What are most neccessary items for twins?

amother

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 12:35 am

I just went to babies r us with my husband just to put together a list of what we need and to say that it was bit overwhelming, would be an understatement. I know that I have to buy bottles and pacifiers and all the reg stuff, but as a first-time mom IYH I don't know what I'll need two of for twins. for ex. I think I'd need two swings for when they are both crying, but it takes up so much space and money too. did you buy the same of everything - same two swings, same walkers...what do I just need ONE of and what are the things I'll want on the double?

what you did for travelling - did u just take one pack and play?

For rooming together while they are nursing did you have two cradles, bassinets, or anyone use moses baskets? (Are moses baskets safe? scared that there's no breathing room...)

if any of you can clue me in, I'd greatly appreciate it! I want to create a registry so we can be organized and just order things off it. I'll be in my fifth at the end of this week IY"H and want to do the running around while I still can.

Thanks for your help!

ps - for thoseof you who had boy and girl, did you just get neautral bedding or got two diff sets? I found a nice neutral one by nojo (nojo como)that's appropriate for boys and girls - really fun and colorful, but ifi have girl, want to have the pinks and all too. did any of youhave two beddings similiar in style but diff colors?

mandksima

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 1:45 am

It depends alot on what you can afford and what you'll be expecting to get as gifts. We have boy/girls twins and when they were babies, we got a lot of gifts, donations, borrowed some toys from gemachim and bought whatever was needed. One crib was borrowed, one bought. We bought the things we knew we would want for future kids (assuming future ones would come one at a time) and borrowed things that were going to be used for a short while with the second twin. We likewise bought one swing and borrowed the other, also a walker like this. Bedding- I had jean for my son which could be used for either relations and then enough sheets to change when necessary in both girl and boy colors. I also had a lavendar bumber set for my DD. You might get that kind of stuff as gifts and won't need it right away if you're using bassinets.

I would borrow two bassinets as they are not used for long and they don't take up that much space. 2 kids only fit in a pack and play for travel when they're young and that is if they don't move a lot. We also bought one of those and found another for $10 at a garage sale. I looked in thrift shops sometimes for secondhand things that I needed double of if a gemach or friend didn't have to borrow from. If you or a parent or whoever gives gifts can afford to buy double of everything then it is up to you what to borrow or buy used. My family was generous but was way more generous with babysitting and physical help and that was the most important to me.

Just take care of yourself during this pregnancy and get adequate rest reserves - you'll need it when the time comes! B'shaa Tova!

mummy-bh

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 2:33 am

(I don't own a swing!)

My sit is a bit different to yours as I already had both boys and girls when I had my twins. I already owned two cribs (essential) and for the first few months the babies slept in one pack and play downstairs during the day, and shared a crib in my room at night. After about 10 weeks they started distubing one anothers' sleep, also one baby started this shtick where shee would only fall asleep with her head in the corner of the cot so I got out my moses basket for her and left the other baby in the cot.

Car seats - I had one rocking infant carrier already, which is definitely my most used baby possesion! I borrowed a second infant carrier and someone gave me a great rocker, which I used alongside my own infant carrier as chairs in the house.

Chani

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 5:16 am

I had one swing and did fine. I bought a second crib, but then ended up never really using it. For the first few months they slept much much better together than apart. At some point (around 8 months or so? can't remember) we did start putting them in separate cribs because they were so big, but they really didn't like it even then. Relatively soon thereafter one of them figured out how to climb out of his crib and INTO his brother's crib and did so every single night! Since they were sleeping in one crib ANYHOW, we decided it was safer to just go ahead and put them down that way every night from the start. (It didn't last forever, when we moved them to beds they still chose to sleep together at first but now they usually don't.

imokay

Wed, Apr 30 2008, 3:01 pm

there is no rule. with each baby and mom it's dif. some moms buy 2 of everything in matching/coordinating patterns. some dont.
to start off:
personally, I had 2 pack and plays (never put them in together- I was too nervous) at the start, 2 carseats (obviosly), a double snap and go. in terms of bottles, I got enough for like 1 1/2 kids (didn't nurse), clothing my boy and girl each had their own stretchies, and the onesies I got enough for 2 kids (they go through them quickly)
as they grew, I got one swing, one bouncer (they alternated. my dd didnt like the swing anyway) one floor mat, one exasaucer, etc. basically one of each thing
did get a valco fo walking and a double combi for the car when they outgrew the snap n go.
im not that big into cutesy matching. not really my thing. plus more expensive. so I basically got crib patterns that were on sale (from target. really cheap and pretty)

I really bought as I went along b/c didnt know in advance what I wud need 2 of... so I stuck to the essentials at the beginning. and I was so paranoid, I didnt even look at baby stuff b/4 my twins were born, so my dh was running around like a madman trying to figure out what a baby might need...

beshaah tova.

Mama Bear

Wed, Apr 30 2008, 4:33 pm

I think yu'd do fine with 1 swing and 1 infant/bouncy seat, and when the time comes for walkers and so, 1 bouncer/exersaucer and 1 walker, etc etc - get a variety so you have where to put the babies in but it doesnt have to be the exact same. you will need 2 high chairs though.

well I had a boy and had beautiful off white eyelet bedding, so it was neither blue nor pink.

chaylizi

Wed, Apr 30 2008, 4:50 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

I bought gender neutral bedding with my first & figured it can be used until it wears out. not off white though- I'm not that brave.

RachelEve14

Wed, Apr 30 2008, 10:02 pm

My twins were also my first kids Smile

Think alot about what kind of stroller you want. If you are going to get gifts, it's a great gift to get. You will use it for 2 years + and a good one makes all the difference. Go to the stores, test them out, ask on a twins list (twinslist.org is a good resource).

I had one swing and one bouncy and the girls alternated.

Mine also slept together always except when Rena went though a biting phase at about 1.

A pack and play is very handy. They slept in the bassinett together for the first month or so until they hit the weight limit (which wasn't much, about 15 lbs and two babies together reached it quickly). After it was always good to have a crib in my room incase someone was having a difficult night, or if they didn't want to nap on the same schedule so one wouldn't wake the other.

We're in Israel and didn't do the whole crib room nursery thing, we just bought crib sheets as needed. I didn't buy anything before the babies were born except a crib because dh had friends who were making yerida and we got a great deal on their almost new crib.

Also think about your living space. If you have a small place, a travel swing maybe instead of a swing, etc. My cousin bought us beautiful perego high chairs, but they took up so much space after the twins outgrew them I sold them and bought a small simple high chair. It wasn't an issue of money, but the space they take up.

People love buying twin clothes, so I would hold off on that. And don't worry, I can almost garentee if you have a girl (or girls) you will have enough pink things and frilly shabbos dresses to last you a while (or until they outgrow them)

B Sha Tova! Feel free to PM me if you want to Smile

Imaonwheels

Wed, Apr 30 2008, 10:52 pm

My dd and dil have their twins sleep together at the recommendation of their peds. They say they sleep better and it seems they was right.

Some kind of chotchke to tell them apart. Different outfits not matching. I am real serious. After the bris dd mixed her boys up and had to go to the doc to get it straightened out. We have the thick small ponytail holders and I bought them different wrist rattles. They are 2 big right now so we hook them on the stroller or carseat for identification. B"H ds's twins are not identical.

Also, twins can be born early, 38 weeks is considered normal term for twins. In case its necessary, find the location of a place that sells preemie clothes. Even at 2 k they swim in the nb size. You can't get them everywhere and they are expensive.

I agree that which stroller is THE major decision.