So you find out you’re having twins and right away the panicky thoughts start flying.. What will you need two of?How much will all this cost anyway?
Well, the good news is that there are lots of things that can be shared in the early months, like a bassinet, a baby swing, or a baby carrier wrap.
But it’s true that the essentials do double up..the key is to not get too much of everything. Remember, less is more when there’s two babies worth of stuff everywhere!
If you can get second hand items that are in good condition you can save a lot of money that way. However, if cost is not an issue than have fun shopping around and buying new!
There are also a lot of coupons and deals available for families with twins. If you are doing formula then I recommend the Similac brand which had lots of coupons as well as Pampers diapers. Do your research and look up brands with these kinds of deals before the babies come, you won’t have as much brain space once they do!
Here’s a checklist to get organized and prepared for those early days of twin craziness.
Nursery
- 1 or 2 Cribs and/or 1 or 2 bassinets
- Crib Mattresses
- 4-8 crib/bassinet sheets
- 1 change table or change pad
- 1-2 change pad covers
- 1 large diaper pail or garbage can with liners
- 1 baby monitor (if they’re sharing a room)
- 6-10 receiving blankets
- 2-4 heavy blankets (for winter babies)
- 2-4 swaddle blankets
- 2-4 sleep sacks
Clothing
- 10-14 one-piece undershirts (a.k.a. “onesies”)
- 10-14 sleepers
- 2-4 pairs of socks/booties
- 2-4 pairs of scratch mitts
- 4-6 hats
Baby Care
- Diapers (100 or so per week unless you’re going the cloth route)
- 2-4 boxes of baby wipes
- 1 wipe warmer
- 2-4 soothers
- Baby wash and lotion
- 1 portable tub
- 4-8 washcloths and towels
- Diaper rash ointment
- 1 thermometer
- 1 bulb syringe
- 1 baby nail clippers
- Tylenol for infants
- gripe water
Bottle Feeding
- 6-14 bottles and slow flow nipples
- 2-4 large cans of formula (approx. 1-2 cans a week)
- 1 bottle brush
- 1 bottle warmer
- 1 bottle sterilizer
- 6-12 burp cloths
- 4-8 spit up or drool bibs
Breastfeeding
- Twin nursing pillow (great even for bottle feeding!)
- 1 nursing cover
- 1 good quality double breast pump
- Nursing pads
- Nipple cream
- 2-3 nursing bras or tank tops
Baby Gear
- 1 Daily Schedule/Log Book (to record feedings and diaper changes)
- 2 car seats
- 1 double stroller
- 1 twin diaper bag
- 1 double baby carrier or 2 single baby carriers
- 1 sling or wrap
- Labels for names on bottles (for if you want to keep track of how much each is drinking)
*you may also want to purchase 1 or 2 baby swings and/or bouncer chairs, 1 play mat for when they’re a bit bigger, and 1 or 2 bumbos, as well as 2 highchairs and a potty for when they are older.
We bought second hand: 2 swings, 2 exersaucers, 1 play mat to share, 2 bumbos and 1 jolly jumper to share.
Our girls shared a bassinet for the first few months and then shared a crib for the next several months. Once they were about 6 months we put them in separate cribs that can convert to toddler beds later on. At the beginning they were so small that we put them both in one swing and then bought a second one later on.
We also purchased the exersaucers and jolly jumper once they were a bit bigger. There were a few times I thought it would have been nice to have a bouncer chair or two, but we had a small house and didn’t have much room for double of everything. Highchairs and potties we also purchased later to spread the cost of everything out a bit!
