10 Essentials for Baby Twins
Written by Twiniversity founder, Natalie Diaz
You're pregnant with twins! Congratulations and welcome to the world of wonderful chaos. You may be wondering what you need to prepare for your twins' arrival into this brave new world, so we've put together a list of 10 essentials for baby twins that will help make this journey as smooth as possible. We hope you find it helpful!
#1 Two Car Seats
You definitely need two car seats before you check out of the hospital with your twins. The nurses will check to make sure the babies are harnessed correctly and that your twins are tolerating the car seats well before discharging you. We recommend buying infant car seats that snap into a base; these are so much easier to use with infant twins than convertible car seats.
When buying two of the same big-ticket items such as car seats, cribs, and mattresses, always ask the store manager if they will give you a multiples discount. Even if the store doesn’t have a program, they may offer you a deal to keep you coming back. This is a tip that we love to share in our Twiniversity Expecting Twins Class.
#2 Double stroller
Start out with a simple stroller that can accommodate two infant car seats, such as a Snap N Go Double. This is an inexpensive stroller option for twins that you can use for most of their first year of life. You'll want to upgrade to a more solid double stroller as your twins are able to sit upright, around 4-5 months old. Some heftier double strollers can hold two infant car seats and are worth the investment to use as a car seat carrier from day one.
#3 Two Cribs
Plan to start out with two cribs in the twins' nursery. You may prefer to have your twins sleep in bassinets in your room when they come home from the hospital, which is totally fine, but having two cribs all set up and ready to go will give you more options for sleep.
#4 Two Bouncy Seats
Having two bouncy seats for your twins will ensure you have a safe place to put them down when you need your hands free. Bouncy seats are portable, and you can bring them into almost every room in the house, which will give you more options to get daily tasks done. If you have a home with multiple floors, we recommend getting two bouncy seats per floor. These can be bought second-hand; just be sure to wash the cover and register the seats with the manufacturer to learn if there's a recall.
#5 Swaddles
Studies show that newborns sleep better overall when they are swaddled and as a parent of twins you need all the help you can get with infant sleep. You can go the old school route and buy swaddle blankets, or you can buy swaddle sleep bags that zip up quickly and do the swaddling for you, which is very helpful when you have two babies to swaddle.
#6 Bottles
Even if you're planning to breastfeed twins, make sure to have some bottles at home ready to go just in case your plans change suddenly. Be sure to save free samples of powdered formula from the hospital and your pediatrician's office to have as a backup in case you can't nurse or pump for some reason. After breastfeeding is well established, getting your twins used to drinking from a bottle will allow someone else besides you to feed them, giving you more flexibility and options.
#7 Newborn Clothes for Twins
Your friends and family will be showering you with tons of cute outfits for your twins, but many of them will not be practical for everyday use. Stock up on soft Onesies® (long or short-sleeved, depending on the season), baby socks, baby hats, and zip-up Sleep ‘N Plays. Your twins will wear these clothes for 99% of their lives as newborns.
Twins typically wear "newborn" size when they are ready to come home from the hospital and you may find the 0-3 month size a little too big at first. One of our favorite tips to share in our twin class is to invest in outfits with zippers. When you have twins, you need every extra second you can get!
#8 Multiple Diaper Changing Stations
You'll want a diaper changing station in the twins' nursery, but we also recommend adding a changing station in the room where you spend the most time, such as the living room. This extra changing station could be as simple as a diaper caddy and a changing pad on the floor. It's so convenient to have this in the room where you'll be hanging out all day, so you don't have to bring your babies back in their room each time they need a change.
#9 Baby Bathtub
You only need one, but you need a baby bathtub. This will allow you to bathe your babies (one at a time) in your kitchen sink while you're standing up. Believe me, your back will thank me for this!
#10 "What to Do When You're Having Two"
The ultimate book to get ready for twins, What to Do When You're Having Two was written by Twiniversity founder, Natalie Diaz, and has stood the test of time. With over 60,000 copies sold since 2013 (and in its 2nd edition) you'll see why it's a lifesaver to prepare for the arrival of your duo.
We hope this list of 10 essentials for twins has been helpful and that you're feeling more prepared for your new journey. Remember to take care of yourself, too - it's just as important to be rested and healthy to give the best possible care for your babies! Make sure to visit Twiniversity.com to learn all about our twin classes, twin pregnancy app, twin parenting podcast, and so much more.
Reaching over 2 million families a year in over 150 countries, Twiniversity is the largest global resource for all things “twinnie”. We bring twin parenting expertise to our website, our twins classes, our social media channels, and the bestselling book “What To Do When You’re Having Two", a bestseller on Amazon for Twins and Multiples Parenting.
