how to have twins in a second floor flat?

[jewlw]

Bought a second floor (top floor) flat with no lift. Have just found out I'm pregnant with twins!

how can I possible make this work? I imagined baby carrying with one! What solutions are there for two?

moving isnt an option

Is there anywhere to leave a buggy downstairs? There are definitely times you would need a buggy even if with one (going shopping etc.). You so have to figure out a safe place to put one baby whilst you get the other. If you can't fit a buggy through the front door, I'm not sure how it could work. Maybe baby carry one and other in a small buggy? I'm sure you'll get used to whatever it is. It's hard to imagine for others but people always find a way and others are often in awe. I had twins and a toddler (bit not in a flat). I breastfed them till they were 18 months which people thought was amazing but was just normal for me, just got used to it.

I think you can make this work. As others have said if you can leave your pram downstairs (even in the car if you have one) this would make life easier. You can actually buy carriers for two babies. I wouldn’t use it for long trips but to get up and down the stairs it will work. Also doable to carry two car seats down the stairs which can clip into a pram for short trips out or carry straight in the car.

we do have a car but no permentant spot- sometimes its outside our door sometimes its 5 minute walk! There is a cupboard under the stairs. It's full of junk but I can clean it out as I know the owners of the junk have moved on. It's down 3 steps to access it, and I have no idea if it will fit a double buggy! Maybe I have to have one of those buggy where one seat is in front of the other to get through the doors! Also can explore baby carrying one, but as they get bigger that maybe challenging. I struggle to baby carry my 18 month old chunk of a nephew

When they are small you can wrap them both on your front I think (something like this but not sold out - https://thingsfortwins.co.uk/collections/carriers/products/minimonkey-twin-carrier)

Longer term it will be tricky but I think pram in the cupboard under the stairs is a big bonus.

I lived in a 3rd floor flat with no lift and 2 kids in a double buggy, I had to bump it up and down 6 flights of stairs every day, didnt have a choice

I used to have one in a carrier one in a single buggy with car seat when really small then if we went to a cafe I could pop the car seat off and put the other one in the buggy bit of the buggy. But also could carry the one upstairs in the car seat whilst other was strapped to me. If I used the double I had to put it up downstairs with babies in cot then bring them down was the only way to make it work. I could only use the back entrance as couldn't get buggy last the front way. If there was both parents we always used singles and I went to a back and front from 6 months as side by side was a nightmare getting around. I do think there are a lot more affordable options nowadays. You will find a way to make it work.

@Lillte gosh what a task that must have been!

I am so glad I am not alone I wasn't expecting or prepared for two!

Don't suppose any of you also struggled to fit two cribs in your bedroom with you?

We had Moses baskets for a few weeks then they shared a cot until about 6 months when they started disturbing each other. We were renting at the time and both bedrooms had double beds so the babies went in the second bedroom and we did shifts, my husband would have them 9-2 and then we'd swap
When they went in separate cots we had one in each room until about 18 months when we finally got round to moving things round to fit both cots in one room
But that was just what worked for us

gosh that sounds exhausting

I have twins and would suggest you move if you can , it will be tough

We struggled with the Cots as our bedroom is very thin, we had to have one each side of the bed and used next to me travel cots which many twin parents have

Congratulations op, I hope you’re okay I remember the shock of finding out I was expecting twins and the worry of all the logistics. If you can fit a pram under the stairs that sounds like the best option, wear one in a sling and carry the other one downstairs. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you adapt to carrying 2, I had a 3 year old as well when mine were born and I panicked all pregnancy about how it would be possible but somehow it just is and you’ll find a way to make it work.

There are twin carriers, we used the Weego from newborn and then the twingo once they got head control. Although they are both quite cumbersome- and you need good posture/strength once they get bigger.

I used to also carry them in and out the house (although only from the driveway to the house) and various venues we went in their car seats. When they were tiny could carry a car seat in each hand and have their baby bag as a rucksack on my back. Once they got bigger I had to do one at a time. I found it easier to carry in the car seat as can put it on the floor to open doors etc (can't put a baby on the floor when you have one in each arm).

You maybe could have a pushchair frame which fits the car seats on in your downstairs cupboard. As it will be safer to carry them up and down the stairs in the car seat. And you can then wheel them too and from the car. A pushchair frame only is much smaller than the full pushchair to keep in the cupboard too. Then you could keep the carrycots/pushchair seats in the car boot.

gosh so much to think about. What I want to avoid is paying for a new solution every 6 months

I carried them in car seats until they out grew their infant car seats (as they were small this was about 18 months). Although over age of approx 6 months had to carry them separately and it did get heavy. Once they get to 12 months you can move to a compact double stroller in the cupboard which would be much easier.

Buy light car seats. They can be very heavy

when they are bigger you can do a structured carrier on your front and back but it is a faff! Cupboard sounds good I would measure it and then take those measurements with you when you buy the pram so you can check it fits. Also congratulations what amazing news!