First, I was bleeding like a stuck pig. And wearing a pad every day to catch your blood waterfall does not really scream "SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY, REJOICE!"
Next, the ultrasound people could not see a membrane separating the twins. So I was all, Bad Things Might Happen, Do Not Get Excited, etc.
Then, I got sick. Like...really fucking sick. All day and all night and then I randomly threw up and then I totally understood all those assholes who hated being pregnant and I totally take back all the middle fingers I threw at your blogs and replace them with fist bumps and nods of solidarity. Infinity. Ad Nauseam.
Now...I'm hungry. Starving, actually. And I feel better. And there's a
We find out on October 7 if the
After we find out, project Shop Until My Vagina Explodes will commence. And so I need your help: what on earth does one need to survive newborn twins? I mean, besides Xanax and copious amounts of wine. What do I buy in doubles? What kind of stroller? WHAT THE DEVIL?
Give me your assvice, people. All of it. I will be waiting with bated breath, but only because I will be shoving food in my mouth and will not take many breaks for breathing. But still. I'd like your advice.
I will be working on Olivia's 18 month update, since she's 19 months old today. I spend all my extra time playing with her and it's just so hard to get on the computer when I could be looking at this instead:
 |
| So cute, you can't even get mad when she wipes a booger on your work clothes. |
One Year Ago: 7 Months: We Are About To Be In A World of Trouble
Two Years Ago: The Girl Who Cried Quickening!
57 comments:
I have 1. Kid I mean. I think the best advise for two would be double shift nanny's. And you may want to upgrade the wine to hard liquor. Good luck!
I don't have twins, so this assvice comes second hand, or even worse. My friend just had twin girls. She had a HUGE version of the boppy pillow that is suppose to let you nurse both twins at the same time, if you so desire. Plus, the spot for your belly seemed much roomier than the regular boppy pillow, which I hated because I had a c-section.
I see a triple stroller in your future. ;o)
2 bouncy seats (not matching, though, because that's lame and the more variety the better to keep them happy), 1-2 swings, 2 infant carriers with a double snap n go stroller, a peg perego triplette which will allow you to snap in 2 infant carriers and a regular seat for Olivia, 1 crib is probably fine for the first 6 months or so (then use Olivia's crib for the 2nd and put her in a toddler bed), 2 bumbos, 2 boppies, a mini crockpot to keep warm water in all day for very fast bottle heating, a formula pitcher (dr browns or pampered chef), playtex drop-ins to cut down on your dishes, lots of swaddle blankets to keep them comfy because there is no way in hell you can cuddle them as much as you did with one baby, a changing table for your living room because walking across the house times 2 or 3 just blows. That's all I can think of for now.
we have twins and if you search you can find lots of lists...but for us - we had the quattro tour duo stroller by graco, i had one big nursing pillow not a boppy - the boppy was useless with twins, we had two bouncers, two bumbo seats, two high chairs, two cribs (though they shared for the first 2 months), two walkers, millions of diapers, etc...for starters...
Mini crockpot for bottle warming = best idea EVER! Why didn't I think of that?
The best stroller I've seen for twins and a toddler (which is what I have as far as kiddos come) is the Bumbleride twin stroller with jump seat (it's a toddler seat you add to it)...this is not the stroller I have but wish I did! We have a Combi Twin and it works well and now that our son is almost three he usually just walks.
As far as what you need double of, cribs of course, bouncy chairs, I say two portable swings because they take up less space, two boppy pillows (saved our life for feedings), two high chairs.
For feedings, I suggest ordering something called "Milk Maid Bottle Holders" they prop the bottle for you and it's ah-mazing! We used these all the time, especially when out, and it made having a toddler along with the twins so much easier b/c he wasn't always waiting on me to do feedings.
I can't think of anything else right now, just put the kids down for bed so my brain is a little fried from the day. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or want to talk more about twins + 1!
OK, I have 4 month old girl/boy twins. I am not expert. Lots of days we are just getting by. If everyone makes it to bed happy at night, i count it as a successful day. I started out saying we will NOT get two of everything. But, now we have two swings, two bouncy seats, two boppies...you get the point. The two swings have been our best investment. They soothe and contain when nothing else will work. Bottles (if you go that route): Someone told me 12 would be enough. They were crazy. That's enough if I wanted to spend hours washing. I did that for a couple of weeks, literally 1 hour washing bottles a day. Now, we have 25 bottles and run the dishwasher every 36ish hours. Bottles get priority in the dishwasher. Get a huge diaper bag. We have 4 strollers. It is probably excessive, but they all have a good purpose. We have two singles, a Maclaren Twin Techno and the Bumbleride Indie Twin. The Indie Twin is my favorite. I use it everywhere. The basket and canopies are huge. It is heavy, but worth it. And, lots and lots of wine. Have fun. It is totally worth it.
I do not have twins, but babies 16 months a part, The side-by-side double stroller is much better than front to back as it allows easier access to both and both have a good "view". Love my Combi. Get them on the same schedule...it will suck at first, but pay off later. Good luck!
I do not have twins, but babies 16 months a part, The side-by-side double stroller is much better than front to back as it allows easier access to both and both have a good "view". Love my Combi. Get them on the same schedule...it will suck at first, but pay off later. Good luck!
mmmmm...reality setting in is a big deal. welcome aboard.
first stroller must-have is the double snap n go. just a lightweight frame that will hold both car seats. easy to operate & best when they're infants.
we've used a graco duo glider and a baby jogger city mini. I like each for different reasons & wish I could combine them. kinda have a crush on the bumbleride strollers. sigh. $$$. If you're gonna be out & about a lot w/ them, focus on weight of the stroller and how easy it is to push, turn, etc. Especially with 30, 40, 60 pounds in there.
My fave baby item are the Bright Starts infant seats. Better than a bouncy. They sit high on a strong frame, vibrate, rock, etc. My boys slept in them a lot, I could bottle feed both at the same time, looooong vibrate to soothe to sleep & you can easily move them around. I think they're the best! We got by w/ 1 swing, 1 saucer, etc. We used dr. brown's bottles & they were hard to keep up w/...so many parts they just took over our kitchen. Loved the dr brown's mixing pitcher for large batches of formula. My boys always slept separately - first in infant seats & bassinets, and then in cribs (in the same room). That's all I can think of for now.
I haven't the foggiest as to what to buy when having twins. This comment serves no purpose other than to finally have a chance to use a fat albert joke (circa last post) that I can never fit into context. "Yo momma so fat she make fat albert look like normal albert." Gold! In this case "yo mama" refers to me because I am bigger than you and I am zero months pregnant. Win! Additionally please post more pics of Olivia because really? How can one child contain so much of the adorable? :)
The big nursing pillow everyone is referring to is called the EZ2nurse twins pillow. I had two (one for the nursery, one for the living room) and an extra cover for each. Find your local mothers of multiples club. That is the best place to get second hand equipment, plus they will probably bring you food when they are born. I second the two bouncy seats and two swings. We had the graco travel swings that their carseats snapped into and they were amazing for keeping them asleep when they fel asleep in the car, plus they fold up really small when you're not using them.
We had the Kohlcraft Contour Options twin stroller. It is the only one I found that can have two infant seats, two regular seats, or any combo, so it lasts a long time. Also, you can face either seat forward or backward. I guess that is why they call it options.
Two boppies- even if they don't work for tandem breastfeeding twins, they are great for lounging, tummy time, etc. Face it- you're not going to have both babies in yoru arms at the same time much, so one is going to be lounging around a lot. I agree that two bouncers and two swings are vital and I also agree that you should get different ones to give your babies a little variety. Most babies are stuck with one bouncer or swing, yours will get to switch it up. I think the Dr. Brown formula pitcher is fabulous. We have an extra large play mat so they can both fit under it. A HUGE diaper bag (I'm partial to the Skip Hop Double Duo Deluxe). If you're a bassinet type next-to-your-bed kind of gal, get an Arms Reach Co-sleeper. The weight limit on the bassinet part goes up to 30 lbs, while most pack and plays only go up to 20 lbs which you max out on pretty darn fast with two bebes.
Hooray, things are looking up! Shopping time!
Even if they are the same sex, I'd get them different looking stuff. And you'd never dress all three of your kids identically, would you?
Then just keep soaking up the special times with Olivia, it's precious!
My twins are three now. I think you need two Boppy pillows, they came in handy for all sorts of propping up stuff when you just don't have enough hands. One pack n play is plenty, one crib is enough for months, at least. We had one swing, one bouncy seat, one Exersaucer, one Bumbo, one play gym. All those things just rotated, you know? If both kids were huge freaks for the swing, I guess two would have been nice. But only one really loved it, so she used it most of the time. It was the answer for a while to the question "How do you get two babies to sleep at the same time?" You feed both together, swaddle them, then put one in the swing while you take the other one to the nursery (or wherever it naps). When that one is down, you come back to the one in the swing. If the swing baby had fallen asleep, I left her there to nap rather than risk waking her up. If she was still awake, I took her into another room and put her down. (I know you didn't ask that, but it's a pretty common panicked question from new twin moms at some point.) Someone else mentioned the Bumbleride twin with a jump seat...yeah, that thing is awesome. It didn't exist when I had twins, and it's expensive. But please get it so I can live vicariously through you.
I also second the suggestion to find your local Parents of Multiples group. I love mine. I've made friends, gotten advice. It's nice hanging out with other people who get it and aren't judgy.
We had two bouncy seats, one swing, one playmat, one jumperoo, one boppy, one "My Brest Friend" (good for nursing new wee babies, if you decide to go that route, I nursed mine one at a time on it), started with a snap and go (very useful in the beginning- who wants to wake a sleeping baby to strap them into a stroller?), and then moved up to a BOB duallie revolution (handles AMAZINGLY well- alas, only room for two though... not sure how that would work with Olivia). We skipped all bassinets, cosleepers, etc, and just had the girls share a crib in our room with a crib divider so they wouldn't disturb each other. We smushed them in there for a good 5 months. We also kept a pack n play with a 'newborn napper' and changing station in our living room, which came in very handy.
I would look for local twin group resales. I don't know how many there are in your area, but in MA, there are a ton (mostly in the spring and fall), and good condition pack n plays, snap and go frames, bouncy seats, etc. are available by the DOZEN.
I went to lunch today with a mom who had a really nice double stroller. It folds up and then folds in half, so it fits in the trunk of a car. I will find out what kind it was.
My SIL had twins, and they were talking about a night nurse. I think that would be the best idea.
The mothers of multiples club sales are supposed to be really awesome, so I hope you can find one in your area.
Two front packs. One that fits The Man is a must. We have a Graco DuoGlider stroller and it has worked well for us. Two bouncy chairs. Three boppy pillows (one spare for chucks or poopsplosions). Two swings. Loads of receiving blankets for swaddling. Even at 38 weeks, mine were too small for the Miracle Blanket.
Heavy-duty Motrin or darvocet for the backache you'll have.
You totally need a double stroller with a sit and stand attached because you basically have triplets.
Oh and word verification says you're having a boy. I swear it says you're having a boy. If I knew how to do a screen shot, I'd totally do it because it says "dingle". Like dingle.....the thing between a boys legs dingles.....Yeah! Dingle! It's at least ONE boy.
I am 100% sure you are having boys. I will fall out of my chair if you say girl. I have no idea why. I've never met you, but I am certain you are growing two boys in there.
We, too, have a Kolcraft Tandem that rocks my world but it is probably not so helpful in the twins + toddler realm. You're getting a lot of the same advice so I'll just say, one of most things works. The only thing we absolutely needed 2 of were the boppies. The babies practically lived in theirs for months.
No assvice. But you look pretty. And way too small to be having twins.
I know. This is the best comment EVAH.
Join your local twin club now so you can get some stuff second hand. The snap n go is a great invention, very handy for the first few months. And Olivia will probably stay in childcare while you are on maternity leave, right? So you will go places with just the twins in their carriers, and you need the snap n go for that! I don't have a third child, but it sounds like a double stroller that has a jumpseat for Olivia would be best.
The EZ 2 Nurse Twins pillow (another great thing to get secondhand) is another must. You can breastfeed OR bottlefeed on that thing. Next to where you do the feedings, you will need a boppy to "stage" the babies for loading on and off the pillow. If you do bottles only, many twin moms prefer 2 boppies. You'll need 2 anyway!
We loved the Fisher Price cradle swings, and we started with 1 but had to buy a second. We had 2 bouncies but didn't use them nearly as much as the swings.
We used over 600 diapers the first month. STOCK UP!!
We had my baby shower organizer send an evite inviting everyone to sign up for a day to bring us dinner. That way we got food, and people met the babies at a slower rate.
We didn't have a newborn doula or night nurse, but my mom spent 3 nights during the first month and my husband took the first 5 weeks off. It would be a good idea to line up some help so you can take a nap or spend some QT with Olivia. "Sleep when your baby sleeps" pretty much does not work with twins. I had to get people to take them out of the house so I could nap!! The first few months are ROUGH, but after that it gets better.
Lots of great advice! I have 13 month old twin boys and a 3.5 year old. BTW, the crockpot idea is freakin awesome and I wish I'd known that a year ago!!!
Ok, a list:
2 swings, 2 bouncy chairs, 2 high chairs. I've always used the booster kind with the twins as well as my 3 yo because my kitchen just isn't big enough for those big high chairs. Plus they're a PITA to clean. I can take my boosters outside when they get super disgusting and scrub em and rinse with the hose. I had a Boppy from the first kid but I also got a My Brest Friend for the twins and it was better than the Boppy...I just hate the name. Oh, 2 Baby Bjorns!! My husband and I wore the twins all.the.time. It's great when you have a toddler to follow around.
I didn't have the Double Snap and Go but I'd get it if I were you...I was just too cheap after all the other crap we bought. I used the Graco Duo Glider (lent from a friend) and it sucks. Hard to manuver and heavy as shit. I have the BOB Duallie Revolution (bought off Craigslist) and it's great. Also, my 3 yo sits in the front triangle and his legs straddle the front wheel and it works great for 3. I also got this Step 2 wagon from a friend and I use it all the time now. It has separate cars and I have three, so I can take the twins and Zach, each car has a cup holder and seat belts!! It's the best thing ever because the twins hate being in any stroller right now.
Ok, off the top of my head: For home - Mine slept in one crib until they started rolling around, but obviously, you need two of those. We only used the one pack and play at home, but two are a must for overnights anywhere else. Two bouncy seats (or more if you want to leave a set upstairs and a set downstairs), two swings, two highchairs, two bumbos, two boppies for lounging in. We used and exersaucer and a jumper at the same time and just traded off, so we didn't need two of either of those.
For out and about - Double snap and go (in my garage when you are ready!). It works with Graco or Chicco. I LOVE my Bumbleride Indie Twin, and whoever said you need to think about ease of pushing is 100% right. Today at the zoo, I was carrying both of them AND pushing my stroller. It turns on a dime. Love it.
More baby washcloths, burp clothes, and bibs than you think you will need. Enough bottles to only have to wash once a day. I never did a formula pitcher but we used the big bottles to mix in. A nice big diaper bag.
I'll keep thinking :-)
My sister had twins and she had a night nurse come in 3 times a week so that she and her husband could get some sleep. If you can afford it, it might be a good way to go.
Ditto what most have already said. We borrowed an extra bouncy seat and papasan swing. Both were invaluable. You may heed a second crib sooner than you think if one us sleeping better, that whole they won't wake each other thing is crap. I tried putting them in the sane crib and they smacked eachother in the face . Two cribs, two rooms. Although now they can share a room when we travel. Join your local mutiples group, ours has a massive consignment sale twice a year. Great for additional stuff toys and getting rid of additional stuff and toys.
And a night nurse, get a night nurse. You and your husband can only manage on no sleep for so long. Do it early to help get them on a schedule, even only a few nights a week so you both can get a solid 6-8 hours. I resisted and a then at four months when they still were not sleeping, my husband needed to travel for work. We hired a woman who was a godsend. She came on the night husband was out if town and could sleep for eight blissful hours. She was amazing . Do it, start researching now, you won't regret it.
I didn't read through all the other advice, but I'm sure the other moms have covered the bases. I will suggest using the Snap-N-Go for the months when they are comfortably contained in their infant carseats. I now have the MacLaren Twin Techno, and it is wonderful. Side-by-side stroller (I had heard of too many fights with the kid in back non-stop harassing the kid in front with a tandem stroller), and the MacLaren fits through all handicap-accessible doors -- most side-by-side strollers don't do that, and the MacLaren allows you to actually go places that would otherwise be off limits with a stroller.
Also -- this sounds totally Debbie Downer -- but you might want to go to a few couples therapy sessions with the husband just to iron out any kinks/issues you guys might have. Newborn twins (and multiple children, in general) put a tremendous amount of stress on any relationship, and any resentment/feelings you were having before will just be exacerbated.
Good luck, I will be interested to see if you are having boys or girls! I am hoping boys -- but, I have twin boys, and they are awesome.
hi! ok, I'm no expert but I do have 5 month old twins so I'm in the thick of it right now...
I love the double snap'n go and even though we have a BabyTrend double jogger (which I love), I still use the snap'n go for everything other than off-road walks. We actually have 4 bouncy chairs (bought some used to make it affordable) and leave 2 upstairs and 2 downstairs. We have 2 boppies but the boys weren't able to sit comfortably in them until only recently, so we had to rely on the bouncy seats. (Breastfeeding twins only lasted for 1 month for me, so then I bottle-fed them side by side in the bouncy seats, which worked out very well.) I wouldn't buy a second swing until you find out if both babies really like it - only 1 of mine likes the swing so one swing sits empty and was a total waste of money. Regarding the baby carriers (BabyBjorn, etc), just think about whether you and DH will be carrying them around at the same time or not... we have 2 carriers but can only use them when DH and I are together. (When it's just one of us watching the babies you can't really use it if you're going anywhere... I know, thank you captain of the obvious) We end up rarely using the baby carriers, other than me sometimes wearing a baby around while washing dishes or something, if the other is sleeping.
Regarding the cribs... there are essentially two schools of thought on whether to sleep them together or separately. One side says that they are used to being together and comfort each other, so sleep them in the same crib to keep them happy. The other side points to research showing increased risk of SIDS when they're sleeping in the same crib. Our pediatrician is a NICU specialist and still said he'd be fine with our babies sleeping together (despite being preemies, which inherently are at greater risk for SIDS), but we were too worried and figured we'd need 2 cribs eventually, so we slept them separately from day 1 and they were never unhappy about it. So, I would recommend that you read up on the two sides and then just go with your gut! There are definite pros and cons to both approaches and what is right is probably just whatever you feel best doing.
Good luck! having twins may be the hardest thing you've done, but it's also absolutely amazing, awesome and exhilerating! Welcome to the twin club!!
my husband is a twin... Does that mean I get to comment? From all the talking my mother-in-law does she LOVED having the boys. They were so much easier than their diva sister, who we love, even when her hubs was out of the country for 6 months. They are identical and therefore estabolished the color system for allowing people to tell them apart. They were born almost a month early and everyone says they looked like monkies with all the dark hair covering them. She was successful at brestfeeding and pumping. She had 2 of everything except a crib until they started rolling. She loved having them in the same room once they were older because they could listen ont ehir monitor to the 'twin talking' that was going on. The boys were pretty good about waking up and entertaining themselves in their room until they were woken up. They entertained themselves more so not as many toys are really needed. She was in a twin's club and went to Twinsburg, OH once a year to participate in a festival. I've only gone once and it was actually pretty cool and completely corny. There you go. I'm mentally preping for the chance that one of the pregnancies in my future will be multiples (it's on both sides of the family) and those are the stories that I like to hear about. Also remember to video tape as often as possiable! the home movies are AWESOME!
Good luck and have fun with it once they're here!
My twin girls are now six. My best advice to you is to remember that what works for me may not work for you. Seriously. I can't remember how many people told me what to do and it didn't work for us. Take lots of pictures as you won't remember the first year. Sleep whenever you can. Don't beat yourself up if breast feeding doesn't work. The first year of twins is hard. But when they get older it gets so much easier. Twins are fascinating and cool. And you are a very lucky mommy. Though you might not feel like it now! Good luck and congratulations!
Dude, ditto everything Cernanac family said.
For real.
Also possibly a sound machine like a Sleep Sheep. When they hit 5ish months old, make sure you have two exersaucers. The reason for this is they can "stand up" and see each other, and if you get two different kinds then there's more variety. Also one of my dudes gets really jealous and pissy if his brother is in a saucer and he's not, so we got another :)
Ditto on the skip hop duo delux (or whatever the F&$# it was called - I am too lazy to scroll up)
Got no assvice on the two...except I have heard to contact a local multiples group. Glad to see a cute baby pic but DAMN woman, your garage is clean!!! Man you can even fit CARS in it & all...
*wiping spittle from chin*
You might need a bigger car, unless you already have a mini van.
We got the Baby Jogger City Select because it is way easier to maneuver with two car seats than a snap and go(it lets you attach two car seats, and then converts to a regular stroller when they are stroller competent).
We got a great list out of a book called "You can breastfeed twins". I can't remember if you bf'd or not, but the list is great.
I have absolutely ZERO advice in the twin department, but I do have a question since I consider YOU my pregnancy/newborn twin. Everything that happpened to me happened to you and everything that Olivia went through is what my daughter dealt with too.
That being said, I'm hesitant about starting my next round of Clomid for baby numero 2 because I'm completely freaked that I won't be as lucky this time to get a singleton like I was last time. So finally my question is, what are your plans for working or not when the babies come? I too work and while we do fine now - we ain't rollin in da bills in these parts. I think I'm most scared about the possibility of multiples when it comes to paying daycare vs. staying home. Anyway, just curious what your plans are.
Can you keep a list of recommendations so that if I end up with twins, you can send it to me? Or post it or something, you know, to help those introverts among us.
Well, when my husband and I found out we were pregnant with twins, we were all "...it won't be that hard! It will make us love each other more, work together..." blah, blah blah. My twins are tough. And I now hate my husband (haha, joke... well sort of....). We joke that if they could talk, they would be saying, "...dance bitch, dance!" That being said, everyone's experience is different. I have one (neglected) baby who is satisfied to kick around in his boppy lounger all day, while smiling and waving at the ceiling fan. I have another (jerk... lovable jerk, that is) who thinks it is unacceptable that I cannot hold him 24 hours a day.
Here are my product recommendations:
- 2 Boppy Loungers... not the regular kind, the LOUNGER. Best thing I ever bought for my twins. I don't even use a pack and play anymore because my boys like to sit in the Loungers so much.
- Double Snap and Go. Will afford you with your first opportunity to get out of the house. Otherwise, you're just a hostage.
- Double Jogging Stroller. I have a Schwinn Turismo. Absolutely gigantic, barely fits in the back of my SUV, but well worth the headache. I can take my boys for awesome walks in the city where I live and they look like they are comfy.
- A mini van. SERIOUSLY. We just went to the beach for the week in our Toyota Camry. Logistical nightmare. At one point, I had to climb in the back seat to feed the boys. My fat ass (from gaining 60 pounds while pregnant with twins) barely fit in between the two car seats. MINI VAN. No joke.
- Both my boys hate the swing and the bouncer. Why swing or bounce in a battery powered contraption when you can have a real live person bounce or swing you if you just cry loud enough?
But, I digress. As far as advice:
- Breast feeding... fuck that. You are not a cow! Breast feeding twins means you are either pumping or have a kid on your tit. CONSTANTLY. Forget having a life or leaving the house. Unless you're a bust out your boob in public person. I am not. I lasted about a month and realized the boob feeding life was not for me. And don't let the boob nazis at the hospital make you feel bad about deciding not to breast feed. They suck.
- Take it easy while pregnant. SERIOUSLY. My water broke at 31 weeks and I spent the next three weeks on hospitalized bed rest. Not fun. My boys were healthy at 34 weeks, but I still worry about developmental delays, etc. They spent two weeks in the NICU, sharing a room with 30 week old twins. The 30 weekers were in some rough shape. The last I heard, they both failed their first hearing test and the one has a heart condition. Really... kick up your feet and relax. You don't want to be the reason for your kiddos making an early appearance. This will definitely be your last opportunity to be lazy because YOU'RE HAVING TWINS. After they are born, no more opportunities for sloth will present themselves.
- Fuck everybody. I can only tell you about my experiences. All babies are different and your experiences will be your own. You may have perfect angel babies who sleep all night and coo all day. Who knows. So basically the only thing you should take from my ramblings is to buy the mini van. Seriously. BUY THE MINI VAN.
XOXO Andrea
I agree with everyone else. Do what you can to save time and keep the babies happy. Swings, bouncers, swaddles, white noise machine, soothers etc.
If you bottle feed, save time at night by putting a cooler/bar fridge stocked with bottles and an electric bottle warmer right in the bedroom.
Dress the twins mainly in sleepers or diaper shirts for the first few months -- they’ll be more comfortable and just as cute.
Use nail polish to paint one of their toenails so you can tell them apart.
Some twins sleep well together, some sleep best apart. Do whatever works for you.
Baby carriers are great especially for chasing after a busy toddler. And for going shopping (toddler in the shopping cart seat; one twin in car seat in the cart and one twin in the baby carrier). I’d get Ergos (or something similar) rather than Bjorns because you’ll be able to use them for longer. Bjorns are great for little babies but are hard on the back and shoulders as the babies grow. Ergos put most of the weight on your hips -- we still use ours with our 2-year-olds.
To keep your sanity, try to get out of the house each day. Even for a walk around the block or a quick trip to Baby Gap. Keep a stocked diaper bag in the car (with canned formula and bottles) so you’re always ready to go.
Definitely take lots of pictures. And not just of the “good stuff”. Document how things really are. I love looking back at what a disaster area my house was and me still in my PJ’s at 6pm. And videos of the twins screaming their heads off!! Omg, how I laugh now!
Oh and also, a fist-bump back to you! NOTHING about having twins was as hard as that pregnancy. Sleepless nights? Screaming babies with colic and reflux? Bring it on! At least I wasn't puking.
Oh yeah and for stroller; we used a Graco Duoglider. Toddler and one twin in the stoller and one twin with me in a baby carrier. A triple stoller would have been nice but we were trying to economize.
OK I see alot of advice...
I will start by saying the Double Snap N Go is a little slice of Heaven! I used it alot!
I have the Combi twin sport! AWESOME! Fits through all regular standard doors, which is a must with having the twins and the obvious "hands full" comment you will be receiving. Don't know if you are trying to get a 3 seater though.
I did have 2 boopies, 2 portable swings (1 twin preferred the bouncy seat), 2 bouncies (though the other twin preferred the swing), I highly recommend the Fisher Price space saver high chairs.
You probably have stuff cause of little Olivia. I loved getting hand me downs and I have used them alot! I say reuse whatcha got!
I had them in one crib until they were 6 months and then when they started rolling around in there at night I seperated them.
I loved the Playtex drop ins so I didn't have to wash bottles. I tried that and I was too tired... too many parts and things to wash. The drop ins made me only have to wash 1 time a day. I would switch the bottle and nipple at night and then could switch out the drop in as needed during the day. I color coded. One baby had a purple top for the bottle and purple pacifier, the other had a green
top and green paci. I still do it. It annoys me when I see my DH switch it up. I mean come on! He said it doesn't matter, but it does to me.
I agree with the PP. Take pics and videos and keep a stocked diaperbag in the car and a change of clothes for you and DH too.
Oh yeah 2 baby carrier things, like a Baby Bjorn. I carried one alot, cause she had colic and I could put her in there and it was better.
If I think of anything else I will let you know....
We might be the only twin parents on earth who never had the snap n go, but we survived. The carrier seats didn't fit in our cars so we went with convertibles, whch will take them 5-65 lbs. We got the Maclaren Twin triumph stroller and used that from birth. We love it. It's small enough to fir through doors and load into the car without wrenching something. Look into the Sunshine Kids convertible car seats, they are the only ones I found narrow enough to fit three across. I even read on a blog once a triplet mom had three in the back of a Neon, which is pretty darn amazing.
My twins are 10.5 months old, which flew by, BTW, and we have had a lot of stuff. Things we could not have lived without:
• 2 Cribs (they slept in their room from day 1.)
• 2 bouncy seats - we had the cheap $25 ones that we had to bounce ourselves.
• Double Stroller - could not go anywhere alone without it.
• Baby carriers for when strollers don't fit and mom and dad are both there. Also, one baby in the cart, the other in the carrier is much less an ordeal at the grocery store. We love the Ergo. Totally worth the price. Watch babysteals.com, they pop up there occasionally, we got 2 at half price each. Plus, you could totally take the older kid in the Ergo. I think it works to 45 lbs.
• EZ2Nurse double breastfeeding pillow. Ordered online from doubleblessings.com but check your local twins club sale
• Halo sleep sacks and swaddles
• 36 BumGenius One-sized cloth diapers. People thinks we're nuts cloth diapering twins, but we broke even in 6 months and every diaper change from here on out is free. It's really pretty easy.
• 2 booster seat high chairs that attach to a regular chair. Ours are First Years, but other companies
make them. Take up way less room than high chairs.
• 2 boppy pillows. They sucked for nursing two, but were great for one at a time and were even better supports when they were sitting. They still take a couple bottles a day on them.
• 1 pack and play for if you have to set one down quickly to tend to the other. It takes precious moments to buckle them into a bouncy.
• 2 Exersaucers. We got a good 4-5 months of daily use out these. I was able to cook, clean, etc and they loved it.
• North States Superyard play pen. My kids have a 5x5 play area and it's awesome.
Things we totally could have done without:
• Baby Bjorn carriers - they outgrew them way too quickly and they were uncomfortable.
• The swing. we only had 1 and neither baby liked it that much and it took up so much room.
• Bottle Warmer. When the boys took a bottle they got it at room temp and they were fine with it.
I am sure there are more useless things I am forgetting, since I probably never used them.
Twins are not has hard as people make them sound. We love ours and can't imagine life without them. It takes a few weeks to get a groove and figure out what works for you, but once you get going it's no big deal. No matter what you've ever learned about not waking a sleeping baby, do it. If one wakes, wake them both, they will quickly get on the same schedule.
Good luck!
Oh yes...double snap n go to start for sure! It is soooo much better than any front to back double that holds carseats...so light and quick to fold & unfold! I totally forgot how nice that was to have!
I have 5 month old twins and a 2.5 year old toddler.
Certainly a second car seat and a double snap-n-go stroller. I also have a ginormous diaper bag (by Skip Hop Duo) and a Fisher Price jumperoo that I wouldn't trade for a million dollars.
The other thing you need, more than anything else? HELP. Seriously. Ask for and accept help, always. I have *amazing* parents who are living with us temporarily, and this is still HARD. Have friends bring you dinner. Invite people over to hold babies while you just BREATHE for two seconds. Be prepared for everything to go to shit while you try to survive. I thought it was going to be hard, but I had NO IDEA.
Sorry, I don't mean to be doom-and-gloom, I'm just in the thick of it right now. It's so much more difficult than having a singleton (having both I can compare) but it's also super amazing. I can't believe how much cuteness exists in this house, and when I start sleeping more -- God hear my prayer -- I am going to enjoy these monkeys a lot more.
Check out the Baby Jogger City Select stroller. It's amazing for twins and you can use it when they're only 2 weeks old WITHOUT having to buy the expensive bassinets.
Other than that, I only doubled up on the obvious: pack n plays, cribs, bouncy seats, high chairs (I have the Fisher Price Space Savers). Jumperoo, Bumbo, Excersaucer, Glider, changing table, etc. I only got one of and the babies trade off. You reuse Olivia's stuff anyway.
Ohmygosh, the gear! People are so happy to tell you what gear to get. I had TONS of gear questions before we had our twins. Truth is, listen to the assvice and then make your own decisions because what works for one might not work for others.
That said...
We have two bouncers that we couldn't live without. You can bounce one with a foot (thus making them stop crying) on the bar while you're holding, feeding, soothing the other. You can also put them side by side and bounce them both at once.
Our girls sleep in them because they have reflux. $500 cribs, just sitting there. Waiting.
You need two car seats that fit the double snap n go stroller. LOVE that thing!
One swing.
About 20 bottles. No kidding.
Buy formula from Sams or Target or something like that... online and in bulk. Buy the generic. We get 4 3lb containers for $127. Free shipping. At 3 months they go through a can a week.
We go through about 16-20 diapers a day. I sent out an email to my coworkers asking for coupons, and what I got was a mountain of diapers at the shower. Seriously, we still haven't bought diapers.
Good book for advice, Twin Set which is a compilation of advice from lots of twin parents.
Also, you'll need to write down what they eat and when the diapers were changed, because you'll forget who ate when, etc. We have a twin schedule book from Justmultiples.com
Also love doubleblessings.com
My twin pregnancy sucked! Seriously, it was so hard. But so worth it!
well,my first suggestion is "don't buy too many strollers and don't buy Jeep Wrangler Stroller."
We currently have 3 strollers in out tiny condo.Yes we are insane.One is this gigantic Graco Tandem stroller that resembles a mini Hummer.Why that was the most sturdy thing I could find for my teeny tiny expensive babies(no seriously,it was a gift)we used it for about 8 months)5 months with car seats and 3 months without.I got tired of making wide turns:s then we got the cheapo Jeep Wrangler stroller which sucks big time.It's side by side,light ,easy to handle but is as sturdy as paper!So we got a hand me down Maclaren Twin Techno stroller and it rocks!
er...loads of bottles,Gerber ones are cheap and easily replaceable.Nursing pillow a waste(they start fighting for space pretty soon,babies not pillows).I didnot get a bottle warmer.Instead I boiled the water and got 3 thermos flasks and just used it throughout the day.Also get one of those formula dispenser thingies.Because when they start crying together it's easier to make mistakes with the scoops and all.
Also win the lottery because Twins are expensive:S
Good Luck!
P.S. sorry if it all seems garbled.hopefully you can make some sense out of it:)
I love all the advice and the only thing I would add is that instead of a "traditional" diaper bag, we bought a really nice back pack. It has all sorts of compartments and pockets on the sides for fast grab items (wipes or hand sanitizer). Very organized and it doesn't fall off your shoulder when you are loading, unloading, carrying two babies and, in your case, keeping up with a toddler!
OH-one more thing, make sure your stroller will fit through a standard door. Sounds funny-but some of the side-by-side strollers don't.
:) PS-I get the vibe your having boys too. Don't know why!
Sorry, no advice as my experience with twins is limited to Ashley and Mary Kate on tv...
From the sounds of it lots of Red Bull or coffee (or speed?) will be needed. Eek, good luck!
I have read a lot of great comments...my twins are turning 1 next week! Ditto to the 2 boppies, 2 bouncy seats, 1 big nursing pillow (like the Duggar mom's pillow on steroids), also 2 play mats-a must!
Only one of mine liked the swing so you might want to wait and see.
Join your local Moms of Multiples club. I do not go to meetings but use their online forum to ask a bazillion questions and also have boght/sold items in the group's online classifieds!
I separated mine into their own cribs earlier than most but my little girl is such a squirmy sleeper and kept waking up her brother!
Buy a mini van. SERIOUSLY. As far as any other advice... everyone has a unique experience with twins. I see people saying two swings, two bouncers. My twin boys hate both. Boppy loungers (not regular boppies) have served me well. The double snap and go and some type of jogger stroller are good. I have a Schwinn Turismo. Ummm... and get ready for your life to be insane. And... buy a mini van.
Oh... and my boys were 6 weeks early which meant most car seats wouldn't fit them because they were too small. They were both 5 lbs when they came home from the hospital. We had bought Graycos but had to go out and buy two new ones that fit premies. I would suggest waiting to buy car seats until you see how big they are going to be or make sure you buy ones designed for tiny babies.
I have IVF twins too...17 months old. WE got the city mini double and used it from day one. Well day 3 months or so, but they were 3 months early so they were tiny, like 5 pounds or so. Get the snuzzlers and it works wonderfully. I couldn't stand the large turning radius of the snap and gos. We also used the pack n play double bassinet for our living room. Worked fine, and as a playpen it was great b/c it was big enough for both of them (for a time anyway!) We had 2 bouncy seats (different patterns and toys for variety) and eventually got an exosaucer and a jumper. We had a swing that they shared. We use the booster seats instead of highchairs just to cut down on clutter, but get 2 different colors if you can. 2 boppies, plop them down eventually and bottle feed them at the same time on the couch. When I figured out how to do this, it was heavenly! Get a minvan! Programmable crock pot and coffee makers are lifesavers. DVR if you don't already, so great at 3 in the AM for the 2 hour feeding marathon! You will cry and it is OK, because it does get easier. That is the best advice I can give!
You MUST look into the Valco Trimode twin with toddler seat. I have a 21 month old and 7 week old twins, and the Valco. Its amazing! It holds all three and fits through all standard doors. The only down side us that you cant use the toddler seat attachment and the car seats...so I have to schlep the twins out of their car seats and load them in the stroller.
Hi! I read your blog from time to time but don't think I've ever commented. Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS.
Also, I'm a twin mom (mine will be a year in 2 weeks). I hope you don't mind me posting a link to my blog, but I had written a "must have" post so I figured it could help: http://babydanser.blogspot.com/2009/11/must-haves.html
(being a pregnant lady with 11 month old twins has left blogging by the wayside, so don't mind that my blog is hella lame right now).
For strollers, I had a double snap and go and have (and love) a double bob revolution...I just don't know what I'll do now that I will have another baby, strollerwise.
Listen, sister. I'm sorry you're sick and all, but oh my god you write the most hilarious blog ever. The evil part of me (so, like 96% of me) needs you to stay sick so I can keep laughing.
I hope you feel better soon, if you think you can keep up the hilarity.
I adore you already. You're the first preggo I've "met" since starting TTC that I don't want to drop kick off a cliff. So glad I just stumbled across your blog. <3
Post a Comment