Helpful things to do before the babies arrive:

- Seek good prenatal care. This is extremely important due to the tendency toward toxemia, anemia, premature delivery, and other complications that can arise from a multiple pregnancy. You will need a lot of rest as a multiple pregnancy is likely to be more uncomfortable and you may require frequent and longer rest periods.

- Begin attending a parents of multiples' club, such as TPOM, as soon as possible. You'll find that a support network will be extremely helpful as you tackle especially those first few months of taking care of your babies. For more information on our next monthly meeting, click here.

- Attend a baby care class if they are to be your first babies. Many local hospitals provide these type of classes. Click on the hospital of your choice to view their upcoming class schedules:
::: Tacoma General Hospital (Tacoma)
::: St. Joseph Hospital (Tacoma)
::: St. Clare Hospital (Lakewood)
::: Good Samaritan Hospital (Puyallup)
::: Madigan Army Medical Center (Fort Lewis)

- Meet with your perspective pediatrician to discuss the potential problems and concerns. If you would like to find local Pediatricians within the area, click here.

- Arrange/schedule to have help after the babies come home. This might include families and friends. You may want to consider contacting a local nanny service as well for short-term additional help, especially if you do not have help within the area.

- Organize your family and home. Begin by making mutual plans as the care of multiple-birth children has to be a joint responsibility of both the mother and the father. Make a list of your priorities including household chores. When the babies are small, you will probably learn to let some things go as you will not have the time nor the energy to maintain your home as you did before their arrival. Be sure to include all family members in planning these goals. Need help planning? As a member, you can access our online member community and find helpful tools in our online resource library to help you plan ahead.

- Plan one room to care for the babies. Furnishings should be sturdy and easy to clean and be arranged with effienciency in mind to save you steps.

- Make and freeze meals that can be taken out of the freezer and heated easily -- this will come in especially handy once your help has dwindled. Arrange for others to bring a meal -- this will be a life saver. TPOM has a list of families that have volunteered to offer meals for new parents of multiples. To find out more, contact Amy Bader. Need help planning? As a member, you can access our online member community and find helpful tools in our online resource library to help you plan ahead.

- You and your spouse should try to maintain your hobbies, sports, and other social activities as the babies grow and mature. Spend time now to find a reliable babysitter so that you can both spend some time away from the children. You can start small with one-hour increments, even if it is simply going out for coffee or dessert. The key is to nurture and support each other. By strengthening your relationship, you are reminding each other of your commitment while at the same time refreshing yourselves for the hectic time that will follow the birth of your multiples. Need help planning? As a member, you can access our online member community and find helpful tools in our online resource library to help you plan ahead.

- When choosing names for your multiples, try to avoid rhyming (or sound alike) names, which will only add to the difficult task of identifying them as individuals (especially if they are identical).