A nanny for twins needs to be someone who has looked after two children of the same age at the same time, not just two children. The difference lies in the feeding, the bedtimes and the fact that there is never a quiet moment while the other child sleeps. With us two children cost the same as one, from 165 kr per hour after RUT (the Swedish tax deduction for household services, taken off the invoice directly).
It is Tuesday morning in a flat in Hägersten. The twins are seven months old, and mum has not been out on her own for three weeks. Dad is at work, grandma lives in Umeå. It is a situation we recognise from twin parents all over Stockholm: not that it is twice as much as with one child, but that there is never a break. Here is what sets a nanny for twins apart from other childcare, and what to look for.
What is actually different
Parents of one child can take their adult moment while the child sleeps. Parents of twins know that rarely happens at the same time. That is the fundamental difference, and it applies to the nanny too. In practice:
- The feeding. Two bottles at once, or one at a time while the other screams. It takes a system: a cushion, a chair, a certain order. The nanny should be able to show how she does it, not just say it will sort itself out.
- The bedtimes. One child falls asleep, the other wakes up from it. The routine needs to be identical every time, and the nanny needs to know who goes down first.
- The walk. A double pram is heavy and takes up space. Lifts, buses and stairs in Stockholm are not built for it. The nanny should have walked with one before.
- Different children. Twins are not a unit. One wants to be carried, the other wants to lie down. The nanny needs to get to know two people, not a pair.
- Stamina. A session with twins has no breathing space. The person taking it on should know that in advance and like it anyway.
One nanny or two?
| Age | What usually works | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 6 months | One nanny with infant experience if a parent is at home. Two people if you will be away longer and both need feeding and settling | The heavy half-year. Short sessions, often while a parent sleeps |
| 6 to 18 months | One nanny is usually enough for sessions of three to four hours | Fixed routines are what decide it. The same nanny every time |
| 18 months to 3 years | One nanny. Walks, playground, food and bedtime | Two running in different directions needs a person who plans where they are |
| From 3 years | One nanny, even for full days | By now twins are often easier than two children of different ages, they play together |
Two nannies is unusual and is mostly needed during the first six months. More common is that one parent is at home doing something else while the nanny takes the twins, or that the session is placed between two feeds so the nanny can manage on her own. That is a good way to start: the nanny learns the routines while you are within earshot.
What to ask at the interview
- Have you had two children under two at the same time? For how long, and with which family?
- What do you do when both want to eat and are crying?
- How do you settle two who do not fall asleep at the same time?
- How would you get out of here with the double pram? Show them the stairs or the lift.
- What do you do if one child gets hurt while the other is in the bath?
- Do you know infant CPR, and when did you last do a course?
The answers should be concrete. Someone who has done it talks about a particular cushion, a particular order, a particular song. Someone who has not says it will probably be fine. With us, Aleksandra interviews every nanny herself, and for twin families she only suggests people who have actually had two little ones at once.
What a session looks like
A typical morning session with eight-month-old twins: the nanny arrives at nine, gets a five-minute handover, feeds both according to the note, goes for a long walk so they sleep in the pram, comes home, changes them, plays on the floor and gives another feed before the parent is back at one. That is four hours that give a parent a morning, and for many twin parents it is the first one in months.
With older twins the sessions are like any other: förskola (municipal preschool) pick-up, a snack, the playground, dinner. The difference is that the nanny has two three-year-olds who want different things, and she needs to plan so that she can see both.
What it costs
With us one and two children cost the same. That applies to twins too: from 165 kr per hour after the RUT deduction depending on how many hours a week you book, 199 kr per hour for one-off sessions. If the twins have an older sibling, it is an extra 20 kr per hour from the third child. The RUT deduction is 50 per cent of the labour cost with a ceiling of 75,000 kr per person per year, and two parents each have their own ceiling. We take the deduction off the invoice directly. No start-up or monthly fees, no lock-in period. The full price list is on the prices page.
How it works with our families
Doaa has had a twin family in Vällingby since the children were five months old. She comes on Tuesday and Friday mornings. The routine is the same every time: a bottle for whoever wakes first, then the other, then out in the double pram along Råcksta träsk until both are asleep. On the note she writes two columns, one per child, with times for feeds and sleep, because the parents want to know who ate the most. When the twins were ten months old, one started wanting to sit up in the pram while the other wanted to lie down. Doaa solved it by turning one of the seats round. That is the kind of thing a nanny who has had twins before does without asking.
Would you like a nanny who comes on the same days every week and whom the children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home, and we will work out a price for your hours.
Read more: A nanny for your baby · A nanny for three or more children · Newborn · Prices
Frequently asked questions
Does a nanny for twins cost more than for one child?
No, not with us. One and two children cost the same: from 165 kr per hour after the RUT deduction depending on the number of hours per week, 199 kr per hour for one-off sessions. Only from the third child is there an extra 20 kr per hour per child.
Do twins need two nannies?
Rarely. A nanny with experience of two small children at once can manage twins, but during the first six months two people may be needed if the twins are to be fed and settled at the same time. At the first meeting we look at what works for you.
What should we ask a nanny who is going to take twins?
Whether she has had two children under two at the same time before, how she handles feeding when both are screaming, how she gets out with the double pram and how she settles two who do not fall asleep at the same time. The answers quickly reveal whether she has done it or just thinks it will work.
Do parents of twins get the RUT deduction on a nanny?
Yes, like everyone else. The deduction is 50 per cent of the labour cost, up to 75,000 kr per person per year, and covers childcare in the home for children up to and including the age of twelve. Two parents each have their own ceiling, which leaves room for more hours.
When is a good time to start with a nanny for twins?
When you feel you need it, which for twin parents is often earlier than for others. Many start during the first six months to get some sleep or run an errand. Begin with short sessions while you are at home, so the nanny learns your routines.