In This Issue:

SUPERTWINS 16 4

MOST & PreemieCare Team Up with the WNBA NY Liberty

MOST presents a photo-filled follow-up to the WNBA NY Liberty fundraising event held July 30, 2006 at Madison Square Garden in NYC. The event had over 100 MOST attendees and raised approximately $20,000 with the help of sponsors Matria Healthcare, Sullivan & Cromwell, and MedImmune.

Resources for WBNA Event:

MOST/Liberty Online Wrap-up
New York Liberty Basketball Team
Matria Healthcare
Sullivan & Cromwell
MedImmune

Living With Cystic Fibrosis: Overcoming Infertility - Triplets on the Horizon

One mom, now 25 weeks pregnant with triplets, takes readers through her journey of infertility complicated by her husband's battle with Cystic Fibrosis, insurance challenges, and moving due to a military career. Poignant, candid, and at times heartbreaking, this story should inspire all families of multiples.

Resources for Cystic Fibrosis:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
CysticFibrosis.com

THAT WAS THEN-THIS IS NOW

How Far We Have Come

After developing HELLP syndrome, one mom's quintuplets are born at a precarious 24 weeks and 2 days gestation all weighing less than 1.5 pounds. All five children face incredible odds battling to survive through complications like heart surgery, infection, NEC, Chylothorax, rickets, blood clots, seizures, ROP, pnuemocele, an ileostomy, and feeding tubes. Now facing the challenge of five children at home requiring varying degrees of care and years of new diagnoses, the family reflects on how far they have come.

Resources for Premature Infants:

PreemieCare

Getting Children Involved

Want your kids to join you as you prepare meals? This article offers tips and ideas for families to connect in the kitchen including what to wear, keeping germs at bay, kitchen safety, and even cooking lessons.

Recipes:

• PB&J Pancakes
• Baked Monte Cristo Sandwich
• Chicken Pot Pies
• Pistachio Cake
• Irish Soda Bread

Don't Get Hung Up On the Small Details of Craft Projects

Crafty mom Janalee, embarks on a quest for the perfect cupcake project only to learn that "when doing arts and crafts, it is not about the finished project" and more about the joy of discovery.

Craft Activities

• Glitter Glue Votive Candleholder
• Yarn Jar
• Snowman Jar
• Handprint Paper Flowers from Enchanted Learning

Traveling with Children with Special Needs

Families with multiple birth children who have special needs face unique challenges when traveling. This article explains why preparation is the key to a successful trip and offers a host of online resources for families to utilize.

Resources for Adaptive Sports:

Transportation Security Administration: Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions
Disability Travel and Recreation Resources
Holiday Rentals
Adaptive Sports Center
Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra
Breckinridge Outdoor Education Center
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport
Maine Handicapped Skiing
National Sports Center for the Disabled

Therapeutic Listening

One family explains how therapeutic listening helps its son with his sensory problems, as well as how this therapy can benefit other children dealing with autism spectrum disorders, sensory integration syndrome, and other medical challenges.

Resources for Therapeutic Listening:

Vital Links

When Can My Baby Come Home?

Tuvia Blechman MD, Chief of Neonatology and Chairman of the Department of Pediatric at Howard County General Hospital, MD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and father of a singleton and two sets of triplets takes readers through all the required developmental milestones used to determine when an infant is strong enough to leave the NICU or hospital and go home. He discusses gestational age, feeding and nutrition, weight gain, cardio-respiratory stability, oxygen therapy, body temperature stability, as well as what role parents can play during both the hospitalization and follow-up care.

Resources for Parents of Preemies:

PreemieCare
MOST/PreemieCare CDC Growth Charts

Our Year in Review

A family of 7, mom, dad, big brother, and 1 year-old quadruplets, reflect on the events of the prior year and a half starting with receiving the big news they were expecting, through a healthy pregnancy and delivery, and finally the long-awaited trip home. Once home, one of the quadruplets takes a turn for the worst. Read this family's uplifting story today.

Transitioning to Toddler Beds: Asking the Experts

Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D., one of BabyCenter's sleep experts, offers her advice to parents of multiples on transitioning from cribs into toddler beds, and several moms of multiples outline their approach as well. If you are considering moving your toddlers out of their cribs, this article offers many tips and approaches!

Resources for:

Sleeping Through the Night: How Infants, Toddlers, and Their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep by Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D.
SUPERTWINS articles on Crib to Bed Transitions and Other Toddler Issues

School Supplies, Lunch Boxes, & Backpacks

MOST helps parents get ready for Back to School with this special article on buying school supplies, packing lunch boxes, and choosing backpacks. Learn the inside secrets from other parents of multiples before heading out to conquer that school supply list.

Tips for Parenting School Age Multiples

Do you have questions about how to handle three, four, five, or more children going back to school this Fall? This article, compiled from tips given by five mothers of triplets or more, covers classroom involvement, organizing papers and books, and managing homework battles.

Resources for School-Age Multiples:

MOST's School-Age Article Bundle

The First Crush

Don't miss this campy yet touching story about how one mom of triplets plus two finds out about her eight-year old son's first school-age crush. 'The First Crush' is sure to make everyone smile.

How to Handle Homework

Dr. Jennifer Brout, PsyD and mom of triplets, also weighs in on the topic of homework battles, with her professional expertise on engaging a child or children who struggle to self-motive and stay on-task.

Feeling Blue or is it Something More? A Review of Postpartum Depression

This article available for individual purchase

Laurie LaMonde, Clinical Psychologist and mother of 5 including triplets, presents an in-depth report on postpartum depression (PPD) in the multiple birth mother including the current information on PPD and findings from a joint MOST and National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs (NOMOTC) study.

Resources for PPD:

National Women's Health Information Center
Postpartum Support International
National Institute of Health
American Psychiatric Association
National Mental Health Association
MOST PPD Research Study Statistics

Nanny 911: What Was it Like?

One brave mom of triplets and twins gives readers the inside scoop on what really goes on behind the scenes of Nanny 911, and how being on the show impacted her family.

Resources for Opportunities in Media:

MOST's Online Listing of TV/Print Media Opportunities
Nanny 911

Pay It Forward

As a family of 7 begins their short vacation to one son's trip to the state soccer tournament, their plans are delayed by a flat tire. What might have been a frustrating detour turns into one of the best parts of journey.

This issue's Sibling Spotlight features a 4-year old big sister to 2 year old triplets, and how she has adapted to 'her babies' by serving on 'Binky Patrol' and helping mom and dad.

This issue contains profiles on five MOST Area Coordinators from the state of Georgia and their local group Atlanta Triplets and More.

A Healing Heart Waiting for Joy

'A Healing Heart Waiting for Joy' is a beautiful story of hope, joy, sadness, and joy again, as one family braves the despair of infertility, the hope of pregnancy, their joy following the birth of triplet girls, the sorrow of losing one of their precious angels, and the gratitude of finding joy in life again as they are blessed with another daughter.

Resources for Loss in Multiple Births:

Center for Loss in Multiple Births

Updated 05/9/08