Finding
our Way. Life with Triplet, Quadruplets and Quintuplets. A Collection of Experiences
Edited
by Suzanne Lyons
Canada
2001
Available on order from AMBA
I must admit that I haven’t read
this book from cover to cover, but the parts of it that I have read I am very
impressed with. From what I have heard it is extremely difficult to find a book
on higher order multiples that goes beyond babyhood, but this is one!! Hooray!
It covers a wide range of topic using personal stories mixed with factual
information written by Doctors and relevant specialists. I think giving you the
list of chapters might be helpful… this includes ‘Getting the News’, ‘A
Special Care Pregnancy’, ‘Getting Organised’, ‘Reaching out for Help’,
‘The Big moment’, ‘Fragile Lives – Prematurity’, ‘Many mouths to Feed’, ‘Early days at home &
hospital’ (includes delayed bonding) , ‘Our Supporters’, ‘Overnight
Celebrities’, ‘Remember
When’, ‘Toddler Years’ (including some funny toilet training stories),
‘Preschool Years’, ‘Growing Up’ (including different opinions on
separating multiples in school), ‘Pregnant Again’, ‘ Special Needs’,
‘Losing a child’, ‘Individuality’, ‘A word from the experts’. There
is also an excellent chapter on coping with stress and change (including working
and parenthood)
There are heaps of handy hints and
different opinions in this book, written with lots of feeling and a good dose of
humour. There is no guide book for raising children, especially multiples, but
“Finding our Way” contains a wide range of ideas that you can make your own
mind up from. A lot of the stories are quite relevant to twins as well. I
actually would recommend a purchase, if anyone is in the market.
Just to leave you with a couple of quotes from the book, the first an excellent
response to the question we all get asked regularly, I’m sure: “Do multiples
run in your family? Yes, from morning till night!”
The
other one I really liked related to discipline and guidance of children and
keeping your eyes on the bigger picture : “It’s often hard to remember you
set out to drain the swamp when you’re up to your ass in alligators” (pardon
my French !?)
Knox Multiple Birth Association
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