Books about having and raising Twins and Triplets, and other multiples.

The Parent's Guide To Raising Twins: From Pre-Birth To First School Days-The Essential Book For All Those Expecting Two Or More
by Elizabeth Friedrich, Cherry Rowland

The Parent's Guide to Raising Twins
Reviewer: A reader from Water Mill, NY

   Parents Guide to Raising Twins is the best book I have read so far on multiple in the early years. Friedrich & Rowland cover all the important stages from pregnancy, to labor, to issues like surviving the first year through their preschool days. They blend a great sense of humor with the realities of multiples. As a new mother of triplets with very little time to do anything, much less read, I found this book a must read for all mothers either expecting multiples or those mothers with multiples in their early years.

Raising Twins: What Parents Want to Know (and What Twins Want to Tell Them)
by Eileen M. Pearlman, Jill Alison Ganon

Watching my girls grow up
Reviewer: A reader from Chicago

    I bought this book as a follow up to Ganon's TWINS! My daughters just had their first birthdays so we're jumping the gun a bit with "Raising Twins" but my wife and I are already getting answers to many of the things we've been wondering about - such as dressing the girls and handling their birthday parties and there is a lot of very good information about schooling and socializing for twins all the way through their teen years. The conversations with twins themselves from six year olds through twins in their teens and early twenties are fun and in some cases very touching. I recommend this book without reservation.

When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads:
A Complete Resource
by Barbara Luke, Tamara Eberlein

Average Review:

The best book you can get for your babies!
Reviewer: Susan Parker from Severna Park, MD

  It is because of this book that my identical twin girls came home from the hospital when I did (less than 48 hours after birth). Tamara describes pre-term labor on page 119, and because of this description (it's really not described in any other resource I read), I was able to recognize immediately that my body was ready to call it quits at 28 weeks.. long before the babies were ready. Because of this early recognition, I was able to take medication at home (rather than be admitted to the hospital), and my babies were born healthy at 36 weeks (with APGARS of 9,10 and 8,9). It is because of the diet that Dr. Luke recommends in this book that the pediatrician exclaimed excitedly during their first exam, "they're so strong.. they're behaving like full term newborns!" (and yes, there was some fast food in the mix.) I used this book as a reference throughout my twin pregnancy, and after, and recommend it to every expectant mother of multiples as an absolute must-have. Thank you Dr. Luke and Tamara, for helping me understand what needed to be done, and presenting it in such a consumable and enjoyable package.

Everything You Need to Know to Have a Healthy Twin Pregnancy
by Gila Leiter, Rachel Kranz (Contributor)

Average Review:

Very helpful! good balanced information.
Reviewer: A reader from Minneapolis, MN

  My mother-in-law gave me this book about midway through my twin pregnancy. I had bought a different "twin pregnancy" book that I found alarming and outdated, so I was skeptical. However, I found this book to contain good information and a good balance of two ideas:
   1. Having/carrying twins is more complicated than a singleton pregnancy, and there are added risks to the mom and babies.
   2. In most cases, mom and babies will come through just fine.
  I really needed the emphasis on *both* of those concepts, because this was my second pregnancy, and the first ended in stillbirth (due to unpredictable, very rare complications very early on). So I was scared, and I felt that it wasn't productive for me to dwell on that fear. This book helped me to recognize the potential concerns in a realistic way, and it allowed me to acknowledge the idea that pregnancy and childbirth are pretty normal and usually work out just fine.
  It is a good resource for me, in combination with What to Expect When You're Expecting. (At the time of this writing, I am 27 weeks pregnant and my boy/girl twins are healthy.)

The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook:
Pregnancy and the First Days with Twins, Triplets, and More
by Nancy A. Bowers, Rn

Average Review:

Excellent Book!!!
Reviewer: angeltod from Sumter, SC

  This book is excellent!!! This book is jam packed with tons of information on multiple pregnancies. However, it is not for the timid. The risks are spelled out to you extremely well and may frighten some people. But the risks are there and they are very real. You have to look at it in perspective (for instance, if it says 30% fatality, that's 70% who survive...)
  I was looking for information on twins when I stumbled upon this book. I wanted a book to "spell it all out" vs just a little paragraph or page in the average pregnancy book. I wanted to "know it all" and was satisfied with this book. Definitely recommended!!!

tripleFun: From Infertility to Triplets
by Lia Shackleford, Lia Shackelford

Average Review:

A Must Have For Families Expecting or With New Multiples
Reviewer: A reader from Anthem, AZ

 
  Triplefun is the story of a courageous woman and her struggle to survive and flourish with the extraordinary welcoming of triplets. Lia Shackelford gives good advice, handy tips and interesting ideas to make life more bearable with the onslaught of an instant family. She uses humor to disclose the real trials within a marriage that are inevitable among new triplet families. She is honest about her fears, which alone takes courage, but in the end chooses life over comfort or even what may be the valid concerns of women involved in such complicated pregnancies.
  As a mother of 4 year old triplets myself, I can honestly say that this book would be a bona fide treasure to anyone expecting or in the company of new multiples. It also gives insights into the world of multiples for anyone who may be a family member of the mother or father of triplets or more. I wish I could make my family read it! It would have been nice if her book were around when I was pregnant. Alas, there is a genuine shortage of useful books for mothers of more than twins - as it is so much more. The only thing I might add would be that three swings are a must for some families, especially those with more than just higher order multiples.
   This book is a great buy for the average multiple mommy who wants to struggle less to find her own answers when answers can be found by simply reading.