Disciplining 16-month-old triplets

Recently, the mom of sixteen-month-old triplets asked for suggestions for disciplining her trio. I thought my advice might be helpful to other moms, hence this blog post. Please add any tips you have, too!

First off, this is a hard age. The children are mobile, but not too stable and do not understand any safety issues yet. Everything is new and they are eager to explore. This is when we need to set the rules, because they don’t know any rules. So this is where we set the foundation.

I used a bumbo at first as the “no-no chair.” They sat in it in the corner, turned away from everyone else, for one minute. Then when they were done I had them try to say sorry or sign sorry. I would help them sign sorry and also verbally say it for them, setting the rule that after they are punished they need to say “sorry” to me or whomever they were naughty to.

As they got a bit older and too big for the bumbo, I put them in the laundry room and put a gate in front, for one minute. (One minute per year of their age.) If they were in their high-chair or booster at the table, I would turn them around so they were facing away from the table and everyone else.

One thing that worked really well for me was I would demonstrate the bad behavior and say, “aaah aaah ahhh” then demonstrate the good behavior and say, “yeah”. I would repeat this 3-9x. Someone once told me repeating it 9x that made them understand. And they did. To this day I’ll still say “ahh ahh ahh” and they stop dead in their tracks, one even says “Sorry” right away.

One memory I have is a day when they were jumping on the couch and I would say, “No jumping on the couch, aaah aaah aaaah.” Then put them in the no-no area. This went on for at least 1 hour, rotating all them numerous times into the no-no area. It eventually stuck and the next day, I said, “No jumping on the couch, aaah aaah aaaah” before they got onto the couch and, viola!, no more jumping. I tasted a bit of victory, and that sticking to it paid off. I remember this every time I need to set a new rule: I just need to stick to it and be consistent.

Good luck!

-Jeanmarie
Mom to 3.5-year-old BBG triplets

For Pregnant Triplet Moms: Answers to Some FAQs

I just found this old e-mail with my answers to some "questions" from other pregnant triplet moms. Hope some of the info is helpful! :)
–Cheryl, mom of 5-year-old GGB triplets

1. What did you find that you really used three of?
3 bouncys, 3 boppys, 3 bumbos, 3 high chairs, 2 swings, 1 "tummy time mat," and 2 exersaucers. I just rotated the babies between the "stations" I had set up. It worked great.

2. Did you have just one crib? If you did have just one, how long were you able to keep them all in it?
I had a "mini crib" that was in our room that all 3 slept together in for the first month. I then transferred them into a full-size crib (still in our room) that all 3 shared until 4 months. By 4 months...they were sleeping through the night but also rolling all over each other and waking each other up...so we separated them and put them in their own cribs in their own room. My triplets shared a bedroom (all 3 cribs in 1 room) until they were 3 years old.

3. I know I need 3 carseats and will need 3 high chairs and bouncy seats, but what about swings?
Yes, obviously 3 carseats & high chairs (I didn't have room for 3 full-size high chairs and that's why I opted for the kind that attach to a "normal" chair). The swing thing, well, all babies are different. Some love swings and others hate 'em....so it could be a wasted investment. Test one before buying any. I ended up buying one and borrowing one.

4. And what kind of car do you have?
A mini van! :) The newer Toyota Sienna's have room for 8. You need a spacious mini-van. Most triplet moms with SUV's say it's a HUGE pain and most all have given into the mini-van lifesyle! :) (Ya gotta get the "Got Triplets?" bumper stickers! :)

5. Speaking of, what kind of strollers did you get?
I had the triplet Peg Perego. I bought it new (plus the carseats) and spent around $1000. SUCKS! I would TOTALLY get one used if possible. (Check craigslist.com?) I'd send an e-mail out to our moms in San Diego to see if anyone is selling one. I also got a double and single umbrella stroller for when I was out and about with my husband or parents. Plus I bought a triplet jogger for the park. Plus I got a giant wagon with a shade and trailer on it. Yikes. I went a little overboard. :) What I liked about the Peg Perego triplet is I could go anywhere by myself easily. The 3 carseats just clicked in and off I went. It was easy and convenient. Once they outgrew their carseats...it was a little more work assembling the Peg...but I still liked the look of it and the ability to be out and about by myself. The kids got too heavy to push in it by around 2 yrs.- 2 1/2 yrs. old. I have friends that LOVE the runabout -- but it's not the most attractive stroller :(

6. My other questions (for now) are body-related. When did you begin to show? Was it way earlier than people with just one baby?
I was in full-blown maternity clothes by 12 weeks. I grew pretty fast....and I was quite excited to show off my belly since I was "FINALLY" pregnant after 5 years of trying and treatments. :) You will show early and get used to people asking really personal and annoying questions.... "are they natural/real?" "will you breastfeed" "do triplets run in your family?" "I'm glad I'm not you." "You poor thing, you have your hands full."

UGH! That’s a quick rundown, but hopefully it’s a starting point for you. One last thing:

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Triplets! :)

Froggie Smoothies and Other Yummy (Healthy) Snacks

I get so bored with our standard snacks. So I recently emailed Jessica to ask what she gives her three-year-old trio for snacks. Her instant answer: “Froggie Smoothies!”

You won’t believe this, but the secret ingredient that earns these fruit smoothies their “froggie” moniker is . . . raw spinach. Yep, raw spinach. Seriously. You can put in an entire bag of it without tasting it at all. Talk about getting your greens for the day! I have to admit that I didn’t believe it until I tried it, but now I and the boys LOVE them and I’m ready to shout from the highest mountains “Froggie Smoothies! Feed your kids Froggie Smoothies!!”

Froggie Smoothies*:

• Frozen fruit (blueberries, peaches, and/or strawberries are our favorite)
• Banana (sometimes we put in two; sometimes none)
• Spinach (raw; packaged spinach for salads is easiest, but unwashed bunches from Henrys are cheaper)
• Pineapple or Orange Juice
• Ice
• Plain yogurt (optional)
• Flax seeds (optional; Jessica swears by them, but I haven’t gotten around to buying them to try it)

Adjust the amounts to your thickness liking. Blend in blender until smooth. Note: Not much ice is needed since you are using frozen fruit

Like I said, I was a Doubter, so I started out light, throwing in just a handful of spinach leaves. Thumbs up! The next day, two handfuls. Double thumbs up!! Now we throw in a whole bag, with each boy putting in the biggest handful he can. Yes, the boys know about the spinach. I believe in teaching them how to eat well even as I’m hiding the veggies in their meals. They think it’s a hoot to jam those leaves into the blender. I think it’s a hoot that they get their fill of green leafies for the day. Hurray for Froggie Smoothies!

Now the boys want to make Beetle Smoothies. Huh. I haven’t figured out a recipe for that, but I did come up with the next best thing: Frog Smoothie with a Beetle on Top. Hey, whatever works.

Here are some other snacks we serve. What are YOUR favorite kid-friendly snacks?

Goldfish crackers
Cheese sticks
Dry cereal (Life, Oatmeal Squares, Cheerios, Gorilla Munch)
Rice crackers
Toast with peanut butter and “no sugar added” fruit spread
Hummus with pita bread, crackers, or carrot
Fruit—especially grapes
Dried fruit—especially mangoes, blueberries, craisins, and raisins
Oatmeal cookies with raisins and walnuts
Pumpkin bread with raisins and walnuts
Yogurt or Yogurt Parfaits (with thawed frozen fruit and granola)
Whole Wheat Fig Newtons
Bagels
Energy Bars from Vons
Cottage Cheese
Garbanzo beans
Quesadillas
Nachos (toasted corn tortillas with refried beans, cheese, olives

*To be truthful, Froggie Smoothies not actually green. But they do have green specks in them. You can call that the crushed up froggie guts if that works for your kids.

-Debbie
Mom to 3-year-old BBB boys

The Special Bond of Multiples . . . .

Preface: I recently emailed this story to Debbie Halverson - our resident professional published author/triplet mom. She suggested I post this story to our blog - but I do not have the writing skills of Debbie - no where close! So please know, that Debbie has taken my story and put it in her words - and it is so wonderfully written now for all of us! Hope you all enjoy.

It’s a doctor’s job to tell the risks of carrying multiples. It’s a support group’s role to share tips about raising them. It’s a mom’s joy to share stories about the special bond they share. Today it’s my turn...

Last night my daughter, one of three-year-old GBB triplets, woke me up by pacing the upstairs hallway, sobbing. She was repeating, “I can’t find my brothers. They are not in their cribs.” This startled me, as it seemed extremely improbable that the boys weren’t in their cribs. I ran upstairs and picked her up. “Sweetie, your brothers are sleeping. Let’s go peek in their cribs.” I brought her back into her bedroom and raised the dimmer switch a bit so she could see her brothers – they were both there. I hugged her and told her she must have had a bad dream. I was tucking her back into bed when she whispered in my ear, “Mom – don’t ever let my brothers go away, OK?” My heart just melted.

My daughter’s bad dream may have upset her, but in my mind it speaks volumes about the unique bond she shares with her triplet brothers. And even as she slipped back into dreamland, hopefully to happy adventures with ponies and princesses and ice cream cones galore, I tiptoed back downstairs to my own special dream—of my children forever enjoying a connection so deep that it shapes their relationships, their lives, their very dreams.

What are your favorite stories about the special bond multiples share?

Jessica
Mom to Tate (5), Brit, Tucker and Mallory (We will be 3 on December 14!)

bottle feeding multiple babies

One of the most staggering dilemmas in raising infant multiples, is how in the world to feed all of them at once?

For those people who don't have an extra set of hands (or two, or three), or a team of wet nurses on staff ... they have devised various ways of feeding their babies. Two babies can be fed at once while they are reclined in their bouncy chairs and bottles are propped on blankets for any remaining babies. Or, there is equipment that can be purchased that secures the bottle to a small pillow for feeding.

(Jeanmarie: do you have a picture of that pillow with the band on top you used for your trio?)

Until our triplets were 5 months old, I would nurse, then pump, then feed one of the babies with expressed milk in a bottle - while nursing the other two. This worked pretty well, but I quickly discovered that I was constantly on the couch with a baby (or two) attached to me.

Slowly, I began feeding the babies with bottles during the day, and nursing them in the evening and early morning. Once I made the transition to feeding all three of them with a bottle, I struggled with how to get all three of them fed at once.

Enter ... Podee Bottle.

Imagine the clouds parting and a ray of sun shining on my weary face.

Podee Anatomy: The Podee is comprised of two tubes, separated by a disk, that are attached to a nipple and screwed on to a bottle. When a baby sucks on the nipple, milk goes up the tubing and in to their mouth. This allows for completely hands-free feeding, which is especially helpful when you have more babies than you do hands.

And ... they are all hungry!

Podee Dynamics: I've heard some people say "I tried the Podee and it didn't work."

So long as your baby has mastered the suck, swallow, breathe reflex (for our babies that wasn't well developed until they were a couple months old), a baby can use the Podee.

People will say that they see the milk going "back down the tube" and assume it doesn't work.

Here's my best attempt at explaining fluid mechanics:

There has to be a constant vacuum on the nipple to keep the tube entirely filled with milk. The fact is, babies aren't always sucking. They are swallowing and breathing. So, during those times when they swallow & breathe, the milk appears to be going back down the tube. When they do suck, they fill up the "reservoir" of the nipple - so there is always milk for them to swallow, when they suck again. If you ever wonder if they are really getting anything, just keep your eye on the volume, and you'll notice it's going down. If the volume isn't going down, there could be a problem with the nipple*.

Read on ...
Other Podee Tips: You don't need to buy the "Podee" bottles. All you really need are the disks (or discs) that screw in to the collars - the straws (the short one that goes in the bottle, and the long one that goes to the nipple) and the disks (there are 2 disks per "feeding system" ... on screws on to the nipple part, and holds the long hose to the nipple - the other screws on to the bottle part - connecting the long hose to the short hose).

The cheapest route to go here - is to buy regular Gerber (Playtex) Bottles (9 oz) and just use the collars with the Podee disks and tubes. You'll need 2 collars PER bottle, though - so what I did is purchase the collars separately - directly from Podee. They are headquartered in San Diego off 1-15 near Mira Mesa Boulevard (9909 Hibert Street.)

*We used the hospital issued nipples rather than the Podee nipples. We found that these worked better. You just have to be sure they have a completely flat bottom (no ridges) to keep a good seal with the disk.*

The Podees took some time to clean, but like everything else, we had a system in place.

I had about 30 Podees.

I used 12 Podees a day (3 bottles x 4 feedings a day) so I did not have to wash bottles every single day. The tubings were rinsed after each feeding (to remove gross contamination) and stockpiled in a cup.

I would then clean all of the dirty tubes once every 2 or 3 days and reassemble the tubes, disks, and nipples, so I could just grab a Podee, attach it to a bottle and go!

Podee Summary: This single invention simplified our life with infant triplets - more than I could have ever possibly imagined. Not only could we feed all three babies at once (which became increasingly important the older they became and would not tolerate waiting to be fed), I could prepare the rest of their meal while they had their bottle, and because they were fed while sitting upright, they had less incidence of gas and spit-up.

Additionally, I could clip their nails while they'd eat because both of my hands were free, and I could easily feed the babies at home OR while out and about. Feeding while on the go was a huge step toward regaining my sanity because I was no longer housebound.

So, if you have infant multiples ... grab yoself some Podees and GO! GO! GO!

how to get from here to there (and back again)

Transporting three babies, or small children, at once can be a daunting task unless, you have the appropriate equipment. And even then, some people might opt for a root canal.

As any triplet parent will tell you, getting out of the house every so often is critical for your mental health. As any triplet parent will also tell you, having the right equipment can mean the difference between going out in the world or going completely out of your mind by staying inside all the time.

Very soon, young babies will grow in to roaming toddlers and then, exploring preschoolers that may or may not want to ride in a stroller. And even though a young child may be fully capable of walking, sometimes the parents of those young children would prefer that they are contained. If not for the child's safety ... for the parent's sanity.

This is a partial listing of some different means (with advantages / disadvantages) to accomplish the simple task of taking a walk to the mailbox with your children.

Peg Perego Triplette
Advantage: works with infant carriers, in-line, collapsible, good sun protection offered by removable canopy shades, seats fully recline.

Disadvantage: Very heavy to push as children grow older.

RunAbout
Advantage: maneuverable, in-line, heavy duty, sun protection canopy can be purchased separately.

Disadvantage: not designed to hold small infants, seats do not recline, doesn't collapse and may require tow hitch to transport.


Triple Jogger
Advantage: heavy duty stroller, good on a variety of terrains, many brands come with a sun shade.

Disadvantage: limitation on how much seats can recline, not designed to hold small infants, width may prohibit use in certain areas (i.e. stores), can be difficult to transport without disassembly.


Triple Decker
Advantage: maneuverable, in-line, moderate duty, holds infant carriers, can also hold larger seats for when children outgrow car seats.

Disadvantage: Weight restriction on larger seats(?), no sun protection if larger seats are used.


Choo-Choo Wagon
Advantage: kids LOVE it, has seat belts and cup holders for each individual compartment, comes apart easily and can fit in the back of a van.

Disadvantage: cannot be used until children are able to sit up on their own, no sun protection, may be difficult to pull as children grow older.


Safety Harness
Advantage: great way of keeping a handle on children that are able to walk. Cost is around $5.00 per harness.

Disadvantage: you may be criticized for walking your child like a dog. Also, with multiple children, chances are great they will get tangled quickly and fall down in a crying heap. But, with time and practice, they will learn to sit, stay and heel.


Walking Rope
Advantage: Each child gets to pick a favorite color, then just announce "grab your color" when it's time to go. The five-ring version fits right in your diaper bag or in the car door for easy storage. Never once do you hear "so, you're walking the dogs?" comment. Unless, of course you also happen to be walking dogs, while you are walking your children. These are relatively inexpensive at less than $20.

Disadvantage: Sometimes a lagging child will get "pulled" by the rest of the chain gang. Also, the children must be willing to hold the rings, unlike a harness, where if they won't walk - you can just drag them along.


Walkodile
Advantage: great way of keeping a handle on multiple children that are able to walk without the risk of them getting tangled up.

Disadvantage: Not yet available in the US. If it was, would you buy one??

** Now in the comment section, it would be great if you could add some experiences that you have with any of the strollers listed above >> or >> any other strollers that worked for you. I can go back and edit this post with whatever comments you have, links & pictures. I think price & age range would also be useful... feedback?? ***

Welcome, WELCOME!!

Where shall we begin ... schedules, equipment, breastfeeding, a day in the life?? Once we get a few different topics going, we can add labels for various posts so that there is some organization to the blog.

So, let's hear it!!