Pregnant with Twins? Find Out What Twin Baby Products You REALLY Need

When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I had to lie down... immediately. I will never forget the day. The obstetrician told me I was never going to believe what he was seeing. I tried to make room on the table for my husband, in case he felt as light-headed as I did. The doctor kept doing the ultrasound on my abdomen and I asked him what on earth he was doing. He responded nonchalantly with "Looking for a third one." Gulp.

My mind immediately began racing and worrying about all the "things" I would need to buy. For one, we needed a new car. I already had a singleton but there was no way 3 children could be fitting in my Ford Focus sedan. The next thought was about a new house. We were living in a small ranch style house, approximately 800 square feet on a good day.

I was fortunate that I had some baby items from the singleton I'd had less than 2 years before. But, I still nearly had a stroke when I went into Babies R Us and began to calculate all the additional items I'd need. And yes, I ended up going overboard.

I'm hear to tell you- don't panic. Hear me now- you don't need double of everything. There is a lot of "fluff" you can live without if you are sticking to a budget. Let me walk you through what you really do need and what is completely superfluous.

• Breastfeed, breastfeed and breastfeed! There is ample evidence to show it's the healthiest option for your baby, and it's certainly easiest on the pocketbook.
• You'd be surprised how many free samples you can get from companies. Many have ongoing offers for twins parents. Just do some Googling and you can find some great deals.
• Many companies offer 10% off for twins, trouble is this isn't widely advertised. Babies R Us is one of them. You need to ASK every store you purchase baby items from and you will be surprised.
• Ask you obstetrician for free samples. And ask again at the hospital. Don't be shy- that's what the samples are for. Ask for two of everything, too.
• Find out if anyone you know sells diapers as a distributor. I found a woman through my Mothers of Multiples group and saved a fortune.
• Join a Mothers of Multiples group. There are parents there who are happy to allow you to borrow twin baby products. I got receiving blankets, clothes, a stroller, and a Baby Bjorn from my group. Again- don't be shy, you need to ask and make your needs known.

• Changing tables- you only need one. Normally, you aren't changing both babies at the same time, right? If you are, get a blanket, put it down on a bed (or even the floor) and have your partner change one while the other changing table is occupied.
• Swings- yes, it might be nice, but is it really necessary? No. It wasn't too often both of my twins were in the mood to swing at the same time. Having one is sufficient and not even a necessity at that!
• Baby carriers (like a Baby Bjorn)- like the swing, it might be nice, but it's not necessary. Trust me, it wasn't too often I wanted both the babies in the carriers. Normally, I'd put them in the stroller for those types of outings. I will admit, I had two and very early on I managed to secure two carriers to me. But, they grow quickly and that doesn't last very long.
• Toy doubles- no, each baby doesn't need the same toy. You will soon discover what each baby is interested in, buy toys at that point.
• Plastic infant bathtubs- you only need one.
• Playpens- one is plenty. The only exception might be for travel. We received two playpens as gifts and found them to work very well as portable beds for travel. However, many hotels have cribs.
• Diaper pails- trust me, you don't want two of those things to clean out!! One is sufficient.
• Rocking chairs- you just need one to cuddle and soothe your two babies.
• Bouncie seats- not all babies like these. This is a wait and see kind of product- get one and see if both babies love it.

The best approach to buying baby items is to take your time. I know it's hard, especially when you're pregnant, nesting, and trying to feel all "set and ready" for the arrival of your twins. However, you will end up wasting copious amounts of money this way. In the beginning, just start out buying products as if you were only having a singleton. Granted, there are exceptions (we will get to those in a minute). But, for the non-essentials, just start out buying for one baby. Don't go buying double the rattles, cloth books, swings, Baby Bjorns, etc... until you know what your babies like. They may be twins, but they will have very different interests. Consider this your trial product time. If you find a product you consistently wish you had another of, then by all means buy another. But, wait it out!

Here are the products you really can't get away with not having doubles of:

• Cribs
• Burp clothes
• Swaddle blankets
• Bottles if bottle feeding
• Pacifiers
• Changing pads for travel- you can usually get these for free from the hospital
• Bulb syringes- you can usually get these for free from the hospital
• Clothes and onesies, obviously. My twins lived in their onesies for the first few weeks, so stock up!
• Diapers, obviously
• Car seats- make sure to get the twin discount from the store from which you purchase these!