Twiniversity Podcast with Natalie Diaz

Twiniversity

Got Twins? Us too! This show is created by parents of twins FOR parents of twins from expecting times through the teenage years and everything in between. Just know that we are laughing WITH you every step of the way.

  1. Aug 12

    Why Not Me? Dealing with Twins Parent Preference with Twin Mom Nicole Kernan

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Nat sits down with Nicole Kernan — mom to fraternal twin girls Ollie and Lou (two and a half) — to talk about the thing so many parents feel and rarely say out loud: parent preference. Nicole did everything as a team — exclusive pumping, a husband who took full paternity leave — and one twin still gravitated hard toward Dad, leaving her buried in guilt. Nat meets her in the eye of the storm with the reframe that changes everything: stop trying to be equal, start being fair, and shift the story from "them vs. me" to we — because a child with two parents they can fully depend on isn't a rejection, it's a gift. A QUICK SHOUTOUT 📣 This series is brought to you by CordBlood.com — and since July is Cord Blood Awareness Month, there's no better time to talk about it. Your babies' umbilical cord blood is a one-time source of precious newborn stem cells, and once the cord is cut, it's usually thrown away. Banking it lets you collect and preserve those cells right at birth — and with twins, that's two once-in-a-lifetime chances you only get on delivery day. 👉 https://cordblood.com Use code DUO2 for special twin-family pricing. 💙 This episode's break is brought to you by the Twiniversity Virtual Twins Meeting — the exact community Nat invites Nicole into. Meet Nat and Lauren, bring them your biggest twin-life challenge of the month (parent preference absolutely counts), and remember you are never doing this alone. 👇 Join the next Twiniversity Virtual Twins Meeting   EPISODE THEMES 📝 ⦿ Why "my twin prefers Dad" is far more common than you think — and often a person preference, not a snub ⦿ How the preferred parent can flip overnight (first Ollie, then Lou) ⦿ The guilt and shame nobody names — NICU guilt, pumping guilt, and "why not me?" ⦿ Don't force it — but don't let the preferred parent "rescue" either ⦿ The crib standoff, the tantrum only Dad can calm, and the story-time lap meltdown ⦿ Trying to be fair instead of equal (you'll never hit exactly-equal, and that's okay) ⦿ The orange on the counter: how moms and dads carry the mental load differently ⦿ Shifting the whole story from "them versus me" to we ⦿ Why a parent preference can actually be a gift, not a rejection ⦿ Building your bench — twins are not a solo sport ⦿ Protecting your own time, friendships, and sense of self ⦿ It's a phase: your present, not your always — and awareness means you're already doing it right   GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support? Join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year. For dates and more details visit: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/MKse3EVR/checkout ✔️ Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: http://twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.com CHAPTERS 00:00  Meet Nicole and her twin girls, Ollie & Lou 02:45  Exclusive pumping and Dave's 12 weeks of leave 04:30  The guilt and shame nobody talks about 06:50  Kids prefer a person, not just a parent 09:40  A career change flips the preference to Lou 11:00  The crib standoff and Dad-only tantrums 13:35  The Sunday release valve 17:45  The story-time meltdown: there's no winning 20:30  The orange on the counter 22:20  Shifting from "him/her" to "we" 25:15  Twins are not a solo sport 31:20  The NICU, preeclampsia, and pumping guilt 36:15  Be fair, not equal 50:05  Preference as a gift: two dependable parents 57:55  The Twiniversity moms meeting 59:50  Awareness means you're doing it right

    Why Not Me? Dealing with Twins Parent Preference with Twin Mom Nicole Kernan

  2. Jul 29

    How to Be a More Supportive Partner with Twin Dad Zach Achatz

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Nat sits down with Zach Achatz - a small-business owner, woodworker, pie maker, and dad of six-month-old boy-girl twins - for the conversation she wishes more dads would have: how partners actually show up. After navigating his wife’s PCOS and a fertility journey that ended in a very big surprise (two little black dots on the ultrasound), Zach came ready to talk through every stage of the twin journey. The heart of it is advocacy - his wife fired all her providers by 36 weeks to get the vaginal twin birth she wanted, and they found their yes at U of M with baby A head down and baby B breech. From there it turns practical: dividing the labor by "who’s fastest at what," home automation, honest talk about co-sleeping and sleep deprivation, the doula who steadied their birth, and Nat’s north star for every papa bear who thinks they can jump in later - there is no jumping in later. You jump in now.   A QUICK SHOUTOUT 📣 This episode is brought to you by Baby Brezza - a Twiniversity top pick for about eight years running. Their Formula Advanced Pro WiFi starts a warm, perfectly mixed bottle from bed, and their all-in-one Bottle Washer Pro washes, sterilizes, and dries in 88 minutes. 👉 babybrezza.com This episode’s break is brought to you by Twiniversity’s Twins Delivery Day Bootcamp - the exact advocacy and birth-plan prep Zach and his wife lived out here, taught by Nat. 👇 https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/DeliveryDayBootcamp   EPISODE THEMES 📝 ⦿ Why raising twins is a two-person sport - and why partners can’t "jump in later" ⦿ Firing every provider by 36 weeks to fight for the birth she wanted ⦿ Getting cleared for a vaginal twin birth when baby B is breech ⦿ Dad as the mouthpiece in the delivery room - the BRAIN approach ⦿ Dividing the newborn labor by "who’s fastest at what," not by gender ⦿ Co-sleeping honestly and safely, and modeling real partnership for your twins   RELATED VIDEO 🎥 ⦿ Want more of the dad’s side of things? Watch Twins Twice with Twin Dad Josh Longmore on our channel: https://youtu.be/YCFempGZeyM    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 🔗 ⦿ Astrid & Co Podcast - Zach’s wife’s show on finding her voice: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astrid-co-podcast/id1866448311   GIVEAWAYS 💰 ✔️ Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout   CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Email: community@twiniversity.com   CHAPTERS 00:00 More twin dads, please 01:00 PCOS and the fertility road 03:40 Supporting her through pregnancy 04:30 Firing the doctors at 36 weeks 06:35 Cleared for a vaginal birth 09:15 When baby B is breech 11:00 Dad as the mouthpiece 12:40 The patronizing dad books 16:40 Supporting her on delivery day 19:20 Why we hired a doula 22:20 Her podcast and his 26:10 Dividing the labor at home 31:00 Surviving the sleep deprivation 34:00 Co-sleeping, safely 40:00 Recommendations, not laws 44:30 Riding the waves together 52:00 Come on in, papa bears

    How to Be a More Supportive Partner with Twin Dad Zach Achatz

  3. Jul 15

    Why Don't Twin Parents Get Better Prenatal Education? | With Twin Mom Laurie Donohue

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Natalie talks with Laurie Donohue, a twin mom of boy-girl twins, about how often standard pregnancy education leaves twin parents out. When Laurie learned she was having twins, she went looking for real data and practical guidance. Instead, most pregnancy books gave twins little more than a passing mention. She eventually found a multiples-specific resource, leaned on family support, and asked her medical team detailed questions to advocate for the birth experience she wanted. Natalie shares how that same information gap helped inspire Twiniversity. Even professional childbirth and lactation training often treats multiples as an afterthought, leaving parents and educators without the support they need. The conversation also covers the fear that comes with the “high-risk” label, the challenge of finding trustworthy twin resources online, and why real support from local twin clubs and other multiples parents matters so much. Most importantly, this episode reminds new twin parents that they do not have to do everything perfectly. Some days, success simply means everyone is fed, safe, and making it to bedtime. You can do this. A QUICK SHOUTOUT 📣 This episode is brought to you by Baby Brezza – the maker of the Formula Pro Advanced, the automatic formula dispenser that makes a warm, perfectly mixed bottle in seconds. No measuring, no scooping, no lumps – just press start and it's ready. It works with virtually all formula brands and bottle sizes, which is a real sanity-saver when you're prepping bottles for two around the clock (some parents lovingly call it the "baby Keurig"). 👉 babybrezza.com/products/formula-pro-advanced This episode is also brought to you by Twiniversity's FREE online Twins Delivery Day Bootcamp – the twin-specific birth prep. Nat walks you through twin birth plans, what to actually ask your medical team, and what to expect whether you deliver vaginally, by C-section, or both – so you head into delivery day feeling ready instead of winging it. 👇 https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/DeliveryDayBootcamp NAT'S TWIN BOOKS 📚 Shop Nat's books and more Twiniversity resources: https://www.twiniversity.com/shop/ ⦿ What to Do When You're Having Two: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583335153?linkCode=sl2&tag=twpgemail-20&creativeASIN=1583335153&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.9EL8HFRXIDLU&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin ⦿ The Newborn Twins Sleep Guide:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637744420?linkCode=sl2&tag=twpgemail-20&creativeASIN=1637744420&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.9EL8HFRXIDLU&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin   EPISODE THEMES 📝 ⦿ Why twin parents get left out of standard pregnancy books and classes ⦿ The hunt for real data (not "Chicken Soup") the moment you find out it's twins ⦿ Pushing your medical team with specific questions to protect the birth you want ⦿ How the "high-risk" label can send your brain straight to worst-case thinking ⦿ Why the resources you need already exist – but stay buried in internet white noise ⦿ Finding your people: local twin clubs, a multiples mom friend, even a triplet friend ⦿ Letting go of control when you're a type-A planner having twins ⦿ Combo feeding, dishes in the sink, and redefining "winning" as alive and fed ⦿ Why real humans beat the algorithm (and AI) for twin support ⦿ The reassurance every new twin parent needs: there's a way, and you can do it   RELATED VIDEO 🎥 ⦿ Want more on advocating for yourself in a twin pregnancy? Watch Black Maternal Health and Twin Pregnancy - How One Mom Advocated for a Safer Birth with Tracey on our channel: https://youtu.be/ksRv-pgBnAI ⦿ Want the long-view reassurance of a twin dad who's been through it all? Watch He's a Twin Dad, a Doctor, and Proof That Fatherhood Changes Everything with Charles on our channel: https://youtu.be/6Tjxo_M5Mxg   GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support? Join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year. For dates and more details visit: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/MKse3EVR/checkout ✔️ Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout   CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.com   CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Twin Parents Get Overlooked 01:00 Pregnancy Books Skip Twins 03:00 The Reassurance Twin Moms Need 06:00 Finding Real Twin Resources 07:00 Advocating for Your Birth Plan 09:00 Why Childbirth Classes Fall Short 14:00 Fear, Risk, and Letting Go 22:00 Redefining Success With Twins 31:00 Building Better Twin Education 33:00 Why Twin Parents Need Community

    Why Don't Twin Parents Get Better Prenatal Education? | With Twin Mom Laurie Donohue

  4. Jul 1

    The Breastfeeding Learning Curve for Twin Moms with Mallory

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Nat talks with Mallory Reeves – a nurse and twin mom of boys, plus an older daughter – about something the internet loves to call impossible: exclusively breastfeeding twins. Mallory breastfed her singleton first (a rocky, painful start that a second lactation consultant completely turned around, leading to 18 months of nursing), and when she found out she was expecting twins she decided to give it a try with a simple rule: if it works, amazing, and if it doesn’t, a fed baby is a good baby. Five months in with her boys, it’s working.  Nat and Mallory walk through what actually got her there: ditching the myth that you must tandem feed from day one, learning to feed and teach one baby at a time, leaning hard on her husband as her number-one support, and booking lactation help early so she had validation and a safety net. They get into the meat scale her hunter husband rigged up for weighted feeds, why poops and pees are the real proof your babies are thriving, and why babies – like the rest of us – choose their own meal sizes (a “potato chip” feed one time, a “tomahawk steak” feed the next).  The conversation also clears up a lot of noise: breastfeeding should not hurt for more than a few seconds, oversupply is not the flex social media makes it out to be, you need almost no special gear, and the right breastfeeding pillow depends on your torso, not the trend. Nat shares why the right lactation pro – ideally an experienced IBCLC with multiple-birth experience – matters so much, how virtual consults can solve everything from latch to flange size, and the truth that lactation support has been a covered benefit since 1994. Most of all, this is a reassuring, funny, myth-busting episode for any twin parent who has been told they can’t – with Nat’s north star throughout: the goal isn’t exclusive breastfeeding, the goal is no regrets.   A QUICK SHOUTOUT 📣 This episode is brought to you by Dr. Brown's — the #1 pediatrician-recommended baby bottle in the U.S. Their anti-colic internal vent system is clinically proven to reduce colic, spit-up, burping, and gas while helping preserve the good stuff in breast milk. The breast-like nipple shape supports a proper latch and makes going from breast to bottle and back so much easier — exactly what you need when you're feeding two. 👉 drbrownsbaby.com  This episode’s break is brought to you by Twiniversity’s online Breastfeeding Twins class – everything Nat coaches Mallory through here, in a self-paced course built just for twin parents. Get the latch, positioning, and tandem-feeding confidence before your babies arrive. 👇 https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout   EPISODE THEMES 📝 ⦿  Why “you can’t breastfeed twins” is mostly noise – and how Mallory did it anyway ⦿  Breastfeeding a singleton first as the best set of training wheels (but not a requirement) ⦿  The IBCLC difference – getting the right lactation support, not just any opinion ⦿  Letting go of the tandem-feeding pressure and feeding one baby at a time first ⦿  Husband-as-number-one-support, and booking a lactation visit for a day or two after home ⦿  Weighted feeds, the hunter’s meat scale, and trusting poops and pees as proof ⦿  Babies choose their own meal size – the “potato chip vs. tomahawk steak” feed ⦿  Breastfeeding should not hurt for more than a few seconds – pain means a fixable problem ⦿  Why chasing oversupply (and over-pumping) can backfire into mastitis ⦿  You need almost no gear – picking a pillow by your torso and skipping the nipple-shield hype ⦿  Trusting your body again after IVF and a hard first start ⦿  Taking it one day at a time – and the rule that ties it all together: no regrets   RELATED VIDEO 🎥 ⦿  Want the full breastfeeding-twins walkthrough? Watch Breastfeeding Twins on our channel: https://youtu.be/SJz9sIYUj5g   GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU’RE INVITED: Need more support? Join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year. For dates and more details visit:  https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/MKse3EVR/checkout ✔️ Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout   CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: http://twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.com

    The Breastfeeding Learning Curve for Twin Moms with Mallory

  5. Jun 17

    A Twin Dad on the Regrets, Rewards, and Pure Joy of Raising Identical Girls with Dr. Charles Glassman

    In this special Father's Day episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Natalie sits down with Dr. Charles Glassman — internist, life coach, podcast host, and twin dad of identical girls now in their late 20s. Charles and Natalie cover the full arc of twin parenting from the moment of the surprise diagnosis (spoiler: his wife was "just pregnant" until a 16-week sonogram revealed two heads) all the way through the extraordinary milestone of his daughters celebrating their 21st birthday together in Paris — and the business partnership they've built since. It's an honest, warm, and deeply encouraging conversation for twin parents at any stage, told from the rare perspective of a dad who is also a physician, a middle child, and someone who has learned — sometimes the hard way — that patience, perspective, and knowing when to take a time-out are the best parenting tools in the kit. Charles opens up about the regret he carries most (not carving out enough individual one-on-one time with each twin), the moment he confirmed his daughters were monozygotic at Disney World, why discovering their identical DNA at age 12 may have accelerated their drive for independence, and how — after going to different colleges on purpose — they ended up choosing the same semester abroad rather than spend a year apart from each other's best friend. Plus: the "Daddy takes a time-out" technique that every twin parent needs to hear. Connect with Dr. Charles Glassman: Website: www.charlesglassmanmd.com The Coach MD Podcast: Listen on Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-coachmd-podcast/id1728326555 His daughters' creative agency: Aperitif Collective — sister-owned branding & design, Miami - https://www.aperitifcollective.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/coachmdofficial Facebook: facebook.com/CoachMD X (Twitter): @CoachMDofficial  YouTube: youtube.com/@CoachMDofficialEPISODE THEMES 📝 Parenting four kids (two singletons + twins) and learning to navigate the balance Why clumping twins together as a unit can feel necessary — and why twins may eventually push back on it The power of the 'Daddy takes a time-out' discipline technique for parents who feel triggered Discovering at Disney World (age 12) that the girls were 100% monozygotic — and how it may have changed them Going to different colleges to establish independent identities — but then refusing to go abroad a semester apart Celebrating their 21st birthday together in Paris: the twin bond that always wins Why individual one-on-one time is Charles's biggest parenting regret with the twins What birth order as a parent does to your parenting style (the middle child theory) How parenting shaped Charles as a physician — and as a human being GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support, join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year.  For dates and more details visit. www.twiniversity.com/Membership  ✔️Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkoutCONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.comCHAPTERS 00:00 Twenty-seven years of twin dad wisdom 01:55 Meet Charles: an intro to today's guest 08:20 The twin pregnancy surprise nobody saw coming 10:10 One twin in the NICU: the blur of those first months 12:25 From two boys to four kids: navigating the zone defense 14:00 'The boys and the girls': grouping twins and why they push back 16:50 Finding out at Disney World they were identical all along 19:30 Age 12, a DNA swab, and 99.9% monozygotic 22:00 Different colleges, same soul: the drive for independence 26:35 'I can't miss a year with my best friend': choosing the same semester abroad 28:30 'Daddy takes a time-out': the discipline technique every twin parent needs 33:10 Parenting under pressure: how Charles kept calm coming home from a heavy shift 37:00 The twin bond through high school — and why it matters so much 38:10 His biggest regret: not making more individual time for each twin 44:00 His daughters today: Aperitif Collective and living in Miami 47:40 What fatherhood did for him as a doctor and a human being 51:55 Wrap-up and where to find Twiniversity

    A Twin Dad on the Regrets, Rewards, and Pure Joy of Raising Identical Girls with Dr. Charles Glassman

  6. Jun 3

    Owning Your Birth Story: Twin Mom Maddie on Natural Birth, C-Section, and Delivering Twins

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Natalie talks with Maddie Rahlf, a twin mom of three girls, about the "double whammy" delivery - giving birth to one twin vaginally and the other by C-section in the very same hour. Maddie shares how her twins were a complete surprise - a natural, spontaneous twin conception with no twins in the family, discovered at her 12-week ultrasound - and how reading Nat's book helped her find solid ground once the shock wore off. Because Baby B had a marginal cord insertion and was measuring under the 10th percentile, Maddie's pregnancy included weekly maternal fetal medicine (MFM) monitoring and an induction at 36 weeks. Natalie and Maddie walk through the delivery almost minute by minute: an easy vaginal birth for Baby A after only a few pushes, Baby B flipping transverse the moment she had the womb to herself, the attempts to turn her, a cervix that closed back up, and the placenta concern that finally made a C-section the safest call. Then comes the twist - it was Baby A, the vaginally delivered twin, who ended up in the NICU on CPAP, while Baby B stayed right with mom. The conversation also gets into recovering from a vaginal birth and major abdominal surgery at the same time, the empowerment of being given the choice to try for a vaginal delivery, and Nat's "use your BRAIN" framework (Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing) for making decisions in the moment. Maddie's biggest takeaway: if it happens, it happens - you figure it out one day at a time, and you'll have a pretty cool story to tell. This episode is a reassuring, myth-busting conversation for any twin parent who feels anxious about the possibility of a double whammy delivery. EPISODE THEMES 📝  ⦿ Finding out it's twins by surprise - a natural twin pregnancy with no family history  ⦿ A twin pregnancy with a marginal cord insertion and weekly MFM monitoring  ⦿ Being induced at 36 weeks and choosing to try for a vaginal birth ⦿ The "double whammy" - Baby A vaginally, Baby B by urgent C-section an hour later  ⦿ The surprise twist of which baby actually ends up in the NICU  ⦿ Recovering from a vaginal birth and a C-section at the same time  ⦿ Why being given a choice in how you deliver matters so much  ⦿ Using your "BRAIN" (Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing) to make decisions  ⦿ Life now with twins plus a toddler - taking it one day at a time RELATED EPISODES 🎧  ⦿ Curious what a postpartum doula actually does?  Listen to Your First Night Home with Twins with Postpartum Doula Lauren Oak: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-first-night-home-with-twins-postpartum-doula/id1382948352?i=1000501133817  ⦿ Wondering whether a doula is right for your twin birth?  Check out Should I Have a Doula with Twins? with Guest Doula Kim Collins:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/should-i-have-a-doula-with-twins-with-guest-doula-kim-collins/id1382948352?i=1000429208724 GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support, join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year.  For dates and more details visit. www.twiniversity.com/Membership ✔️Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.com CHAPTERS  00:00 The "double whammy" delivery 03:00 Choosing your provider and your birth 06:45 Meet Maddie 07:35 A surprise natural twin pregnancy 09:50 Twin pregnancy vs. a singleton pregnancy 10:45 Baby B's marginal cord insertion and weekly MFM visits 13:20 Induced at 36 weeks and choosing to try vaginal 14:45 An easy vaginal birth for Baby A 15:45 Baby B flips transverse: trying to turn her 17:45 The placenta concern and the call for a C-section 20:35 Inside the C-section: the shakes and the epidural 22:30 The surprise: Baby A goes to the NICU 25:00 Recovering from a vaginal birth and a C-section at once 26:35 Advice for moms anxious about the double whammy 27:55 Born an hour apart: every twin story is different 28:35 Delivery day boot camps and the "use your BRAIN" method 34:25 How life is now: twins at nine months 35:20 What we stress about as twin parents 36:45 A house of girls and chasing milestones 38:25 The twin community: making friends with a double stroller 42:00 Wrap-up and where to find Twiniversity

    Owning Your Birth Story: Twin Mom Maddie on Natural Birth, C-Section, and Delivering Twins

  7. May 20

    Home-Based Learning for School-Aged Twins with Twin Mom Christy-Faith

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Natalie talks with Christy-Faith, homeschool advocate, author of Homeschool Rising, education expert, and twin mom, about home-based learning, school-aged twins, and why homeschooling looks very different today than it did a generation ago. Christy-Faith shares her own path to motherhood, including secondary infertility, IVF, fraternal twin girls, a surprise fourth baby, and the hard reality of parenting twins through the early years. She also opens up about her professional background in education, including running a learning intervention and tutoring center in Los Angeles before eventually choosing home education for her own family. Natalie and Christy-Faith talk honestly about the fears many parents have around homeschooling - socialization, academics, family support, whether it is “too weird,” and whether parents are qualified to do it. Christy explains why she prefers the term home-based education, because modern homeschooling can include co-ops, live online classes, outside teachers, homeschool pods, interest-led learning, and a strong community. The conversation also explores what happens when school is not working for your child. Natalie shares her own regrets about not exploring more flexible school options when her twins were younger, including the feeling that her kids were on a “runaway horse” in a system that did not always fit who they were. This episode is a validating and thought-provoking conversation for twin parents who are questioning the traditional school path, wondering what options exist, or simply wanting permission to ask: Is there another way to educate my kids? Connect with Guest: Website: https://christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising - https://christy-faith.com/book-homeschool-rising ⭐ New to Christy-Faith? Start with Episode 101 - the New Homeschooler Series is the best place to begin.https://youtu.be/K9XUTDsiB70 The Christy-Faith Show www.youtube.com/@christy-faithtiktok.com/@christy_faithinstagram.com/christy_faith_homeschool facebook.com/ChristyFaithHomeschoolpinterest.com/ChristyFaithHomeschooling EPISODE THEMES 📝 ⦿ Christy-Faith’s journey through infertility, IVF, twins, and a surprise fourth baby ⦿ Why the newborn twin phase can feel impossible - and why it does get better ⦿ The pressure twin parents can feel around breastfeeding, education, and “doing it right” ⦿ Why homeschooling is more mainstream and flexible than it used to be ⦿ Why Christy-Faith prefers the phrase home-based education ⦿ How co-ops, live online classes, pods, and outside teachers can support homeschool families ⦿ The difference between running from school and running toward something better ⦿ Why school may not reward every child’s strengths ⦿ Nat’s honest reflection on education regrets with her own twins ⦿ How parents can start asking better questions about what their kids actually need   GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support, join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year.  For dates and more details visit. www.twiniversity.com/Membership  ✔️Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.com CHAPTERS  00:00 - Why more parents are considering homeschooling today 01:40 - Christy-Faith’s journey through infertility, IVF, and twin motherhood 05:35 - Surviving the newborn twin years and finding hope after NICU life 08:00 - Breastfeeding twins, feeding pressure, and letting go of mom guilt 15:35 - Breaking the old myths about homeschooling and socialization 20:30 - Modern homeschool resources, online classes, co-ops, and dual degree options 25:20 - Nat’s honest regrets about school struggles and parent advocacy 27:05 - What home-based education can actually look like for families 32:00 - Creating a customized, holistic learning experience for each child 35:00 - What to do when school is no longer working for your child 40:00 - Helping kids feel empowered and have a voice in their education 45:55 - Why skills-based learning matters in an AI-driven future 46:35 - Rethinking ADHD, dyslexia, learning differences, and neurodiversity 48:10 - Asking what’s strong instead of what’s wrong with your child 50:35 - How to start the homeschool conversation with your family 51:35 - Where to find Christy-Faith’s book, Homeschool Rising

    Home-Based Learning for School-Aged Twins with Twin Mom Christy-Faith

  8. May 6

    Preemie Twin Feeding in the NICU: Pumping, Bottles, and Bringing Them Home | Laura Liepold

    In this episode of the Twiniversity Podcast, Natalie talks with Laura Liepold, a registered dietician and twin mom, about premature twins, NICU life, and the reality of feeding babies who arrive much earlier than expected. Laura shares how her identical twin boys were born at 29 weeks and 4 days after signs of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, also known as TTTS, appeared suddenly during a routine appointment. What followed was an urgent C-section and a long NICU stay - 63 days for one twin and 86 days for the other. Natalie and Laura dive into what NICU feeding can really look like, from pumping and feeding tubes to fortified breast milk, bottles, triple feeding, and thickened liquids. Laura explains how her background as a registered dietician helped her understand the medical side, but nothing could fully prepare her for experiencing it as a mom. The conversation also explores the emotional weight of feeding premature twins - wanting to breastfeed directly, realizing bottles were working better, learning sideline feeding, managing different calorie recipes, and eventually choosing to exclusively pump for the first year. This episode is a practical and validating conversation about NICU survival, preemie feeding, and learning to adapt when your birth and feeding journey looks nothing like the plan. EPISODE THEMES 📝 ⦿ Laura’s unexpected identical twin pregnancy and early delivery at 29 weeks ⦿ Navigating TTTS, an urgent C-section, and a long NICU stay ⦿ What feeding premature twins can actually look like in the NICU ⦿ Pumping, fortified breast milk, bottles, and feeding tubes ⦿ Why triple feeding twins can quickly become overwhelming ⦿ Letting go of the original breastfeeding plan and adapting to each baby ⦿ Managing thickened liquids, sideline feeding, and different calorie recipes ⦿ Coping with NICU life by focusing on what you can control GIVEAWAYS 💰 🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support, join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year.  For dates and more details visit. www.twiniversity.com/Membership ✔️Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/ Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️ Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkout Twins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkout Baby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Twiniversity Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversity X: twitter.com/Twiniversity Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversity Email: community@twiniversity.com

    Preemie Twin Feeding in the NICU: Pumping, Bottles, and Bringing Them Home | Laura Liepold
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Got Twins? Us too! This show is created by parents of twins FOR parents of twins from expecting times through the teenage years and everything in between. Just know that we are laughing WITH you every step of the way.

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