Every book on parenting will tell you that life forever changes after the birth of a child. Parents of twins or higher-order multiples (triplets or more) can feel as if they've left the hospital and arrived home on a different planet.

Yet multiple births are more common than ever before. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Vital Statistics Reports, the number of twin and higher-order multiple births has climbed at an unprecedented pace over the last 2 decades. Between 1980 and 1997, twin deliveries rose 52% and triplet and higher-order births soared 400%!

What Changes With the Birth of Multiples?
Some of the differences in lifestyle are easy to anticipate. Household standards will have to relax for a few years, unless you can afford to hire a housecleaner. You'll be getting a lot less sleep, with multiple babies waking up frequently. The financial impact is significant, as well. One survey found that "start-up costs" (basic essentials not including diapers) were $8,000 to $11,000 higher for families of high-order multiples than for families of singletons. Add to this the cost of needed extra living space, a larger vehicle, and possibly part-time help in the home. One partner may need to give up an income to stay home and take care of the children.

Some changes may come as more of a surprise. Having less time for each individual baby can make you feel guilty or sad. These emotions become even more complex if you already have other children. Multiples also may stress relationships. Some statistics show higher levels of stress and arguing among parents of multiples, as well as a higher divorce rate.

Yet despite all of the challenges, multiples also bring great rewards. You'll get the unique chance to love several babies at once and marvel at the relationship between them, which is a very special one. And there's a fascination surrounding multiples that is hard to deny. As Lisa Zaoutis, MD, a pediatrician and the mother of twins, puts it, "There is a definite magic that I found with my twins that just increased the pleasure of having children. Stroll down the street with a twin or triplet stroller and smiles cross the faces of many passers-by. The enchantment of multiples affects parents as well as strangers. It's hard to put into words, but it is real and precious."

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