Most people know someone who is a twin, but they don't know what it's like to raise twins.
Early parenthood is hard enough with one, but the idea of juggling two, or more, seems downright daunting, so New Westminster mom Janice OBriain has started a local support group that helps parents of multiples with the double whammy of parenting two newborns.
"When you talk about the differences in having twins, it starts in pregnancy," OBriain tells the Record. "You are considered high-risk, you have more appointments, so there is the logistics of that, usually you have to go off work early."
And those challenges continue - tandem feeding, two crying babies at night, the need to buy two of everything (strollers, car seats, high-chairs), plus the expensive prospect of paying for daycare.
"It's unbelievable what you need. A lot of families have actually had their own families move in with them for months at a time" she says, adding that her folks came from Victoria with their camper to live with the family near Moody Park. Her husband's family lives close by and also helps with the boys. Along with her twins, OBriain has a preschool-aged son as well.
OBriain actually left her other job as a manager of an entrepreneurship program at SFU, in part, because the cost of child care for her two fraternal twins (Leo and Ben) would have been upwards of $2,200 a month.
She started the local group, which has a Facebook page, after the infant development program at Simon Fraser Society asked her if she would be interested in setting up a multiples group.
"Based on what is done in other jurisdictions, I launched the New West parents of multiples at the end of December," she says.
The group gathherings offer families a chance to get together and network and share information while the kids play together. The first one was held last week at The River Market at the Quay, where the guest speaker was an occupational therapist who spoke about feeding and sleeping.
They have also started a monthly wine night event for parents and as the weather gets nicer, OBriain plans to organize occasional get-togethers at local playgrounds.
Along with the challenges of raising multiples, there are plenty of sweet moments, OBriain says.
"It's really fun seeing them start to play together, seeing two babies chase each other around the house is pretty special," she says.
There was another tender moment, after the babies were born and they were placed together (once Leo was out of neo-natal intensive care unit), they snuggled in beside each other and Leo put his tiny hand on his brother's face and made little coo noises.
So far, there are approximately 25 families signed up for the multiples group, which is open to all families of multiples and the children can be of any age. Visit Facebook and search New Westminster parents of multiples to find the page – you must request an invite in order to join the group. The group's next gathering is set for Friday, Feb. 27 at River Market, between 10:30 a.m. and noon. The topic of the gathering will be first aid.
