Frequently Asked Questions

How will I cope?
What help can I get?
Will I have to have a caesarean?
Is it possible to breastfeed twins or more?
Can my babies sleep together?
What type of buggy should I buy?
How can I tell if my twins are identical or not?
My babies aren't in a routine and seem to cry all the time, what can I do?
Is Tamba just for pregnancy and baby advice?
Why should I join Tamba and what is the difference between belonging to my local Twins & Multiples Club and belonging to Tamba?
Research

Other Languages

How will I cope?
You will! Tamba and its network of registered Twins Clubs exist to help you cope with a multiple pregnancy and the years that follow with your twins, triplets or more. Help and advice is only a phone call away ñ 0870 770 3305 or Freephone Tamba Twinline 0800 138 0509 , evenings and weekends. Find your nearest Twins and Multiples Club.
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What help can I get?

Practical
Unfortunately, there is no statutory entitlement to help in the home for families with multiple birth children and this is something Tamba is continually raising awareness about and trying to get redressed. However, if you are expecting multiples, especially triplets or more, or you already have other children, it is worth contacting your local Social Services department to see if any help can be arranged.

Other sources of free help include the charity Home-Start, which has trained volunteers who can help families with pre-school age children for a couple of hours a week. Home start can be contacted on 0800 068 6368.

You may also like to consider NNEB students; final year nursery nurse students are always looking for placements, but cannot be left in sole charge of the babies. Contact your local college or call 01727 847636 or visit http://www.cache.org.uk to find out the course nearest to you.

Nannies and maternity nurses can be arranged through local agencies but you are strongly advised to take up thorough references.

For more tips on getting help and preparing for life with multiples, see the Tamba booklet and video 'Expecting more than one'.

Financial
Despite popular misconceptions, UK parents of multiples are not entitled to additional benefits or grants. In fact, Tamba believes the current system actually penalises families with twins or more and is campaigning for change. (see News, Child Tax Credit campaign).

Like all parents you will be entitled to child benefit. If the twins or triplets are your first children, the first-born will receive the higher rate £16.05 a week and the second and subsequent children, if only younger by a couple of minutes, will get the lower rate of £10.75 a week.

In addition, depending on your income, you may be entitled to Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, which can also help with the costs of childcare. The Child Tax Credit is made up of the £545 family element, an amount payable per child dependent on your income and an additional £545 for a baby under 1 year old. This baby element is only payable for one baby at a time meaning families with twins miss out on £545 and families with triplets lose over £1,000 by having all their children at once - which Tamba believes is wrong. Please join in our campaign and sign our petition and write to your MP to get this policy changed.

For more information on benefits contact the Benefit Enquiry Line on
0800 882 200 or your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.

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Will I have to have a caesarean?
No. Not all multiples are born by caesarean section. In the UK about 50% of twins are born vaginally, although the majority of triplets and higher order births are caesarean. Talk to your health professionals about the best options for you or look at the Tamba booklet and video 'Expecting more than one' to find out more about birth options and when your babies are likely to be born.

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Is it possible to breastfeed twins or more?
Yes. Many women successfully breastfeed their twins and some have fully breastfed triplets. Breastmilk is produced by 'supply and demand' so it is possible for mums to produce enough milk for two or more babies. And once breastfeeding is established it can make life easier for mums to get out and about and it saves on cost. Having the right support in place can make all the difference so for lots more information on breastfeeding, see the Tamba booklet 'Breastfeeding More Than One' or call Tamba Twinline on 0800 138 0509 to talk through the options.

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Can my babies sleep together?
Some hospitals put twins together when they are born; other units put twins in separate cots. What you experience in hospital will probably influence what you do at home. Recent research from the University of Durham into sleeping patterns of twins showed that co-bedding did not appear to be more risky than separate sleeping arrangements for young twins. Newborn twins can sleep side by side and the same guidelines for avoiding cot death should be adhered to ñ with babies placed in the 'feet to foot' position in the cot, and ideally sharing the parents' room for the first six months. Sooner or later you will need to put them into two separate cots. Look out for a new Tamba leaflet on Twins and Sleep later in the year.

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What type of buggy should I buy?
There are many different models available. Things to bear in mind when choosing a double or triple buggy are the weight will you be regularly lifting it in and out of the car? The width will it go through your front door and standard doorways and lifts? Do you need to attach a buggy board? Please contact Tamba for an up-to-date guide on buggies and pushchairs suitable for twins or more. Second-hand buggies can be obtained from Twins Clubs or adverts in the Tamba members' magazine. For information on second-hand triple and quad buggies please call 0870 770 3305.

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How can I tell if my twins are identical or not?
Identical twins (monozygotic) occur when one egg is fertilised by one sperm and splits into two. Identical twins are always of the same sex, both boys or both girls (although parents of boy/girl twins still report being asked the question!). Non-identical twins occur when separate eggs are fertilised by two separate sperm and are also known as dizygotic.

When you are having your scans you need to ask how many sacs there are. If your babies share an inner sac they are definitely identical. Non-identical twins always have separate sacs. The placenta itself is not a guide as non-identical twins can have a fused placenta, and in a few cases identical twins can have a placenta each.

If zygosity (whether your twins are identical or not) cannot be established from ultrasound scans, the most popular method is to have a DNA test after they are born. This non-evasive test takes a swab of cheek cells from each child to determine whether the DNA is identical. Many US websites offer this service for the equivalent of about £85. To find out more about zygosity and zygosity testing in this country contact the Multiple Births Foundation on
0208 383 3519 or visit www.multiplebirths.org.uk . The test is not routinely available on the NHS. Tamba members can also obtain zygosity tests at discounted rates from selected companies on our discount list.

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My babies aren't in a routine and seem to cry all the time, what can I do?
Babies who have been in Special Care are often in a routine by the time they leave hospital so stick to it if you possibly can. If your babies are not in a routine, try and develop one that suits you and your family. Looking after two or more babies is exhausting and coping with two or more babies crying can be very stressful. If possible, get some help so that you can spend time with the babies individually, or even get a short break away from the house. Many people wake the babies up to be fed at the same time. Some people find that a walk in the fresh air or a drive in the car helps soothe their babies off to sleep. For many more tips on coping with crying and sleeping and getting into a routine, see the Tamba booklet Twins, Triplets & More ñ The First Year or call Tamba Twinline on 0800 138 0509 for reassuring support and guidance.

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Is Tamba just for pregnancy and baby advice?
Tamba is for all multiple birth families. We have plenty of information on bringing up multiples right through to secondary school. Our Honorary Consultants can advise on language delay in twins, whether your multiple birth children should be together or apart at school, and other general behavioural and developmental issues that may arise.

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Why should I join Tamba and what is the difference between belonging to my local Twins & Multiples Club and belonging to Tamba ?
Tamba is the national organisation in the UK supporting families of twins, triplets or more and campaigning on their behalf. Tamba runs national services such as the freephone helpline, Tamba Twinline 0800 138 0509; and the support groups for families with additional needs such as the One Parent Families Group and the Special Needs Group. Tamba also organises family fun days, conferences and study days. Membership of Tamba also entitles you to the very popular quarterly magazine Twins, Triplets & More. To be able to deliver all these services and develop new ones Tamba relies heavily on membership subscriptions by joining you are not only helping yourself but other less fortunate families too.

Twins and Multiples Clubs work at a local level offering families opportunities to meet up and support one another, share experiences and pass on second-hand equipment for twins or more. Many clubs are registered with Tamba so that we can let new mums know the clubs are out there. Belonging to a Tamba-registered club is not the same as being a Tamba member yourself. Join today and get all the additional benefits of individual membership.

If your questions are not answered in our Top Ten FAQ's please don't hesitate to call us on 0870 770 3305 or 0800 138 0509 evenings and weekends.

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Research

If you are interested in finding out more about research into multiple births, or conducting research yourself, Tamba may be able to help.

If you are an adult twin wishing to take part in research, contact the Adult Twin Research Unit at St. Thomas's Hospital in London, or see their newsletter

Tamba publishes an annual Research Review. You can download Issue 1 (July 2000) and buy more copies from the shop.

The International Society of Twin Studies publishes the academic journal Twin Research - http://www.ists.qimr.edu.au/ .

Download Research Review Issue 1

You will need Acrobat Reader to read documnet. To download it for free, click the logo below.

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