People often wonder what to get new parent's who have had multiples and as a mother of twins, some of the best gifts we were given after our girls arrived were people's time and effort. The first few months at home with multiples is intense and there are days where the prospect of a shower even seems impossible. Here are my top 10 tips that you could offer to new parents of multiples to help take the pressure off them and make their lives just a little bit easier.

1. Cook them a meal or two. Something they can freeze and reheat easily. Evenings with infant multiples are tough and anything to help lighten the load and fill their bellies quickly would be greatly appreciated.

2.Offer to entertain their other children for the day if they have any. I found this a lifesaver when our girls were born. Unfortunately sometimes you have no choice but to put your other children aside with new multiples, this can be particularly difficult for those kids who had previously been an only child. Taking them out of the house and spoiling them a little will make them feel special as well as lighten the load at home for mum and dad.

3.If you live locally and head out most mornings for a barista coffee or get one on your way to work, grab an extra one for the exhausted parents of multiples and drop it in on your way. THEY WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!!!

4. Laundry - Enough said!

5. Buy the new mum a pedicure voucher and add in the card that you will take the babies for a stroll in the pram whilst she relaxes and has it done. This is something that she will probably take you up on a few months in, but that 40 minutes of peace she will get whilst being pampered will be truly appreciated. Sharing the cost with another girlfriend will see you part with next to no cash.

6. If your confident enough, offer to babysit so mum and dad can take the older children out, have a coffee or a quick bite to eat without interruptions or simply grocery shop without having to take the babies.

8.Offer to walk their dogs if they have any. You get the exercise and it removes one extra job from the equation for the new parents.

9. Find out when either parent will be by themselves with the babies and any other children and offer to go around and help for a few hours in the evening, even if it's only once. That extra set of hands during the 'witching hour' never go to waste.

10. Mow the lawns or help out with any other time consuming household chores that you're capable of doing. Even if they say they are okay and don't need your help, they are lying and being polite. Demand that you give them a hand, I promise they will thank you for it later.

Many hands make light work :)

Mikala

xxoo