Getting ready to register

O.k. so I am getting ready to register and even though I already have two kiddo's I need help shopping for twins....Soooo can you Pro's tell me what you could not live WITHOUT the first year/few months with twins and what you really don't need at all. I would really appreciate lot's of help so I can minimize the stress.

 

Some of my most used items:

*twin nursing pillow
*bouncer(s) with vibration- we only had 1 but 2 would have been better
*Fisher-Price Aquarium swing (does cradle and traditional motion)
*2 bassinets
*plenty of swaddling blankets

 

SOMETHING TO PUT THE CLOTHES IN.. IF YOU DONT HAVE A DRESSER.. GET A SHOE STACKER..

 

Boppys
Swings (mine didn't like bouncers)
Wipe warmer (November bday, cold bedroom)
Extra crib sheets
Tons of cloth diapers for burp cloths

 

O.k. so I am getting ready to register and even though I already have two kiddo's I need help shopping for twins....Soooo can you Pro's tell me what you could not live WITHOUT the first year/few months with twins and what you really don't need at all. I would really appreciate lot's of help so I can minimize the stress.

 

Hello! Congrats on your twins!

Must haves for me:

Snap-n-go stroller
Swings (2) Mine loved the swing
Bouncy seats (2)
Playmat
Exasaucer
Boppy Pillow

Those are all I can remember! :huh:

Things we could have done without:
Playpen
Bumbo seats
Duoglider Stroller {back and front one, they hated this arrangement}

Hope you get some more answers!!

 

Our biggest 'useful' items were 2 bouncy seats, a play mat,2 portable swings,2 high chairs and the boppy. From 8 to about 18 months a play 'house' is nice, We borrowed the laugh and learn house and it was wonderful and got daily use!! Our bathtub sling also got a lot of use in the early days.

My girls were swing junkies and I used the bouncies for feeding, playing, resting, so I could do something chairs and the boppy was great for playtime, tummy time, and feeding. Play Mat was a good thing for them to learn and look at from abotu 4 months to 9 months or so. We LOVED the Miracle blankets/Halo sacks...we had 4 (extras for when others were in the wash).


We did not need- Bumbos, back front duo glider (we switched to side by side as soon as they out grew snugrides), johney jumper, snugli carrier,travel bottle warmer, bassinet, double toys, backpack carrier, or sling.

We still do use 2 pack n plays when we travel, but I initially only used 1 at home (naps, playtime, mommy has to make a bathroom run, etc).

We went through lots of burp rags, wash detergent, and play clothes...not so many pretty blankets and decorative toys.

Have fun registering!!

 

swings (2)
playmat
boppies (2)

later on...exersaucer and jumperoo

Mine never liked their bouncy seats. We really couldn't have made it through without two swings though.

 

2 Pack and Plays (one set up initially in the main living area as a changing station)
2 Boppy Pillows
1 Swing
1 Exersaucer
1 Playgym
1 Double Stroller
2 Reclinable Feeding Chairs

 

Must have's:

2 bouncy seats
play mat
miracle blankets
2 high chairs
babyfood freezer cubes


I also went back to work after 4 months so I relied alot on Madela Pump in Style. It was not cheap, but it kept me pumping until the babies were 10 months old.

Didn't need:
diaper pail (it was easier just to use a grocery bag and take it out to the garbage)
baby bjorn (You can't put two babies in them. It took too long to put one down and pick up the other one.)

 

get those miracle blankets, a white noise machine, play mat for them to hang out under, sleep sacks, grobags are best (you can get them on ebay as they are very expensive).

 

bouncy seats that play music or soothing sounds
tons of good swaddling blankets
hypoallergenic soaps & lotions
swing - get one & see how they like it.....you can always get another


Probably the thing that I was most surprised that we needed & used all the time was the bassinet. I wasn't even planning on using one, but my sister had an extra that she let us borrow. I had planned for the babies to sleep next to our bed in the bassinet attachment of the pack & play.....but when we put them in it, they just cried & didn't like it at all. Put them in the bassinet (together) and they were just fine. I think what it was that they didn't like the open feeling of the pack & play (even though they were swaddled) they liked to feel real close together in the bassinet. So we borrowed another one to have one in the living room & one in the bedroom. I really liked the one in the bedroom b/c it was the style that would come off the stand; if they were asleep & I wanted to move them into another room I just picked up the side handles and brought it along. Even though the 2nd one had wheels on the stand, it was too wide to fit through the doorway.

The other thing that would've been nice was 2 bottle warmers instead of one. I bf, too, but didn't have nearly enough milk so we also did a lot of bottles.

 

These have been a few of my favorite things:

• boppies - especially if you will be feeding both babies by yourself
• cloth diapers - to use as feeding clean-up cloths but have many many uses the messier the babies are
• lots and lots and lots of receiving blankets - see if you can find the bigger rectangular ones they sell at BRU (i wish I could remember the brand!), not just the smaller Gerber ones
• the baby einstein baby activity jumper - seriously entertaining for them when they get a bit older
• the BOB Revolution Dualie jogging stroller - probably not a necessity but we have LOVED this stroller (the ferrari of jogging strollers - lol!)
• Double Snap n'Go stroller
• bumbo seats with trays - recall be darned. the boys love sitting in these. we place them on the floor and sit right by them the whole time. Perfectly safe.
• If you are using Graco snugride car seats (we are) - they make a portable swing base that the car seat just fits into. I think it's called the SnugGlider? It turns the car seat into a swing for a fraction of the price of a "real" or full-size swing. These have been very useful to us!
• Fisher Price makes a rainforest themed crib attachment - the Rainforest Peek-a-boo Soother - it's awesome!!!!
• velboa snuzzlers - you put them in the car seat to make it fit your baby better. ours were so small at birth that they really needed this extra head/neck support.

We have not yet really needed/used our Baby Bjorn carriers. We used a bottle sterilizer for about a month, so it probably wasn't worth what someone spent on it. I also wish we hadn't spent as much money as we did on bottles - as it turns out, for our babies, simpler was better. They hated the avent bottles and the dr. browns - loved the cheapie walmart brand bottles with generic nipples. by the time we figured that out, though, we'd bought a ton of other bottles and nipples that I can't return anymore. Oh and we never used a bottle warmer - an old crock pot did the trick for us instead.

HTH! have fun registering!

 

I merged your posts in 1-4 & PC since TS does not allow duplicates. I also moved it to the First Year forum as I think you will get the best responses there.

 

Must Haves:

2 bouncer chairs (that vibrate and/or play soothing music)
2 swings (cradle swings)
LOTS of sleepers. I was constantly chaning them because they either spit up or the pee went through
Recieving blankets
Burp cloths
Humidifier or white noise machine
The womb sounds bear
A double stroller (we have the Graco Duoglider and loved it)

 

I don't think I could live without my Duoglider twin stroller. It is a lifesaver and very easy to maneuver! We also lived out of their bouncy seats for almost 3 months. They slept in them at night because of reflux problems. When we started bottle feeding, I went through a dozen bibs a day. I really like the inexpensive plastic-backed bibs that come in a pack of 10 or 12 at walmart. They didn't soak through--my boys were messy eaters for the first 3 or 4 months. Stock up on diapers now! We have not bought a single diaper since the boys were born because of us buying them early (and other people getting us some at showers or just because).

Waste of money for us:
bottle warmers--I returned them because they took too long and they leaked

 

I bought two Fisher Price Infant to toddler rockers when the girls were just weeks old. Still use them. The girls love them and we used the heck out of them when they were wee babies.

 

miracle blankets
ez2nurse pillow
tons of burp cloths
swing or 2
play mat
exersaucer
sound machine

 

LOTS of bottles... and 2 swings.. i woudl be totally insane right now if we didnt have the swings...

We have 2 bouncers but only use one

I really wish we would have gotten the snap n go instead of the duo glider.. I am really upset that i deciced to go with the duoglider instead.. I want to get a side by side now..

 

- diapers and wipes--I asked everyone for them before they came and they are now 3 mo. old and we have not run out.
- huge diaper bag
- one swing (me or Dh is usually holding one of them and my dd is the only one that will sit in the swing)
- lots of bibs
- gowns
- co-sleeper bassinets(we are still using these) for the several night feedings and diaper changes
- lots of different passies
- double stroller (lifesaver when out and about)
- diaper table( i love having this b/c I never had one with my other two kids and when you are changing 16-20 diapers a day it does come in handy)
- white noise machine
- lots of bottles and nipples
- play mat

 

The main things we've been using are:

Pack N Play for naps and changes when we are downstairs
2 Swings
2 Bouncy seats
2 Boppies (I use for nursing or propping babies upright)
Twin nursing pillow
When I was using bottles, we went through about 16 per day
~16-20 diapers a day
Lots of wipes!
Wipe warmer
Baby towels and washcloths
Baby wash and lotion
Diaper rash cream (Butt Paste)
Lots of onesies and sleepers
2 infant carriers
Snap N Go Stroller
2 mirrors for the vehicle so I can see the babies
2 Snuzzlers (made by Kiddopotamus for support and warmth in car seat, stroller, swing, etc)
2 Posh ouches (by Kiddo potamus to cover car seat)
Lots of receiving blankets
6 Pacifiers
Nail Clippers
Thermometer

That's all I can think of for now!

 

I myself am still new at this, but there are a couple of things that have been extremely helpful so far. A lot of people have mentioned Boppy's and I totally agree. I have the original boppy (2 of them) and the Boppy Newborn Lounger (2 of those as well). The Newborn Lounger is so amazing. My DD is so content in it, I would definitely recommend getting it! I would also recommend getting the Germ Guardian nursery sanitizer. I use it ALL day long. From bottles, nipples to pacifiers. Its so quick and easy. My girls were in the NICU and are so used to hearing noise all day/night long, that when my DD came home it was so quiet she couldn't sleep. Thank goodness someone got me a white noise machine. She sleeps like an angel ever since we started using it. Lastly, the "swaddleme" infant wraps are great! Its so much easier to get them snug and swaddled than just using a receiving blanket. HTH, have fun registering!!

 

1) Itzbeen's (one for each baby -- I SWEAR i would have had NO idea who was feed/changed when if not for them)
2) Boppy newborn lounger (that's where they spent the majority of their time the first month or so)
3) SWINGS!!! (mine didn't like them until they were about a month and a half - but BOY are the lifesavers!!)
4) Miracle blankets (i'm a swaddling dummy - and they make it SO easy - and the boys can't break out so I don't have to worry about loose blankets)
5) The "4 Moms" tub (it drans while you wash - so no having to dump out all the water and start over - makes it possible for me to bath the babies by myself)
6) Snap-n-go stroller -- LOVE IT!
7) Mine are FF - so enough bottles so I can make up one "batch" for a 24 hour period
8) Birp cloths (I have about 50 -- I registered for, love and used thick cloth diapers as my birp cloths -- and my boys are BIG spitters, so we need them)
9) The Carters bibs (just discoved these resently) -- the are soft cloth on both sides -but have a waterproof part in the middle - my boys were forever getting wet even with their bibs on b/c it would leak through - and didn't like that crinkly material some of the other "waterproof" bibs had)
10) Tiny love mobile - they LOVE it - I have one for each crib - they could watch it for DAYS! (even if it's off!!!)

 

For the first year, I wouldn't have made it without:

Fisher Price Aquarium Swings (2)

Bouncy Chairs with vibration (2)

Playmats (I found having 2 allowed for more rotation of things to do with them)

Exersaucers (again, we had 2 as it allowed for more rotation to keep them entertained when they are around 4 months+)

Newborn Boppy lounger (It's different than boppy. My girls slept and hung out on these for almost the first 2 months. They are awesome and everyone I have recommended them too has thanked me profusely. You can get them at Target or Target on line)

Lots and lots of bibs and burp cloths (they tend to spit up a lot and it saves you having to change their clothes too many times)

Bottles of Shout (Seriously, I could have saved a lot of outfits (mostly theirs) if I had known about this miracle stain remover sooner. Get the one with the brush on the spout)

Blankets for swaddling (they really do help the babies to sleep better! The tighter the better!)

16-20 bottles (Unless you are planning on exclusively bfing. Seriously, if you premake all the bottles ahead of time, you will save yourself some sanity)

Pacifiers (Just in case. Only one of my dd used it but it was really was effective for her to soothe herself)

Back Pack diaper bag (Makes things so much easier to have your hands totally free when out and about with twins. My dh has one and I have one so when we are out together we each carry stuff for one)

Sleep sacks (they are like long night gowns that are open at the bottom. makes middle of the night changings much much easier

Wet wipe warmer (nothing worse than slapping a cold wet wipe to a newborns bottom in the middle of the night. I found the warm wipe was much more tolerable and soothing for them, jmo/experience)

snap n go stroller

Monitors (still use these today! Couldn't live without them.)


Things I could have done with out:

Bottle warmer for the car (unless you can find a really really good one. mine never seemed to work well)

Bottle sterilizer (we found out after 2 months of killing ourselves to sterilize bottles after every washing that it wasn't necessary. hot water and soap is fine.)

Specific detergents for babies (Dreft, Baby All. Not necessary. Over priced. Found out any detergent that is free of dye and frangance is sufficient)

That's all I can think of for now but if I think of anything else, I'll add on. GL and congrats on your twin pregnancy!!

 

2 bouncy seats
2 swings (although I agree with PP, get one, see if they like it before getting a second)
2 boppies
2 bumbos (didn't really start using them until 8 months, but now they love them!)
playmat
lots of bottles
pack n play (we got one for our shower, and a free one from a friend)
exersaucer
jumperoo

things we didn't really need:
Dr Browns bottle kit. It comes with like 2oz, 4oz and 8 oz bottles. If I knew them what I know now, I would have just gotten all 8oz and filled them with as little or as much as they ate. Mine were big eatings, and we started using 8oz bottles really quickly.
bassinet. We borrowed one and never used it.

Diaper Champ sucked. Although you can use any bag in them, it smells SO BAD after a while. We love our Diaper Genie. Although you have to get the refills, it's so worth it. We have never had any smell come out of that thing.

 

I didn't read the rest so this could be a repeat but:

We couldn't live without our 2 swings. We started with one and had to go buy another one.
2 bouncies (I use these to have them in the kitchen when cooking or bathroom when showering)
EZ 2 Nurse pillow (if you're nursing)
Swaddle blankets (we still swaddle and we LOVE the "swaddle designs" blankets)
Good lullaby CD

 

Must haves for us:

2 cribs
2 Baby Papasan chairs (they didn't care for them so much at first but they spend a lot of time in them now - eating solids, bottles (we're proppers), watching Baby Einstein)
Swing - although they get tired of them quickly
SWADDLE BLANKETS - Kiddopotamus makes excellent ones
Lots of bottles and different size nipples (unless you're planning to nurse)
Exersaucer - 1 or 2... we have 1 and the Baby Einstein jumper. They love, love the Baby Einstein Exersaucer
Playmats (a couple of them for variety)
SNAP-N-GO stroller - Excellent - just make sure you get compatible car seats
Big diaper bag
Bottle warmer

ETA: A noise machine. We bought 2 of them on EBay for about $20 each. We have them in separate rooms and the noise machine blocks the other ones cries during the middle of the night. We have 1 that sleeps through the night and the other that wakes for a bottle each night.

 

2 bouncers (great for feeding, playing, etc) especially the ones with attachments
2 boppy pillows
go ahead and register for things they will need in the first year... such as an exersaucer, bigger outfits, etc
zip sleep n plays (I know, there are so many cute outfits, but for day to day use, you can't beat the zippy sleepers!!!!!)
DIAPERS in various sizes, WIPES, DYE AND SCENT FREE DETERGENT (it's much cheaper than baby detergent and you can use the scent free dryer sheets for the babies and scented for your stuff if you prefer)
baby einstein play mat
burp cloths
large blankets for swaddling
just register for a few different types of bottles (or better yet, borrow some from a friend) then you can buy what your babies like and not end up with a million different types of bottles
pack n play/bassinet to sleep in at first (most twins sleep much better together in the beginning)
small crockpot for warming bottles (just leave on low and rinse out nightly)
GIFT CARDS AND GIFT RECEIPTS (just say "gift receipts would be appreciated" on the invite as you will end up with multiple things or things you forget to use

 

Wow. You are getting some great information.

*2 bouncy seats. We actually had 2 sets, 1 for downstairs, one for upstairs. Seems ridiculous until you are in the thick of things.
*Lots of larger size receiving blankets.
*Footed sleepers
*Swing, we managed to survive w/ just one. I actually used this more for when I was alone w/ the two of them. One you can rock, the other can swing. It also helped to extend our naps. If someone woke up early the swing would often put them back to sleep. I just turned the swing motion off once they fell asleep.
*activity mat
*pack n play - this is great for a 2-story house. We used it for naps and a changing station downstairs. It is also invaluable if you are staying away from home. I think you can get away w/ one at first. Later you will probably need 2.

 

oh, this is bringing things back!

If you're going to use bottles I agree about not registering for them til you see what the babies like: - i bf'd and pumped and we spent a fortune on Dr BRown's before we figured out that the playtex drop-ins really worked best with our reflux babies....

if you're planning on BFing i found the My Brest Friend pillow to be teh BEST; i couldn't tandem nurse but it was much more comfortable than a boppy for nursing one.

Two swings - the fisher price acquarium one is spendy but it move both front to back and side-to=side; my girls LOVE that STS motion!

DEFINITELY a double snap-n-go, it will be a lifesaver

a sbs stroller for later on if you have some storage space. MANY options: i finally bit the bullet and bought the baby jogger city series. Expensive, but worth it. I also got a peg perego aria twin on craigslist; i would't want it for my main walking stroller but it is VERY light and incredibly easy to get in and out of a car.

- many people like a backpag diaper bag; great for hands free. I don't have one, but i hear the Sherpa is great and will grow w/you

- if you don't go w/ a backpack, then the skip hop duo double diaper bag - this one i finally got after going through about three others that were just not big enough. It's great because it hangs from the stroller handle and has lots of outside pockets so i can keep my wallet, cell, snacks (for me) and other things to which i want easy access.

- lots of cloth diapers for burp cloths; those little pretty ones they sell are worthless if you have spitters!

- TWO bouncy chairs

- TWO play mats/gyminis

- TWO exersaucers (for when they're older)

I'd forget the bumbos;' not because of the recall (which if i recall was really just a 'we'll send you a sticker that says don't put these on an elevated surface or leave baby unattended - DUUUH!!); my girls were only in them for a little while and the angle really aggravated their reflux.

- to warm bottles, we actually brought up an electric teakettle and kept it in the bathroom; boiled water in there and would warm the bottles in the nursery (I kept a small cooler, like one for taking a six pack to the beach) in there. We'd warm them in the big plastic triangular containers we took from the hospital

- if you're considering cloth diapering, i'd register for a sample pack from somewhere so you can try a few different kinds. if not - then diapers, as you will go through an INSANE amount!

- a baby bathtub; there is something htat has "euro" in the name; it is white and great

I would not register for a jumparoo or other jumping device; there is evidence that it is very bad for their hips (although every baby seem to love them!)

-I personally HATE the baby enstein cd's. I would much rather play them real music. Haven't trid the videos

- Happiest Baby on the Block book and DVD - in fact, buy it now and watch it BEFORE the babies are born! It will make a huge difference

Miracle Blankets

- a white noise machine OR - we put a cheapie boom box in the nursery and got a few cds that we played CEASELESSLY (as in, all night long) for the first few months. My favourites: Golden Slumbers, and the Putomayo Dreamland CD

- Crib sheets and pack-n-play sheets if you are using them. FORGET about registering for a fancy crib set - you can't use the bumpers or the quilt, so they will be a waste of $$.

Congrats on your twins and good luck!!

 

My word of advice is if you do get 2 of anything...DO NOT open one until you're sure you're going to use it!! I got 2 of EVERYTHING!!! And most of the stuff is only getting use of 1.

Things I did use 2 of...
Bouncy Seats love them let's Mommy get her things done
1 stationary swing & 1 travel swing to go just in case
high chairs of course
car seats of course

Things I did not need 2 of...
play n packs sent one to my Mom's house
2 floor mats both use same one most of time

So leave one boxed & open only one until you're sure you'll use it. That way you can still take them back and get the well needed money/store credit with them. Good luck & have fun!!

 

ok, i'm lazy and stopped reading all the replies.

When it came to swings and exersaucers and bouncers, we didn't buy two of the same thing. We also had a space problem so be bought things incrementally.

Must haves 0-6 months:
cloth diapers to use as spit up rags, LOTS OF THEM
Baby papsan, jake slept in it until he was like 6 months old (he was small)
Crib protector sheet - it's like 18 bucks at target and it covers the sheet, much easier to clean then taking off the whole crib sheet
Bumbo seats worked for us (we used them until we got high chairs at 7 months)
One swing to start - see how they like it
Bobby pillows (2) - even though breast feeding didn't go well, there are SO many uses for these. Now at 1, the kids love to play on them...and when they were little, we used them to do bottle feeding
enough onies/sleepers to get you through 7 days w/out laundry
Infant tub (or foam sponage thing that was easy to use in our kitchen sink)
Double snap-n-go
Changing pad (and MULTIPLE COVERS)
Socks, hats (although hats may be less of an issue with spring babies)

What you don't need
Shoes
lots of cute/complicated outfits. I think you are due in the spring...so cute onesies should be good, with pants. Trust me, taking them to dress them will be effort enough
Mobiles that wind up..UGH..what a pain
Diaper stacker
Changing station (top of the dresser works great)

Things to go slowly on:
Bottles. If you are going to bottle feed, I would start small. once you find the bottle the kids like, buy a few. Some folks say just start with the 8 ounce, but we used our small (4 oz) bottles for a long time.
Stroller for post-infant car seats. Strollers are very complicated, they seem simple, but they aren't! When the kids are sitting up well, go shoppign and have them test drive!
Diapers, some folks buy in advance, but i would wait and see what works


I'm sure there is more stuff, but it's all turning into a dim memory. Good luck!
Miriam

 

I got a single snap and go when the babies were about 3 weeks old. I hated the enormous double. One baby in the sling (or wrap or ergo or whatever you use) and one in the baby bucket worked much better for me. Other than that I didn't need to buy anything else. (well except a car that would hold the whole family!)

 

I am sure that starting a baby registry is a big deal, and I wasn't sure where to begin. So, I gave babylist customer service a call for some advice. They were awesome, helping me figure out what I really needed and how to set everything up. It turned a stressful task into something I actually enjoyed doing.