Bottles and blankets and sleepers...Oh my!

2moms2b · August 2012

I keep looking at these lists that are "recommended" and man it seems like total overkill... 3 strollers really!?!?!

What items did you really actually need/use? Specifically are there any items that were life savers, especially with twins? Also what items did you never use? Lastly what items did you need but could have gotten later such as highchairs?

Also I wanted some advise to help us settle the big debate... early sleeping environment for twins??? Pack n play, rock n plays, move one crib to our room or a co-sleeper... The choices are abundant but as I plan on keeping them in our room for the first couple of months (napping during day in cribs, in our room at night). I will say I am not big on co-sleeping as we only have a full/queen bed. What did you ladies use and what were the pros and cons?

We live in a very small house so M and I just really want to make sure we have the immediate items for when they arrive but also not clutter up space with things we can get later.

I will also ask this on the multiples/bm board but since you momma's are always so helpful I really wanted your input! Thank you so much in advance!!!!!

2brides · August 2012

See if you have a multiples group in your area. They typically have consignment sales where you can get gently used equipment for CHEAP and then sell it back when you are done. We saved a bundle doing this. Also, having other twin moms to ask questions of/get together with is invaluable.

For the first 4m, the kids both slept in a pack and play in the living room (the regular PNP works just fine - no need to pay more for the twin version) and in a single crib (that we put up in our room) at night. Around 4m they started bothering each other and both went to individual cribs in their own room.

We would have been lost without 2 swings and 2 bouncies (since we also used them for bottle feeding when we were solo.) With twins, it is a constant rotation of arms,swing, bouncy. :P

Yep, we owned 5 stroller over the first 4 years. The double snap and go in a MUST. You can almost always get a used one from another twin mom. So lightweight and easy. We also had a Peg Aria Twin that we thought would be for the mall, but it sucked and we ditched it by 18m. We stuck primarily with our Baby Jogger for everything. Heavy, yes - but so easy to push. We also got 2 singles for when we were both out and about with the kids and got a lot of use from them. So, at a minimum 2 strollers - snap and go and then whatever else you choose. Though I would wait till after the kids are here to get the 2nd stroller. What we thought we wanted pre-kids wasn't what we realized we wanted/needed once we had experience pushing 2 kids around.

Highchairs you will use before you know it. We started using them around 5m when we started solids. Those 5m go by super fast! But, yes you can wait.

Don't buy too many of one kind of bottle. We bought Avent bottles and the kids HATED them. It took 5 different kind of bottles to find the ones they liked. Once you find them, buy enough to last an entire day.

Yea, the Bumbo was a bust in our house too.

Look for an EZ to nurse BFing pillow from another twin mom if you are thinking about BFing. A lot of twin moms swear by them, but I could never get the hang of tandem feeding.

pixie76 · August 2012

Great advice so far!

I second looking for a MOMs group in your area. Most that I have seen have 2 big sales a year. You can find amazing deals. I recommend you get to these sales EARLY for best picks. DW and I always divide and conquer. Look for big ticket items first, then relax and look at toys and clothes. Most also have a premie closet you can borrow from. Those premie clothes are expensive.

Bottles: We had 2 of every bottle ready to go. It sounds funny, but some babies are SUPER finicky when it comes to what they want to use. Older DS would only use Born Free and our twins use Dr. Browns.... oldest DD only used Avent. Figures=) You can get free samples of most bottles. Just contact manufacturer and ask. Worked for us!

Sleeping: We had a Pack'nPlay ready to go in our room. DS had TERRIBLE reflux so the Rock'nPlay is what saved us for him. He actually within the past 2 weeks is just getting out of it. Sleeping in his crib was awful for him and he would scream an hour after laying down flat. DD had one as well, but was fine to sleep flat so her's was used more as a chair.

Sleeping Attire: We loved using the swaddle pods for swaddling. My babies HATE not being able to more thier arms, so this allowed for them to stay "secure" yet wiggle into a comfy sleeping position. They have summer and winter pods. We also LOVED the gowns. Super easy to change in the middle of the night.

Stroller: We got a City Select from the get go. LOVE this stroller. They have the attachment to mimic the Snap and Go (which you can resell super easy) and the multiple seat options work out great. I also love it because If I just have 1 baby I can turn it into a single stroller and off we go.

The bumbo for us was great. My kiddo's love to sit up, so this worked well for us. I could also position the bumbo in front of an activity center and they loved looking at it up right, instead of laying down. You can find these used at a great price.

We do use two swings. We only have 1 exersaucer. We had two papasan style chair's but really only needed 1 because the other kid could just sit in the swing if needed and I could use the papasan chair as needed. (In the bathroom as I shower or just simply to move from room to room if I had a baby that would not sleep)

We bought 2 high chairs that attach to our dining room chairs for the twins. We already had 1 full size high chair from DS and could not imagine having 3. We bought those at the MOM's sale for $12 each and they don't even look like they have been used=)

I prefer to use the Komono style shirts for newborns. Easy to change quickly if there is a spit up without stripping them down and getting that nasty onsie all over them (works well for blow outs also as it does not need to go over the head)

If I think of anything else I will add later!

LolaBelle515 · August 2012

I remember that overwhelmed feeling very, very well!

First, remember that every baby is different...and that's what the list is so overwhelming. Everyone will have different favorites based on their baby. In the end, it's up to you guys--but I'm sure happy to share my favorite things! I don't have twins, but here's my life.

For sleeping: We couldn't live without our Rock N Play. So many babies have acid reflux and ours simply wouldn't sleep on a flat surface. It was a life saver. And, they are very compact and travel well. He slept next to our bed so that it was easy to hear and feed him during the first few months when he was up a lot. We are transitioning him to the nursery and his crib now, since he's sleeping long stretches and outgrowing the Rock N Play.

Other Must Have Items:

Play-mat. Pretty standard, but it was the first thing he actually liked doing. We have one with a piano for him from Target.

Boppy. I think you said you'd be pumping? Whether you're feeding by bottle or breast, this makes it SO much easier.

Baby carrier. I can't say enough good things about the Ergo and the K'tan. The K'tan is less well known, but it is a much easier version of a Moby. Especially with two, I imagine wearing one would really help.

Sound Machine. Target has a great one that plugs in for about $25, online only. We also have smart phone aps, but this way we don't have to keep our phones going all night long.

Diaper Bag: I'm really happy with the backpack style of ours. It is easier to wear than a messenger bag style, I think.

You are right that things like a high chair can wait. Ours is still in its box...and has been for the 6 months since our shower.

Mirror for the car to show them when they're in their carseats. It is so much easier to know if they have fallen asleep or not! Target/BRU, anywhere.

Also, some of the bigger ticket items, like a swing, can really add up. If you aren't sure you want one, pick it up at Once Upon a Child or borrow from a friend. You can always purchase a better one if your kids love it...or get rid of it if they don't!

Good luck and feel free to ask anytime--I loved doing baby stuff research and now know what we needed/didn't need.

TaylorandMel · August 2012

Let me say first off, that every baby is different, and furthermore I'm sure that every set of twins is different. So, what you plan for, may not be what they like &/or what works out.

I will say one big thing is that we're SO glad that we did not have them share a room. They co-slept with us for the first 4 months and now they're in their own rooms. They often woke each other up during the time we were co-sleeping and it is HEAVEN to have them separated now. They sleep 12 hours at night, without interruption.

Must haves:

*A GREAT stroller-we got the baby jogger city select. We use it a lot, worth EVERY penny.

*Swaddlers-our babies have the halo sleep sacks and they love them. Have used since birth, still do.

* At least 20 bottles-we use born free. We originally used the hospital ones when they first came home and we were doing dishes ALL the time. I think any less than 18-20, you'll be doing dishes too much. Unless they're EBF, but with ours being so preemie that didn't happen it was pumped milk and formula.

*Dishwasher baskets-we originally washed it all by hand, but you will go mad, it's just too much with 2 babies.

*Snuza Halo monitors-we LOVE these. When they first came home they were only 5# and all we wanted to do was watch them, it was so hard to sleep, this helped alot.

*Rock n' Play-we got one as an unwanted gift and we thought it was dumb. We were wrong, we use them ALL the time. Though I would recommend getting the noggin nest by boppy because the RNP can make their head flat, especially if they sleep in them (which ours did at first because of reflux).

*Swings-we have one that glides and one that swings (some babies like one or the other). They use them less now, but used them ALOT in the beginning. Also, we have the swing that detaches from the swinging part and is also a bouncy chair. Then you don't need two separate things.

*Boppy-we used these for feeding and tummy time. They still use them now. We plan to just keep them, they can use them as a pillow when older.

* If you're using disposable diapers, it's nice to get a stash ahead of time. I'm really big on couponing and I stocked up ahead of time to not only get them cheap, but we've never had to "run out to get diapers quick before we run out."

*A sound machine or sound animal-not every baby will love this, Isabella could take it or leave it, Gabriel LOVES it.

*A quality gate if you have stairs- Mel's Dad built us a custom wooden one that is fixed to our stairs and we LOVE it. I do not trust those metal ones.

*A video monitor-we have a motorola one that has 2 diff cameras, so one in each of their rooms, and we love it. You can see them very clearly even at night, plus you can talk through it, and it plays music in their room.

My personal opinion is that a bottle warmer is a waste of time. We just used (and still do) the water pitchers from the hospital to heat up water in the microwave and then set the bottle in to warm. We also debated getting a wipes warmer, and didn't. I don't feel like we missed out. We didn't use very many receiving blankets. Some people swear by them, we only had like 6 per baby and that was A-okay.

We have a pack in play that we didn't use that much so far. We intended them to sleep in it for the first couple months, that didn't work out so now it's just sitting. I hope we use it more when they're older.

We thought a walker was unnecessary. People told us that they're not safe and not really popular anymore. My MIL brought us one from a garage sale. The babies love it. They love to see in the kitchen and watch us. We had one as a shower gift that I wish we hadn't returned.

Also, I see that someone else posted the bumbo is worthless. For one baby, that may be true. For two babies it's awesome, because it's a great way to have them both in the tub at the same time. I wouldn't go paying $40 each for them, but on crai.gsli.st you can get them for $15-20 and it's worth that. We also used it to put them in the kiddy pool outside, or when one is in a doorway jumper and you want the other close by. IMO the tray is a waste of money.

This may not be a popular opinion, but with twins, I would not cloth diaper. We originally wanted to. When we found out it was twins, Mel said Nooo. In fact, initially I was a little upset when she put her foot down. Now, I must say, HONEY YOU WERE COMPLETELY RIGHT. I am so glad that we're not dealing with that on top of everything else. We already have enough work and enough laundry, thank God we don't have the hassle of CD too.

ETA: We also like the Medela Quick Clean Bags. We originally got one or two with the breast pump and ended up buying a lot of 20 more on ebay or amazon. They were great to sterile pump parts, bottles, and nipples after they have been washed. I like to run all of their pump parts and bottle parts through that, in addition to the dishwasher 1-2x per week. They're handy.

2moms2b · August 2012

Thank you so much ladies for the time that took!!!! I am so happy to see some of the things we thought were useless probably truly are!

Thank you so much for the advice of looking for local multiples groups and for reminding me about once upon a time.

Also we have had several boxes of things donated to us. We have probably about 20 born free bottles, 25 advent and 15 dr browns so I am hopeful between these we can find one that each LO likes lol.

I think for the stroller as I will have have them a lot by myself after the first few weeks I am going to go with the double snap n go stroller (so much easier to not have to take them out of their seats when we go places like grocery store) and worry about a larger double stroller once they are sitting up well by themselves or when we think they will outgrow their infant seats.

I may still try and cloth diaper once they get a little older but in the beginning we are definitely doing disposables. We have been buying disposables every time we go grocery shopping (a pack a week). The other times I buy are when I find coupons for them. Do you think we need to worry about buying newborn/premie sizes or just 1 and up? I have already bought two packs of premie and one pack of newborn just in case but do I need more?

I do not plan to bf but pump what I can. I am going to rent the pump from our hospital instead of buy as my RE and OB said I may have an issue with milk supply so while they both recommend I try to pump, don't be upset if I am unsuccessful.

Again thank you so much ladies I feel much calmer regarding going to register this weekend and less overwhelmed. I did print a couple of recommended lists to go by just to make sure we don't forget something but I have already crossed "extra" things off the list.

We will probably register for things like the highchairs etc as you never know and more importantly for the completion discount. I will let you know how it goes and how M behaves with the scan gun! I swear it's the only reason she's going.

TaylorandMel · August 2012

2moms2b:

I think for the stroller as I will have have them a lot by myself after the first few weeks I am going to go with the double snap n go stroller (so much easier to not have to take them out of their seats when we go places like grocery store) and worry about a larger double stroller once they are sitting up well by themselves or when we think they will outgrow their infant seats.
I may still try and cloth diaper once they get a little older but in the beginning we are definitely doing disposables. We have been buying disposables every time we go grocery shopping (a pack a week). The other times I buy are when I find coupons for them. Do you think we need to worry about buying newborn/premie sizes or just 1 and up? I have already bought two packs of premie and one pack of newborn just in case but do I need more?

The baby jogger city select is a good option for snap and go, because it has car seat attachments and then switches to chairs when they are older, so you only need the one stroller their entire time they're in a stroller. Granted, it is a little expensive. I think retail the stroller with one seat is $499 and the extra seat is $170, then the car seat brackets are $50 each so you're looking at $770+tax.

With that said, we got it at a time when they had a 30% off sale, so that brought the price down to like $550 and then I bought a gift card from someone online for $150 for a $300 giftcard, plus we had 50% off coupons for the carseat attachments. In the end it was like $350 for an $800 stroller set up. This was our "one big purchase" & worth every penny. Alot of other things we got as gifts or hand me downs.

As for the diapers, I would say preemie diapers are unnecessary. Ours were born at 4#6oz & 4#10oz & never wore preemie dipes, they started in NB size right away. If yours were born any smaller ( I hope not), then they would MAYBE wear preemie dipes @ the hosp but should probably fit in NB by the time they would come home. Thats pretty true for preemie clothes too, IMO.

2brides · August 2012

I would have LOVED the City Select when the kids were little. Boo on it not coming out till well after we were done with strollers.

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