title: The early parenting of twins.
abstract: The anticipatory guidance for the parents of twins involves information on feeding, the parent-twin relationship, and promoting a sense of self. Parents optimally attach to one infant only, a concept known as monotropy. Ambivalence, anxiety, and unequal attachments may result from the stressful nature of raising twins. The early diagnosis of twins, visualization via ultrasound, and postpartum identification of the distinctive aspects of each infant help establish separate bonds. This individualization promotes a sense of self, self-esteem, and enhances individuation, the process by which the personality is differentiated, developed, and expressed. The twin situation is triadic; the infants develop attachments to the primary care giver and their co-twin. Problems with this complex association include delayed onset of speech, decreased speech production, and cryptophasia (secret language) between twins. Strategies to prevent speech delay include as much one-on-one time as possible and consistent intervention and correction of speech errors. Anticipatory guidance seeks to identify potential sources of stress with the goal of seeking out advice, accepting any assistance offered, and attending to twins at the desired level of individualization.
authors.affiliation: National Naval Medical Center, Office of Professional Affairs, Bethesda, MD 20889-5000, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007207:Individuation; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D014427:Twins / Q000523:psychology