20 weeks pregnant with twins, what do I need to get / change?

[MrsMopple]

I am now 20 weeks pregnant with twins (who will be dcs 2 and 3). We have a lot of stuff from when ds was a baby, but I was wondering how much of it will be useful and how much I should sell to get some money towards the inevitable double buggy etc. I was also wondering whether it is realistic to keep my car (Mini) and see how I get on, or to change for a bigger 4 door car (dh wants me to try with the mini first to see if we can save some money)

I was thinking that I could maybe have ds (nearly 5) in the front with me and the two babies in the back, then carry one in a sling and have one in a car seat in a Quinny Zapp. Or is that a ridiculous idea?

And what about cots? Can they share while they're tiny? Ditto carry cot bit of current pram (another Quinny! - we had more money back then!). It makes me want to weep when I think of all the little used things we have got that will probably be useless this time around.

Finally, I've been told that the hospital want to deliver my twins at 36 or 37 weeks. Does this mean that they are likely to go into scbu? The reason I'm asking is that I would like to bf them if I can (I bf ds for 13 months), but if I end up having a c section, I won't be able to drive to get to them. I am nervous about going for a vbac as had an emcs last time.
Any help or advice gratefully received.

Hi MrsMopple, I'm sure you'll get loads more good advice on here as lottie has already provided!
Um, would really say it's a bit of a mad idea to get twins into back of a mini, making life a lot more stressful than it needs to be really. and if you have to do the school run by car or by foot, a double buggy is going to make your life a lot easier.
I wouldn't have got my 2 into a single pram, they were huge at birth! If you've just had twins you may not be up to slinging 1 twin, pushing other & looking after ds as well. It's a lot for your body to deal with.
Most people with twins put them in the same cot/cotbed (I did it for 6 months until they were waking each other up).
TAMBA is great btw for cheap clothes/equipment for multiples, I know you have to join but it's fab.
I have non identicals & no probs giving birth at 39+3 with epidural (previous section, then VBAC). It depends on all sorts of things, what kind of twins you're having, whether your consultant will support VBAC etc.

Thank you for your replies.

I am leaning towards changing my car, but dh needs some persuading, not least because I'll be off work for considerably longer than I would have been with a singleton, making things a bit tight moneywise. I hadn't really thought about how much strain slinging and pushing would place on my body, I just think I'm superwoman and will bounce back from this like I did with ds, who I had no help with at all with due to dh's job. It'll be similar this time around as the babies are due at the beginning of August (36 weeks), which is dreadful timing (dh is a farmer).

I'm glad that they should be able to share a cot for a while, interesting that yours settled better in hospital when they were put together, Londonlottie. And can I just ask, what is an MB? Have only looked at side by side prams and pushchairs at the moment, is that one of those?

Accessorizequeen, I will join TAMBA, it's another thing I haven't got around to doing yet. And although I do have a consultant that supports vbacs in principle, I'm expecting monochorionic/diamniotic twins, so not sure of whether it's sensible to go for a vbac really. I had a dreadful experience with ds, really unsupportive midwives through labour and postnatally. I have just found out from a pregnant friend that by 20 weeks she had been given anti-d (I am also rhesus negative) and nobody has mentioned it to me, yet. I'm starting to feel nervous about the whole delivery thing already!!

MrsM, if you trust your consultant & feel supported by him/her then I would go with what they suggest. I kept insisting on no induction as I really wanted natural birth but then I'd already had a VBAC so felt more confident. Is mw this time round more supportive? If you're lacking in confidence really need somebody to help you stand up for what you want. Lots more people on here who know more about your type of twins & scbu etc, maybe start another thread?

You may be superwoman & bounce back! But carrying twins puts your body under a lot more stress & you'll be working harder afterwards with 2 babies, less sleep etc. All I'm saying is that dp & I both tried to find things that made life easier as it was hard enough with 2 newborns (plus 21 month old & 4 yo!). Click in car seats, carrycot on a buggy so you just put them in, sleeping bags so no faffing with blankets. Particularly if you've no support most of the week. Homestart may be able to provide some btw, lots of multiple mums have a homestart volunteer (inc me she's a lifesaver). Can parents/pil 'donate' anything to help with finances?

MB is Mountain Buggy, lottie & I both have them. If you want a lightweight double for walks & in the car, I wouldn't suggest it though!