Let me preface this by saying that I do not- nor do I plan to- have twins or triplets (or- sweet Lord- more). I am not pregnant. In fact, I have the distinct privilege of coming at the review of Multiples Illuminated (as the mother of three solo passengers) with a giddy air of wow, that is CRAZY/awesome. Besides, when folks you respect and dig put together an anthology, it’s hard to not want to immediately help pimp it out to the world. I am not being compensated for my review. All thoughts, opinions, and- again- solo children, are entirely my own.
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Twins. Triplets. As card-carrying members of a different, hella-respected sect of motherhood (my mother is a Multiples Member, and so is P.J.’s Mom!), you get greeted with everything from awe to pity and more than one refrain of “I don’t know how you do it.”
Here’s how you do it:
Multiples Illuminated, a zippy new anthology from contributors in “the club” and edited by Megan Woolsey and Alison Lee, answers that question. (And sometimes the answer is “I have no flipping idea. And that’s totally okay.) Multiples Illuminated tackles everything from tips on surviving infertility to those early, crazy years (and absolutely everything in between). Sleepless nights? Feeling like you’re orbiting the friend circles you used to have? Must-have gear (for every last member of the family)? Woolsey and Lee (mamas of multiples themselves) have you covered with well-organized essays- ranging from poignant to hilarious back to incredibly informative- with great intros for each chapter.
Advice comes fast and furious in this cool read (even for a non-twin or triplet mama), starting with the foreword from Susan Pinsky (triplet Mom and wife to Dr. Drew). “The important thing with multiples is to help them excel in what interests them individually. This is the part that’s hardwired and where genetics come into play. All three of my children had the same lessons and activities during their childhoods, yet they have wildly divergent interests as adults.”
Other favorite snippets?
“Learn how to use your feet as a second set of hands.” -Briton Underwood
“A fooler baby patiently waits to be given their bottle, and smiles sweetly through the foulest of diaper changes. In short, a fooler baby fools you into wanting additional babies. It is when those additional babies arrive—screaming bloody murder at unknown causes at all hours of the night—that you realize you have indeed been duped by your firstborn child.” -Kirsten Gant
(And then the follow-up, where Gant informed her husband that they were really, truly, expecting triplet babies.)
“Well okay,” he said, “let’s have triplets.”
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions. No question is stupid or unnecessary.” -Alison Lee, on being your babies’ NICU advocate.
And perhaps my favorite:
“There is no passing off the crying baby when they are both the crying baby.” -Melanie Sweeney
Best yet, Multiples Illuminated is crafted in such a way to be a wonderful, sustaining read in either long, indulgent sessions or short, half-hallucinatory bursts of help. Because let’s be honest: if you, too, are a card-carrying member of this mega-cool multiples club…
…then you’re probably a tad busy.
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Multiples Illuminated can be ordered on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, among many others! Check it out- as well as the really great blog- here!
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