My Twin Must Have List
I’ve been asked many times by friends who are heading to a twin baby shower, “What are some twin must-have items?”
There are some items I’ll admit I thought that I HAD to have when I found out we were expecting twins and others that I came across accidentally that I couldn’t have survived without.
In no particular order here are some of my twin must haves:
1. A good hospital grade breast pump. If you plan on breastfeeding (especially two babies) you need a pump that will do the job fast and effectively. I ended up renting the Medela Symphony pump from my local Shoppers Home Health.
2. To go along with the double breast pump; the Symphony isn’t hands free but you can buy bands (similar to a strapless band-o bra) at some speciality stores. I got mine at Natures Emporium. You then have the ability to eat a sandwich, drink a glass of water or scratch your nose rather than holding the bottles to your breasts while pumping.
3. My Brest Friend twin breastfeeding pillow: If you are able to tandem breastfeed this pillow is a must! It’s very solid and supportive and you’re able to hold both babies comfortably and confidently at the same time. If you don’t plan on tandem feeding a regular breastfeeding pillow will do.
4. A large jug and two glass containers with lids: If you are formula feeding two babies that means A LOT OF FORMULA. We used the concentrated liquid formula for our girls so we didn’t have to worry about lumps and clumps (the girls also did better digesting it than the powder). Since the concentrate is good for 48 hours after mixing, rather than making bottle after bottle we just mixed up enough to last two days (basically the biggest jug you can buy). We would boil water and let it cool ahead of time and keep it on the counter in the glass containers, that way there was never a mad rush to boil it when the formula ran out.
5. JJ Cole Diaper Caddy: I hadn’t even thought to put something like this on my baby shower registry list but I received it from another twin mom as a gift full of diapers, wipes and other useful items. I use my caddy more times than I can count in a day. This isn’t just a great twin gift idea, it’s a great idea for any expectant mom.
6. SwaddleMe Infant Wraps: After five weeks of unswaddled freedom in the NICU our girls weren’t keen on the idea of having their arms swaddled while they slept, that is, until we had them swaddled. As soon as they were all wrapped up they relaxed instantly and slept great. I was never great at the technique so the swaddle me velcro wraps were a key item for us.
7. City Select Baby Jogger: It’s been called the ‘cadillac of strollers’ and I couldn’t agree more. This stroller is lightweight and easy to use. It also folds down flat (as long as you remove the carseat adapters). It’s not cheap though, especially when you need it for two. It comes with one seat that the baby can use when he/she is a bit older but you have to purchase the second one as well as two carseat adapters. I think when all was said and done the stroller was close to $1000, but in my opinion, worth every penny. It has heavy duty rubber tires, perfect for daily walks with the dog, but don’t be fooled by the name, this 4-wheeled stroller is not meant for jogging.
8. Chicco Keyfit Infant Carseat: I knew that I wanted to get a carseat that was lightweight but very safe. I also knew that since we were expecting twins there was a chance that our girls would be born early and need a seat that met the lower weight requirements. I tried the lift test on many seats and we decided on the Chicco. It had a great safety rating and I loved the way it clipped in to the car seat adapter on the City Select stroller.
9. Newborn (and in our case preemie) outfits: We received some 0-3 month onesies and sleepers but since the twins were born so early we had to do some serious shopping for preemie clothes and newborn items. This is something you can’t be sure of until the babies are born but it’s always nice to receive some small newborn size outfits as a gift (just be sure to include the receipt in case it needs to be exchanged for either preemie or 0-3 month sizes). Not only onesies and sleepers, it’s nice to have a few actual outfits for the twins too. They’re not always easy to find, but totally worth it.
10. Maman Kangourou wrap: I didn’t use it very often but it was a key item and the only way that I could walk around with both of my girls at the same time. Being preemies, kangaroo care was very important for bonding and growing. This wrap helped me hold the girls close while doing things around the house or even eating a sandwich.
11. Spit up cloths: This isn’t a twin-only item but it was key for us. I barely had any of these but once our girls came home and their reflux kicked in boy did I need them! Don’t worry about the brand or the cost, just some pieces of fabric will do. The dollar store has some tea towels that worked great for us.
12. Graco Pack N’ Play with Twin Bassinet: This is an item that I thought I HAD TO HAVE right from the start. It turned out that the girls wanted to be right next to each other and not divided by two bassinets so we barely used it at first. Now that they’re bigger we can’t leave home without it. Whenever we’re out past the girls bedtime we bring it. It’s twice the size of a regular pack n’play but folds up for easy transport. Both of the girls can sleep in it (not for long periods of time though as they’re now used to having their own cribs). The catch is, it’s only available in the USA.
13. ‘Do not disturb: Sleeping Babies’ sign. This is a key item for any new mom and it can’t be purchased in stores. Just make a sign stating the above and stick it on the front door. You can leave it on all day to deter solicitors or just stick it on the door during nap time. Works like a charm!
Disclaimer: All of these opinions are my own. I was not paid or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned above.
