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Tanya
05-24-2010, 03:34 PM
I'm 13.5 weeks pregnant with twins. I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to need to buy.

I already have two daughters, so obviously I *might* need boy stuff if one or both are boys. I already have one crib, one pack-n-play, one mini co-sleeper, one swing, one exersaucer type thing, one bouncy seat, one feeding seat. My infant seat expired. I have a Phil&Teds E3 stroller with the doubles seat, so I'm *hoping* that I can make that work once I kick my lazy 3.5 year old out of it.

So, I was thinking I'll wing it with most of the stuff and see how we do, but I'll eventually need another feeding seat (highchair that attaches to chair).

I know I need two infant seats. The babies are due in November, so I'd just like to make it through the cold weather and be able to have them sitting well before I ditch the infant seats. I'm short and small, so I would prefer the lightest seats possible and am considering the double snap-n-go stroller. (There are stairs to get in and out of my the preschool where my younger daughter will be attending in the fall, so while I may just leave the babies in the locked car for drop-off sometimes, I still need to be able to take them in with me most of the time...which probably means carrying two infant seats.) My old infant seat was the smaller Graco Snugride. However, I'm also concerned about the possibility of the babies coming early and being smaller, so I wonder if I should consider the Keyfit? But, now it seems like the smaller regular Keyfit is hard to find and they are mostly selling the larger size ones? The Keyfits cost more than the Snugrides too and well, I need two.

I'm also thinking I'll probably need a new diaper bag. I have an old Landsend Little Tripper (I think that's what it was called) that I keep in the car and would carry into restaurants. When I have the stroller, I have a skip hop pronto attached plus extra supplies in the saddle bags. I'm not a heavy packer and I prefer keeping lots of extra stuff in the car. I was thinking that with two, it would make more sense to have a backpack style too.


So, am I missing anything? Any recommendations?

I was terrified at the idea of twins, but now I'm getting really excited (still nervous about the pregnancy and later trying to grocery shop with two newborns).


Tanya

Momof3Labs
05-24-2010, 11:18 PM
Congratulations!!

We ended up with four swings - two upstairs and two downstairs. Running upstairs is more complicated with twins (think two trips up and down if you are alone), and I was less inclined to do it with two other kids to care for. We had a full-size co-sleeper and the girls were too big to share it long before they hit the weight limit. They didn't do that great sleeping together (tended to wake each other) so we were all happier when they finally moved into their own separate cribs.

We had two bouncy seats but they didn't really like them (my first two didn't either). Two high chairs that reclined were important early on - that was our ticket to a peaceful family meal starting around 4mo. The babies weren't on solids yet, but they were happy if they could see all of us, so we stuck them in the reclined high chair when we had dinner.

With my first two, it wasn't a big deal to run upstairs to change a baby. But with twins, you really need a changing station on each floor (or each main area of the house).

Do you plan to nurse? Nursing is much more complicated with twins - not only do you have two babies who need to know what to do, but it is pretty common for twins to be at least a little early (docs around here won't let us go past 38 weeks) and even a 37 weeker can have minor feeding/sucking issues. I successfully breastfed my first two but ended up EPing for the girls (born at 37w5d at 7lbs and 7lbs, 3oz).

Yes, you need two infant seats and a double snap n go. Join your local multiples club to get early access to their resale (most bigger groups have 2 resales a year, it seems) and save money on the snap n go.

Diaper-bag wise, I survived about 9 months with the Skip Hop Dash, but always carried a separate bottle cooler with filled bottles.

I need to sign off and go get a crying baby - hopefully others will chime in, but read through this board also as I know others have asked the same question before!

fivi2
05-26-2010, 10:08 AM
Congratulations!

We just have the twins, but there are a few moms here like Lori who have done this with older kids.

It sounds like you have a lot of stuff already. Some of it you can wait and see what your kids will like. Mine also hated the bouncy seats and loved the swings. Mine did share a crib for a very long time and were fine with it. We never had a pack n play or co-sleeper, they just shared a crib in our room.

We loved the double snap and go. We had graco snug rides, but this was ages ago and I have no idea what the latest and greatest in car seats is.

I have to run, but I will check in if I think of anything else!

TwinFoxes
05-26-2010, 01:04 PM
Congratulations! We don't have older DCs, but twins are definitely an adventure! We used the Snug Rides for the girls. They were a not too big, well rated, and not too heavy. They also worked well on the double snap-and-go.

The only thing I would recommend, as a convenience not a necessity is a regular sized Arms Reach Co-Sleeper. It's the only pack-n-play type bed that's rated for twins. The girls slept in the bassinet part of one in our room for a long time. After that, we used it as a play pen, and they also slept in the main part when traveling or for naps sometimes.

I second joining your local multiples club, if there is one. The consignment sales are great, plus you can get a lot of BTDT support.

We didn't use the diaper bag nearly as much as I expected. We used a bag from Dad Gear. I did use a regular back pack when I flew with the girls from California to our new place in Virginia, and it was really convenient. But for every day use, I think a bag that opens wide that you can really see into is better.

Get burp cloths, more than you EVER thought you'd need! :)

Tanya
06-04-2010, 05:38 PM
Thanks everyone!

I think I'm going to get a used Double Snap-n-go off craigslist.

I just found out my old Avent bottles and Avent Isis pump contain BPA, so I guess I'll be starting over with all that.
For those of you that are SAHM, do you think I need an electric pump with twins? I just used a manual one for the little amount I pumped with each of my two daughters. My second daughter wouldn't take a bottle, so it got even less use then.

Thanks!

Tanya

Momof3Labs
06-04-2010, 09:39 PM
Thanks everyone!

I think I'm going to get a used Double Snap-n-go off craigslist.

I just found out my old Avent bottles and Avent Isis pump contain BPA, so I guess I'll be starting over with all that.
For those of you that are SAHM, do you think I need an electric pump with twins? I just used a manual one for the little amount I pumped with each of my two daughters. My second daughter wouldn't take a bottle, so it got even less use then.

Thanks!

Tanya

Yes, I would plan on an electric pump. If you want to wait, you could just rent one when they are born. Since twins tend to be born early (usually 38w or earlier), they can have more issues with bf'ing. The pump will help bring your milk in and get your supply up even if their sucking needs some work at first. I also found myself wanting to give them more bottle than my older two ever got, which means pumping for the bottles (or to maintain your supply while they take bottles) - that could be because they were twins, or maybe because I had two older kids who still needed me. NIP is a lot harder with twins than it is with just one (unless they are only hungry one at a time - ha!), and with two older kids, you find yourself out and about a lot more - leading to more bottles for the twins than the older two.

twowhat?
06-04-2010, 11:07 PM
I nursed my twins and was a SAHM and ended up never really using my double electric pump. BUT - I didn't have other kids to care for. It was just plain easier to put the babies to the breast than to have to pump, store milk, clean pump parts, etc. It is hard for me to imagine how much harder it would be with older children. On the one hand, it is MORE time consuming to have to pump and then feed from bottles. But on the other hand, there is no way to run around after another child while breastfeeding twins. And if you will be going out, the only way I can see being able to do this is if you nurse in the car while your other DC play in the car with you. I often nursed in the car because yes, there is no discrete way to breastfeed twins. Though there were a couple of occasions when I'd nurse one at a time (no quick access to car). But it's so much more time-consuming to do it that way.

So, I'd go ahead and get a double pump - it will be MUCH faster than using a hand pump and if you really want to provide breastmilk for your twins and don't forsee being able to nurse full-time, a double pump is a MUST.