6 kids?! HELP!

Have some little gifts at home, even if it is from the dollar store nd when someone comes by with a gift for the babies, get out a little gift for the other kids.  If nothing else, special cookies for them would be nice.  Just that they need som attention too so focus some attention on them by telling others what great helpers they are. 

 

well, with our twins(#4and#5) thing just changed....pregnancy complications and born at 38wks, health issues, two newborns and a 15month old, oldest starting kindergarten, and a 3yr old to remember.....every routine changed because there were 2 babies to breastfeed/bottle, 3 diapers to change....it was just survival mood for a few months.  9months later and we are just starting to get a real routine.  with the twins, they eat, sleep, get changed(as needed:)) all at the same time.  it was/is overwhelming some days....no lie but you manage, you learn to create a program, order your day, and then roll with it because the odds that your kids are going to go along with it are slim:)  step by step, day by day....don't let people lie, having a larger family is work, more work then 2 or 3(just the amount of dirty dishes is a little crazy), twins will be a stress, you will have to spend more time with the others to make up for it, you and dh will become strangers in the night.....but it will all start to click at some point, they will sleep through the night, brothers and sisters learn they still belong, you and dh will even hold hands again:)......tubs and skittles are the best thing! brothers love them, from day one, they are the baby sweet sugar that turns the crabbiest mom into a smiling, funny voiced fool:).....bottom line, things changed, my ideas changed, my expectations changed...i changed......be in charge, run the show but know you control nothing...someone will poop on you and you have to start all over again:)

Good advice! I agree

Quoting yperez0209:

As you very well know now, we can plan all we want but sometimes there are other plans for us.

When I got pregnant with our twins we already had two kids, so, we went from two to four over night. Then we had one more after the twins, that's a total of five.

The child that will probably have the hardest time adjusting is the 18 month old. You said she went back to peeing her pants, how on God's green earth did you get a 18 month old to use the potty? That I need you to teach me. Anyway, it's totally common for a potty trained child to regress when mom is expecting. She's letting you know in her own way, Hello I'm still here.

As far as them accepting the new babies , plan ahead and get lots of help when the twins come so that you have time to spend with the others. I know your a well seasoned mom but twins are a whole other ball game. Also, keep in mind that the last few weeks you might have to stay on bed rest which would require you to possibly hire someone to help you with the house and other children. ( that happened to me ).

And please don't assume you have 14 weeks left, many twins are born early and require a stay at the hospital. We were luckey that our boys made it to 37 wks and weighed in at 7 pounds each, but that is not the case all the time.

About keeping them on the same routine, it all comes down to how well organized you are and how much help you have. You are only one person and if it's all on you I don't know how you're going to keep the same routine. Don't set crazy high expectations that then you're going to feel poorly about if you can't meet them.

I nursed my boys for 9 months and I'm glad I was able to do it for many reasons. Even though it required me to sit down and nurse for an hour at every feeding, I didn't have to deal with bottles or nipples or buying a ton of formula. If anyone tells you that you can not produce enough milk for two babies, it's not true. Not only did I nurse them I was pumping for my sister who had a baby that would not tolerate any formula she would buy him. And she couldn't nurse.  

Good luck mom...... One more thing, once they get older it's really cool to see the bond they will have, it's amazing.

Of course she understands, this comment was unecessarily rude.

Quoting supercarp:

You do understand how birth control works, right? don't worry, even though you won't be able to give individual time to each of your children, the older ones will raise the younger ones. They will be old beyond their years.

We have six kids, and ours are all about about 18 months apart; our kids (who understood) were all excited about new babies. I'm sure that yours will make the transition as the babies get closer to making their arrival.

I'm guessing that you are just a mean person, because that was a horrible thing to say to a mom who is worrying about how to handle everything.

I happen to have six kids, one of whom is autistic, and I seem to manage individual time with each of them just fine. I have never had any of my children change a diaper or give a bottle (besides allowing the older ones to feed a new baby a couple of times), and our house is full of love and laughter.

You should be ashamed...or you that mean to everyone, or is it just strangers that you feel the need to be hateful to?

Quoting supercarp:

You do understand how birth control works, right? don't worry, even though you won't be able to give individual time to each of your children, the older ones will raise the younger ones. They will be old beyond their years.

Try to set up one on one time with them before the twins arrive and try to carry that on once they arrive. As for the slight set backs that is normal and it will pass. Try to keep their routine as normal as possible, maybe start now having each of them do one more task for themselves, in part to help alleviate the amount of work you have to do (and likely won't have time to do once twins come) and in part so that they don't directly connect the dispersment of responsibility to the birth of the twins. It sounds like your kids are picking up a bit of your anxiety and stress but are otherwise excited for their arrival, I think they will accept the new siblings just fine.

 Normal.  Get books for the little ones (about having a baby/babies) and the older ones?  Talk to them.

I'm not in the exact position as you, but I have 2 children (16&10). My fiancé has 4 children that range from 5-14. We have been wondering which bedrooms they will be placed in; I have a 4 bedroom home. Going anywhere will mean taking 2 cars, and we will have to rent a van for road trips. I hope the best for you. You will be able to figure out a routine.

It sounds like you are trying to "get them to accept" the new babies too hard. Be more casual about it. It is normal for an 18 month old to be in diapers. My 4 year old grandson still wears pullups! Relax, enjoy the babies. Don't expect to have the same routine once the babies are born, everything will change. You will need to cut back on activities and simplify.