buying for 2

ok so i'm having to fight with my families with our "needs" list because they all ASSume that we don't really need 2 of this or 2 of that. like high chairs, MIL assumes that we will only need one since she had a 2 year old and a newborn that were (surprise) not on the same feeding schedule. to which i told my husband, that's not going to work since our twins are going to live on a schedule.

so in order to satisfy the needs of my father and MIL what do you ladies say about baby items? what are the must haves for twins?

 

I think I'm the queen of parenting "light". The only things we ever had two off where car seats and high chairs. We had the trayless highchairs that you pull up to the table, we only just stopped using them when my girls turned 4, a great investment if your family is looking to save money. My girls early feeding were in the stroller, I wheeled it up to my chair and spoon fed them there.

I've of the opinion that you should NOT scrimp on a stroller, get a good quality one and use it for everything, rock the babies to sleep my rolling it back and forth, sit them in it to eat, use it instead of a baby seat in your living room, they can nap in it, etc. etc.

 

I have heard from so many people to make sure to get 2 bouncers so you can set them in them to cook dinner or brush your teeth etc.

 

I also don't have 2 of anything except car seats, cribs, and will be getting 2 highchairs. I wish I had had 2 swings though because for months that's where they would sleep best and we'd have to rock the one not in the swing in her car seat. Neither of my girls ever fell asleep in the bouncer and only when they got a bit bigger did it become useful because they would play with the toys on it.

 

QUOTE(lorin @ Feb 13 2009, 04:08 PM) [snapback]1188691[/snapback]
I have heard from so many people to make sure to get 2 bouncers so you can set them in them to cook dinner or brush your teeth etc.


I used the stoller for that. I also used it like a swing, my came with a wrist strap (a dreamer designs jogging stroller) and I would push it away from me, then pull it back. Yes, even while cooking.

 

In my world 2 highchairs are a must! As well as 1 really good stroller, 2 bouncy chairs, 2 boppys (for feedings if not BF'ing), 1 swing & 1 jumparoo ~

 

I had two swings and bouncers, and that was a must for me. Oh and two high chairs. :good: Bouncers/jumperoos.. that kind of stuff, we only had one of and didn't see a need for two, plus I wouldn't have had the room. I say if you aren't sure how many to get, get one for now and if you see they both absolutely love the swing or bouncer or whatever, you can always go back to the store and get another one.

 

For us, we had two bouncers, two boppy pillows, one swing, one jumperoo, one exersaucer, one floor mat, two high chairs. The 2 high chairs I think is a must for us.

 

just a note on the high chairs..I use the "portable" version that straps on a reg chair for DS instead of a full blown high chair and plan to get another. I LOVE this option and i think I'll appreciate or even more with twins. MUCH cheaper ($25), doesn't hog any extra floor space, converts easily to booster, plus it folds up for travel..this way it goes easily to relatives houses, vacation, etc. It was probably one of our best purchase decisions for DS...and it was my husband's idea!!

Also on my must-have list - a twin nursing pillow, an Arms Reach bassinet (xl to accommodate two), a double stroller, and 2 bouncy chairs. Everything else is on a wait-and-see basis.

Eve

 

Everyone has such varying opinions on this topic and so many people say ..."this was a must" or that was a must. I think if you can "borrow" from anyone that would be great, or buy used. Things like swings are only used for say 4 months. We didnt' have a jumperoo and I tried it at a friends and my girls didn't like it. Only the one girl liked the infant to toddler bouncer (which at least has a second use as a toddler rocker later on), the swing got SOME use but again after 4 months it is a huge in the way thing. Are there places you can rent this stuff ???? At least you dont' get stuck with all this baby stuff... soon at say 9 months of age it is all about TOYS. So you want room for that stuff. I'd say if it is a money issue or space issue... try to save that money for some of the big toys. (mine are loving the Fisherprice laugh and learn kitchen since they were 9 months -- they are 14 month now) Those play yards are a bit of a waste.. mine were fine with a blanket and toys or each other.

I have two IKEA highchairs which are cheap, but the best thing so easy to clean. They dont' take up the same space. They look small but are good for years. I also have two of the portable highchairs that attach to the chairs and later are boosters. I often put one inside a grocery cart and put one child in there, and the other child is in the normal baby seat of the grocery cart. Less obvious than a double wide twin stroller.

Most twin moms end up with more than one stroller... I now have three. I use them for different reasons.

sorry not much help....

Heather

 

I would try to get some stuff on Ebay, i have been searching for deals on there for the last few weeks. i look around for about an hour a day and it has paid off. We got two of those bumbo seats (New in Boxes) for $20 each there normally like $50 each oh and the trays came with them..Woooh hooo..I was excited about that deal. I got a night and day bottle warmer which when I had my son was awsome I would wake up in the middle of the night (had it on my nightstand) press the button, change a diaper, and by the time I was done the bottle was warm, night time feeding with him didnt even involve me getting out of bed...granted with twins it will probably be more time consuming but either way its a must for me...on Ebay Gently Used $15 its $35 in the store. I also got those carseat bunters for $15 each that are $40 in the store.

I've checked craigslist but everything seems to be old or very used and I'm picky about which used stuff I buy. I've gotten some great deals at the Childrens Orchard close to us, if you have a consignment shop close buy check it out.

As for what I will need with twin, we'll see when they get here...But i will be a SAHM once these bundles of joy come and with a three year old already living on one income will be tight but daycare for three would be more than I make, so we want to try to have as much as possible boughten and ready before they come. So while we will only need one crib for a few months we've boughten two already knowing we'll need it in due time. I am buying one swing and one travel one, figuring we'll use the travel one when we go to Brazil and at grammy's house. I am buying two bouncy seats because I dont want two babies on my floor rolling around while I take a shower and do the dishes with a rambunctous three year old running through the house . Two Highchairs because I like us all eating dinner together and we have a small kitchen table so putting them in the highchairs next to us in months to come. We got one tummy mat, one floor gym, one walker, and one boucy thing....they can share. Two car seats and a snap and go and then a full size stroller. I have also been stocking up on clothes in differnet sizes and diapers and wipes and such...But I've saved all my reciepts in case needed.

With my son I had everything bought for him for litteraly the first year. I dont think I bought diapers till he was in a size 5...and it really helped when we were adjusting from two incomes to one, so we'll be doing it again.

 

my guys aren't here yet, but since I live in NYC space is tight. i've purchased two cribs and two car seats, but only one swing (the car seat snaps in to it) and have borrowed one bouncy seat, one play mat, and one bumbo seat. i'll get a second of what ever i need, i just dont' want to purchase too much, plus I have no place to store anything once they outgrow this stuff.

i have no problem asking for loans or hand-me downs and have been VERY blessed with equipment and clothes from friends and family. besides the nursery furniture, i've only spent about $500 on baby gear, probably less actually.

i have purchased a lot of used gear off my twins club classifieds and saved a ton of money... my DSNG was only $50, a never used EZ2nurse pillow was $15. It's definitely worth investigating if you have a twns club near you (or ebay or craigslist, too).

 

QUOTE(nycmomma @ Feb 17 2009, 12:22 PM) [snapback]1193299[/snapback]
It's definitely worth investigating if you have a twns club near you (or ebay or craigslist, too).


I second that, i've looked into a twins club by me and they have a huge consignment sale twice a year, the next one is in March. I will definatly be checking that out=)

 

We didn't need the second crib until about 5 months, when they started rolling around and bothering the other, so you can definitely wait with that. Shoot, an infant can even sleep in a Pack-n-Play, so if you are really tight on money, I wouldn't even say a crib is a necessity.
We only had two cribs (and like I said, that was from 5 months on), two high chairs (we used the booster-seat ones, much less expensive and saves on space), and two Bumbos, but probably didn't "need" two. We had one swing, one bouncer, and one exersaucer, and I would rotate them around in them. So, if you have to set both down in something, you don't need to put both in bouncers, one can be in the swing and one in the bouncer seat. Oh, we also only had one PNP.
I did feed the girls in the stroller when we were out and when traveling, so like Meximeli said, you could even not have high chairs if it comes down to it.

 

QUOTE(haleystar @ Feb 13 2009, 10:38 AM) [snapback]1188655[/snapback]
ok so i'm having to fight with my families with our "needs" list because they all ASSume that we don't really need 2 of this or 2 of that. like high chairs, MIL assumes that we will only need one since she had a 2 year old and a newborn that were (surprise) not on the same feeding schedule. to which i told my husband, that's not going to work since our twins are going to live on a schedule.

so in order to satisfy the needs of my father and MIL what do you ladies say about baby items? what are the must haves for twins?


I would say you absolutely need 2 carseats, a good double stroller, 2 high chairs (although not until 6+ months). Everything else, I'm sure you could get by with one. For us, we needed two bouncies and two swings as they were both in them at the same time all the time. We also had two PNPs. We used them on different floors, and we use them now as portable cribs for the babies to each have their own.

 

Some stuff I would say buy one and feel it out and see if you need two.
I had two swings only becasue I had borrowed one from my cousin. I had a cradle and thought I needed to buy a second one right away but honestly I could of did without two. They napped together. SO one ended up in the living room and one beside my bed in my room. We didn't need two cribs right away. One pack and play was plenty.
I did use two highchairs. Two car seats and two bouncers.

 

I do the same thing! Go us! And I'm with you parenting "light". The only thing I have two of is the two traditional "papoose" boards my friend Jay made for the girls. QUOTE(Meximeli @ Feb 13 2009, 04:48 PM) [snapback]1188746[/snapback]
I used the stoller for that. I also used it like a swing, my came with a wrist strap (a dreamer designs jogging stroller) and I would push it away from me, then pull it back. Yes, even while cooking.

 

Honestly the "must haves" are so different for everyone! But for us, we obviously needed 2 car seats ... and a stroller. We started with two cribs, but I know a lot of people don't. And the boppy pillows were well used at the beginning ... we had one, and borrowed another. We had 2 bouncy seats ... and you can get those pretty cheap ... makes for a good registry item ... Besides that ... we got a lot of our stuff from our shower ...

We have 2 high chairs, which I think are a necessity ... but not for a while ... I don't think we pulled ours out until about 6-7 months ... we fed in bouncy seats or car seats before that ... We have a big kitchen, so we got full size high chairs ... but our friends have the ones you strap onto the kitchen chairs ... and they are smaller, take of far less room, and are much cheaper ... and just as good! Go for those!

Yes we had two swings (we needed these!) ... but again, you don't know your babies. So many people's babies do not like swings ... and they are expensive ... so wait on those ... We had one exersaucer and one jumperoo ... but again, didn't need those until much later ...

Since money is tight, I wouldn't even mess with the playmats ... throw some blankets on the ground, and get some cheapy toys and it's just as good!

Honestly, I KNOW it's overwhelming, and you think you need everything ... but really you don't ... get the few essentials, and take it from there ...

Are you having a shower??

 

For us, the musts were a stroller, two high chairs (we used the Fisher Price space saver booster-thingys), two bouncers, two car seats and two cribs. I had two swings, one from my oldest and the other I got from my baby shower, but only one baby liked the swing. Once they were 4 or 5 months old we did get one jumperoo and one exersaucer. To this day, I've only needed two pack-n-plays maybe twice (?) when travelling, which I've always just borrowed the second one.

 

i totally agree with only buying what's necessary and then testing the rest. I don't know about you, but we had some serious storage issues in the beginning because we got EVERYTHING before they were born.

Swing - they hated it. Thankfully we only had one
Bouncies - LOVED them! So versitile. Make sure you get one that has the highest weight limit. We used them until they were at least one. They lounged in front of the TV.
Exersaucer - loved it, but we only had one for ages, then my mom bought a second. Then they got bored with them.
Jumperoo - they kind of liked it, but this was pretty neutral.


What you'll learn is that rotating is the key. Part of the schedule will consist of one in the swing, one on the floor, then switch. As they get older, you'll rotate different "stations". Works like a charm.

 

I agree that there is a lot that you should wait and see if your babies will even like them before buying two.
And really, wait for some things until you need them. There's no reason to get two high chairs just yet.

 

I just skipped to the end to give my 2 cents (didn't read much of the other posts); I think 2 highchairs, two bouncers, of course two cribs and carseats. We have done fine with just one pack-n-play, exersaucer, jumperoo, and swing.
Borrow when you can, and go to sales. Find out if there's a twin's club in your area. We have one, and we have two GREAT sales twice a year- you can get SOOOO much great, barely used, cheap things! I hate buying anything new when I know I can save soooo much if I wait for the next sale.