Published: Wednesday, 3rd March, 2010 5:00pm

Multiple birth families twinning for support

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Cathy, with twins Belle and Jess Daly and Helen, with twins Laoise and Ella Hopkins pictured at Cathy's home in Pettiswood Manor Mullingar.

Most new mums require a 'period of adjustment' when their little bundles of joy finally arrive. But, what if instead of one little bundle, the stork dropped off two or three or even four?

One mum, who has 13-month-old twins as well as a three-year-old daughter has decided to go for it and has set up multiple birth support groups in both Mullingar and Athlone.

Talking to the Examiner last week Helen Hopkins, who lives in Longford with her husband and children, said that she was shocked when she found out that she was expecting twins. Helen decided to set up the groups in Mullingar and Athlone first as there was more response from the mums that she spoke to there.

"Let's say I was a little shocked and my husband was very shocked," she laughed.

"Knowing that you are expecting twins can be daunting especially since we already had a one-year-old when I found out that I was pregnant. The idea of the groups is to exchange advice and give a little bit of support when it is needed.

We've just had our second meeting in Athlone and we had a total of eight mums there and that was without advertising. All I did was out a small post on the Rollercoaster website and the mums started coming. "At the minute all the mums have twins but we have had enquiries from mothers of triplets."

Cathy Daly who lives in Pettitiswood in Mullingar

is delighted that the Mullingar group is soon to have its first meeting. Cathy has nine-month old town girls, Belle and Jess, and is looking forward to meeting mums in the same situation.

"Having twins can be overwhelming and even simple things like choosing a pram can be complicated when you have two children to consider.

We all have questions, such as do you put them in the same cot?

Where can you get special play mats, prams? How do you breast feed twins? It will be nice to meet mums who are in the same boat but the group is for dads and grandparents too.

And of course its for those who are expecting twins or triplets.

"The number of twin births in Ireland has actually doubled in the last 10 years and every year 83 sets of triplets are born, so there are lots of mums out there who would be looking for help and advice. The Athlone group started off well and I hope that the group in Mullingar takes off too.

"My girls are very good with each other. Jess is just slightly ahead abut they look after each other and when they wake up in the morning they are looking for each other straight away and keep each other company and seeing that goes a long way to make up for being exhausted looking after them."

Helen is also linked to IMBA, the Irish Mutiple Births Association, which provides support for parents of multiples.

The first Mullingar meeting will take place on March 8 and the group will met every second Monday at Kidz and Co at Loughsheever business park from 2 to 4.30pm.

For more information contact Helen Hopkins on 0879568501 or email info@imba.ie.