A Mother's Incredible Journey: Embracing the Chaos of Raising Two Sets of Twins Under Four

Gabby Radlof, a 28-year-old from Stratford, Victoria, shares her remarkable story of discovering she was expecting a second set of twins naturally, while her identical twin boys were just three years old. With her children Hugo and Spencer (four) and Billy and Aria (eight months), Gabby describes the daily challenges and joyful moments that come with parenting two sets of twins. Amidst the chaos, she encounters curious onlookers who often comment with phrases like "double trouble" or inquire about IVF. Despite the occasional unwanted attention, Gabby and her husband, Ben, embrace their expanding family, even though it means having four children under the age of four.

The young mother was left speechless when she saw two tiny figures on the screen during her eight-week scan of her second pregnancy. The initial shock faded as she shared the news with excited family and friends, and reminisced about old photos of her identical twins, Hugo and Spencer, when they were babies.

In April of last year, the Radlof family welcomed Billy and Aria into their lives. While managing two newborns alongside two toddlers may seem like a daunting task, Gabby finds solace in the fact that Hugo and Spencer adore their little brother and sister. They have each other for company and entertainment, keeping themselves amused when Gabby's attention is focused on the babies.

"If they had been a year younger, I probably would have struggled a lot more, but being the age that they were – they were kind of developing their independence," Gabby shared. "Hugo and Spencer do come in handy – you can ask them to fetch something for me, and sometimes they might refuse, but I remind myself that they're only three and I need to accept that."

Gabby chronicles her thoughts and experiences on "all things twins, motherhood, and everything in between" through her blog, Four Little Wildlings. In one of her posts, she documents the frequency of breastfeeding sessions for Billy and Aria as newborns. Due to her sleep deprivation, Gabby found it challenging to keep track of which baby she fed and when, prompting her to take detailed notes.

Gabby found herself breastfeeding an average of 16 times a day, sometimes as frequently as every half an hour, from 12:30 am to 9:30 pm the following night. To maintain some semblance of organization, Gabby strives to establish a consistent routine by aligning the babies' sleep schedules. This approach allows her to take a well-deserved break and emphasizes the importance of early bedtimes. "It gives me a chance to reset, tidy up, wash all the bottles, and start fresh for the next day," she explains.

Gabby offers valuable advice to parents of young children, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and not placing excessive pressure on oneself. She highlights that even if you clean all day, there will still be toys scattered everywhere. Instead, she suggests focusing on the well-being and happiness of the children in the long run. While it may be easier said than done, Gabby reminds us that children remain little for only a short period of time, encouraging parents to cherish and prioritize these precious moments.