Having Nappy Free Twins (or at least, minimally-nappied twins)

by Corrine, Mum to Josh and Adam, 11 months

 

Having twins doesn't mean you have to resign yourselves to the conventional route of full nappy use leading onto potty training. Yes, nappy-free twins are more difficult than a single nappy-free baby; however, everything is more difficult with twins than with a single baby. That's not the same as unachievable.

We initially feared we would have to give up our plans to EC when we found out we were having twins. (This upset my husband who had great hopes for infant pottying, having realised that he would find taking a baby to the potty much, much easier than nappy changing.) However, we gave it a go, and found it wasn't so impossible, after all. An important point to remember is that, although doing it with two rather than one may be more difficult, the benefits will also apply twice over.

For example, when one baby does a poo, the other baby won't go on holiday; he or she will still be around, requiring love and attention. It is much easier to look after your second twin while supporting or supervising the first twin on a potty, than it is while changing a first twin's nappy. Nappy-changing may involve the scraping of poo from a bottom, the dodging or mopping up of fresh wee and the restraint of a pair of kicking legs. Oh, and preventing two pairs of curious hands investigating the nappy contents, as they attempt to smear it over the clothes you'd managed to keep clean so far!

Then there's the time and financial savings- simply taking care to hold and cue your babies over a bowl or a potty during each nappy change can quickly eliminate those frustrating incidents of a baby weeing into a fresh nappy you had just put on, or, indeed, upon you yourself! It has been a gradual process, but we could see that our twins were each developing a loose association between urination and our cueing sound at 3 months old. Now they are 11 months old, and I cannot remember the last time I had to hastily intercept wee during a nappy change- they each will wait until placed upon a potty. On a similar note, we think it's reduced the number of soiled nappies that we've needed to change while out, as we are able to encourage them to go to the toilet before we leave with a "pottytunity". They tend to stay dry on outings, for up to three hours at a time, and go to the toilet when we take them to the potty upon our return.

Neither of our twins have ever suffered nappy rash, to the point that we have never even bought, much less used, nappy cream. I believe a major factor in our, and their, good fortune has been our only partial reliance on nappies.

 

Corrine's tips for stress free EC with twins:

 

·      Initially, just focus on helping them develop an association with your cueing noise.

     ·      Use nappies as back-up. Worrying about cleaning the carpet really won't help. 

·      Don't set targets for your children- it may make you feel unnecessarily discouraged, and you won't see the progress actually being made. 

·      Have two potties- we have two almost identical ones, to avoid causing our sons any confusion. Babies aren't patient queuers! Once they can sit up on the potty on their own (8-9 months for our sons), one adult can take two babies to the potty simultaneously, no queuing necessary. 

·      When each wakes, give him or her a pottytunity. Babies really do tend to hold their bladders until they wake up. 

·      Remember that your children are always learning, so even if it seems like there’s been no progress, it may suddenly come all at once.

·      Your twins are individuals. Try not to judge one twin by his/her twin’s achievements. 

·      Make potty time fun with stories. Occupying your baby or babies avoids penalising them with boredom for waiting to use the potty instead of soiling nappies during playing.