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9 Must-have Items for Twins

by Twins Magazine

There are many items for twins that you will find extremely necessary.

As soon as you find out you are having twins, you may feel overwhelmed by all the preparation ahead of you.

Often parents expecting twins buy way more than they will actually ever use.

Before you create your registry for your twins, read this.

We have compiled a complete list of the essential must-have items you will need during your twins’ first year. These items should be included in any registry.

1. A lightweight double frame stroller

A double frame stroller is the first item for twins you will want to purchase.

It is designed to allow you to snap your twins’ car seats directly into a lightweight stroller frame. This is important because your twins will spend much of their first six months sleeping and growing.

By simply unsnapping your car seats from their bases in your car and snapping them into the stroller frame, you will be able to take your twins on outings without having to wake them up.

We recommend using the lightweight double stroller frame, instead of a complete stroller system because the frame is much lighter. You will not need the seats in a traditional stroller, so don’t bother carrying around the extra weight.

Once you figure out which car seat you want for your twins (our list of recommended car seats for twins is here), you will either need the Baby Trend Snap N Go or the Joovy Twin Roo Plus (plus adapters). Read more about each one here.

Product details:

Recommended weight: 5lbs to 40lbs

Lowest price: Amazon

Price: $75.34

While not all car seats will fit, all the car seats we recommend will fit into the Baby Trend Snap N Go without any attachments needed.

Eventually, your twins will no longer fit comfortably and you will need either a larger everyday stroller or an umbrella stroller. We reviewed hundreds of strollers and created a list of our recommendations in this article.

Below we discuss the next item you will need to have before your twins are born.

While you certainly won’t need to purchase two of everything, you will obviously need to buy two car seats.

2. Two safe newborn infant car seats

The first type of car seat you will want for your twins is designed specifically for infants.

The carrier portion of the car seat can be removed from the base, which will remain in your car. By removing the car seat from the base, you will be able to let your twins continue to sleep and will not need to wake them up by removing them from the car seats.

All the car seats we recommend are compatible with the Baby Trend Snap N Go double stroller frame.

The Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 LX Featuring Trueshield Technology is our number one recommendation for newborn infant car seats. It is Graco’s safest car seat yet. It has received 4.7 out of 5 stars from customers on Amazon.

Product features:

Adjust handle with one hand, leaving your other hand free.

Silent Shade canopy easily and quietly adjusts without disturbing baby.

InRight LATCH system for a one-second LATCH attachment.

4-position adjustable base lets you customize fit to your vehicle.

Easy-to-read level indicator helps eliminate installation guesswork.

3. Two convertible cribs

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents of twins to have them each sleep in their own crib. That practice has been shown to reduce the incidents of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The Delta Children Emery 4-in-1 Convertible Baby Crib is an awesome choice. As a 4-in-1 crib, it is the only bed your twin will need for years to come.

Product details:

Colors: Comes in dark chocolate (shown), grey, and white

*It is also available as a mini crib. If you have a smaller room for your twins, you may want to purchase two mini cribs.

Price: $189.99

Lowest price: Amazon

4. One portable Playard or pack-n-play

Sometimes called a portable Playard, pack-n-play, or bassinet, a foldable crib will be an important item for twins to have before your twins arrive home.

This will be the place you lay your twins down to nap throughout much of the day. During the day, many parents have this crib in the main sitting room. At night, many parents bring this crib into their bedroom.

In the early days, your twins will feed a lot. Most new babies feed every 1-2 hours for weeks. Having this crib right next to the bed makes these frequent feedings much easier.

The Baby Trend Twin Nursery Center is more than just a portable crib. It comes with an organizational basket and removable bassinets. 

5. A comfortable double breastfeeding pillow

Breastfeeding twins is one of the most intimidating aspects for expecting and new moms of twins. While it can seem scary and you may even doubt whether you will be able to breastfeed your twins, we have found most who want to, can.

We have written a helpful article on how to breastfeed your twins successfully.

The most important item you should have is a comfortable double breastfeeding pillow. It will make the learning process and the daily feeding of your twins so much easier.

The My Brest Friend Supportive Nursing Pillow For Twins 0-12 Months, Plus-Size is our #1 recommendation. Unlike other double breastfeeding pillows, it has a velcro strap that secures the pillow around your waist. It is also firmer than the other pillows, which will be extremely helpful when you are helping your twins first learn how to breastfeed. Breastfeeding Twins

Product features:

Easy to wash, zip off cover – Your twins will spit up. The cover comes off easily and can be washed and dried in your washer and dryer.

★ Adjustable back support – Encourages better posture during breastfeeding, alleviating strain in your back, neck, and arms.

Adjustable fit for most sizes Large design is big enough to comfortably support both twins during breastfeeding.

★ Large multipurpose pocket – Handy pouch keeps your maternity supplies within easy reach

★ Secure wrap around design – Adjusts to fit most sizes, My Brest Friend surrounds your body securely, for the ideal position, providing the best support for mom and babies

★ Lactation experts approve – My Brest Friend is proud to be the top choice of lactation consultants and birthing hospitals

*Note: For bottle-feeding and general “hanging out” purposes, we recommend you use infant bouncer seats. We have included our favorites below.

6. Two safe bouncer seats

One of the absolute must-haves as a parent of twins is a bouncer seat for each twin.

The Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker is our favorite choice for bouncer seats. These seats are comfortable, well-made, lightweight, and adorable.

Product details:

Colors: 8 Colors and patterns to choose From

Price: $29.00-$69.99

Lowest price: Amazon

These seats can be used for many purposes. They are the perfect place to bottle-feed your twins. Simply sit your babies in the seats, strap them in, and feed.

Babies love to be held. Holding one baby for hours a day can be tough enough, but holding twins can often be impossible. We often placed our twins into these bouncers, strapped them in, and gently rocked them with our feet. Often the gently rocking put them right to sleep and allowed us to get a much-needed break.

These bouncers are also a great, safe place to put your twins if you need to go to the bathroom or get something to eat.

Unlike a large bassinet or portable Playard, these bouncers can easily be taken into the kitchen, bathroom, porch, yard, or anywhere else you want to go.

7. An organized diaper bag

Initially, you will want a diaper bag that has a lot of smaller compartments to help you organize your twins’ items. It should also come with an insulated compartment for bottles, a changing pad and a baby wipes container.

The Bag Nation Diaper Bag Backpack is an awesome backpack for parents of newborn twins. It has tons of pockets designed to hold diapers, bottles, wipes, clothing, toys, and more. It comes with a large changing pad and can be worn as a backpack so you can get it completely out of your way.

Product features:

High quality – Water-resistant twill polyester (stronger than cloth), non-fraying stitching, and strong zippers mean you’ll have a diaper bag backpack that lasts for years.

Lifetime warranty – Buy with confidence, we stick by our products and customers no matter what. Our outstanding support team is only a message away.

Connects to most strollers – While it is an extremely comfortable bag, it can also easily and conveniently connect onto almost any stroller.

Organized functional compartments will save you hassle – LOTS of awesome pockets! As parents, we have a lot of baby items we must carry and find at a moment’s notice! From diapers, clothing, bottles, and more! The 14 organized pockets, including 4 insulated bottle pockets, and pockets for wallets and keys.

★ Hands-free and comfortable to wear – This backpack allows you to carry all of your essentials while having both hands free. The padding on the back and shoulder straps make sure this is super comfortable to wear for any length of outing. Built-in stroller straps can hook onto any stroller, as well.

Gender-neutral, unisex design – We love the fact that this bag will not cause anyone to feel uncomfortable. Men and women alike can feel comfortable trading this bag back and forth from one caregiver to another.

Baby wipes case, changing pad, and other accessories included – Two packing cubes are also included to help organize clothing for each twin. There is also a wet/dry bag which is awesome for soiled clothing. There is a waterproof changing pad, so you can change diapers anywhere and a baby wipes case with its own easy access side pocket.

8. A reliable baby monitor

Baby monitors allow you to check in on your babies without entering the room and possibly waking them up. Today’s baby monitors do much more than that.

Baby monitors can monitor the babies, room temperature, breathing of your twins, and even be used to soothe them using lullabies or your own voice.

Some parents choose to buy a baby monitor with two cameras, while others get one monitor that can view both cribs at once. In our review of the best baby monitors for twins, we have included both one and two camera options.

Our #1 recommendation for a baby monitor for twins who share a bedroom is the Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor with Interchangeable Optical Lens.

84% of the customers who reviewed this baby monitor gave it either 4 or 5 stars, it is a very safe choice.

9. Baby wraps and carriers

Having a comfortable carrier is essential as the parent of twins.

There will often be a time when at least one of your twins wants to be held.

While there are a few carriers designed for twins available, we rarely found a time when both twins had to be held at once.

The two types of carriers we suggest you invest in are the wrap and the carrier.

Our favorite wrap for carrying newborn babies is the Ergo Baby Wrap by CuddleBug. It allows you to essential swaddle your baby against your body. It is versatile, comfortable, and effective.

Once you are past the newborn stage, you will need a carrier with a lot of back support and cushioning on your shoulders. Trust us, babies are heavy.

The Ergobaby 360 All Carry Positions Award-Winning Ergonomic Baby Carrier is our favorite versatile baby carrier.

Product details:

Colors: Comes in 16 colors and patterns

Price: $104.95- $160.00

Lowest price: Amazon

Product features:

★ Comfortable and ergonomic as baby grows: Easy to adjust bucket seat supports your baby in an ergonomic natural “M” position in all carry positions from baby to toddler.

★ Comfortable for you: Exceptional lower back support with a wide wraparound waistband that maximizes comfort especially post C-section. Extra padded shoulder straps help evenly distribute your baby’s weight.

All carry positions included: Face baby in or out. Wear on the hip or back as baby grows (~4-36 months/12-33lbs or start with newborn infant insert ~0-4Months/7-12lbs, sold separately).

Custom fit: Easily adjusts to fit multiple wearers from petite to larger body types (waistband adjusts 26-52″, shoulder straps 28” to 48”).

★ Thoughtful design: Easy breastfeeding & UPF 50+, tuck away baby hood for sun and wind protection; machine washable.

In summary, these are the 9 most important items you will need to purchase before your twins are born. While there are many other smaller items, you will find useful, these are the essential items any new parent of twins will need.

Comment below and let us know what you think of this list.

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