Twins+toddler=chaos!

What’s it like having twins?

How do you ever get anything done?

I’ve decided as part of my blog I’m going to try shed some light on life as a twin Mum - and also the shock of the reality I’ve had to get used to of being a Mum to a tantruming toddler on top of that too! Oh and my fiancé does shift work so a lot of the time I’m alone.

This isn’t a well done me, how amazing am I post. Far from it, I’m literally just answering some questions people always ask and thought it might be interesting to read or for some even useful (if they’re in a similar situation for instance).

So first up a typical day...

I always make sure I get up before the kids. Someone told me when I was pregnant with my first child how they used to get up before their baby then they could always ensure they could get ready for the day. That advice has always stayed in my mind and definitely helps, in particular now!

Our health visitor used to joke that I’m so super organised that maybe my life has been gearing up to being a twin mum, ha!

So this is a typical day, aside from if we’re going out or have plans.

Alarm goes off 645 at the moment.

Get up, get washed and half dressed (my clothes are in a fitted wardrobe in the room which is now the twins - it was our spare room/my dressing room!) Do my hair and makeup etc (if I’ve washed my hair and it needs drying that has to wait!)

If twins still asleep go downstairs and prep breakfast - as they’re no longing breastfeeding I now have to make up 2 bottles for the twins and a beaker of warm milk for my 2 year old, weetabix in a bowl and mashed banana in a bowl for the twins, my water bottle for the day, water beaker for my toddler, water sippy cups for the twins, coffee for me and whatever me/my toddler are having and things for teeth brushingx3. I get all the table, high chairs etc ready so that we’re pretty much good to go once the kids come down.

Twins have their bottles in their cots now and I grab my outfit for the day, then I bring them down in their sleepsuits to play and I go back up to get my first born.

I get her nappy changed and dress her for the day and then we go downstairs. Then she has her beaker of milk and I get all the kids in their seats for breakfast and eat my breakfast in between spoonfeeding the twins. Once breakfast is finished, we have tantrums over face wiping (and whatever my toddler decides to argue about that day!) I then change the babies and get them dressed for the day.

I wash up/clear up whilst the kids play and if we’re going out I pack the change bag and prep any food/snacks/feeds etc

The twins usually then go up for a morning nap and me and my toddler have time together.

Lunch about 1230 for all of them so I normally prep that beforehand too.

Twins have an afternoon nap about 90 mins after lunch and then when they wake need a bottle.

They all have ‘tea’ about 430/5 and then bath for my toddler and bedtime starts at 6.

I have to leave the twins downstairs in the jumperoo/playpen and take my toddler up and we do bathtime, then we read 3 books whilst she has her milk and cuddles. Once she’s down in the cot I then come back down to sort the twins.

The twins normally go up one at a time and they get changed, in pjyamas and then have their milk in their cots and lay down for the night. (They currently have baths in the mornings when my toddler is at preschool or when my fiancé is about at present).

In between all this are various snacks (anyone with a toddler will know how much and how often they eat!) and numerous nappy changes!

Oh and maybe I should mention the twins are now currently trying to climb everything, they pull themselves up on me if my legs are in reach or I’m sat on the floor with them and all 3 children always want to play with the same thing (and of course you have to juggle playing with all 3, stopping the too rough cuddles, keeping small toys/parts away from the twins, listening/responding to my toddler who runs at 100mph all day every day and doesn’t stop talking, singing and jumping/dancing!)

I think I’ve covered most of the basics.

So yeah when I answer you that I don’t really sit down or stop all day, I promise you I’m not exaggerating!

Fitness favouritism

I've mentioned before about my pet hates in the gym and the etiquette most people follow.

Recently I've rediscovered my love for spinning and have attended a few classes. I'm actually hoping to get back into my old routine of 3 classes a week.

Last night reminded me of 2 things. 

1. The power of the instructor and music and their influence on your class experience

2. Gym posers still exist 

It's fair to say I am quite a creature of habit and nobody will agree moreso than my partner when it comes to spinning!

He already got a telling off last night for just picking any old bike, after strict instructions to 'test them out' first.

Anybody whose done spin before will get my point, particularly in Fitness First Romford where it's often a case of bike roulette in the studio. 

You want to make sure you haven't got:

A wobbly bike

A bike where the resistance doesn't adjust properly

A bike where the pedal straps don't tighten or stay done up 

A bike where any of the height adjusters are too tight to change 

All of these points can make your class painful, frustrating or even cause injury.

Anyway, being an old 'veteran' of the classes I knew Thursday nights were run by a lady called Carmel. But as I got into the studio, met by my fiancé standing next to a wobbly bike (god forbid!) I realised there was a cover teacher.

Sometimes this can be a good thing as they challenge you more and teach you new routines.

To be fair this teacher did that. However, until quite near the end I found the class painful and admittedly rather boring.

The music in the main wasn't my sort of thing and it was so quiet. The instructor was very mumbled and so you couldn't really tell what she was saying. She also had this rather interesting approach to getting us to a standing position on the bike - whistling at us like herding some sheep (a reference I owe to my partner!)

Yet again my taking things a bit too far approach kicked in as I also found it annoying the way she kept referring to adding a gear. Most instructors refer to 'turns' and you add either a full turn, quarter or half.

Safe to say I wasn't overwhelmed by the experience and am hoping the regular lady is back next time.

The difference compared to the recent two classes I've done was huge. My legs didn't seem to want to go very fast at all, I found myself tiring more quickly and I seemed to take a long time to feel the effects in the right places (with other classes I can feel the ache in my quads, abs, arms etc straightaway).

As for the gym posers, well, I'll come back to them in another post - they need a blog of their own! 

The class last night made me think though. 

Do you get more out a class where you know the instructor and their methods?

Do you actually hold positions in the correct way if you know the teacher? And as a result get more benefit?

Or is a 'stranger' key to giving your body a shock and actually working different muscles and working you harder? 

Should you in fact go to other classes to break habit and stop your body getting too used to things? 

I'd love to know your thoughts, whether you go spinning or classes, or just generally are into fitness in some way. 

Comment below...