave home. It makes the car park to hospital trip much easier and is useful for immobilising the well child while you and the doctor concentrate on the casualty.

- Cash. Grab some money too. You'll need it for the car park (currently £2.50 for 2 hours, and it could take at least this long), telephone (you'll have to go outside to use your mobile) and refreshments (vending machine inside A&E).

I'm hoping this is one of the least useful things I've ever written - but I might hang onto it just in case.

Emma (With thanks to Toby (4), Max (4) and Rory (1), without whose Friday afternoon high jinks none of this would have been possible.)