Child's play twice the fun

Camille Hill with Florence and Rosie, Kate Porter with Olivia and Ruby, and Amber Batchelor with Fletcher and Etta. Photo / Greg Bowker

It's twice the fun at a twin-packed Auckland baby programme described as "beautiful chaos".

Each week, the Lynfield Playcentre in Mt Roskill plays host to 10 sets of twins and their mums - and sometimes dads.

They gather to take part in the Space programme. It is educational for the babies, as they are exposed to music, rhythm and rhyme, and for their parents, who delve into discussion topics, such as nutrition.

"It's a great programme. I'm thoroughly enjoying it and I know all the other mothers are too," said Camille Hill, who attends with her 5-month-olds Florence and Rosie.

"It's beautiful chaos. There's a lot of unique challenges that come along with having twins that differ from a single pregnancy. It's great to be in an atmosphere where other mothers are experiencing the same things at the same time."

These challenges include tandem breast- and bottle-feeding and whether to sleep the twins together.

"Space" stands for supporting parents alongside children's education, and the 20 youngsters, aged between 3 and 7 months, are in the third week of their programme designed for doubles.

Space's organiser, Trixi Leonhardt, said the twin-specific idea came about when two parents from an antenatal group at a multiple-births club asked about enrolling their twins.

"The programme didn't have any space for four children in one group so the parents took it in their own hands to organise other mothers to bring their twins to form a new group," Ms Leonhardt said.