Essential products you'd not thought needing about before having twins (and then finding out the hard way).

[pootlesmum]

Hello
I'm looking for a bit of advice from experienced mothers of twins please. I am expecting identical twins on 2nd April but have been told they'll probably be here much sooner. We're getting the OutNabout Nipper 360 pushchair because its been so highly recommended on here but I wondered was there anything else that is really helpful in terms of feeding/travelling/anything else with twins that you would recommend?
We already have a dd of 4 so already have one of most baby items. I am the first person I know to have twins so I don't have anyone to ask in RL.

Also, I breast fed my dd as much as possible until she was 6 months old - is this absolutely impossible with twins or is there some way of making twin feeding easier? Also is there such a thing as a double sling or did you try that and find it backbreakingly impossible? Was your dp/dh able to use it being stronger than you?
Finally, did you put them both in the same cot initially - thats what my consultant has recommended - and if so, for how long. When one woke up did it always wake up the other?

I'll stop with all the questions for now, I'm sure there'll be many more in the coming weeks.

Thank you very much

Hi pootlesmum!

Just dropping in quickly (as usual).
First, congrats on the pregnancy !
Second, lots of people here will correct you with the assumption that twins are always born early. mine were born 36,6, but there are several people here that carried them over 40 weeks.

My dts are 10+ months now and I am still breastfeeding them ! (I bf ds1 until 9 months). There are times when it was tough going, it needs some determination, but there comes a point when it is only enjoyable and I am relieved that I carried on through the tough times.

I had lots of support and advice from people here, especially from Mars. I'm not sure I would have got through the first week without her.

Both were in the same cot initially, but now they have separate cots pushed together.

I also had an em-CS with ds1 and had long discussions with my consultant as I was determined not to have one with the dts. She agreed and supported my decision with conditions. Unfortunately dt2 turned in the last couple of day before they were born and one of the conditions was that both had to be head down. I dealt with it much better with the dts than with ds1, but definitely happy that I didn't decide to have a planned cs.

Hi pootlesmum and congrats
you could try looking at I candy pear pushchair although I have friends who swear by jane powertwin if you have muscles to flex.
B.F is certainly an option and having plenty of pillows helps. A boon would be a postnatal doula if you have ££ or loads of friends who would cook meals.
best wishes
ps I am excited as babies from my twins antenatal classes are arriving thick and fast ,for those who want to see some cute twin pics go to www.havingtwins.co.uk
will add more as I get sent them

millie... when you are pregnant with twins people offer you help. TAKE THE HELP! When my pair were born I had one who had just gone into senior school (I'll never forget doing the school tour and needing a pupil just for me as I couldn't keep up with any one else no matter how slowly they walked), one getting ready to look around senior schools (but fortunately able to walk herself to school) and one that I relied on others to take to or bring back (or sometimes both) from school. So if people offer help make sure it is practical. Often what they mean is... can I hold the babies for you and chatter on so that you can't sleep! lol/grrr

Galaxy.... like your site. Could you email me as I have a dozen (well one or two) questions for you. Ta!

these are fab for being able to bathe both babies at the same time.

millie1, mine still fit in the Jane fine. They actually prefer to sit in the back, cos it reclines completely. I must admit though that they are quite snug, so I don't often bother doing the straps up . But it is a bit heavy and unwieldy going up and down the kerbs, which was never a problem with the nipper. I did buy a cheaper lighter weight buggy from Mothercare but it had small wheels which made it really hard to push. Much prefer the big wheeled 3-wheelers.

my cousin has twins and has the bebe confort trophy for keeping in the car and using on public transport and this for walking.

You really did have your hands full Mars ... and yes, all help will be gratefully received. Don't want the others to feel left out when these two come along either.

Tkband3 ... thanks for the info re size. Good to know. I guess any buggy is going to feel it's weight and then some by the time they're toddlers. Even if we end up with a lightweight buggy for the car and use the Jane for walking, it'll still get lots of use.

Addictedto... wow! What a cool buggy. Would love to find the suppliers website to see whether there will be any stockists in N. Ireland - might as well have a look. It's so modern, isn't it. Does your cousin like it - and do the babies find it comfy?

A good nappy bag for twins is the Skip Hop Double Duo - loads of room AND designed to fit onto a double buggy's handles. I love mine! I've got the Uptown Stripe!

Don't waste money on a small playmat - go straight for an enormous one. We're on playmat number 3 and they are not even 5 months old yet!

Are you in london? Lilliputs baby store in Battersea is fab and offer 10% discount on anything if you let them know you're having twins. Saved us a lot of money.

We put our twins in same cot (didn't bother with a divider) for the first couple of months and it was fine.

Haven't had a chance to read this post so sorry if this has been said.

My best buy was 2 padded rocker chairs that lay flat. Great for sitting one in whilst feeding the other, I used mine all over the house for months. My girls also had their morning and afternoon sleep on theirs until their feet hung off the edge!

I also found foam mats for the bath really useful so I could bath both at once.

Worst buy was a changing table - totally impractical with two. I ended up with two changing mats on the dining room table (classy - but necessary) and upstairs I changed them on the bed.

I've been through 6 buggies (gaaah!) - have found the Jane Powertwin to be the best for everyday.

Mine were in the same cot for 6 months - one at each foot. Worked well, except often difficult to establish who is crying when bleery-eyed at night .

Good luck with it!

Badger good to read your post as I have the lovely padded rocker chairs ((being delivered on Thursday) and I don't have a changing table but do have two changing mats, and I have a Powertwin! Hurrah.

Hello everyone! I am expecting twins (currently 23wks) and was wondering whether anyone could recommend a good support belt for the big old bump?! Also, is it quite normal to have days of complete and utter exhaustion, even if you haven't done anything?! Thanks

Totally normal Drovette, yes. I remember spending hours napping from0 weeks onwards. About the belt, ask to see the ante-natal physio at your hospital and they can give you a huge (very attractive!) sort of surgical stocking tube type thing to stretch right over the bump. It looks terrible but it really helped me. Actually, mine didn't look half as terrible hen I actually bothered to wash it but I was loathe to take it off even to stick it in the machine.

I got referred straight to the physio at my hospital for back pain when carrying my twins..they also gave me an elastic-y support - had to go back practically every week to get a yet bigger one!

Good news is that the pain did go once the babes were out and I've had no problems since then with my back.

Momma I keep on reminding myself of the fact that bf twins WILL, if it works out ok, be a lot easier than faffing around with 20 odd bottles a day when they are tiny (found it a hassle doing bottles for DS when he was four months old). All that darn sterilising will not be fun so I am hoping against hope that it comes naturally this time!!!!

Breastfeeding twins was easier than formula..we did both for 6 months. Warming bottles at 3am is not fun! Really hope it works out well for you.

Hi to you all. My Non ID twin girls are now 14 weeks born by emergency CS at 36+4. I bought the baby jogger and it is brilliant i found it just that little more sturdier than the nipper and 'cause i didn't want to buy another one later on thought that might be better. My best purchase was my changing table. Not only helping after a section but if you think about the strain on your back with double the amount of nappies (and it was a steal at £30, end of range sell off). Regarding sleep my twins do the same as surfnickys.Feed at about 5.30pm have a cat nap for no more than 30 mins, then have a play and a bath, feed again 7.30 ish then to bed. We do a slumber feed about 1130/12 ish. they are waking about 5 for a feed and go straightback down until about 7am. I would highly recommend the baby whisperer book it saved my sanity, my evening and my husband.I wish i had started it earlier but within 4 days of using her methods the girls were happier as they were sleeping better and obviously i was happier. Utilise second hand things as much as possible and concentrate on buying things that make your life easier such as the bath supports, baby rocker/boucy chairs. My girls are in a travel cot now after separate moses baskets, they don't wake each other up with crying but do when physically restless so i have just rolled a blanket up between them and that has worked a treat. I love getting advice so any helpful tips out there are great. First posting so probably too long

floppyhat that's a great post, really helpful stuff - especially borrowing as much stuff as possible..

bouncy chairs were a godsend for my girls too, just having somewhere to put them both down or one down is so useful!

i also found the changing table invaluable, sitting on the bed changing the girls really knackers my back and neck so a table was definitely worth it.

Hi everyone. I have 5 month old twin boy and girl. I have an out and about buggy which we've used from birth. I bf but then had to swap to formular as my boy had to go onto high energy formual. I tried for a while bf my girl and bottle feed my boy. That was just too difficult and time consuming. Bf was a lot easier than bottle feeding. The best purchase we bought was reclining chairs. We did however initally bought 2 bouncy chair. My twins were 5lb 1 and 4lb 6 and they, even at 4 weeks old, were too light for the chairs and they just hung in them. I have never bathed the twins in a baby bath. I bought 2 moulded seats and bath them together in the bath. We've got into a great routine and they have ann hours sleep in the morning, 2 hours sleep in the afternoon, a little nap downstairs about 6ish then they are in bed for 7.30pm. They sleep through to 7.30 - 8am. I know that I'm very lucky especially as my boy slept through from 6 weeks, but my girl has only been sleeping through for 4 weeks. We use to wake up my boy when girl woke up but he never really fed as he was too tied. Tried leaving him and he slept through. I don't have any help, except my husband when he's in. For any new mums do be afraid to go out. The week after we came out of hospital we were never in. A bit difficult bf in public with twins so I just use to feed on at a time. Didn't want the customer to be put off their coffee in Starbucks.
Has anyone taken their twins swimming buy themselves?

Hi Ellen,

I have taken dts swimming on my own. They are 11months now. I have two seat rings to put them in, they love it. Yesterday I went with all 3 dcs (also with a friend and her two dcs) swimming. The only problem I have is when ds1 wants to go to the toilet, its a hassle taking all 3 so great to have a friend who will watch them for a few minutes. Dts on their own would be fine.

Thanks everyone for your replies on the support thingy! I will look into that one as it sounds helpful!

Glad to hear you can do it by yourself. How did you cope with the changing, carrying to pool side and getting in the water?

Very interested to hear about the swimming logistics! I naively assumed that taking two together on my own would be completely impossible but sounds like you have it sorted Leoloopydoo - share your secrets!!

I too would highly recommend:-

double nipper 360
ezetofeed nursing pillow
breast feeding combined with bottle (for Dad to do 1 feed per night and top ups later)
industrial strength double breast pump
SVD if you are lucky!
accepting help offered from Grandparents etc (esp frozen meals in freezer)
not comparing number of "out of house activities" with mums with only one baby

Ejoy your twins it is the most special thing ever