Parents of identical twins are often concerned about being able to tell their identical twins apart. There are several ways that we tell our identical twins apart, and their toys, and I recommend that other twin parents try out.
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Identical Twin Woes
All parents of twins have a hard job, raising two babies at once, there is no doubt about that. One thing that identical twin parents have to deal with that parents of fraternal twins don’t, is the fear of mixing the identical twins up. This goes beyond calling them the wrong name, this can have medical implications if one identical twin has certain conditions or complications that the other doesn’t.
For example, only one of our identical twin boys needed to be in the NICU. His lungs weren’t quite ready to breathe on their own and he experienced blood sugar issues among other things. He didn’t come home from the hospital until a few days after his twin brother did, but we had to be sure we didn’t mix them up because he was more medically fragile, which sadly came to fruition when they were 3 months, 2 months adjusted, and the NICU twin developed severe RSV which necessitated a week in the hospital.
Luckily, the other twin didn’t develop RSV, nor did their big brother. He ended up recovering but it was a very scary week.
All that to say, it was important to know which twin had the complex medical history and which one didn’t.
Hospital Bracelets
One tactic that twin parents tend to try out first is to keep the hospital bracelets on as long as possible for their newborn twins. Of course, you can’t keep them on forever, but at least you know they’re safe to use.
Some people go on to use ID bracelets they buy on places such as Etsy but I suggest to use them with caution. I’m weary of anything that could become dislodged/unclasped and end up a choking hazard.
Small Distinguishing Physical Features
From birth, be on the lookout for any little thing that will help you tell them apart. These can be birth marks, slight difference in weight, head shape, or even different belly buttons.
For us, we noticed that there was a faint vein on both of their noses near their eyes but one was on the right and one on the left. Too faint for being able to tell easily but when looking back at photos it helps me tell who is who before we started dressing them the way we do, more on that later.
When one of our twins was just a few weeks old, he developed a mole on his leg. We were able to tell them apart when needed by that mole, and that’s what we use to this day if we aren’t sure, and they are trying to trick us now that they’re in elementary school.
Nail Polish on Toes
When our twins were first born and when they finally were home together we painted the big toenail of one twin the color blue so we could keep track of who was who. We did this on the toe so he wouldn’t accidentally suck it off of his finger. We also ensured we used non-toxic fingernail polish called Piggy Paint that is safe for littles. This was one of the easiest things and safest things we could to do tell our own twins apart at the time.
Lucky for us, one twin ended up with a mole on his leg early on. Once that developed, we no longer had to paint a toenail now that there was a clear difference between our twins.
Assign Colors
From early on, we started having one identical twin in reds and oranges and the other in blues and greens. This not only helped in the here and now but also in looking back at pictures. We still do this even now that they’re 3-years-old and it’s to the point that our twin we have in red will ONLY wear all red socks (which are hard to find) and red pants as well as red shirts. Maybe we created a bit of a problem in that case but overall, it really, really helps.
Our twins even want the rest of us to have our own colors so our oldest is green, I am purple, and my husband is orange or yellow, depending on what’s left based on what we are using.
Things to color code:
Toys
Try to get toys that are the ‘color’ you picked for your twin if possible. For example, our twins wanted matchbox cars so we got the one twin red cars and the other twin blue cars.
If there isn’t an option for their ‘color’ then have little dot stickers available to put on the toys. I use these and if the toy is too small for a large dot on the bottom of it then I cut the dot in half. It is so simple yet has reduced fights greatly between brothers.
Do be sure that if you are using a sticker that you put it on firmly and that your child is old enough to know not to put the sticker in their mouths should it come off. For my boys, that was about age two or so but yours might be different.
These stickers can also be great for developing their fine motor skills as they get to be about 2 or 3 years old, and with supervision. You can first help them take the sticker off of the sheet and then put it on a piece of paper, then as they progress you can teach them how to do it themselves. Seems simple but my kids love it!
Clothing
This has been a HUGE help to us especially looking back at pictures. We generally have one twin in blue and the other in red. This helps us as we look back at pictures, when it comes to visiting people who don’t see them often so they can easily tell them apart, and even just from across the room knowing who is doing what. Our twins are identical but do have subtle differences that are easy to tell when close but when far away it’s a bit harder.
I superly LOVED these sleep and play outfits/pjs when my little guys were babies. Kept them warm, was just one piece so easy for diaper changes, easy to go from play to nap, etc.
As a mom of identical twins and a son two years older, I have gained invaluable experience in the realm, and chaos, of parenting. With a Master's Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology, I spent years as a school psychologist, helping children navigate through their educational and emotional challenges. Now as a stay at home mom and professional blogger, I combine my areas of expertise to help you in your parenting journey.