Maybe it’s just me, but as a first-time mom, I was TERRIFIED to be home alone with our twins as newborns. My partner was perfectly comfortable with the idea of caring for both babies on his own. I was perfectly uncomfortable with the prospect. These two precious humans were completely reliant on us for their needs. We were growing familiar with their routine and successfully keeping them alive, but I had no idea if I could do all that without my partner’s contributions.

Call me crazy and maybe a little insecure, but I was hesitant each time my partner wanted to leave the house. In order for me to feel comfortable, someone had to be available to temporarily fill his shoes. Newborns are delicate creatures and I was fearful of messing up the system that we had developed to keep the girls happy and healthy. Obviously, being home alone with the babies was inevitable. I eventually had to pull up my big girl panties (or postpartum panties, if you will) and care for the babies on my own. At that time, I had no idea that I would eventually be alone with our girls for an extended period.

My partner deployed with the Navy when the girls were 6 months old. This required me to adapt very quickly to caring for twin babies alone 24/7. Thankfully, I’ve adopted some methods that might help you when caring for your twin babies alone, too. Please note that these are things that I do with twins who can crawl, drink bottles independently, initiate play, and meaningfully engage with one another.

 Have a Safe Space

Seeing as the girls’ cribs remain in our room for the time being, I have transformed their room into a play area. I refer to it as their “safe space” seeing as every inch is baby-friendly and visible on baby monitors. In this room, the girls are allowed to move and play freely.

In order to shower and do basic chores around the house, I place the girls in their safe space, shut the door, and monitor them from a distance. This allows me to take care of myself and my home securely. A safe space can be any established spot in which you know that the babies are happily contained, occupied, and free from harm. You deserve to take a shower so a safe space is important for your well-being as a mother.

Have Meals at the Ready

I think this one is self-explanatory. Feeding our babies is the #1 most time-consuming task of early motherhood. I’ve heard this doesn’t change much as they age. With that said, you will save time and sanity by preparing meals in advance.

Although I’m horrible about meal prepping for myself, I seem to excel at it for my girls. I currently utilize the baby-led weaning approach, which I highly recommend for those interested. I prepare extra quantities of food a few days per week and store them as necessary. This allows me to have snacks and meals ready to go in the fridge. The less time I spend over the stove, the happier I am.

Night feeds are their own little can of worms and I’m thankful that my girls no longer need them. However, prior to night weaning, I would set-up 4 bottles on my nightstand. 2 would contain a pre-measured amount of powdered formula. The other 2 would contain a pre-measured amount of water. When the girls woke up hungry, I would simply mix the bottles at my bedside in order to simplify and quicken overnight meals. It also helped me to get back to bed faster, which was a huge plus.

Have Rotating Stations

In our living room, I set up a large playpen with a variety of toys. There are walkers and baby exersaucers in the same proximity. Upstairs is the girls’ room and a nook with other toys and baby books. I call these different set-ups “stations.” I typically rotate the girls through each station throughout the day in an effort to keep them occupied. It prevents boredom and allows the girls to play in different ways as the day progresses. Stations are adaptable and do not require extensive space or budgeting. Your loving arms can be just as great of a station as any. It’s just a shame that we don’t have 4 arms.

Maybe you’re thinking that these methods are no-brainers, to which I give you credit for being one step ahead of me when I became a mom. Nevertheless, I find it helpful to share what’s working for us for now. You never know who might be facing a situation similar to yours. Godspeed, fellow twin mamas!