From the start of our parenting journey vaccinations are a regular occurrence for our babies and it’s important that these are kept up-to-date.

When you have twins, triplets or more, it can be tricky trying to work out the best way to tackle these appointments.

Do you want your babies vaccinated in one appointment?

Consider whether you want to take all your babies to the same appointment to have their vaccinations or if you would like them vaccinated on separate occasions.

• It’s unlikely that the babies will have any major adverse side effects from the injections, but they can often feel a little under the weather. If they’re all vaccinated at the same appointment, that could be two, three or more babies all wanting extra attention afterwards.
• Consider the time of the day. If they have their vaccinations in the morning, it’s sometimes easier because you can keep an eye on them rather than them going to bed soon after. This might not be an option but worth asking if you feel strongly about it.
• Think about what you dress them in. Wearing an easy-access Babygro will make it simpler to undress and redress and be more comfortable for the babies following the injections.

What to do if they’re getting vaccinated in one go

If you decide you do want to get them all vaccinated at the same time, here are some further points to consider:

• When booking the appointment, make sure the health professionals know they’re twins or triplets and you’ll be coming with them all. That way, they’ll hopefully be prepared for you and all your equipment.
• Try and enlist some help. Having someone to help you undress and dress, as well as comfort following the injection is very helpful. If you can’t get any help, some doctors’ surgeries have extra staff to help but it’s not always offered or available. Consider having them vaccinated at different times if you have no support, especially if you have triplets or quads.
• Think about the order you’d like them to have the vaccinations in. Is one of your babies more placid and you think they would be easier to settle them afterwards? If so, they might be good to go first. Knowing your babies’ personalities can sometimes make things a little less stressful.
• If your babies settle better with a certain person, that person should probably hold them after the vaccination.
• If you’re breastfeeding, sometimes this can soothe them after the injection, so consider having your helper hold them during the vaccination so you can take them afterwards.
• If you have three or more babies and only two adults, or twins and only one adult, one baby will have to be put down quite quickly following their injection. Think about having something on hand to continue to soothe them - for example a dummy, comforter, snack or favourite toy (for older babies’ injections).