But there are some things that you only need if you're expecting more than one child. Obviously "need" is used loosely, because none of these items even existed 50 years ago, and hundreds of thousands of twin moms have survived without them. That being said, I compared the twin products I love with the myriad of gear advice on my twin Facebook groups, and there were very clear winners. Here's what every twin mom should have:
TWIN PILLOW
Are these the coolest invention or what? I'm not exaggerating when I say the twins are in this Twin Z pillow at least five hours every day. Wear it one way if you're nursing both babies at once, or flip it around and use it to bottle feed two babies at once. It's also used for tummy time, supported sitting time, and independent sitting time. My twins have even taken a few great naps in this thing. If you know a mom expecting twins, buy one for her! Pool together with a few friends if you have to, and make sure you buy an extra pillowcase or two.
DOUBLE STROLLER
I know, strollers are expensive, and double strollers are even more expensive. But you really will use yours every single time you leave the house (unless you plan on staying inside for two years straight?). It's worth the time to research what type of stroller you'll like best, and worth the money investing in a good double stroller. The general consensus is that this City Select double jogger is the best twin stroller on the market, but we have this much more affordable option (that fits our carseats without any adapters) and have loved it so far.
TWO ROCKERS
Even if you're the biggest babywearing advocate, or even if you have no space in your home, or even if you're on a tight budget, trust me: you'll need two rockers, and they will be lifesavers. It's just not possible to hold both of your babies all the time. My twins take all their daytime naps in these - they're compact, easy to move from room to room, and self-rocking. Seriously we love our two rockers. It's going to be a sad day when the twins outgrow them!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
BABY BREZZA
I don't have this, but all twin moms swear by it. It's a machine that mixes bottles for you. This may sound superfluous (mix the bottles yourself, ya lazy bum!), but on the other hand, doesn't it sound nice to have two perfectly warm, perfectly mixed formula bottles at the push of a button? No shaking the bottle to mix it, no waiting for the water to be exactly the right temperature, just two bottles made for you. Twin moms say this saves their life during that 3am feeding (and all the other feedings too).
TWIN CARRIER
Twin moms have very different opinions about the best twin carrier, but the TwinGo has emerged over and over as a really great option. It can separate into two separate carriers (one for mom, one for dad!) or you can connect them and tandem wear your twins.
BUGGY BENCH
Shopping carts at basically every store (except Costco! Yay Costco!) have only one baby seat built in. Enter the buggy bench. It's a fabric seat that attaches to the back of any shopping cart so you can put both your children in - and still have room to put groceries underneath. It's also lightweight and folds up nicely, so it's easy to stow in a diaper bag.
TWIN ZYGOSITY TESTING
The number one question you'll get when you mention your twins is: "Are they identical or fraternal?" Medically speaking, it's actually a very tricky question and isn't just dependent on how many amniotic sacs or umbilical cords your twins have. If your twins are the same sex, you'll probably be dying for twin zygosity testing so you can know whether or not they're identical. It's about $75 per child, and involves a simple cheek swab, but is rarely covered by insurance because there's not a medical need to know. What a great gift this would make for any twin mom!
Twin moms - what am I missing?
Other essential gear?
Hope you found this helpful!
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