you need to employ people – such as
maternity nurses or helpers – to relieve
some of the pressure, and you might find
it trickier (and more expensive) to sort
out childcare if and when you go back
to work. Medical insurance might only
cover you for one baby, and if, like Mandy,
you have serious complications, the bills
can skyrocket. She says, “Obviously we
wouldn’t change a thing, but my husband
calls the twins ‘Porche’ and ‘Mercedes’.”
There is no doubt that being a
mother of twins, triplets or more is
going to be phenomenally hard work
at times, but multiples also bring a
multitude of positives. Fiona says, “I
feel blessed to have experienced twins,
and lucky too. It was tough, of course,
in the early days, but to see two little
people growing up so close with a bond
that no-one can ever come between
is very special.” Mandy agrees, saying,
“The bond between them makes it all
worthwhile, and even on my completely
exhausted days they make me smile
when they are plotting and scheming.”
So what advice do the ‘been-there,
done-that’ mums have for those
about to embark on their mother-of-
multiples journey? Meg says, “Enjoy
the experience. It is a bit different, but
beautiful memories are to be made.”
And Nicola sums it up with these words
of wisdom. “Don’t let people scare you.
It’s twice the joy. It really is!”
November 2016
43
