Moms of twins….Double the gear or not?
What particular baby items did you find it necessary/helpful to have in duplicate?
So far, I’m thinking that other than the car seat and high chair, I can probably get away with not getting doubles on baby gear.
What was your experience?
I’d get a side by side double stroller, not a front/back one. They’re easier to push. Everything else you should be ok to use for both kids.
of course you need two beds and bouncy seats. several boppy cushions. i don’t think you should have to double up on everything though but you will need more than a mom having one baby. think bottles, and washrags and things. they will go through faster than if you had just one baby. you don’t have to have two of every toy though. they will have the benefit of having to learn to share.
Seeing you are doing DOUBLE of what I am I will try to help you out as best as I can…
1) My son loves his bobby, I would imagine most babies to, If I was you I would get several of those because they are very convient and comfotable not only to them, but to mommies as well.
2) I love the travel system stroller, but I don’t think they make tandam ones like that, so I would get a side-by-side stroller. I have pushed one and they are like whipped butter compared to the other styles.
3) I would only get one bouncer and one swing because bobbys do wonders and if it’s a little swinging, bouncing, or vibration your babies crave you could put one in each, no need to have both babies in a bouncer at the same time. PLUS most babies perfer one or the other…
4) I would get a pack & play and just put 2 sleep positoners in it and place your twins in that at night for the first month or so, that way they can both sleep next to you and next to eachother – think about it… these babies have been together for the last 10 months, no need to “rip” tem apart just yet.
5) As for bottles, formula, pacifiers and other esentials I would double up on… I have ONE son and he goes through so much. Be wise and have more just in case.
I know I am not a mother of twins, but I do have a son and I hope I helped you even in a small way… Even If I didn’t just know that you will learn a lot about your babies in the first couple of weeks and you will begin to know what they like and don’t like… It will be hard, God only knows, for having one is crazy enough, but I WOULD NOT trade these days ( and long nights) for anything in the entire world!
I don’t have twins, but I have 2 daughters who are 11 months and 3 days apart in age, so it’s very much like having twins sometimes.
Doubles which I find are important are:
Bottles – unless you have time to constantly wash and sterilize having more is a big benefit.
Double Stroller – getting out and about is important for your sanity and this really makes it a lot easier.
Car Seats – self explanatory
Cribs – At first you can share cribs – but once they move it’s important that they have their own spaces.
You really don’t need 2 change tables or anything like that. I do think 2 bouncers, 2 swings and 2 bumbo chairs or boppy pillows really does help. You may also benefit from 2 exercausers or just duplicates of entertainment items.
I know I don’t have twins, or even two babies, but I wanted to share my opinion anyhow.
Most “gear” is something that you can only do with one baby at a time, besides car seats and booster chairs for the table. You can’t use two changing tables at once (if you’re into that) because, well, you can only change one diaper at a time. If Dad/whomever is around it would be possible to use them both at once, but obviously it’s just as easy to change on the bed/floor or wait for one to finish. You’d bathe both together in one tub or separately, one after the other, so it’s not like you’d use two baby tubs (again, if you’re into those).
It could be a good idea to have two little swings or two bouncers, but you could probably even get away with one of each unless you notice that both of them love the swing and hate the bouncer, or vice versa.
If you like baby-wearing, you would probably want two slings (hotslings or ring sling style) and see if you can wear them both at the same time. Of course, they could both fit together in a wrap when newborns.
(I would suggest getting booster seats for the table instead of high chairs, though, since they take up a lot less room, have a longer age where they’re useful, and are easy to pick up and take with you to Grandma’s or a restaurant.)
well, obviously two car seats and later two high chairs, as you said. I would go with infant carriers instead of a convertible car seat at first. They come in very handy. And a double stroller is a must- i recommend the kind that sits one in front of the other, they’ree sooo easy to maneuver. I can push mine with one hand. My boys are almost 5 months and they still share a crib, even though I have two. Also, only one swing and bouncey seat, although two swings come in handy when you are alone with the babies when they are newborns. And only one diaper bag, just get a bigger one rather than a smaller one. You could also probably get away with only one walker when they get into that, but I plan to go ahead and buy two. We’re also debating whether we want full high chairs or the kind you strap into a seat and later use as a booster.
I have 2 highchairs.
I had 2 boucy/rocking chairs(they are too big for them now)
I have 2 cribs. Mind you they shared one for naps till they were 6 months as the wee girl wasnt sleeping thru and slept with us at night till then.
I have 2 exersaucers. But we got them at about 5 months old.
I only have 1 playpen its not something we use often so i didnt see the need to double it. They also shared the bassinet in it till they were too big for it.
And 2 car seats.
I have a double stroller AND a single stroller. Babies dont always go everywhere together. And often i prefer the single with my moby carrying the smaller one…Doubles suck so much lol.
It isnt necessary to double everything they will always want the toy the other one has even if its the exact same thing.
Good Luck.
Our twins are 14 months old – we have a double stroller, 2 car seats, we have one high chair and one space-saver high chair to save some room, 2 cribs ( you can get away with one for a few months but after that you need two), 2 bouncy chairs (great place for naps), double the bottles as I only wanted to run the dishwasher once a day and didn’t want to wash by hand. We also have a pack & play that had a double bassinet top – it is by Graco and came in handy. You will also go through twice the diapers, wipes etc . . .
Things like toys, changing table, bath tub etc . . . you only need one of as they can learn to share and you can only change or bathe one at a time in the baby tub.
Hope this helps!
Congrats and best wishes!
I found it helpful having two of these things listed below:
crib
bouncy seat
car seats
high chair
sit up bath seats for when older
things I had two of but didn’t really end up needing two of
swing
toy gym
potty chair
I had one exersaucer and it was fine. I never did double of every toy either, they have more variety when you just do different toys. Of course double the amount of bottles will be helpful.
they don’t have to be in the swing at the same time, one can be in the swing, one in the bouncy or one in the swing one playing on floor with gym etc…so no need for two really.
The bouncy seats are nice to have two of because they seem to be used so much and when mine were little I used them to feed them as well.
My twins are older now so they probably have new baby stuff out that wasn’t even around when my kids were babies.
Well, mine are only 13 days old:), but the only thing we have really needed double of is car seats. I bought ones from BabyTrend- they are well rated and lightweight enough to carry around. That brand also has a nice stroller that you can latch the car seats into and they fit from 5-30lbs. They have been sharing a bassinet and I figure I will buy anything else as I need it. I wish I would have bought more preemie outfits and especially sleepers because they tend to be earlier and smaller. My biggest recommendation is the nursing pillow I bought. It’s fantastic and has made nursing them together so much easier (and I find it way easier and faster to nurse both at once).
http://www.doubleblessings.com/servlet/Detail?no=271
http://www.babytrend.com/car_seats_flex-loc/
http://www.babytrend.com/strollers_snap-n-go/1305TW.html
* I also recommend the Baby K’tan soft carrier. It wears like a Moby but is easier to get into. It has a position for carrying twins and my girls have done great with it.
http://www.babyktan.com/gallery.html
i have double car seats highchairs cots bumbos sterilisers bottles some toys i have 2 of did have 2 mosses baskets and bouncers i have found it easier to get the big things in double and the smaller things not so much i found it easier to have 2 sterilisers as i was doing so much steralising with 1 it was taking 3 runs for it to steralise a days worth of bottles alot of toys they have they share and they share clothes at the moment if you want any advice or support from parents of multiples visit http://doubletroubleuk.webs.com/ also i had to have 2 cots and mosses baskets as they would not sleep together so this may be something worth thinking about