Seeking Advice on "Must-haves" for Friend Expecting Twins

I have an extensive excel spreadsheet of what I bought & where. I can email to you. I can be reached @ ____@____.com

I've got 8,5 month twins. There have already been tons of repsonses, so just a quicky - 2 bouncy seats that vibrate and have something for the kids to play with (fisherpirce rainforest -- great!! and my kids just now slowly getting out of these - these keep me sane). A double stroller with the click in car seats.

*Bag sleepers (carters is best): http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3159314

*Reciving blankets

*Mummy cloths (water proof lap pads)

*Diapers

*Wipes and/or wash cloths

*Thermometer

*Gripe water or equivalent

*Bouncy chair (the kind they can lay in for the first 4 months) with a vibrator.

*A few clothes the next size up.

Hello. I am a mother of Billy and Brianna, nine month old twins. THey are the BEST! The fun thing is they entertain themselves most of the time which allows me to run around and do laundry, dishes, cook, etc.

The MOST wonderful thing for us has been the exer-saucers. WE got 99% of our stuff from friends and we have two different types of exer-saucers and the twins love to hang out and chat to eachother as they play in the saucers.

I also love my diaper champ. Granted it fills up 2-3 times a week, but it is really easy to use and I line the bottom with dryer sheets to cut down on the smell.

Baby Bjorn. I have the $$$ sport version with the back support. IT is amazing! I push my boy (he is 5 lbs, heavier that his sis) in the single stroller (love the 8 lb. McClarren!!!) while I carry his sister in the bjorn. It is wonderful for Dr. appts. and man do we have a lot of those!

Just finding a twin group has been helpful and having meals delivered preserved my sanity although I still lose it at times. Thank god for MIL.

I have 15 month old twins and the best layette gift I received was a set of Aden & Anais blankets. They are good for swaddling - big enough to swaddle two babies at once! - good for sun shades, picnic blankets, all kinds of things. We still use them frequently.

other than a double stroller, most other baby items aren't twin specific. some things she will need more of (diapers, receiving blankets, clothes, etc.) and for others it's best to start with one (bouncy seat, swing, other similarly space-hogging items) because some babies will love swings and hate bouncies and others are the opposite, and you can always rotate them between the swing and bouncy if they like both.
Things we found really useful for our twins (who are 7YO now so there might be other cool stuff that wasn't around when ours were babies):
- the "ultimate crib sheet" by Basic Comfort -snaps on top of regular sheets and SOOO much easier to change than a regular fitted crib sheet
- Halo sleep sacks in assorted sizes
-instead of big high chairs, we got the chairs that strap on to a regular chair (we stuck ours on folding chairs). Several companies make these, we got the 3-stage feeding seat from the First Years. Takes up less space than highchairs, is portable, easy to clean, and when they're ready to sit at the regular table it's WAAAY easier to pop the tray off and scoot them up to the table with these chairs than it would be with a high chair. We used ours from when our kids first started solids at about 4 months all the way up until they were around 4 YEARS old and tall enough to sit at the table without the added "boost"
I've got a list somewhere in my computer, will post back if I find it!

PS: Personally the one "Must Have" on our list isn't an item in a baby store - it's our local Parents of Multiples club. go to www.NOMOTC.org and there's a zip code search feature that will give you contact info for the clubs in your area. It's a great place for information (e.g., which ped's offices are good with twins, twin-friendly parks and shops, support groups, playgroups, and gently-used clothes and gear - most clubs have at least one annual 'garage sale' and a newsletter or email bulletin board for posting items for sale/items wanted

large flannel recieving blankets. Usually not found in stores, but local "crafters" may have or be able to make them.

When I had my twins, I felt that I didn't need 2 of some of the major things...I was wrong. I started out with just one swing, one bouncy chair and one pack-n-play (I'd get 2 separate ones..not the big one they have for twins...they only sleep together for a few months)...ended up getting a second of each. I wished I had put them on my registry!!! Some moms may disagree...but I really needed them. When there is only one of you and two of them, you need a place to put them. I used the swings and bouncy chairs a lot during the night time feedings that I did on my own during the week. I also ended up getting a second boppy pillow too. I used these a ton and not always for feeding.

Along with the normal things all babies need...I really liked The Miracle Blanket and the crib music/soother.

One thing you might want to pass onto your friend is that if she isn't given some of these things...not sense in buying new ones...you can get very good used ones for a lot less...I didn't learn this until my 3rd child. You use the stuff for such a short time!!

Congratulations to your friend!!!

The book or DVD of Happiest Baby On the Block and a white noise machine (the bear is found at sleepwellbaby.com).
It helps deal with that first 3 months, and gives awesome soothing techniques.
And yes 2 of everything - they don't have to be identical things either...the kids will have very different personalities...
Swaddling blankets
swings 2
bouncer with vibration 2
slings - large to fit both at same time
twin nursing pillow (i think they have those)
pack-n-play large enough for them to sleep together at first
with at changing station
comfy pj's for mom...something to make her feel good

also check into twin support groups. I hear they are very very helpful.
Best wishes for a healthy set!

As a mother of twins I can say that it is best to just get two of everything. There were a few things that I didn't get two of, like I only had one swing, but my girls didn't really like to sit in it too long. A must is two bouncers! I got the rainforest bouncers that vibrate and they loved them. They can sleep together for the first few months in a pack-n-play, but eventually they will need their own cribs once they start rolling. My girls are very active sleepers and there is no way they could sleep together now. All of their toys I buy in sets of two, it is just easier. They will always want the toy that the other one has so I just buy two. I agree that the booster chairs are a better buy than the big high chairs. I got a twins breastfeeding pillow from doubleblessings.com (good website for twins specific items), but I wasn't able to breastfeed so it was a waste of money and it is expensive. If she wants something like that I would recommend waiting until she has the babies and make sure she is able to breastfeed first.

One thing that is not a registry item, but was the best advice I got when I was pregnant with my twins was to get them on the same schedule. This will save your sanity. I read the babywise books and they were great. My girls have been on the same schedule since birth and started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks old. It is a lot of work at first but the reward is worth it.

Good luck and if your friend has any questions about having twins I would be happy to talk to her.

God Bless
angie

Well, I'm another mom of twins, mine are now 8 though.

Things that I would have to say are a must are:
The fisher-price infant to toddler rocker (loved mine!) I used it to place one of the girls in while feeding the other, for them to just hang out in, and when they were older it was where I first fed them baby food.

Plenty of flannel blankets, I agree with another mom and think getting the larger ones are best. We still have some that were made and given to us. They are great for plane travel.

I found that I didn't need two of everything...especially the swing, pack n play and other big items. My girls learned to share early on. Though I did have two of those baby gyms, one played music, the other didn't. Depending on how much room and money available, buying two of everything is not always the way to go.

I also suggest buying the boosters that fit into a chair vs high chairs...they are large and take up a huge amount of room.

My girls shared a crib for the first 6 months, though we did have two of them from the start. It was simply easier to have them share. I really liked the idea another mom here mentioned, of layering the crib sheets and pads. Wish I had thought of that, though I was lucky and didn't have the need to change them in the middle of the night.

If not breastfeeding, have plenty of bottles on hand.
If the bedroom is located on another floor, have a changing station on each floor. (I never used a changing table, in their bedroom I used the top of their dresser, elsewhere I would use my bed, the couch, the floor-using a blanket)

Definitely a double stroller, though mine did not hold the carseat carriers, I simply moved the girls from the car to the stroller, it wasn't an issue for me. If someone else buys that for her, make sure she is in on the choosing I was very specific in what I wanted. Tandem vs side-by-side.

A good diaper bag is a must!!

Buy diapers and wipes ahead of time, only open one package though, whatever brand you first choose may not work and you can always exchange unopened packages. When I was pregnant, shortly after I found out it was twins I purchased a box of diapers and wipes every payday, starting with the first 2 sizes.

As her friend offer to lend her a hand, even if its just to sit and watch the babies while she takes a shower or runs to the store. My dh was deployed shortly after I had our girls and my brother came over every Saturday morning so I could do those two things and to this day it is probably one of the favorite gifts I ever received.

Lastly, remember that each family is different and no matter what you been told, your friend will figure out what works best for her and the babies. Best of luck!!

I have two sets of twins ages 2 & 10. Diapers are great.
Also an assortment of preemie sized clothes. Both of my pregnancies went to 38 1/2 weeks but all of the babies were under 5 lbs and didn't fit into newborn clothes until at least 6-8 weeks. Walmart has great prices on preemie clothes. I had to send my sister to go buy some when I had the little girls because I was told they would be 7lbs and they were not. Lots of receiving blankets. I absolutely loved my Co-Sleeper and couldn't have lived without it. It makes nursing at night so much easier. We had two Baby Papasans (vibrating seats) we used these everyday until they were about 6 months. Giving yourself as a gift after the babies arrive would probably be most appreciated. I had a lot of help from friends and family, just with dinner, laundry etc. Tell your friend CONGRATULATIONS. And have her check out twinstuff.com There is a wonderful online forum for moms with and pregnant with multiples.

E.,
I have a friend that is having twins to and I have to say with any mom that is going to have 2 is Diapers and baby wipes and lots of them cribs , oneses outfits , blankets car-seats, cribs, but I would tell her to let them sleep together for a while play pin ,nursing shirts, receiving- blankets, and AWHOLE LOT OF LOVIN
Best of luck
Danielle Mom of 4

Lots of diapers! It really adds up when you have two.

Twins just really need more of everything. My newborn is now too big to stay swaddled and then wakes up more frequently at night. I found the Bundle Me Blanket (can be purchased at Babies R Us or on-line) REALLY works well! The more mommy sleeps the happier everyone else is. Another must have is a diaper wipes warmer. It really helps with the middle of the night changes. I wouldn't bother registering for a basinet. Pretty useless with multiples. The babies will more than likely sleep together in one crib so... register for several sheet and mattress pads. I'd also recommend making the crib like this: Mattress pad, sheet, mattress pad, sheet. This way when one baby spits up or blows through their diaper you are not trying to gather the other sheets and make an entire new bed in the middle of the night, you can just strip off the dirty to find clean underneath.

I'd also recommend registering for a Slumber Bear. It has a recording of womb sounds. It is activated by movement or by sound with an auto shut off. It is like an audio pacifier and works so well with my daughter. She will start to cry and and the bear will turn on and she will drift back off to sleep. Start using this bear within a few days of their birth for best results but I found it after she was 4 weeks and it still works great!!

One more thing to consider, when registering for a swing consider one that swings both way side to side and front to back. Some babies are particular on which way they like to swing and they don't cast too much more to purchase.

Good luck and remember you can breastfeed twins!!

the double stroller is a must. the one you can "snap" the infant carrier/carseat into. it is exhausting trying to lug around two infant carriers.

Wow, no one mentioned a nursing pillow. There are special ones for nursing twins at the same time, which is what she will want to do to keep them on the same schedule. I had them. One was foam for home and the other one was inflatable to take on the road. I nursed until my girls were a year old and could not have done it without this special pillow, a regular Boppy will not do. Depending on her finances and available room, I would not recommend two of everything. Neither one of my girls liked their bouncy seats, but loved their swings. Diapers and wipes are a must have double of. The nursing pillow by far was the best thing for me.