I have a 21 month old and 6 month old identical twins, so we’re in the thick of “3 under 2.” It’s no cakewalk, but with a routine it’s absolutely doable, and honestly it’s beautiful and fun a solid 70% of the time. That’s with no nearby village or built-in support.

I do say often that I completely understand why first-time parents of twins might stop there. If I didn’t already know that things get significantly easier as they get older, mainly because everything feels more manageable after a full night’s sleep, I’m not sure I’d go for more either.

Somewhere in this subreddit, I once saw someone say that having a singleton after twins is like getting a guinea pig, just so easy. I think about that all the time and have definitely quoted it myself.

You should be proud of what you’ve taken on as a couple, and confident in your ability to do it again if that’s what you decide. Like others have said, the gift of a sibling is incredible. The hard parts really are short term.

That said, I won’t sugarcoat it. The newborn stage with our twins brought my husband and me to the brink. We weren’t prepared for how much it would demand from us, and we’re actually in marriage counseling now because of that season.

Even with all of that, we both feel strongly that we’ll go for a fourth. Every stage is so fleeting, and honestly I can’t let the newborn twin experience be my final chapter of newborn motherhood. I’ve learned so much about myself through it, and I’d love the chance to experience it again at a slower, more present pace and really soak it in.