Hi ya’ll! Preparing for twins can seem incredibly daunting! How will we squeeze in two cribs? How many boxes of diapers should we purchase? What color should we paint the room? (In my case we went neutral, being we had a boy and a girl.) But even with all of the questions running around in your head, trust me, it’s not as overwhelming as it seems. I do, however, recommend that you start preparing as soon as you find out that you are expecting a life with twins! The more time to prepare the better.
Disclaimer- I AM NOT a professional therapist, doctor, or child rearing guru. These suggestions are simply ideas that have worked for my family. If you are looking for professional help, please discontinue reading now. But if you are interested in some helpful tips I encourage you to read on!
preparing for twins
Step 1: GET ORGANIZED
- Make a list of items you may already have and what you will need to get.
*There is a list of my recommended items below. - Decide which room will be for your babies. Measure the length of each wall and the width of the room. This will help with the purchasing of cribs, dresser, and changing table to be sure they will all fit nicely.
- If you are going to do any remodeling on the babies room, (e.g. flooring, painting), I would suggest that you complete that as early as possible so you have more time to decorate and organize.
Step 2: Purchase the big items first
I know it can be hard to not go crazy buying the cute clothes and stuffed animals. But trust me it will be a lot easier setting up the furniture if you don’t have bags of recent purchases getting in your way!
- Purchase crib(s), dresser, changing table:
I wanted to save as much money as possible so I went to social media and friends looking for used furniture. However, I do recommend that you examine used cribs very carefully. A few bumps and bruises are okay, but you don’t want it wobbly or missing any pieces. Your babies safety is worth more than saving a few dollars!
Also, you really only need 1 dresser. Infant clothing does not take up much space. However, if you do need more storage options but don’t have the space for more furniture, take advantage of empty wall space by adding shelves! Another great option is collapsible storage bins. They are great for clothing, toys, and blankets, just to name a few. - Car seats:
I recommend buying car seats brand new! I made the mistake of taking used car seats with me to the hospital and they would not approve them. At the time I didn’t know this, but car seats can expire. Plus there was no way for the hospital to know if those seats had been in a previous accident that could’ve compromised its security features.
If you are planning on purchasing a twin stroller, I would recommend looking for “travel systems”. Being able to snap the car seat onto the stroller comes in very handy. I also recommend going with a jogging stroller. My stroller had 4 wheels that liked to spin, making it hard to steer. I had a jogging stroller with my youngest and loved it!
Preparing for twins-Purchase now or later?
I made the mistake of thinking I needed two of EVERYTHING before my babies were born. I had two swings, two playmats, two bouncy seats, two floor seats…you get the point. However, I quickly found out that I should’ve purchased 1 item at a time. My daughter ended up preferring the swing over the bouncy seat and my son was vise versa. Which meant now I had two items I wasn’t using and needed to find a place to store them. And Lord knows storage space was already scarce!
purchase now
- As I stated earlier you will definitely need car seats before arriving at the hospital.
Also, there is a car seat accessory that I used during all seasons- a car seat canopy!
Car seat canopies keep all elements off of your precious cargo. It also deters hands from reaching in and spreading germs! - You will also need a “sleep station” for your babies. Some parents prefer to have their newborns in a bassinet by their bed at night. However, I did not have that option. Our bedroom wasn’t big enough for one bassinet, let alone two. So, we purchased a crib and put both twins in it until they got too big and started rolling over. (This is also a good way to save money up front, being that you already have other large items to purchase.)
- I highly recommend adding a changing table to the nursery! You will be changing a lot of diapers. Your back will thank you at 2 am from not having to bend over a pack-n-play or sit on the floor! However, if you don’t have a lot of space my suggestion is a dresser/changing table combo!
- There is one item that I deem SUPER essential- a baby monitor!! I didn’t have a fancy video monitor, it was sound only. But it saved so much time running back and forth just to be reassured they were sleeping. If you have WIFI I do suggest getting a monitor with a video feature. Nothing wrong with double reassurance that your babies are safe!
purchase later: after the baby shower
- Diapers are an essential that you will need before your babies are born, but I would wait until after the baby shower before buying any. Other moms generally gravitate towards buying diapers because they know how valuable they are. And sometimes even the non-moms will gift them because they don’t know what else to get.
My mom and sister made bringing diapers as a gift into a game where people could win prizes. I received so many that I didn’t have to purchase diapers for a few months!
However, if you do need to purchase diapers I would start with a box of newborn size and a bag of premie size. I personally wouldn’t go on a diaper buying spree because your babies may be fast growers! - Clothing is another essential, but it’s also a hot item at baby showers. Everyone loves to pick out cute little sleepers and onesies!
- I would also recommend waiting to buy any baby bathing items (e.g. wash, shampoo, diaper rash cream). Once again, other moms gravitate toward gifting essentials!
purchase later: after babies are born
- Rocking chair.
I left this out of the “big items” list earlier on purpose. Rocking chairs are incredibly useful and I highly recommend having one if possible. However, it’s not really an essential for the nursery, especially if you have one in the living room. But if you find the convenience of having one in the nursery out weighs having extra walking space, then go for it! (I added a chair to the middle of the room because convenience was worth a million dollars at 3 am!) - Swings, playmats, bouncers.
It is pretty common for new twin moms to think they need two of EVERYTHING. That, however, is not true! I made that mistake and it left me trying to store the unneeded items. So, my suggestion is to wait before purchasing two of everything and see what your babies prefer. Another suggestion is possibly borrowing “baby gear” from a friend or family member to “test it out” before making any purchases. No need to waste money!
As a side note on the playmat- if you are wanting to save some money, a blanket works just as well! By the time my twins enjoyed playing with the toys on the playmat, they were rolling off of it. - Pack-N-Play.
I used my pack-n-play all of the time! I set it up in my living room for those times when I needed to lay one of the twins down and didn’t feel like strapping them into a chair. However, if you aren’t planning on leaving it set up but would still like to have one on hand for an unexpected outing, I would suggest looking for a used one. But before purchasing be sure that it locks properly and all safety features are working.
preparing for twins- my tips
- Decide which baby bath system works for you- tub or sink? I used a foldable bath sling; I could sit it in the tub or on the counter. It’s also a good idea to fill a basket with baby wash/shampoo, baby lotion, baby powder, and diaper rash cream. I recommend storing it in the bathroom if you have space, simply for the convenience. But if you don’t have the space, labeling it and leaving it in a convenient place in the nursery works well too!
- In the nursery I would use boxes/ baskets that you can label, especially if you can’t see the contents inside of them. (It’ll save you from searching for things later!) I used collapsible storage cubes.
You can use one for bath towels and wash rags. And another for favorite sleep sacks and blankets. - I HIGHLY recommend that you keep a basket full of diapers on your changing table or somewhere close by. I tried keeping them in the closet…that had to be the most inconvenient place to hide them! Creating a convenient, usable space is more important than my wild idea that the nursery had to look like a staged magazine photo!
Preparing for twins- my list
- Car seats. Canopy.
- Crib(s). Bedding.
- Dresser. Changing table. Or dresser/changing table combo.
- Diapers. Wipes.
- Bath essentials. (Baby wash, baby shampoo, baby lotion, baby powder, diaper rash cream.)
- Towels. Wash cloths.
- Hygiene essentials. (Nail clippers, nasal aspirator, soft brush.)
- Clothing. (Sleepers with a zipper are very handy, onesies.)
- Scratch Mittens. (Helps prevent baby from scratching their face. Baby fingernails are sharp.)
- Adjustable blanket/sleep sack.
- First Aid Kit. (Thermometer, medicine syringe, baby Vick’s.)
- Feeding essentials. (Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow bottles, burp clothes, bibs.)
You will probably find that the above list will continue to grow. There is a lot that goes into preparing for one baby, let alone preparing for twins! I hope this article has helped organize the arrival of your two miracles!
I wish you a very happy pregnancy, birth experience, and family life! Enjoy the chaos because one day you will miss it! God bless!
Check out my articles on twin pregnancy and what to expect in your first year for more helpful tips!