When I was expecting twins, I really appreciated the multiples advice in Baby Bargains. Now that my girls are 9 months old, I thought I’d add some of my own hints that may be useful to readers
Maternity/nursing
Don’t fall for “buy your pre-pregnancy size!” That might work for some, but when you are carrying multiples, your body undergoes some pretty ridiculous changes. For example, my hips expanded by 5 INCHES by the end of my pregnancy. And that was the actual pelvic bones widening, not extra weight gain. My rib cage did some serious widening as well.
Buy ONLY what you can get away with for the next couple of weeks. My body was changing so quickly that I was making a run to Target (which I LOVED for maternity clothes) every other week to buy the next size up, so a lot of what I wore only got put on once or twice. Buy sparingly!
Buy tops LONG and in a stretchy knit fabric (cotton/spandex). Tunic tops are best. Regular tops won’t cover your extra-large belly.
Think about dresses in the later stages of pregnancy. Dresses were the only thing comfortable for me in the 8th and 9th months (and the only thing that covered my belly completely), and I normally hate dresses! Buy them in an empire-waist baby-doll style. The gathers in this style provide extra fabric for covering a giant belly while minimizing the high-low hem effect. I found that non-maternity dresses in this style worked great too. Target.com carries a HUGE selection of cotton dresses and often run free shipping deals for purchases over $50. Their maternity selection online is also very good, and free returns to a Target store make it worthwhile.
Wear flip flops in the summer (instead of buying new shoes). Swollen feet are most comfortable in these, and they are cheap. I even got my “no flip-flops” workplace to agree to let me wear flip flops for my comfort (it never hurts to ask – people are surprisingly accommodating when you are carrying multiples. Cars would even stop far far away in my pedestrian-unfriendly city so that I could waddle across the street safely because my belly obviously had more than one baby in it. Cars don’t stop for me anymore, even with the double stroller).
Granny panties, for post-babies if you had a c-section. I found that buying cotton granny panties in a larger size from Target worked just as well as buying maternity underwear. If you had a c-section, these are most comfy because they cover the scar, and provide some layer of protection from rubbing when you wear pants. Your pre-pregnancy undies might also work (waistline hitting below the scar in a low-cut bikini style) but it is more uncomfortable to wear pants over these because there’s no layer to protect the pants waistline from rubbing on your scar.
Target carries Gilligan O’Malley nursing tanks for only $17. Unless you have a really large bust, these work great and are cotton. I live in them and all my other nursing bras have been banished to the back of the closet. Nursing tanks are great because they keep my other-worldy belly covered and keep my twins from yanking at my twinskin while nursing. And I can just throw on a tank top or cardigan or button-down over it when going out. Bravado makes a fantastic nursing tank but it is much more expensive and I only own one for that reason ($45). I don't mind the non-discreet nursing openings (which expose the entire boob) because there’s no way to discreetly nurse twins simultaneously anyway. If I am out and about, I use the backseat of the minivan, or nurse them one at a time.
Nursing pillow – the EZ-2-nurse twin nursing pillow is great and allows me to nurse simultaneously. The kicker for me was that I need a nursing stool (or a low ottoman will work) to help position my feet (the pillow rests on top of your thighs, and taller women will need to raise the height of the thighs by using the nursing stool so that the babies can reach the boobs without Mom slouching over). Extra towels and pillows are needed to help with positioning when babies are small. My Brest Friend is reportedly coming out with a twin nursing pillow as well.
I bought a large La-Z-Boy recliner before finding out I was having twins. Worthless (glad it was a Craigslist purchase). I ended up buying a “chair-and-a-half” instead of a loveseat because I needed it to fit in the nursery. Works great!
Newborn clothing
Many sets of multiples are born at good weights nowadays due to good prenatal care. I actually think it is a waste of money to buy preemie clothes. If your multiples are premature, the hospital provides garments anyway and by the time you bring them home, newborn clothes (while they will look big) will work just fine. My twins were well over 6 lbs each and Gerber onesies, which tend to run small, worked great. Of course, they get outgrown before you can say “Sham-Wow!”. Many multiples clubs will also lend out preemie clothes should you find you really need them.
Books
Barbara Luke’s “When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads” was the most useful book for me. It is the only book that contains extensive nutritional advice for maximizing a multiples pregnancy outcome (which was based on research). I followed the advice as best as I was able (there were some days it was impossible to eat as much as the book suggested) and I truly believe it contributed to the length of my pregnancy (38 weeks) and the size and health of my babies (6 lb 4 oz and 6 lb 6 oz) despite starting out underweight. It also contains nutritional advice for the breastfeeding moms of multiples. Think you were hungry when you were pregnant? Wait until you are nursing twins. You will not believe how you can never get enough food. My husband quickly learned to let me at the food first (like an alpha wolf), and then he would eat the scraps when I was finished.
Strollers
Buy a Baby Trend double snap-n-go (or equivalent) at first. You can get one used for half the price on Craigslist. Don’t waste money on a nicer stroller yet. This gets you through the first several months, and the lightweight frame is great if you are recovering from major abdominal surgery (i.e. a c-section). I am still using ours because it is so convenient for quick trips (but now it is heavy and cumbersome to push due to the tandem design). Plus this gives you time to think about how you will REALLY use a stroller. Want to go for your normal 10 mile jog every day? That might not happen once you find how much work your multiples are. Wait to buy the next stroller. We ended up with the new Baby Jogger City Mini Double which works great for both walks around the neighborhood and trips to the grocery store, Arboretum, etc. If you truly need an all-terrain stroller, then you will need to get one with air tires but be warned that these are HEAVY. If you are a mall rat, consider a good tandem because they will fit through aisles better (but at the expense of maneuverability).
IKEA
Cheap, good stuff! We got lots of things from IKEA – cribs, crib mattresses (by the way we do really like our Sultan Blunda foam mattress – it is firm, thick enough and light so changing sheets is easy – and it is holding up perfectly), play mat (IKEA carries one that is actually large enough for newborn twins for tummy time!), toys (lots of soft toys and teethers that are MACHINE WASHABLE!!), feeding supplies (cups, plates, utensils, etc. for starting solids that are POLYPROPYLENE, dishwasher/microwave safe!), books (a board book map of the world that is gigantic and our twins love it!), baby towels and washclothes, bibs, etc. And IKEA is a great place to take your babies when you need to get out of the house, if you are lucky enough to live near one. We also have a pair of IKEA Antilop high chairs, which we adore. We did not start solids until 6 months, and both babies were sitting up unsupported so we never got much use out of our Fisher Price Healthy Care chairs (our twins abhorred being strapped in!), and they were a PAIN to clean compared to IKEA’s. Plus the IKEA chairs are super-transportable for bringing along to friends' houses, grandma's, etc. For larger purchases, buy early – IKEA is often out of stock on their most popular cribs, etc. A note about the IKEA cribs - they are safe and sturdy, and though they fit a standard mattress, the smaller footprint makes them perfect for fitting two cribs into one nursery. And they are stupid easy to assemble. I might just cry when our girls are ready for their grown-up beds. Also, the IKEA cribs cost as much as a portable crib. If grandma has a room specifically for the babies when you visit and wants to furnish it, and you don't need a folding crib, then the IKEA cribs would be perfect for long-term use.
Gear, etc.
Diaper Bag – a diaper backpack works best for us because it keeps hands free (and Dad will carry it too!). You can use a backpack of your choosing or buy a specific diaper backpack (we have the Columbia one). This will serve you well for most shorter trips. If you are going on an overnight trip, then you obviously need to bring a minivan and fill it to the brim.
Swing – buy just one. Some babies don’t like swings. Ours was useful to soothe a fussy baby while holding one baby (as I often fall victim to the “only one pair of arms” situation) but once they got past the fussy newborn stage, we don’t use it any more. You can always buy another if you need it.
Bouncy chairs – you do need 2. Buy 2 different ones! Babies do get bored with seeing the same thing all the time!
Bathtub – you can safely bathe only one at a time unless you always have someone helping. Even now, at 9 months.
Pack n Play. We have two, and they have been useful for overnight trips to Grandma’s house. They were also useful in the first 2-3 months, as we used the bassinet feature and the twins slept in our bedroom (sharing one Pack n Play at first, then moving to separate ones). Once they outgrew the bassinet’s 15 lb weight limit, we moved them to their own cribs in their own room.
Minivan. If your budget allows, I would seriously consider a minivan. Yes, even for you minivan-phobic people. Respect the van, remember? Wrangling two car seats is made much easier by sliding doors. If you live in a city with lots of crappy “compact car only” parking, you will appreciate that the sliding doors do not need so much extra space on each side as you are loading up car seats. Imagine having to open the doors to your SUV wide enough to fit a car seat in a tight parking lot (or imagine the angry owner of the sports car next to yours when you ding it while wrangling open an SUV door while balancing a car seat over your shoulder?)
Dogs. Great for picking up messes when you start solids. But please be careful of things that can be dangerous for dogs to ingest: grapes, raisins, chocolate, etc. Not that you should be giving your baby chocolate yet. Or grapes/raisins until they are no longer a choking hazard. But still, keep these things in mind.