Book Review: Twin Sense

By Susan M. Heim

            I have yet to meet a mother of twin babies who has said that parenting is easy. The fact is that it's more than twice as challenging as having a single baby. As Dagmara Scalise notes in her new book, Twin Sense: A Sanity-Saving Guide to Raising Twins from Pregnancy Through the First Year, "Parenting twins is exponentially harder. Twin babies demand more love, more care, more patience, and more resourcefulness -- lots more -- and you, the parent, will be more stressed and less prepared than if you were having a single baby." That's why it's so important for expectant and new parents of twins to have parenting advice that is specifically tailored to raising two. Twin Sense answers that need.

            The author, a mother of three-year-old fraternal twins and a singleton, has compiled hundreds of tips for helping parents of twins get through pregnancy and the first year. In Part One, Preparing for Twins, she covers issues such as how to get the right information and support for your first year, stocking up on the supplies you'll need for two babies, preparing older children for the arrival of twin siblings, and issues related to fathers of twins. Part Two, Managing the Basics, gets down to the nitty-gritty of raising twin babies, such as sleeping, breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and bathing. Part Three, Leaving the House, discusses shopping with twins, taking long trips, and traveling by plane. And Part Four, Life After Babyhood, touches on issues that arise in the toddler years, such as encouraging sharing, baby-proofing the house, and staying organized.

            Best of all, the advice is presented in short, quick-reference sections for busy parents who don't have time to read long-winded advice. Each chapter also includes checklists for easy reference. My only complaint is that TwinsTalk is missing from the list of twins websites in the Resources section! Twin Sense is a highly practical guide for handling the daily challenges that arise in caring for twin babies.

Susan M. Heim is the author of It's Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence and Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons. Her next book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More, will be published in March 2009.