Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

'Twins are double the joy," says new multiple births blogger

A journalist and mum of twins has set up a new blog about the challenges of raising a multiple births family to help parents frustrated by a lack of information available about their specific needs.

Linda Jones said having pitches for features about multiple births rejected by editors as 'too specialist' helped make the decision to start her own blog You've got your hands full much easier -as has the rising multiple birth rate.


Linda is a director of the Staffordshire-based agency Passionate Media where she blogs at http://passionatemedia.typepad.com and a contributor to Shiny Media's Corrie Blog (www.corrieblog.tv) and TV Scoop (www.tvscoop.tv)


You've got your hands full is at http://passionatemedia.typepad.com/children.

It will also report on health and education matters related to multiple birth children.

Linda, whose twin girls Emily and Melissa are eight, said the new blog was named after all the 'very kind but somehow rather annoying' comments that parents of multiple births children can be faced with "oh at least five times a day."


She said: "Mainstream editors are perfectly polite but respond that a piece on say new research into sleeping arrangements for twins in relation to cot death is too narrow.


"Newspapers and parenting magazines have some excellent features and tips but sadly they only come around every so often.

"From your stay in special care to your twins, triplets or quads starting school, there are so many special and 'extra' considerations. Still, it's brilliant having twins or more and I wanted to get the message across that it's not just double trouble but also double the joy.


"As the multiple birth rate continues to rise so does parents' need for information. There were 10,381 sets of twins born in 2004, the latest year for which statistics are available and for the 1st time in six years the number of triplet pregnancies also increased, with 162 sets born.


"One of the key complaints of expectant parents of multiple birth children is that there just isn't enough information for them to quench their thirst for knowledge. The Twins and Multiple Births Association (Tamba) and Twins Club website (www.twinsclub.co.uk) have made great progress in this area but I'm hoping that my voice as a mum of twins can also be helpful.

"I'm adding or providing links for dozens of articles I've contributed to various magazines, newsletters and websites over the last eight years since my daughters were born and I first volunteered for Tamba. I'm also providing regular news updates and analysis, as well as adding new features.

Linda is a former editor of Tamba's Twins, Triplets & More magazine and continues to work with the charity on PR for specific projects.

She is an experienced spokeswoman on multiple births issues having been interviewed by media including the BBC World Service, News 24, Radio Five Live, Sky TV, The Times, Daily Mail and Express.

* For more info, please see http://passionatemedia.typepad.com/children
Or e-mail linda@passionatemedia.co.uk Tel 01902 791809 or 07971 914338.