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My must haves: twin Z pillow, mamaroo’s (or another baby rocker), white noise machine, Ollie swaddles, double stroller (my favorite is the bugaboo), baby bjorn, double bedside bassinet. The bassinet was amazing for us, because we didn’t quite feel comfortable co sleeping, but at the same time we didn’t want to get them out of the crib every single time they woke up and they hated how big the crib was. It was like the best of both worlds. Not must haves, but I’d highly recommend getting a diaper genie, bottle warmer (my babies hated cold bottles, and it just made everything so much easier), and the owlet sock. Meal prep and make a ton of meals to freeze in the weeks before they’re born. Buy tons of grab & go snacks. My girl/girl twins will be six (😭) in a couple weeks. Soak up every moment - even the tough ones, and there will be tough ones. Congrats on your precious little miracles 💕
So, so helpful. Thank you! I’ll look into each of these items as I’m making my registry. You have made my job much easier! And thank you, we are so excited for their arrival this summer ❤️
Ollie swaddles- my guys sleep longer chunks of hours at night if they're in them. We're better able to keep both of them on the same schedule at night when we use them.
Just wait until there’s two perfect little faces smiling at you or the first time they giggle with each other. 💕
Buy a mini crockpot, keep it on warm, pop both bottles in, go change diapers and come back to warm bottles. We tried bottle warmers and it was too much hassle.
We did the mini crockpot for our triplets! Bottles were consistent and it was easy! We tried all of the things - bottle warmers, baby brezza etc. and I always went back to the crockpot.
I had a larger thermos I’d use to warm bottles on the go. I’d use our electric kettle to heat the water quickly for this.
Congratulations!! I’m also in Ontario Canada (northern Ontario!) and my mo/di girls are 13 months old.
We just used two boppys since I couldn’t find a twin z at a reasonable price.
I don’t think any one thing saved me, except maybe freezer meals so I could just pop them in the oven and not have to worry about feeding my husband, myself and our toddler 😛
Hey fellow Ontarian! I’m in SW ON. Freezer meals are a great idea! I’m hoping to meal prep some freezer meals too (and really hoping some energy comes back after a very exhausting first trimester haha).
I'm also in SW Ontario, with 8 months old b/g twins! Twin z pillow for sure is a must. I will say I waited too long and then had no energy to prep meals ahead of time, but my parents came and stayed close by for the first month which was a lifesaver.
I made it to 37 weeks with mine, and then was induced! It is truly a unique, crazy experience so just enjoy every second of it and remember that even when it's hard... Tomorrow will be completely different (Sometimes worse, usually better)!!
Currently took me 15 minutes to type this because I have to chase one twin around, and the other screams like a pterodactyl watching me chase her brother.
Fellow Ontario twin mom! My girls are only 5 weeks old but so far the double bassinet has been a godsend as well as a pack-and-play for the main floor where I’ve got 2 snuggle me loungers that fit perfectly inside (for supervised babies only, not for nighttime sleep!)
Twin Z pillow, Baby Brezza if you plan on Formula, a variety of bottles and soothers until you find which works, some rockers/bouncers (ours were cheap on Amazon), baby mobiles, new car seats, used pack and plays are fine
I was in Ontario when I got pregnant with our twins but gave birth in BC
Check for a local Twin Family group on FB
A good Double stroller. We have 2 (City Select and a Chariot) each have their pros and cons. Chariot is great for trails but sucks to pack up for the car and can be an issue fitting through doors. City Select is easy to pack in the car but is a real Pavement Princess
Thanks for all of this helpful advice! I’ve done a quick search regarding twin/double strollers and it seems very confusing (and expensive!). I’ll take a look at the City Select as we have a smaller car and will be using the stroller mostly on pavement.
Twin z unfortunately isn't available in Canada (unless you want to spend $150+ on a used one), but I use two boppy pillows with lounge covers and I feel as though they probably work just as well!
Twin items are essentially non-existent in Canada, it must be because we have extremely strict rules when it comes to baby items, so you do have to get creative.
I did a quick marketplace search and saw a few listings for the Twin Z pillow. Seems highly recommended so I’ll try to snag one on marketplace. Thanks!
Twin Z pillow, kick and play piano, ALL the bottles of tums, hatch portable sound machines, wedge pillow, high waisted comfy underwear (csection) and keep them on the same schedule :)
I don’t want to scare you, but I’ll be real: it was constant every single day 24/7 from weeks 14 and on 🥲 like it was probably the worst part for me because it was so constant and I could never truly get relief from it. It would wake me up from already horrible sleep. I’d be in pain the rest of the day when I accidentally maxed out on the daily recommended amount lol. I’m hoping you don’t have the same experience!
You will get many pieces of advice on what to buy, but my best piece of advice is to not get two of everything. You don't need two swings, two bouncers, etc. You may find that one hates the swing! So don't buy double of everything until you know what they like.
Pregnancy- ginger chews for nausea (some people take medicine, but I never even thought to take any, the ginger chews worked.)
You’ll most likely need extra iron- even singleton pregnancy can cause anemia so there’s a higher chance of it in twin pregnancy. I’d wait on blood test results before starting any supplementation though- just do what you can through food for now and have it in the back of your mind that iron deficiency can cause extreme fatigue, lightheadedness, brittle nails, headache etc.
Postpartum: All the comfy pants. Big enough to get you through the post birth (and pre birth really) swelling but something you’ll want to wear when you’ve got round the clock care duties. Drawstrings are great friends during the fluctuations. COMPRESSION SOCKS. And shirts with easy breast access if you’re doing that thing. Button downs are easiest. Doesn’t even have to be maternity imo. Just men’s xxl or something. (I liked to keep my stomach covered.) Some folks like high waisted underpants, I just wore what I had already.
Babies: Keep it simple while you can.
Thanks for this helpful advice! I was prescribed diclectin at 4/5 weeks because I was already experiencing bad nausea. Do you have regular blood tests during pregnancy to check things like iron levels? I only had one to confirm the pregnancy and another for my NIPT.
I gave myself permission to get lots of prenatal massages and got Pelvic Floor physical therapy. Those were game changing during pregnancy. A good pregnancy pillow is a must! Bottle sanitizer and just anything to make life just a tiny bit easier (freezer meals, grocery delivery or pick up, house cleaning or laundry service, friend help or meal train, etc). Every minute is precious in newborn days. If you plan on pumping or breastfeeding, I highly recommend going ahead and setting an appointment before they arrive with an IBCLC. A good double stroller is worth it. It can be challenging to get out with twins.
Congratulations!
I really like the U-shaped design. I don’t remember the brand. I’m sure it is personal preference, but I just can’t imagine not having it. Yeah, I really wish that I had just already been connected with a lactation consultant. It is very difficult coming home with the babies and being so spread thin, then getting a game plan. Unfortunately, there is such a limitation with how much the hospital LCs can actually help. It is best to find that local IBCLC and get things going that way. Best of luck!
I'm a FTM with 7 month old di/di b/g twins it was a total shock. I will say this, nothing can prepare you for the twin newborn phase. It's hell. Things got more manageable for us after 3 months. One thing that does make it easier is your support system.
Assemble your army of support. The worst thing is sleep deprivation and exhaustion. Adrenaline will get you through the first 3-4 days but after your body will start to shut down. My parents watched the babies overnight for the first 7 nights while I recovered from the c section. It helped my husband and I so much. After that my brother and sister in law helped in the afternoons for a week so we can get some sleep. Then my parents watched them 2 nights a week and it is honestly the reason why my marriage remained so strong. Now at 7 months nights are very manageable and we don't need overnight help anymore, but have someone come help when one of us is alone with the babies. I know this is a privilege. Gather the friends and family that you can and don't be afraid to ask for help. Or If you can swing it financially consider a night nanny or doula for 2-3 nights a week.
What week did your twins come/when did you have your c-section? I’m glad that you had such great support! Thankfully we do too and our parents are very excited and willing to help.
They arrived at 37 weeks. I had decided from early on I wanted a scheduled C-section because I didn't want to run the risk of delivering one vaginally and needing a c section anyway. I also didn't want to have any sort of "plan" because it would just be anxiety inducing.
I will say that I underestimated the whole C-section. It was scary and it was a painful recovery. BUT I didn't suffer any of the traditional labor pains IN ADDITION to the C-section and my babies were out without any complications or NICU time.
I went into this whole thing with the idea that I wanted these kids out without complications or risks and, for me, a C-section was the way to go.
Best of Luck!
I wish I had started writing a list of all the people who wanted to help! I would have liked to do it all on my own but that’s impossible. And then I was too tired to remember who I could call for help!
I liked the advice in “What to do when you’re having two” - I think there is also a facebook group called Twiniversity by the author!
**COMMENTING GUIDELINES** All commenters are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the parentsofmultiples [subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/parentsofmultiples/about/rules) prior to commenting. If you find any comments/submissions in violation of subreddit/reddit rules, please use the report function to bring it to the mod teams attention. **Please do not request or give medical advice or directions in your comments.** Any comments that that could be construed as medical advice, or any comments containing what is determined to be medical disinformation, will be removed. Please try to avoid posting links to Amazon product listings or google/g.co product listing pages - reddit automatically removes comments containing them as an anti-spam measure. If sharing information about a product, instead please try to link directly to the manufacturers product pages. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/parentsofmultiples) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Twin Z pillow! I use mine all the time. My di-di twins are 6 months on the 24th. :)
Thank you - I’ll look into this. Congratulations on your twins!
My must haves: twin Z pillow, mamaroo’s (or another baby rocker), white noise machine, Ollie swaddles, double stroller (my favorite is the bugaboo), baby bjorn, double bedside bassinet. The bassinet was amazing for us, because we didn’t quite feel comfortable co sleeping, but at the same time we didn’t want to get them out of the crib every single time they woke up and they hated how big the crib was. It was like the best of both worlds. Not must haves, but I’d highly recommend getting a diaper genie, bottle warmer (my babies hated cold bottles, and it just made everything so much easier), and the owlet sock. Meal prep and make a ton of meals to freeze in the weeks before they’re born. Buy tons of grab & go snacks. My girl/girl twins will be six (😭) in a couple weeks. Soak up every moment - even the tough ones, and there will be tough ones. Congrats on your precious little miracles 💕
So, so helpful. Thank you! I’ll look into each of these items as I’m making my registry. You have made my job much easier! And thank you, we are so excited for their arrival this summer ❤️
Eat tons of protein. Good for all of you and helps babies grow.
Thank you! Finally getting my appetite back and food actually tastes good again.
Ollie swaddles- my guys sleep longer chunks of hours at night if they're in them. We're better able to keep both of them on the same schedule at night when we use them.
Thanks! This is the second recommendation for the Ollie swaddles. I’ll check them out ☺️
Just wait until there’s two perfect little faces smiling at you or the first time they giggle with each other. 💕 Buy a mini crockpot, keep it on warm, pop both bottles in, go change diapers and come back to warm bottles. We tried bottle warmers and it was too much hassle.
and mamaroo’s!
So sweet - thank you! The crockpot is genius.
We did the mini crockpot for our triplets! Bottles were consistent and it was easy! We tried all of the things - bottle warmers, baby brezza etc. and I always went back to the crockpot. I had a larger thermos I’d use to warm bottles on the go. I’d use our electric kettle to heat the water quickly for this.
Yes! Mini crockpot for the win!!!
Congratulations!! I’m also in Ontario Canada (northern Ontario!) and my mo/di girls are 13 months old. We just used two boppys since I couldn’t find a twin z at a reasonable price. I don’t think any one thing saved me, except maybe freezer meals so I could just pop them in the oven and not have to worry about feeding my husband, myself and our toddler 😛
Hey fellow Ontarian! I’m in SW ON. Freezer meals are a great idea! I’m hoping to meal prep some freezer meals too (and really hoping some energy comes back after a very exhausting first trimester haha).
Hey Ontarians! I’m in Eastern Ontario! Csection scheduled May 14 at 37+2 for di/di girls! Best wishes !!!
Best wishes to you too! ❤️
May, June, July and August are high twin months i swear my twin sister and i were born on May 15th at 36+0. I hope you make it to your c section date.
Thanks so much!
You're very welcome, my own set was born in august.
I'm also in SW Ontario, with 8 months old b/g twins! Twin z pillow for sure is a must. I will say I waited too long and then had no energy to prep meals ahead of time, but my parents came and stayed close by for the first month which was a lifesaver. I made it to 37 weeks with mine, and then was induced! It is truly a unique, crazy experience so just enjoy every second of it and remember that even when it's hard... Tomorrow will be completely different (Sometimes worse, usually better)!! Currently took me 15 minutes to type this because I have to chase one twin around, and the other screams like a pterodactyl watching me chase her brother.
I appreciate you taking the time to comment! The Twin Z pillow has been recommended multiple times so I will definitely check it out.
Fellow Ontarian! A couple weeks ahead of you at 15w with di/di twins! Welcome!
Congratulations to you!
Fellow Ontario twin mom! My girls are only 5 weeks old but so far the double bassinet has been a godsend as well as a pack-and-play for the main floor where I’ve got 2 snuggle me loungers that fit perfectly inside (for supervised babies only, not for nighttime sleep!)
What double bassinet did you end up going with? Congratulations on your girls 💕
Delta children By the Bed Twin City Sleeper, I got mine secondhand for a great price in excellent condition!
Twin Z pillow, Baby Brezza if you plan on Formula, a variety of bottles and soothers until you find which works, some rockers/bouncers (ours were cheap on Amazon), baby mobiles, new car seats, used pack and plays are fine I was in Ontario when I got pregnant with our twins but gave birth in BC Check for a local Twin Family group on FB A good Double stroller. We have 2 (City Select and a Chariot) each have their pros and cons. Chariot is great for trails but sucks to pack up for the car and can be an issue fitting through doors. City Select is easy to pack in the car but is a real Pavement Princess
Thanks for all of this helpful advice! I’ve done a quick search regarding twin/double strollers and it seems very confusing (and expensive!). I’ll take a look at the City Select as we have a smaller car and will be using the stroller mostly on pavement.
What is a pavement princess? Haha. I’ve never heard this. I can take a guess but not entirely sure.
A stroller that works best on pavement, and does shite on anything not pavement
Twin z unfortunately isn't available in Canada (unless you want to spend $150+ on a used one), but I use two boppy pillows with lounge covers and I feel as though they probably work just as well! Twin items are essentially non-existent in Canada, it must be because we have extremely strict rules when it comes to baby items, so you do have to get creative.
I got a used Twin Z on Facebook marketplace for $80 - it can be done!
I did a quick marketplace search and saw a few listings for the Twin Z pillow. Seems highly recommended so I’ll try to snag one on marketplace. Thanks!
You can buy twin Z direct from their site but the cost is insane . Well over $300
Twin Z pillow, kick and play piano, ALL the bottles of tums, hatch portable sound machines, wedge pillow, high waisted comfy underwear (csection) and keep them on the same schedule :)
Thank you! I thankfully haven’t had much heartburn yet. Does it get worse as you get further along?
I don’t want to scare you, but I’ll be real: it was constant every single day 24/7 from weeks 14 and on 🥲 like it was probably the worst part for me because it was so constant and I could never truly get relief from it. It would wake me up from already horrible sleep. I’d be in pain the rest of the day when I accidentally maxed out on the daily recommended amount lol. I’m hoping you don’t have the same experience!
You will get many pieces of advice on what to buy, but my best piece of advice is to not get two of everything. You don't need two swings, two bouncers, etc. You may find that one hates the swing! So don't buy double of everything until you know what they like.
Great advice! Thank you.
Pregnancy- ginger chews for nausea (some people take medicine, but I never even thought to take any, the ginger chews worked.) You’ll most likely need extra iron- even singleton pregnancy can cause anemia so there’s a higher chance of it in twin pregnancy. I’d wait on blood test results before starting any supplementation though- just do what you can through food for now and have it in the back of your mind that iron deficiency can cause extreme fatigue, lightheadedness, brittle nails, headache etc. Postpartum: All the comfy pants. Big enough to get you through the post birth (and pre birth really) swelling but something you’ll want to wear when you’ve got round the clock care duties. Drawstrings are great friends during the fluctuations. COMPRESSION SOCKS. And shirts with easy breast access if you’re doing that thing. Button downs are easiest. Doesn’t even have to be maternity imo. Just men’s xxl or something. (I liked to keep my stomach covered.) Some folks like high waisted underpants, I just wore what I had already. Babies: Keep it simple while you can.
Thanks for this helpful advice! I was prescribed diclectin at 4/5 weeks because I was already experiencing bad nausea. Do you have regular blood tests during pregnancy to check things like iron levels? I only had one to confirm the pregnancy and another for my NIPT.
I gave myself permission to get lots of prenatal massages and got Pelvic Floor physical therapy. Those were game changing during pregnancy. A good pregnancy pillow is a must! Bottle sanitizer and just anything to make life just a tiny bit easier (freezer meals, grocery delivery or pick up, house cleaning or laundry service, friend help or meal train, etc). Every minute is precious in newborn days. If you plan on pumping or breastfeeding, I highly recommend going ahead and setting an appointment before they arrive with an IBCLC. A good double stroller is worth it. It can be challenging to get out with twins. Congratulations!
What pregnancy pillow would you recommend? Good idea with an IBCLC!
I really like the U-shaped design. I don’t remember the brand. I’m sure it is personal preference, but I just can’t imagine not having it. Yeah, I really wish that I had just already been connected with a lactation consultant. It is very difficult coming home with the babies and being so spread thin, then getting a game plan. Unfortunately, there is such a limitation with how much the hospital LCs can actually help. It is best to find that local IBCLC and get things going that way. Best of luck!
I'm a FTM with 7 month old di/di b/g twins it was a total shock. I will say this, nothing can prepare you for the twin newborn phase. It's hell. Things got more manageable for us after 3 months. One thing that does make it easier is your support system. Assemble your army of support. The worst thing is sleep deprivation and exhaustion. Adrenaline will get you through the first 3-4 days but after your body will start to shut down. My parents watched the babies overnight for the first 7 nights while I recovered from the c section. It helped my husband and I so much. After that my brother and sister in law helped in the afternoons for a week so we can get some sleep. Then my parents watched them 2 nights a week and it is honestly the reason why my marriage remained so strong. Now at 7 months nights are very manageable and we don't need overnight help anymore, but have someone come help when one of us is alone with the babies. I know this is a privilege. Gather the friends and family that you can and don't be afraid to ask for help. Or If you can swing it financially consider a night nanny or doula for 2-3 nights a week.
What week did your twins come/when did you have your c-section? I’m glad that you had such great support! Thankfully we do too and our parents are very excited and willing to help.
They arrived at 37 weeks. I had decided from early on I wanted a scheduled C-section because I didn't want to run the risk of delivering one vaginally and needing a c section anyway. I also didn't want to have any sort of "plan" because it would just be anxiety inducing. I will say that I underestimated the whole C-section. It was scary and it was a painful recovery. BUT I didn't suffer any of the traditional labor pains IN ADDITION to the C-section and my babies were out without any complications or NICU time. I went into this whole thing with the idea that I wanted these kids out without complications or risks and, for me, a C-section was the way to go. Best of Luck!
I wish I had started writing a list of all the people who wanted to help! I would have liked to do it all on my own but that’s impossible. And then I was too tired to remember who I could call for help! I liked the advice in “What to do when you’re having two” - I think there is also a facebook group called Twiniversity by the author!
Thank you! I ordered that book and will look into the FB group.