Many parents expecting twins wonder how they will be able to tell them apart. This doesn’t apply only to identical twins, either, as numerous same-sex fraternal twin sets will look strikingly similar. There are, in fact, several things that new parents can do to be sure they don’t “mix up” their twin babies. Although, I have yet to meet a parent of twins who could not tell them apart after the first few weeks of life (and in most cases even less time), some still want to take precautions just in case, or more precisely, to help other family members and friends with confusion. Until you have a chance to meet your little duo and discover for yourself if there will be an issue, here are some helpful tips for telling them apart should the need arise.
Leave hospital bracelets on for a while.
This will likely be the most straightforward way to identify infant twins, at least in the early days and/or weeks. You can’t really get more accurate than this, but you may not want to keep an unattractive hospital bracelet on new baby skin for longer than you have to.
Color code baby clothes.
This is a popular tactic for telling twins apart. If you have boys you could make a point of always putting “Baby A” in blue and “Baby B” in green and do something similar for twin girls like one in pink and the other in lavender. Even just color coding socks may be enough.
Paint a toenail.
A simple approach, and not just for twin girls! With so many colors to choose from (blue included) and great staying power, this might just be one of the best options. Of course, you wouldn’t want to keep this up with babies who are old enough to suck on their toes.
Look for birthmarks.
A unique birthmark or freckle that is easy to recognize can be an ace in the hole for parents of twins. One of my identical twin boys has a single, tiny, brown freckle on his tummy. It has become commonplace for other family members and friends to look under their shirts to find out who’s who!
Good old-fashioned nametags.
Cheap, sticky, easy-to-apply nametags can actually be kind of fun. They can go just about anywhere, too—back, front, rear end, etc. They can be easily replaced, totally personalized (think about adding a birth time, weight, or quote) and you won’t have anyone forgetting names.
