Life with newborn twins is overwhelming. I still maintain that I have little-to-no memories of that first year; it was all survival. I’ve compiled a list of the products that made that survival possible. (Honorable mentions: coffee, coffee, coffee).
Gear
1. Graco Pack n Play Playard with Twin Bassinet | Price: $189.99
I know, this thing looks BIG. But it’s worth it. We kept this beside our bed for the first few months. I love that they could sleep close enough to sense (and smell) each other but still had their own space. (Read: so Twin A couldn’t punch Twin B in the face during nap time). It’s smaller than having two bassinets- which was a big selling point because we don’t live in a mansion. We loved this so much, we even got an extra one for Grandma’s house.
Bonus: It grows with them! It is big enough that without the bassinet, they could both nap in it together well past their first birthday.
2. Graco Ready2Grow Click Connect Double Stroller | Price: $199.99
I am a sucker for a good travel system. (Perhaps laziness is the name of the game here). Pair this stroller with a set of Graco SnugRide Infant car seats and suddenly errands with newborn twins aren’t so daunting. The infant seats click right into the stroller, no shuffling sleeping babies, no straps to bother with, just literally click and go! Plus, there is a pretty roomy basket on the bottom, a cup holder (necessary for that Starbucks during the Target run), and a compartment to keep your keys/phone.
3. Rock n’ Play | Price: $47+ (different options, self-rocking, vibrating, etc. The cooler the options, the higher the price)
I have a love-hate relationship with Rock n Plays. They’re great for a parent to tandem bottle feed on their own, which is what I used them for. They have an incline, so feedings are easy. My twins also had reflux, so I kept them in their Rock N Plays for 15 minutes after each feeding.
Keep in mind: Rock N’ Play’s are NOT approved for sleeping. They also restrict head and neck movement.
4. Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair | Price: $39.99-59.99 depending on the print (I’ll take the ugly print for $20 off).
For such tiny things, babies sure have a lot of stuff. Double it with twins and suddenly your once Maria Kondo-ed home is now more closely resembling an episode of Hoarders. Typically, high chairs are big and bulky. I loved these space-saving options that safely buckle onto kitchen chairs. Nothing big messing up your kitchen décor and as they grow older, simply take off the tray and use the seat as a booster! They’re also easily portable for Thanksgiving at Grandmas!
Bonus: They recline, so another option for tandem bottle feeding!
Feeding
5. Boppy Pillows (yes, plural) | Price: $39 (check off-brand stores for a cheaper price! I found out at Marshall’s for $15)
The Boppy pillow is probably the most versatile item on this list. Using two Boppy pillows for tandem feeding is a great option if you want to give those Rock n Plays a break. They also help with tummy time, assisted sitting, and getting ready to crawl.
6. Brown Formula pitcher | Price: $15
This seemed so silly to me at first, but it really was a game changer. I felt like I was spending 80% of my day mixing bottles (especially when the twins were a higher calorie intake). With the pitcher, I made one batch a day. I would mix it up in the morning, stick it in the fridge all day, and pour into bottles as needed.
Tip: Nighttime with a newborn sucks, there’s no real way to sugar coat that. You know what’s even worse? Nighttime with newborn twins. Before bed, I would prepare the overnight bottles and mix an extra small batch of formula in the pitcher (in case someone was extra hungry). Not having to worry about mixing and measure formula in the middle of the night really decreased the amount of misery I exuded during nighttime feedings.
7. Munchkin High Capacity Dishwasher Basket |Price: $6
When we bought our house, my only request was a dishwasher. I never had one growing up and I didn’t even know how to use one. But I knew how many bottles twin newborns would be going through and how long it would take to wash them in my sleep-deprived stupor and I was not about that life. This dishwasher basket is bigger than the other ones I saw, so plenty of room for all those bottle pieces. Toss it in the dishwasher overnight on sterilize and viola- no bottle brush needed!
8. Brown Microwave Steam Sterilizer Bags | Price: $6
This is probably the laziest thing I did. I love my dishwasher, I really really do. But sometimes, I just didn’t have the energy to deal with it. But the bottles still need to be sterilized, so then what? No fear, Dr. Brown is here! Rinse and wash off the bottles, toss them in the bag, pop them in the microwave and ding- sterilized bottles. Easy peasy.
Toys & Other Useful Stuff
9. Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Crib Soother | Price: $40 (wait for a sale!)
I was iffy about these at first, but once I saw them on sale, I scooped them up and realized I should’ve sooner. They clipped right on to the side of the crib and were easy to move to a pack and play if needed. The lights, movements, and sound are soothing and cut down on a lot of crying time at bedtime. The music and lights also slowly fade off, no sudden changes to wake or startle the baby!
Bonus: once the twins got older, they figured out they could kick the button to turn it on and it was super cute.
10. Homedics SoundSpa Lullaby | Price: $25
I thought spending $25 on a glorified static machine was foolish. But babies cry. A lot. Twins cry even more. The white noise helped keep Twin B asleep when Twin A woke up for a bottle. It also has a little projector of cute little scenes, which I usually use like a night light. It has a timer option, but I leave that sucker on all night.
11. Backpack diaper bag | Price: depends how fancy you want to get
I didn’t get a backpack diaper bag until after the twins turned one. I was late getting on this trend train. I can’t believe I waited to so long. I found mine on Amazon for about $30. It’s roomier than any of the traditional diaper bags I ever owned and easier to carry. Plus, I got a super cute striped one, so I still looked relatively cute even with spit up all over my shirt.
The Five Product Failures
1. Moby Wrap
I really, really wanted to babywear my twins. I read up on all the benefits, I wanted to keep my babies close and secure and get to sniff that new baby smell all day. But it was a fail. I was truly awful at wrapping, I watched so many videos, but I was awful. My twins had a pretty drastic weight difference, so I felt unbalanced and uneasy. This one was heartbreaking. It didn’t work for me, but it could totally work for someone with more coordination and twins without a ten-pound weight difference!
2. 4moms mamaRoo Baby swing
Okay, have you seen this thing? It is SO cool. I had to have it. So, we got it. I liked it more than the twins. Looking back, it was probably uncomfortable for them because they had torticollis. We used this less than a handful of times and then I sold it. Even newborns have preferences, unfortunately for me, my twins were too cool for the mamaRoo. Too bad this doesn’t come in an adult size, I’d totally use it every day.
3. Joovy Twin Roo + Double Stroller
This looked really cool and I liked the price point considering I wouldn’t use it for that long. Once the babies were out of infant seats, I could easily upgrade to a double stroller. But when it came in, I realized it needed adapters, all sorts of straps, etc. Suddenly it didn’t seem so simple. I ended up returning this for the Graco Click Connect so I could quickly move car seats from the minivan to the stroller without fumbling with any straps. This product would totally work for someone with more patience.
4. My Breast Friend pillow
I had big hopes to breastfeed the twins. Reality had other plans. I attempted to breastfeed for about a month. This pillow had such great reviews and I was excited to try. Unfortunately, it didn’t fit my body type well. I am relatively small, so there was a decent gap between the pillow and my stomach, which made it awkward and difficult to hold the babies during feeding. It doesn’t help that my chest is pretty small. Overall, this would’ve been a great product if I had a body that wasn’t awkwardly shaped.
5. Month Milestone stickers
I love seeing Facebook friends posting monthly photos of their babies throughout the first year. I totally thought I’d do the same thing. I had two boxes of little month stickers for the twinnies. They never got opened. Not once did I attempt this. The boxes are still shoved in the back shelf of the changing table. Whoops. These would totally be great for a mom who actually has their stuff together (which isn’t me!).
Super Awesome Bonus Product
***Step2 Whisper Ride Touring Wagon***
Price: $120 (although I’ve seen it on sale for $99)
This is the single best product for my twins. I have an older son too, so I’m often driving around to games, practices, and events. I drag the twins to and from the football field in this sucker every weekend. This wagon as straps, so the little stinkers can’t escape; it has cup holders; removal table tops for playing and snacking; and a canopy to keep it cool on those hot summer days at the baseball field.
Every time I’m out with this thing I get stopped. Everyone wants one. Totally justified, it’s awesome.
This list was created from my own crazy experiences. Please leave your fave products (splurge or save) for your multiples or singleton in the comments!
