Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I have two children, ages 5 and 3, and am currently pregnant with twins. I’m a SAHM and my DH needs to travel for work frequently.

My older child will be in kindergarten until 2:30 and 3 yr old will be in preschool until noon. I really want to have time to individually spend with all of my kids. I have no intention of handing them over and want a nanny to work along side me.

How do I structure this? Will I need two nannies? We have a housekeeper so this is just about childcare. I feel overwhelmed!!

You have a housekeeper and, apparently, can afford to hire two nannies. Why are you overwhelmed?

Motherhood, if done right, is overwhelming. Twins and four children under age five is terrifyingly overwhelming for anyone.

I have three children but I did have enough sense not to have a child every year. I managed quite well but I am organized and not lazy.

Anonymous wrote:When are the twins due? Will your DH have a generous paternity leave?

Depending on your due date and time line, you might not need help until next spring/early summer when you can use half/whole day camps for the oldest.

Can you hire a mother's helper to play with 1 of the oldr 2 kids during the twins' nap time?

OP can afford two good nannies so why not hire them? She doesn’t need to cobble together care with camps and teenage help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I have two children, ages 5 and 3, and am currently pregnant with twins. I’m a SAHM and my DH needs to travel for work frequently.

My older child will be in kindergarten until 2:30 and 3 yr old will be in preschool until noon. I really want to have time to individually spend with all of my kids. I have no intention of handing them over and want a nanny to work along side me.

How do I structure this? Will I need two nannies? We have a housekeeper so this is just about childcare. I feel overwhelmed!!

You have a housekeeper and, apparently, can afford to hire two nannies. Why are you overwhelmed?

Motherhood, if done right, is overwhelming. Twins and four children under age five is terrifyingly overwhelming for anyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I have two children, ages 5 and 3, and am currently pregnant with twins. I’m a SAHM and my DH needs to travel for work frequently.

My older child will be in kindergarten until 2:30 and 3 yr old will be in preschool until noon. I really want to have time to individually spend with all of my kids. I have no intention of handing them over and want a nanny to work along side me.

How do I structure this? Will I need two nannies? We have a housekeeper so this is just about childcare. I feel overwhelmed!!

You have a housekeeper and, apparently, can afford to hire two nannies. Why are you overwhelmed?

You clearly have never had twins.

When are the twins due? Will your DH have a generous paternity leave?

Depending on your due date and time line, you might not need help until next spring/early summer when you can use half/whole day camps for the oldest.

Can you hire a mother's helper to play with 1 of the oldr 2 kids during the twins' nap time?

Anonymous wrote: I have two children, ages 5 and 3, and am currently pregnant with twins. I’m a SAHM and my DH needs to travel for work frequently.

My older child will be in kindergarten until 2:30 and 3 yr old will be in preschool until noon. I really want to have time to individually spend with all of my kids. I have no intention of handing them over and want a nanny to work along side me.

How do I structure this? Will I need two nannies? We have a housekeeper so this is just about childcare. I feel overwhelmed!!

You have a housekeeper and, apparently, can afford to hire two nannies. Why are you overwhelmed?

Get as much help as you can. Two great nannies to help you seven days a week sounds good. If you’re planning on breastfeeding twins, I would even suggest more help.

Anonymous wrote:First, congratulations!

Second, I have a friend who has three kids under five and she found two nannies who work in partnership - one nanny does four days and the other does three days. If one is sick or takes time off, the other covers for her. My friend found them through an agency. She’s also a SAHM but does volunteer work for her non-profit.

Good luck, OP!

This nanny partnership is actually a good idea.

Just hire one very capable nanny. I know moms who did it all on their own with 5 kids. Of course, they never had twins and were in excellent health and in early 30s. Having twins is probably tougher for mom's health, at least for a first few months but that is why you are hiring a nanny. And your 5 yr old will enjoy helping as well.

With no (or little) outside help, get two full-time nannies who work 12 hour days - one Monday thru Thursday and one Friday thru Sunday (12 hours or more to get to 40).

The extra help will give you time with each child. There are twins-nannies out there too which could be helpful.

Tell anyone who gives you grief about having constant help to shove it. Mothers are always talking about how they did it alone but never talk about how they did it well.

Mom of twins here with older kids, 8 and 6 at the time of the twins birth.

Get as much help as you can. My mother moved in with us for three months and pretty much took over the older kids in terms of pick ups and drop offs, and I had a full time nanny to help me with newborn twins and nursing (hard but doable). DH was also home for a month and even after he returned to work took over everything except feeding the twins. Seriously, that is all I did - breastfeed and try to sleep.

I didn’t have overnight help but always having a nanny and mom made it easier.

Yes, get two nannies! Make sure they can drive and let them use your car. Pick ups and activities for the older kids were impossible until the twins were older. I’m a SAHM and still have a nanny even though the twins are two now.

Two nannies and maybe overnight help as well. How fun though! Congratulations.

I would be a great mom if I had seven days a week nannies. If you can afford it, OP, definitely get two good nannies. Four kids under five and newborn twins is a lot of work even without cooking and cleaning.

First, congratulations!

Second, I have a friend who has three kids under five and she found two nannies who work in partnership - one nanny does four days and the other does three days. If one is sick or takes time off, the other covers for her. My friend found them through an agency. She’s also a SAHM but does volunteer work for her non-profit.

Good luck, OP!

I have two children, ages 5 and 3, and am currently pregnant with twins. I’m a SAHM and my DH needs to travel for work frequently.

My older child will be in kindergarten until 2:30 and 3 yr old will be in preschool until noon. I really want to have time to individually spend with all of my kids. I have no intention of handing them over and want a nanny to work along side me.

How do I structure this? Will I need two nannies? We have a housekeeper so this is just about childcare. I feel overwhelmed!!