Live and Learn -

It is amazing looking back before the babies were born at what things I thought I had to have, and what products worked and what didn't. I have a friend who is expecting twins in 3 months and she asked me what I absolutely couldn't live without and what my absolute best buys were. Here's my list. What is on yours??

1. Hotsling (www.hotslings.com) or Slingling (www.slingling.com). I have had 4 carriers. The are by far the best for us. Couldn't live a day without them. Perfect to throw in the diaper bag for the unexpected have to carry me while at the store, for cruising the neighborhood, and most recently 7 hours of a family reunion. Ended up with one in the sling all day (he was sick) and was still able to hold the other on and off as necessary - all without killing my arms, back, shoulder or other body parts. My favorite thing about them, though? Both my kids pass out in less than 5 minutes in them no matter how upset they were before. This will definately be on my baby shower gift list for life.

2. Bouncy seat - some folks say you can get away with 1 of these with twins. I just don't see how. This is our go to place when they aren't being held or in their crib. Not to mention it is the easiset way to calm one while doing something with the other (ex. feeding one in your arms and bouncing the other with your foot in the floor). I love that they are portable, too. Awake or asleep the kiddos can go anywhere in the house or out with me.

3. Boppy pillow for feeding. To keep my sanity and have time for anything else I had to learn to feed two at a time. The boppies were the answer for us. Prop each one up in their own boppy and pop the bottle in their mouth. Granted it took me a few weeks to figure out the best way to position them and myself so that I didn't kill my back or put my leg to sleep, but once I used some common sense (hard when you are sleep deprived... ) it all worked out beautifully and still does.

4. Safety first 3-in-1 8 second thermometer (it was orange, and may be last year's model). Does he feel hot to you? Get the thermometer. No - not that one he's too young for it. No not that one either - it takes forever. Who would have thought I would use this thing so darn much? And despite it's 8 second advertisement it typically takes just a few seconds to get an underarm read. It is also consistent no matter how many times I take it and how imperfectly I get it wedged under their arm. It takes so fast they barely even know it's there.

5. Snap-n-go stroller. While not the best at manuveraibility it allowed me to get out of the house by myself with the kiddos very early on. I love that I don't have to wake the kids up to get them into the stroller, nor do I have to contort myself or the kiddos in ways even pilates or yoga guru's couldn't manage to get both car seats in the stroller at the same time. This isn't going to be a long term stroller, but for what it does, it was money well spent. With that said - we have a BOB, too. And I love my BOB as I have mentioned a time or two before in other posts.

All right - it's your turn. What's on your list?

 

Actually I was going to say your entire list, except for #1. We bought two and have yet to use them. We'll probably use this tomorrow when we go to a festival though.

The one thing that I'm so glad we bought are their snuggly blankets "softies" they are little, soft and they love to rub them against their faces. Basically
softy+binkie=nighty night

 

I knew as soon as I hit the post button I had forgotten something.

6. Swaddlers. Kiddopotamus I think. BRU carries them as does our local Target. We probably have 10 of them and it's the only way to swaddle them and keep them swaddled. Another of those life-long shower gifts.

 

I second your sling ( I have one made by a friend who sells them) bouncy seats (we had two and they lived in them) and my EZ2 nurse pillow. Like a boppy for nursing twins. My stroller the Kolcraft contours(also takes the carseats)

Another great is a basket I got from my sister that held diapers, wipes, lotion, rash ointment, ect for downstairs to keep everything organized. I also have to add Baby Einstein DVD. My babies love them. Especailly when sick, tired, crabby it makes them happy.

 

We loved the SNG, bouncy seat and papasan swing.

 

Snap-n-Go and Exersaucers...we wouldn't have survived without them!

Everything else, I'm sure I could deal...

 

I've loved my Pack 'N Play with the changing table attachment. It's made changing diaper so easy downstairs. They're almost too big for it now and I'll be sad to see it go. I love our high chairs (Fisher Price Space Saver). I can recline them for bottle feeding and set them up for the solids right after. I can even do it one handed! We got a lot of use out of our bouncies and one swing, but are now grown out of them. My newest "must have" is the Skip Hop Duo Double Deluxe diaper bag. I feel like I'm carrying a tote bag and all those pockets are so handy! I wish I would have had it since the beginning.

 

1. SwaddleMes- much easier to swaddle!

2. Swing

3. Newborn lounger pillows- this is what I feed them in

4. Rainforest bouncy seat. I have another bouncy but it doesn't have lights or anything and they don't like it!

5.Pack n Play- it is in the living room. I can put one of them down in it (used to be able to put both, but now they weigh too much for the bassinet part!)

6. Snap n Go

 

Can't live w/out
1) Snap N Go
2) 2 Boppys
3) 2 Bouncy seats(we had the papasans)
4) 2 papasan swings
5) Rainforest excersaucer
6) Pack N Play- we used this for them to sleep in with us in our bedroom for the first month. Then we used it downstairs as a changing station. Soon it will be our playpen.
7) Miracle Blanket
8- Kiddopotamus swaddle blanket
9) Sleep Sacks
10) Minivan
11) Skip Hop Duo Double Diaper Bag


Things I could do without
1) bibs that don't absorb
2) sleepers that button
3) sleeper gowns
4) newborn shoes
5) bumbos
6) Baby Einstein excersaucer(boring compared to the rainforest one)
7) Diaper Dudue(way too small)
8- EZ 2 Nurse pillow(didn't work for me)


oops, I guess I did more then 5 things...sorrry

 

I was reading my husband some of the answers on here and he said one of his top things that wasn't on the list was the Skip Hop Pronto diaper changing wallet. (http://www.skiphop.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SH&Category_Code=ACC&Product_Code=202000)

He said he loves it because it is always in the bottom of our snap-n-go so he doesn't have to carry the entire diaper bag unless they have to be fed. And it keeps all the diapering stuff in one place so he doesn't have to paw through everything looking for all the changing stuff - changing pad, wipes, a diaper, diaper cream, and purell (as I tend to fuss when he demolishes the diaper bag and gets everything out of place).

 

1. Double sng stroller- LIFE AND SANITY SAVER!!!
2. Boppy pillows
3. PNP with changing table attachment for the living room
4. Activity mat with the hanging toys
5. Swings from 2-6 months old!/ Exersaucer and bouncy thing that goes in the doorway for 6-10 months old

 

Looks like exersaucers have made several folks' list. At what age did your kiddos get interested in them? And are all exersaucers created equal?

 

QUOTE(beemer @ Jun 28 2008, 03:28 PM) [snapback]850953[/snapback]
Looks like exersaucers have made several folks' list. At what age did your kiddos get interested in them? And are all exersaucers created equal?


We didn't start using them until the girls were 6 months old, but I probably could have started sooner because they had good neck control. When they were tiny, we put towels around them and a pillow under their feet to help them fit better.

 

My top 5:

1. TWO Bouncy seats - I agree with the OP...needed both of these. Only way I could sit on the couch WITHOUT a baby on me in the early days. I didn't figure out how great these things were until about 4 weeks in. Once I did, I couldn't believe I waited that long. They both loved to be bounced and I don't think there was ever a time that ONE baby wouldn't be content to be bounced in the bouncy chair. Absolute LIFESAVER for me.

2. Boppy pillows - I would feed them both at the same time...each one propped up on a boppy pillow...saved me TONS of time in those first couple of months.

3. White noise machines! Both of my boys use these to sleep. Ben was colicky and white noise did the trick for him. I'm not saying that it STOPPED the colic but it was a tremendous help. Now we have 2 (since we have put them in separate rooms to sleep). As soon as they hear the white noise they know it's time for sleep. Plus, I don't have to worry about noise in the house waking them up.

4. Swaddle Designs Ultimate Receiving Blankets - they're expensive but we had 4 of them. They are square and much larger than regular receiving blankets. And they are really cute. We used these to swaddle them and they worked perfectly.

5. I can't think of anything else so I'll say "TWINSTUFF" - couldn't have done without it!

 

1. EZ2Nurse pillow. This was our best investment I think.

2. Snap n go

3. Rocking chairs (we have matching rockers in our living room, DH and I spent alot of time in them)

4. Swings

5. Jumperoo

6. Mountain Buggy ( I live in the country and couldn't go anywhere outside until I got it.)

7. Minivan

8. TS!!!!

I know there's more than 5 but you always need more of everything with twins!!

 

1. Boppy Pillows! Whoever made them ought to be declared a saint!
2. Swings
3. Swaddle me blankets/Halo sleep sacks. I sing their praises to every new parent!
4. Skip Hop Double Duo Diaper Bag. Worth every penny!
5. Twinstuff...without a doubt!

 

1. Bouncy seats- my girls slept in theirs for the first 3 months
2. swings- my girls slept in theirs for the next three months (we have since moved to the crib)
3. boppy pillows- great for propping up in the younger days and great for support while sitting now
4. double stroller of some sort- snap n go in the early days, double jogger now
5. now the girls are really starting to enjoy the exersaucer and jumperoo