Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

What do I actually need for baby arrival?

33 replies

Cosmogirl86 · 04/05/2019 17:25

I'm a first time mum. I'm currently only 24 weeks and due an elcs at 36 weeks as I'm carrying twins. I know I have time, but I'm trying to be organised. What am I missing for baby essentials? This is what we've purchased:

Double pram

Two car seats birth to group 2

Reusable nappy stash

Disposable nappies because I'm realistic about c section recovery

Cheeky wipes

Baby wash

Changing station with little plastic bath included

2 cots - one for downstairs and one for my bedroom. Twins will share. Also mattresses, sheets.

2 little sleeping bags

Breast pads, maternity pads and hakka pump

Lots of little vests and baby grows in both tiny baby and new born.

OP posts:
Gettingonabitnow · 04/05/2019 18:20

I’d say...Loads of kitchen roll for mopping a variety of stuff up, frozen or ready meals for you and your partner, mittens / babygros with mits in as nails razor sharp, bath thermometer, room thermometer. Good luck

SunshineSpring · 04/05/2019 18:42

Probably some blankets (what is the min weight on your sleeping bags?). More sleeping bags.
Socks are useful as scratch mitts, unless the baby grows have them sewn in.
Muslin cloths, as they do all sorts of things - lightweight blankets, sick cloths, mop up anything sorg if job.
Baby monitor for later on.

Congratulations!

Tartanwallpaper · 04/05/2019 18:53

Don't forget yourself OP and get massive knickers and a supportive back cushion

Cookit · 04/05/2019 18:53

Loads of muslin, but looks good!

I love cheeky wipes!

Cookit · 04/05/2019 19:00

Oh you might want/ need cotton wool in lieu of wipes at the hospital. For my imminently due second I’m going to pack a bag of cotton wool and then use the existing cheeky wipes once home.

Sexnotgender · 04/05/2019 19:06

Agree you need to check the weight specifications of the sleeping bags as most are from around 4kg which I assume your 36 week twins will not be.

Have you got a feeding pillow?

Water bottle with straw I found really helpful as I got unbelievably thirsty when breastfeeding.

One thing I also LOVED was a travel mug that was safe to use when feeding so I could have hot coffee.

Tinkhasflown · 04/05/2019 19:17

You might need dummies. I had 2 babies born at 36 weeks and paed recommendations dummies to help develop babies suck. First baby was provided one in NICU but I was told to get one brought in before my c section on last one.

Original poster
Cosmogirl86 · 04/05/2019 19:22

Thank you for all the tips! I have a freezer full of meals that I just need to defrost and heat. Is there a reason I can't use disposable baby wipes in hospital or do I absolutely need cotton wool? I have a pregnancy pillow which can double as feeding pillow

OP posts:
User12879923378 · 04/05/2019 19:26

We swaddled in large muslins until the Moro reflex wore off - they'll show you how at the hospital. People will give you lots of toys none of which they will be interested in for about 3 months but a baby gym to lie them under and do tummy time on is a good idea. You could get a tummy time roller too to support them on their bellies but you can also use a rolled up towel.

Congratulations! How exciting for you.

Cookit · 04/05/2019 19:27

I wasn’t allowed wipes in NICU, it specifically had to be cotton wool. So I guess it depends how much they notice (I think a lot of hospitals have a cotton wool policy but don’t care really and will turn a blind eye)- and twins at 36 weeks they might be keeping a bit of a closer eye on them for a day or two.

User12879923378 · 04/05/2019 19:29

You can use wet wipes in hospital but if you've bought cheeky wipes you presumably don't want to? To be honest the first poos are so teeny that you won't need more than cotton wool balls and it does biodegrade properly.

User12879923378 · 04/05/2019 19:30

Really! I didn't know that but we just used cotton wool and we weren't in NICU

TrixieFranklin · 04/05/2019 19:39

You really don't need too much OP.
My twins were my first and we over shopped and wasted so much money on 'stuff'

Somewhere to plonk them down (bouncy chairs or rockers)
Loads of Muslins
Mine were born at 36+6 by emergency section and were good weights but even the tiny baby clothes we had ended up being too big so DH had a dash out to buy premie stuff so definitely worth getting some teeny tiny bits in.
Also size 0 nappies - the newborn size 1 ones were too big!
I planned to breastfeed but due to a few issues at first we had to top them up with formula as well as breast milk so we didn't have anything prepared for that aspect - they were tube fed then cup fed and then eventually moved onto bottles so again DH had to get bottles and formula in for when we got home which we hadn't thought of.

We also had to use cotton wool in NICU but when we progressed to SCBU then they let us use water wipes which I found much better/less faff.

I would really recommend looking for your local twins and multiples group, a lot
Of them also have a sales group where people sell second hand baby bits on to other twin families very reasonably to help each other out Grin

Sexnotgender · 04/05/2019 19:43

To be honest the first poos are so teeny that you won't need more than cotton wool balls

Tiny poos? DS clearly didn’t get that memo, first poo was carnage.

pipanchew2 · 04/05/2019 19:43

Even if you are planning on EBF it may be worth getting some formula in just in case. You can buy starter packs (think they’re aroun £10-15) that have single use bottles and trays so that you don’t need to buy all the bottle feeding paraphernalia. I took one to hospital with me and was great as I’d planned to EBF but because of a tricky birth couldn’t so the pack saw me through until feeding was established.

Also some vanish and a tub for soaking: it’s amazing how far a tiny poo can go!

pipanchew2 · 04/05/2019 19:44

*teats not trays!

Sexnotgender · 04/05/2019 19:46

Somewhere to plonk them down (bouncy chairs or rockers)

Yes to somewhere to put them down! DS hated the Moses basket during the day but will happily sit in his bouncy chair whilst I get on with cooking or laundry etc.

Newmumma83 · 04/05/2019 19:47

you Need muslin squares ... lots of them ( or a few to start ) I had a reflux sicky baby... and it was needed. ( you may be lucky though )

Well done on the meals I did the same and it helped the first few weeks.

Defno more bags or blankets ... my
Little guy would not sleep in the bags but I would get at least two more so you have one each baby ready to go encase of
Sick or wee issue.

We had to use blankets in the end ... not ideal but it was that or he gets cold.

Our little one used to be / is still fascinated with lights ... my friend got us a seahorse that glows www.argos.co.uk/product/8194107

And it helped settle him a little

We upgraded to the polar bear later which at 5 months will
Do most of the settling for us it has lights and sleepy sounds ... it runs upto 45 mins at a time and will start again if baby cry’s

www.vtech.co.uk/product/detail/18111/Little_Friendlies_Starlight_Sounds_Polar_Bear

Anything that helps soothe them will be your best friend ( unless your jammy like my friend her baby slept through from day one fingers crossed 🤞 you are )

If your bottle feeding then electric steamer and tommiee tippee dlperfecr prep machines are the future ( I didn’t produce milk my baby was loosing too much weight so switched to bottle and these two items are my best friend )

You sound an organised person ! I am too ... I had to get used to being disorganised for a couple of months before we started to get a routine ... try to roll with it... I struggled but I caused my own stress in that area as it’s not how I like to operate

How exciting to have two at once ... born with a ready made best friend ❤️❤️

Newmumma83 · 04/05/2019 19:49

Baby gyms for when they are about 4 weeks! I can get about 20 mins of me time out of that ... that’s tea and toast and hanging out washing covered first thing x x

Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis · 04/05/2019 19:51

Somewhere to put them down in every room. Places to put your drink while you’re feeding. Feeding pillows. Lots of snacks. It’s crazy but fun.Grin

Original poster
Cosmogirl86 · 04/05/2019 19:59

I really want to give breast feeding a fair chance. I'm afraid to buy in formula accessories in case it makes me more likely to give up!

I never considered somewhere to plonk them so I can get things done! Will get a bouncer.

I am very organised by nature and I'm confident that too little hurricanes will take some getting used to!

OP posts:
Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis · 04/05/2019 20:16

Moses baskets are easiest to pop them in or any box/drawer shaped thing lined with towels or whatever. Think about how you will open the front door, get them both out to the car, have a shower, make a cup of tea, go to the toilet. If you are feeding a chair with somewhere to put things down on and that’s easy to stand up from.
Cotton wool is the best wipe with cooled boiled water. Box sets for lonely night feeds.

TrixieFranklin · 04/05/2019 20:19

These are the type of bouncy chairs I mean, we used them until about 6 months they loved them.

Re the formula thing - I completely get that and I was adamant on Breast Feeding but we had to top them up at the start and after they were born one was taken to special care and the other to intensive care and I was elsewhere in the hospital and it just wasn't possible.

The hospital were great and took my colostrum back and forth to them and helped me pump ASAP and took it to them to be put in their feed tubes but they still had to be topped up. When they were strong enough to start breast feeding the midwives were great at helping with that too. Everyone's different though, babies and mothers, lots of people from my twin club have managed to exclusively breastfeed and others have had no choice but to use formula or mix feed. Worst case if you need formula and are in NICU/SCBU they will provide the formula for you until you are discharged, or at least did where I was - May be worth finding out!!

What do I actually need for baby arrival?
pipanchew2 · 04/05/2019 20:24

I found breast feeding shells really helpful when in hospital: they mean you can get some air on chapped nips without having to expose yourself. I was exactly the same re not buying any formula stuff but a friend persuaded me to get a starter pack and glad she did. We used half of it and that was the only formula we ever bought. We used it cos the doctors made me top up feed for her first week: saved DH having to leave hospital in search of bottles etc.

Imicola · 04/05/2019 20:32

Lots of muslins, towels, cot sheets and mattress protectors, blankets, sleeping bags, vests and baby gros. You can get through these quick if baby is a bit sicky! Meals in the freezer.
I couldn't breastfeed and we had to buy bottles, formula, steriliser, bottle warmer, breast pump etc in a panic (well, DH did while I was still in hospital!). I wish I had at least done some research on that in advance. You should be able to rent a pump from the hospital if you need one. I also wish I had frozen colostrum in advance, but I had not a scooby that that was even something you could do!