Customer Reviews

Ready or Not...Here We Come! The Real Experts' Cannot-Live-Without Guide to the First Year with Twins

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Anyone who reads this book and doesn't absolutely love it is nuts!

I have a 2-year-old son and 4-month-old boy/girl twins. Admittedly, before my twins were born, I might have thought Elizabeth's take on the amount of work involved with newborn twins was a bit exaggerated. But now that they are here, it's become clear that she's right on! The reality of twins is that you probably won't sleep very well for the first few months, your house won't be immaculate, and you might eat more cereal for dinner than you did previously. If you have older children, you might occasionally feel torn early on regarding the amount of quality one-on-one time you are able to give them versus the amount you could give them before the twins arrived. But that's reality. The other reality, which Elizabeth makes quite clear, is that twins (as well as their older siblings) are an amazing blessing, and each challenge that presents itself has a strategy or two that can be employed to address it. In the end, more than worrying about the state of her house, the state of her diet, or the state of her hair, what's most important is that parents work their way through this time with a sense of humor, an appreciation of the blessings they've been given, and the knowledge that it gets easier and more fun with each passing day.

I highly recommend this book for anyone expecting twins --- or anyone who's given birth to them in the last year. I also recommend a few more medically based books on raising babies, such as The Baby Book by William Sears, M.D., and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth (which Lyons also recommends) to help you understand the more medical aspects of raising children (these books provide detailed information on babies' sleep patterns and getting them on a sleep schedule, and ways to address medical challenges such as reflux and colic), but Lyons' book provides the hysterical girlfriend-to-girlfriend approach (much like Vicki Iovine) that most expectant and new moms of twins welcome with open arms!

When my twin boys were born, I was so overwhelmed. My first thoughts after reading this book were "THANK GOD someone gets it". What mom doesn't need to be reminded that it is not only OK not to be perfect, but normal. This book also gave me solutions for issues such as how to leave the house with twins, and how to feed two crying babies at once. Most importantly, I learned to approach the tougher times with a sense of humor, be creative in problem-solving, its ok to ask for help, and to remember every day what a true wonderful blessing twins are! I so look forward to Liz's next book as I am venturing into year two!

After reading many, maybe all, books on parenting twins, I was beginning to wonder where the fun was in the process of twin rearing. I was particularly dissappointed with "The Joy of Twins" and thought it should have been called "The Misery of Twins" for all the joy it communicated.

Reading "Ready or Not" felt like talking to a good freind; reassuring, funny and full of practical advice.

I've read several books on life with twins, and they've all been at least a little helpful and funny. But this is the first I've read where the author already had a toddler before the twins came, and so it was nice to get her perspective and understand what that reality will be like for me. I like that the author really did have some good ideas and based on diverse experiences (she did breastfeed, and then switched to formula, so she understands pros/cons and strategies of both), and she has her circle of moms-of-multiples friends whose experience she draws on and shares as well.

One thing I noticed missing from the book was reference to or strategies for handling life with babies while they're stuck for a time in the NICU. I was looking forward to understanding how we might manage NICU visits with a preschooler at home.

I realize that there is no magic answer on how to deal with life with twins, but in my opinion, this book does indeed do a good job. If you're looking for another similar book to read, I'd also recommend Twinspiration by Cheryl Lage, especially if these are your first babies and you don't have other children at home. Also, for general multiples-pregnancy info, I highly suggest buying When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads by Barbara Luke.

In hindsight, I would have read this & only this book. I read 3 twin books while I was pregnant with my boys..didn't get a chance to finish any of them because they were so detailed, and made my head spin when I tried to absorb every instruction on how best to juggle multiples. E.Lyons' book I bought while our boys were 7-8 months, and had I read it 7-8 months ago, we would have definately been better off. The sorority's hints are helpful to first-time twinners, their stories were humorous and so, SO familiar, that it made us feel like we were reading our own biographies..this gave us a comfy-feeling that you are not the only people who think "i am NEVER going to get through this".

The simple receipes for both homemade babyfood and quick adult meals are awesome references, and altho she suggests to read Super Baby Food, which is a million pages long, her short paragraphs are not as intimidating to follow and have helped me create meals for my twins which I feel better about giving them, altho I do love the convenience of those little jars!

I even emailed her some suggestions from our experiences and what we learned in the past 8-9 months, and she emailed me back in 15 minutes...she is such a down-to-earth person who has written a book that is quick to read, has not too much fluff, and which tells it like it is, instead of the politically-correct books which tell you to 'consult your physician'...now seriously, who has time to call the doctor for every question? You have to build your own confidence as a parent and trust your instincts, but this is so much easier to do knowing it's ok to do it your way.

If you are reading this review & are now or are going to be a parent of multiples, you should probably read this book while pregnant or 7-8 months after the multiples are born, because the first few months are so hard, just adjusting to your new little people. So I suggest reading this either before birth, or in the hospital, but try to remember some of her tips...they may make a good day out of a bad!

As others have said, I read this while I was pregnant and it didn't mean much to me -- then after the babies were born, I found myself scouring it for anything that would help me cope. I found that it contained mostly comic relief, rather than practical advice, but that's useful too. One of my few memories from the foggy "fourth trimester" is of reading parts of the book out loud to my parents, laughing at how completely she hit the nail on the head. I agree that she gives breastfeeding very short shrift, so if you are already BF or determined to do so, don't follow her advice -- get a good book like "Mothering Multiples" and a good lactation consultant. Contrary to a previous reviewer's claim, she does, however, tell you how to go to the supermarket, though I still recommend waiting till DH gets home and then going by yourself (or napping on the couch while he goes!).

Liz Lyons tells it "like it is" in this truly essential book. She and her "sorority" have lived the twins adventure and share lots of time-saving -- and sanity-saving! -- practical suggestions to help you survive your first year, too. I only wish I'd read the whole book before our twin boys arrived; but again Liz comes through by organizing the book in 3-month segments so I could keep up as each new stage approached. Even if I didn't follow all her suggestions, the extensive list of topics she covers at least got us thinking and my husband and I found the strategies that worked for us. I've recommended this book to every parent I know who is expecting twins - and actually given it to two of them. She inspired me to try making our own baby food -- if SHE can do it with twins in tow, so can I! -- and following her helpful tips meant it TRULY is as easy as she says it is. Her down-to-earth, humorous approach will keep you balanced and smiling, reminding you of the double-blessing life with twins can be.

It was cute, but not a Girlfriends' Guide-quality manual. Very much a formula-feeding, Ferberizing kind of ideology. (The fact that it takes so many pages to tell you how to formula feed your twins should be quite revealing here. I feed my twins in 20-30 minutes inclusive, simultaneously, and if I had to wash 20 bottles a day, I would scream. But if you want to know how, she'll tell you.) First-time moms might really get the wrong idea about breastfeeding based on the treatment of the subject here -- get a second opinion, for the sake of your sanity! It is far easier than formula, after about a month. The book does prepare you for the weird questions and comments you will get as a twin mom. I thought she was overstating things -- but no. The public is amazingly intrusive, and you might want to be prepared. Bottom line: I'm still waiting for Vicky Iovine to have twins.

I came across Lyons' book while finding a gift for a mom-to-be of twins who is in her last weeks of pregnancy. Being a Mom of twins myself, I was elated at the practical and straightforward advice and tips offered. Where was this book when my babies were born?!?! I couldn't get over how jam packed the book is and what a deal it is considering you don't need to buy any other books to get you ready for your new arrivals! I read the whole book cover to cover and found myself laughing, learning, and loving all over again.

What an overall fantastic experience in writing to the author, buying and receiving the latest edition in a very timely fashion, reading her book in two days, and enjoying all the practical and fun-to-read advice.

Elizabeth Lyons hit the mark for twin parents. I've read many books so far as my husband and I are expecting twin girls in March 2006. I found her book to be thoroughly helpful, practical, insightful, and just plain fun. She wove a good dose of realism with endearing you-must-know-this points from her own experience and those from her multiples sorority sisters. What I found most useful was the section on baby AND mom necessities, as well as, those first three months of being new parents which instilled new-found confidence. She impressed me even more as I corresponded with her with follow-up questions -- all of which she immediately responded to in her down-to-earth, straight-foward, humor-filled manner. Her guidance got me through the whole overwhelming baby registry experience!

I know when the time is right I'll be right in line for the author's toddler edition. Your fans are multiplying Elizabeth Lyons!