what do I need for twins? I mean, really need?

[ithappened]

I keep trying to think about what we need for the twins and then I get overwhelmed and end up not getting anything (I'm not a shopper). They will be born in the late summer so its very hot here, we have no AC.. (its Europe, no where here does)

what my list looks like is this:

diapers/wipes
changing pad or area
pump and diapers (if needed)
ergo or stroller (we have these from DS and also from friends extra wraps/stroller but not a double stroller)
clothes (still have from DS and borrowed from friends)
nursing pillow (ordered!)
ear thermometer
swaddle blankets

we don't have a car anymore so I don't plan on car seats (we take the bus or train everywhere). we also plan to cosleep in our bed so I do not have a crib for them (again we have a super super small apartment).

Is there anything you really depended on and I am forgetting?

[littlest birds]

I spent a lot of time holding/nursing one with the other in a simple bouncy seat, using my foot to keep it in motion, which was sufficient to soothe both at the same time so I could sometimes have two hands for one babe.  We liked having a swing, too, for similar reasons.  These two things sometimes even meant I could eat a meal.  LOL

I'd probably skip the swing for space reasons since it is bulkier, but I personally would choose to get a bouncer seat or something similar as a place to set one baby as it's more soothing than just laying them down.  I spent a lot of time going from one baby to the other to both to one and on and on.  Any contraption that can play "extra set of arms" is a help. 

Neither is absolutely necessary. 

You might need more bedspace somehow.  We coslept with twins and definitely needed extra beds to manage it. 

We were glad to have a double stroller since we had three little ones, as I often had one on my back AND two in the stroller.  Also it gave me the ability to carry clothes/diapers/snacks on outings because it had some cargo space.  This depends on what sorts of outings you'd go on and how you handle your toddler and how often you have adult help.  (We had a double jogger which was "all terrain" and this meant I could go places off the sidewalks.)  But really, you could order a bigger stroller later or just watch for a bargain on one later depending on how things are going for you.  It's not as if you'd need the stroller immediately when they are tiny infants, assuming you have some help and don't have to do too much with them along right away.  But especially without a car and if you expect to generally run your errands with all of your children along, any comfort possible is going to be important.

[rinap]

I would also strongly suggest a double stroller. I love wearing my girls, but when I've gone out with one in a carrier and one in the stroller, invariably I need to switch which is where, which can be tricky. Especially when one is crying and the other is sleeping. Anything you can do to make it possible for you to get out of the house is good. Even if just on walks (rather than to run errands...I still can only go into certain stores with the stroller because it's so big)

That said, I put both my girls together in a single lie-flat pram for the first six weeks. It let them be completely flat and it was nice and cozy.

[~Adorkable~]

the two things when i think back to it were my compact swings, i had two like these  and frankly used the,m in ways i never thought i would. my babes loved to sit in them and watch me clean or cook and talk with them. they could be carried from room to room easy and i used them to fall asleep in when things were fussy.  i actually broke them down and traveled with them a few times to give them a save spot to sit at families house.  in general they gave then a time to relax and snooze and me a chance to change the other ones diaper or nurse one at a time or pump or the 60 other things a day that 2 tiny newborns that can't sit up yet make it a real puzzle to do.  i felt like we had tons of higher quality time when i was holding them because i had the down time as well. and since they were small and moveable they were never relegated to another space or room and were always right next to me, even set up on my bed at time or on my desk when i need to work a few times.

the other was a double stroller. I'm a huge fan on the "stadium tandem" styles that allow for skinny footprints while not sticking the back kid where they can't see anything. i have the Baby Jogger City Select that i got for a good price on amazon and would now 15 months later buy it 5 times over again! it has let me be mobile in a way that little else would have. it is sturdy enough for light offloading, i have been camping fit hit for weeks, and small enough to go on public transit and thru all doorways and aisles.

besides that and the other things you have already mentioned i found a really efficient place to change them was paramount. i know you said you are in a small space and i was lucky to have a hall bath that i devoted to their changing room, but basically i found that it paid off to have all the basics of clothing and pajamas all sorted for both babies and stacked in a logical way so that most clothing changes could happen straight from the diaper changing table and stuff could go straight into separate laundry bins right there as well.  i had a sink there and think that it was the best thing ever, but i understand that i was super lucky. it was actually a accident that we set this all up in the bathroom, mine came early while i was still in a delusion that they would never come early, so i did not have any other changing area ready, so we just grew it down on the counter. we quickly became of the opinion that babies dont need their own bedroom, they need their own bathroom! so up when a few shelves and 15 month later that room is still the best used room in the house.

[ithappened]

Originally Posted by ~Adorkable~ 

the other was a double stroller. I'm a huge fan on the "stadium tandem" styles that allow for skinny footprints while not sticking the back kid where they can't see anything. i have the Baby Jogger City Select that i got for a good price on amazon and would now 15 months later buy it 5 times over again!

Ive been looking for something exactly like this!!!!! I need it to fit into buses and small spaces easily! thank you! Can you also Jog with it? as the name suggestion?  I also can't tell if it comes set up and ready for 2 or do you need to buy the second seat additionally?
 

Originally Posted by rinap 

That said, I put both my girls together in a single lie-flat pram for the first six weeks. It let them be completely flat and it was nice and cozy.

Our neighbors are loaning us a single pram and I was hoping it might work for the first 2 months or so until we can get a double.. so thanks!

[DoubleDouble]

We got a Mountain Buggy Duet stroller - it's 25" wide at the wheels and 27" wide at the widest bar that holds the seats. So it's pretty much the width of a single while it seats two. It comes with cots for newborns as an option. We tried it out in the store and it handled very well. After we got ours delivered, my dh took it on the "test ride" through the city streets, subway lines, and elevators when he brought it home. He said it was very easy to handle. The wheels are inflatable 10", but I don't plan on jogging so I don't know if it's good for jogging or not. Oh, and the Duet stroller is available in Europe, too.

Originally Posted by ~Adorkable~ 

the two things when i think back to it were my compact swings, i had two like these  and frankly used the,m in ways i never thought i would. my babes loved to sit in them and watch me clean or cook and talk with them. they could be carried from room to room easy and i used them to fall asleep in when things were fussy.

Thanks for posting this. I kept reading elsewhere that there is no need for two swings, and I wasn't convinced. I think I'll get two, we have room for that.

[ljc]

I agree with the others who are suggesting the double stroller (with small footprint) and swings.  One bouncy seat is also helpful (as already recommended). The other item I suggest to all Moms of Multiples is a slow cooker - if you don't already have one.  I found it much easier to get dinner going early in the day and have something hot and healthy to eat at the end of the day when we were all tired.

[ithappened]

ok, a double stroller with a small footprint! Sounds like a must purchase.

Did everyone buy theirs new (and might be interested in selling it now?) They all seem to be over 500$ and I can't seem to find any second hand on the usual suspects (craigslist, ebay etc)

[~Adorkable~]

Originally Posted by ithappened 

Ive been looking for something exactly like this!!!!! I need it to fit into buses and small spaces easily! thank you! Can you also Jog with it? as the name suggestion?  I also can't tell if it comes set up and ready for 2 or do you need to buy the second seat additionally?
 

Our neighbors are loaning us a single pram and I was hoping it might work for the first 2 months or so until we can get a double.. so thanks!

you can lock the front wheel for rougher terrain, though i have never felt i had to yet, including dirt paths with the roots and rocks.  it is certainly not a full jogging stiller, " baby jogger " is the main brand name and they do make very high performance jogging strollers.

you can get it set up for a single child and then add the second seat kit or sometimes it is sold as a set with the second seat kit already.  the bassinet kit is just a really smart fabric change for the seat frame that turned it into a very comfy space. smart design.

 you can get a bassinet kit for this stroller and i did have them in one bassinet when they were very tiny, but did have two and kept them laying down and very happy for the first 3-4 months or so, i like that way way more than dragging them around in car seats yuck. (though it does have attachments for that too.)

Originally Posted by DoubleDouble 

We got a Mountain Buggy Duet stroller - it's 25" wide at the wheels and 27" wide at the widest bar that holds the seats. So it's pretty much the width of a single while it seats two. It comes with cots for newborns as an option. We tried it out in the store and it handled very well. After we got ours delivered, my dh took it on the "test ride" through the city streets, subway lines, and elevators when he brought it home. He said it was very easy to handle. The wheels are inflatable 10", but I don't plan on jogging so I don't know if it's good for jogging or not. Oh, and the Duet stroller is available in Europe, too.

Thanks for posting this. I kept reading elsewhere that there is no need for two swings, and I wasn't convinced. I think I'll get two, we have room for that.

that Duet seems like a pretty amazing stroller for a side by side! though that last inch can matter a lot. but i personally would be concerned with a seat width of only 10.25" i just measured my boy at 15 months and his shoulders are already 9.75"! no way he would stay in that stroller till he was done with strolling all together, the city select seat width is 12" and i feel will fit them for years.  i also liked that i could face them towards me even past the bassinet phase. most of the time i sit them towards each other and they like that and play footsie and pass back and both toys at times, it also lets me sit along side them and reach both (something the side by sides are certainly better for most the time)  and i like that if they get grabby at some point i can easily face them back to back and give them there own space. flexibility is seat placement was a huge selling point for me.  we have even turned it back into a single a handful of time when each parent took a kid for an after noon and went separate places.

as for the two swings, yeah i really dont get why folks would only get one, in the big picture of raising kids that 50 bucks is not going to be the make or break and the bonuses are a lot.

Originally Posted by ithappened 

ok, a double stroller with a small footprint! Sounds like a must purchase.

Did everyone buy theirs new (and might be interested in selling it now?) They all seem to be over 500$ and I can't seem to find any second hand on the usual suspects (craigslist, ebay etc)

i found mine for a great price on amazon when the new years model was coming out (there was rally no difference that mattered to me) the other place to check is look around where you are and see if there is a twins club, they are great for many things, one is that the bigger ones usually have a consignment sale once or twice a year. i know our club sells tons of double strollers at ours as well as we have a in house classified section year round.  I'm sure i will use mine till the bitter end so sorry not selling mine for years!

[ithappened]

how about the Britax B-ready? We don't have a car but it looks very similar to the City jogger in terms of features, size etc.. just a bit cheaper..

[lesliesara63]

We had multiple swings & never needed more than one. Unfortunately none of my babies really cared for it. What I did use more than one of was bouncy seats! We had three of this one http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-Comfort-Harmony-Biscotti/dp/B002VBXY5O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333243345&sr=8-2 It was great! I really wanted the Fisher Price Rock N Play http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-Sleeper-Yellow/dp/B002M77N22/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1333243448&sr=1-1 but couldn't get one locally. I bought the bouncy seats just a day or so after I brought my babies home from the hospital and discovered that they couldn't sleep flat on their backs. The Rock & Plays have been highly recommended from other MOMS as they can sleep in them for quite some time. My babies are 9mths &  I can easily say that I don't need multiples of jumpers, bumbo chairs or exersaucers.

[~Adorkable~]

the critical difference is that with the Britax the rear seat is the lower one so in many configurations they stare at the back of a seat and are blocked from having a few or you dealing with them face to face. with the city select the front one is lower offering try stadium style seating providing both babies with a view in every configuration exempt maybe both rear facing, but since this is most ly the one used only when they are young and on their backs it does not matter.  if you compare the pictures below the first one is the Britax and you can se how much the lower baby is hidden, with the second one the baby jogger, there is room for both babies to see very well.  also i would be concerned with kicking the lower baby in the britax or having to lean over to push, that is a sure way to really kill your back. i can also hang a huge diaper back pack off the handle bars while i have two kids in their seats, no way to do that with the britax, it would clobber the kid below

[ithappened]

ah I see.. ! Thank you that makes so much sense Adorkable,  now I just need to see if I can find one used somewhere in the world and get my hands on it.. new they seem to run around 650$.

Hopefully my twins are nothing like DS1. He was happy in a stroller from about 6mo to 22 mos and then just flat out refuses to be in one without screaming the entire time- so if he's not in the ergo, he walks but the stroller we have from him is basically in storage. .. luckily it was a cheap umbrella stroller so no major loss there. . . but sadly I can't even get him in the jogging stroller anymore- he flat out refuses.

[mamalovex3]

I would definitely get a double stroller.  Even if you wear one (or both) it is helpful to have *somewhere* to put one down when you need to switch and it's nice to be able to get out and about with both babies and their gear.  We got the Kolcraft Contours stroller and love it, although right now both my girls are going through an anti-stroller phase and refuse to go in it...  http://www.kolcraft.com/baby-products/strollers/tandem-strollers/contours-options-tandem-stroller.html.  What I love about it is that it was affordable, it comes with one car seat adaptor and the second was only $20, it is easy to fold and lift into the back of our van, the seats are easy to take off and put on and you can arrange them so the babies are both forward facing, both rear-facing or face to face (or personal favourite).  It has a big basket underneath suitable for light grocery shopping and fits through most doors.  We also looked at the City Select Baby Jogger which came highly recommended but was out of our price range.  Try looking for a Multiples Association or moms of multiples club in your area, often there are sales or a fb group where you can buy used items from other members at a good price.

The first time around we made do with one swing and ended up borrowing a second from a friend much later on.  This time, we're buying the second swing!  It was such a lifesaver so many times and I felt on many occasions "if only we had a second swing" but didn't want to spend the money as I wasn't sure how long we would use it for.  We ended up using it for well over 6 months, both my babies loved it and if both these babies love it we will definitely buy a second one from the start.  I would suggest, however, starting with one and seeing if your babies like it.  My first baby did not, and the swing we had sat in a dusty corner unused. 

Also, like Adorkable said, having a changing area set up in a convenient location was possibly the best idea we had.  My SIL suggested that we put a change table in our half bath on the main floor.  We bought a second hand change table for $40 and while it does not look very glamorous to have your change table and diaper pail set up in your main floor bathroom - it was totally a lifesaver.  We stocked it with diapers, wipes, burp cloths, blankets, and clothes and having that area adjacent to where we spent moost of our days in the beginning (i.e. breastfeeding on the couch) made my life so much easier.  The change station that we set up in the baby room upstairs was used at the beginning when we were still changing diapers at night but then fell into disuse while the downstairs change station is still our go-to. 

[ithappened]

mamalove how about public transport or a small car? We will be using the bus mainly (we don't have a car). The price is perfect as we'd like to stay under 300 and I haven't managed to find a city jogger even used for under 500 if its a double..

[rinap]

We set up two baskets for changing stuff: each had diapers, wipes, burp cloths. One lives downstairs and one lives upstairs. That way the basket could go wherever we were with the babies (in our room we started out with a changing table, but mostly changed diapers on the bed...for the first few months the basket lived in the crib on one side, with the babies sleeping on the other. The downstairs one was mostly on the kitchen table for the first few months, and now is in the living room, because it's easier to change mobile babies on the floor.

[Emaya]

ithappened: It occurs to me that you may be sort of new in your European country -- can you ask around about the best place online to buy second hand? I was looking at ebay and craigslist at first, but there's actually a way better Swedish site for second hand stuff that I finally discovered. We've bought just about everything there. 

Couldn't live without my Babybjörn bouncy seats. We have one plug-in swing, and one of our boys loves it -- the others don't care for it at all. Much stuff you won't know until they come who they are and what they want. With our girl, all she needs is some diapers and changes of clothes, otherwise, she is the chillest baby on the planet. But if you have a good local second hand website where you are, then you can just sell the stuff you didn't end up using, and often for the same price. 

[~Adorkable~]

i hear folks do it all the time, but i still can't figure out how i would ever dare change my babies on a regular basis on a bed or other fabric area, i have had the bathroom mirror uses down one too many times and had to drop a poop covered wipe fast one too many times.  my changing table is the counter in the hall bathroom and i love it.  as a added bonus to putting it in a bathroom... i often used to take a pee myself after changing a baby int he wee hours, i could just securely hold them on the changing pad and do my business without having to hold them too, this i found to be a real lifesaver.  if i moved today or was in a house that did not have the counter space or room for a changing table i would seriously look at installing a flip down table over the toilet or something, like they have in public bathrooms. why not?!

[ithappened]

we live in a studio apartment so a flip down table is a great idea... !

thanks.

Also- I have been living in the EU for a few years now Emaya but we live in a very small small region of Austria where basically there is very little second hand (I asked everyone I know). The UK however has been a great source as a lot of expats here go back and fourth and will bring things to me if needed.

[mylilmonkeys]

I haven't seen anyone mention pacifiers, yet.  I never used one with my singles, but I'm glad I could get one of our twins to use one.  It sure helps when they are both upset.  She also sleeps better, while I don't know if that is personality, she will lay with her paci and fall asleep.  My other twin still sleeps with my breast in her mouth, and while I can nurse them both while lying on my back, this is not the most restful sleep and my arms fall asleep.