Reaching Out in Multiples

Our Mission: To create information packs that will be given to all expectant families of Multiples at the point of the 20 week scan in Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Derbyshire. The information packs will contain a Twins at Totstime Play Session Leaflet, a Tamba Leaflet – including Twinline details, a HomeStart Leaflet, an Antenatal Leaflet and a Breast-feeding Support Leaflet. The information packs will benefit the expectant families by way of introducing them to the local support network available to them.

Twins at Totstime is a community Twins, Triplets and more group held in Stoney Stanton. We meet every Monday at Sapcote Scout Centre and cater for families of multiples. I am the founder of the group, which started in August 2011.

I am Jacqui Dixon, the full-time mother to four children; two of which are 14 year old twins. In August 2011 I felt there was a need to create a group locally where families of twins and more could befriend one another in a relaxed environment. A place where those around me would understand how difficult it was to soothe my two screaming teething babies at the same time; where I wasn’t judged for dressing my twins in ‘hand-me-down’ clothing because it’s too expensive to buy new clothes for two babies.

Families of multiples face the same day to day challenges as any other. However, for every challenge an ‘average’ family faces, a multiples family must deal with their version twice, or three times or four’ at the same time and cost.

Because of the high risk of a multiple pregnancy, there is a greater chance of the babies being born premature and/or needing to stay in Neonatal Care. Many families have to split their time between looking after one baby and sometimes siblings at home, whilst their other baby is in the Neonatal unit.

When the babies do get home, the simple task of feeding a baby a bottle is met with the challenge of feeding two hungry babies at the same time or whilst one is impatiently crying. Besides the added anxiety should either or both of your babies then have colic or reflux. Have you ever thought how you would bath two or more small babies at the same time? Believe me; it can sometimes get quite stressful and noisy! Then there’s the additional cost of purchasing two of everything or bulk buying just to save time and money, such as baby bottles, nappies and highchairs.

At Twins at Totstime, we support our families by offering them a place to give advice to each other, share their experiences and let their children play in a safe and comfortable environment. Our group has gone from strength to strength over the past twelve years. We started with 5 families in attendance, and we now have a community of over 300 families within Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Derbyshire that are a part of Twins at Totstime, of that 10 – 15 families attend our weekly play sessions. Our attendance is currently based on word of mouth within our families.

Most of the new families that join our play sessions have twins that are over 6 weeks. I speak from experience when I say that the first 13 weeks are the hardest. One of the most familiar comments I receive about our group is ‘I wish I knew about you when I was pregnant with my twins’.

Reaching Out in Multiples is an ongoing project whereby Twins at Totstime are keen to create information packs that would be given to all expectant families of Multiples at the point of the 20 week scan in Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Derbyshire. The information packs would contain a variety of multiple family specific leaflets that will benefit the expectant families by way of introducing them to the local support network available to them. We want to reassure families of multiples that they are not alone and there is help and advice available.

If you feel you could support us in achieving our goal, please get in touch.