As you prepare for the delivery of your twins, you're likely feeling the excitement and anticipation of welcoming two new members into your family. However, along with the joy comes the overwhelming task of navigating the vast array of baby products available on the market. From feeding to diapering to soothing, the list seems endless and can leave you feeling confused and unsure of where to even start. As a mom of two sets of twins, I've been there, and understand the challenge of choosing the right products for you and your newborn twins. I have tried to take some of the guess work out and have compiled a list of products that made our lives with newborn twins a little easier and a lot more enjoyable. These products were lifesavers for us during those precious early days with twins and hopefully are for you as well!
Feeding
If you are formula feeding, this machine is a game changer! The Baby Brezza is the Keurig of the baby feeding world. You fill it with water and powder formula, set it to your preferred number of ounces and bottle temperature and voila! You have a perfectly made bottle in seconds! I would have two bottles made and ready to go in less than a minute. Speed and convenience make the world of difference when I had two fussy babies. This is my number one recommended product for twin parents that are formula feeding.
I was gifted a Twin Z Pillow from a fellow twin mom. I did not use it much with my first set of twins. My husband was working from home when our first set was born and able to help with feedings. When he wasn't around, I tried to stagger their feedings. This took a lot of time and made me realize there had to be a better way. He switched jobs between our first and second sets and was not around during the day as much while on maternity leave with the second set of twins. I used the Twin Z Pillow regularly for feedings. I would sit on the living room floor with the Twin Z Pillow in front of me. With the babies in the pillow I was able to hold a bottle with each hand and feed them at the same time.
These bottles were amazing for all four of our babies. Sure, there are quite a few parts to
clean but we never had to use any other type of bottle. The wide neck makes them easy to clean. We loved these, but don't be afraid to try out a variety of different bottles with your babies. Just be ready to have quite a few bottles ready to go. We made sure we had enough to feed two babies for a twenty four hour period without having to wash them. This was a minimum of fourteen bottles.
We always had a minimum of two formula dispensers in our diaper bag and two in our bedroom, ready to be mixed for night feedings. We live in a two story home with the bedrooms on the second floor Going downstairs to use the Baby Brezza was not something we wanted to do in the middle of the night. We filled them each night knowing we would probably have two feedings. We also pre-filled the bottles with the correct amount of water before bed. We had the bottles and formula containers right next to where we each fed a baby. Having the dispensers ready to go made the night feedings go so much smoother and quicker.
Sleeping
We had this set up in our bedroom, next to our bed. The babies would sleep in the bassinets at night but I was also able to click the bassinets from the base and move them around throughout the day. The vibrate feature was also very helpful when the babies were a little fussier than usual. For the second set of twins, we actually bought a second nursery center so we could have one in the living room and one in our bedroom. This allowed us to keep the babies up off of the floor so that the toddlers could play without worrying about where the babies were. Once the babies outgrew the bassinet, we set up both bases in our bedroom for the babies to sleep in until we were ready to move them to their cribs in the nursery.
This has been the one any only sound machine we have used with our babies. It started in our bedroom when they were newborns and then moved to their nursery when they did. We now have one in each set of twin's bedrooms. The sound machine connects to an app on your phone where you can fully control and program it. It has 16 different sleep sounds, a variety of light colors, and time-to-rise/time-to sleep features. We love this sound machine so much that it travels with us anytime we go on a road trip.
We love our Vava baby monitor. We do not have the split screen version but wish we did. Ours currently allows for us to connect up to four cameras. I currently have two cameras in our nursery so I can see in each crib clearly and one in the toddlers' bedroom. We usually have it set so it rotates to each camera while they are all sleeping. The split screen feature would have been really nice but was not available at the time. I specifically didn't want a monitor that connected to our wifi and did not want something that connected to my phone. This makes it easy to take with us if we are traveling. The thing is also built like a tank. Ours has been slobbered on and dropped on a regular basis for the last three years and is still going strong!
When our first set of twins were born, I had not thought about how I would swaddle them or if they would even like to be swaddled. This was a major oversight on my part. Every baby is different and has unique preferences. It is helpful to have some different options for trial and error. We used a variety of swaddles and sleep sack options when they were newborns. The first set of twins preferred the traditional swaddle blankets for the first couple months. Our second set preferred the Dreamland Baby Weighted Sleep Swaddle. Whatever you want to try, I would recommend checking out second hand shops or Facebook Marketplace since you don't know what will be the best fit. Also monitor websites for sales. Dreamland Baby will periodically run a buy one get one free sale on their weighted sleep sacks. Other brands have similar sales as well.
Diapering
Wound dressing sounds a bit alarming but don't be deterred by the name. This stuff is an incredible diaper rash cream! Isaac got a really bad stomach bug when he was about two weeks old. We ended up in the hospital for three nights due to dehydration. The hospital gave us the Coloplast Wound Dressing for the gnarly diaper rash he got from being sick. This is a miracle cream! This product has worked better than any diaper rash cream that we have used in the past. It is a bit pricier but it is a large tube and will last a long time.
There are tons of different diaper caddy's out there with different materials, colors, and designs. You will just want one centralized place that you can put diapers, wipes, cream, thermometers, nail clippers and other miscellaneous baby items. It's helpful if it has handles and is easy to move around. We had two of these caddies around the house so that a diaper and pack of wipes was always near by. Having things handy and easily accessible makes it much easier when your arms are already full.
You will go through A LOT of diapers. We had two of these diapers stationed next to where we most consistently changed diapers. We preferred this diaper pail because we could use our regular garbage bags and had a locking feature that kept little fingers out. Whether you have a specific diaper pail or trash can, you just want to make sure they are strategically placed and within arms reach.
If you have a boy and plan to have them circumcised, you need this Vaseline. It is the holy grail of all Vaselines! Trust me on this one. Our nurses used this in the hospital and we hoarded it to take home. We even asked the nurses if they would give us extra before we left the hospital. If this is your first boy, let me explain. After the circumcision, you need to put Vaseline on their diaper while they heal so that the wound does not stick to diaper. This brand comes in an easy to use tube that you can squirt right onto the diaper rather than using the version that comes in a tub. It is also much softer than the standard tub of Vaseline which allows for better coverage. This is one of those products no one tells you about, but trust me, you'll be glad you have it!
Comfort
It obviously goes without explanation why you would need a thermometer. However, there are so many different ones on the market, and is hard to know which one to buy. We have tried a couple different types and have found that we really love the Exergen Temporal Thermometer. It is very easy to use and accurate compared to others that we have purchased. Have it ready to go an on hand. The last thing you want to be doing is run to the store when your baby isn't feeling well.
I'm sure you have heard about the NoseFrida with the part that you suck with your mouth. We had it. Tried it. Didn't like it. It took a lot of coordination between having a tube connected to my mouth, holding one end to the baby's nose and the baby always crazy wiggling. I also found that when I got sick, it correlated to then I used the NoseFrida. I'm not saying the NoseFrida caused me to be sick, I'm just saying it was quite a coincidence. Frida Baby came out with an electric nasal aspirator and we love it. It is gentle, easy to use and does not require me to use any part of my mouth! This has quickly become my favorite baby shower gift and think every new momma should have it!
We love these swaddle blankets and use them for just about everything. The muslin fabric is soft, lightweight and has the perfect amount of stretch for swaddling. They are also great for when you are holding or feeding your twinnies. We also use them for stroller rides or if you need a place or an impromptu burp rag. Aden + Anais have several different types of muslin blankets but the silky soft viscose bamboo is our favorite!
All of our babies loved this glider and can serve as a rocker or swing. We used this quite a bit to entertain and soothe babies. The vibrating feature with the rocking motion was a hit with all of our babies. Isaac would always giggle and go nuts when the mobile would move while it was swinging. It's great if a baby is fussy while you are trying to feed the other. We also liked the fact that there are different levels of intensity for the swing and vibrate feature.
On the Go
There are so many car seats on the market. It's hard to know where to start or what you should be looking for. I don't want you think that this is the best or only car seat for twins. There are many options that could work for your family. We selected a Graco SnugRide car seat due to the flexibility is allowed us. We purchased extra bases and had them in both mine and my husband's vehicle. We also gave bases to my parents for when ever they were watching the babies. Graco also has stroller options that are compatible with the SnugRide carseats. This can make it quick and easy to move them out of the car without taking them out of the car seat.
My sister-in-law had purchased this with her twins and let me use it for our second set. This stroller frame is so convenient when traveling anywhere with your twins. It is extremely lightweight and was easy to store in the back of our van. I used this on the daily to drop off and pick up at daycare. It is also extremely helpful for doctor appointment, especially if you need to do them solo. Note that with it being light weight it is not meant for long walks or all terrain experiences.
Like the car seat, there are many diaper bags that would work for your twins. Things to keep in mind is that you want something that is large and backpack style. Also look for a bag that has multiple places to store bottles. With two babies, you have double the bottles, formula and diapers. You also want space to pack extra clothes, burp rags, swaddles, etc. The bigger the better!
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