Double or Nothing! Do you really need double when having twins?

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Double or Nothing

                Double or nothing does not apply when having twins. You need some things, but do you really need double? Sure, having double matching everything is cute, but is it practical or even necessary?

Double everything is double the money… and I would rather not. As a twin mom, I’m here to help you!

What do you really need in doubles?

Well, for one you will need double the love. Your heart will grow two times in size that day, like the Grinch. (Trust me! It’s incredible!)

You will need to double your time. Considering that it isn’t possible, maybe double down on a good routine.

You will definitely need double the sleep. (Sorry, also not possible.)

I am running out of things you really need in doubles.

Diapers. Oh yeah, diapers!

I would recommend quadruple the number of diapers. I recommend having a diaper raffle at your baby shower. People love winning things. The more diapers, the more entries. Since I couldn’t drink at the time of my baby shower, I gave away wine glasses, gift cards and a small bottle of wine. Tell them to pop the bottle when you pop.

Cribs. Where will they sleep?

I recommend two cribs or bassinets.

I received two twin pack and plays at my baby shower. The pack and play also had a twin bassinet attachment. It worked really well at my bedside. It didn’t help with the nighttime feeding, considering one of my twins took an hour to eat. When she was done eating, usually the other twin was up. I enjoyed not having to walk very far to get them. I used the other pack and play downstairs for naps.

Rockers

Do you need two baby rockers?

We had two rockers and a Momaroo. One of my girls loved the Momaroo while the other liked the rocker. We had one rocker that was never used.  If you only have one, you could alternate. Tummy time for one baby while the other is in the rocker.

Baby Carriers

What about the baby carriers? Good question.

They make twin baby carriers. I didn’t feel comfortable wearing one of my twins at first because of her small size. I later learned how to use the baby wrap to wear both babies, but I didn’t do it often. Technically no, you do not need double.

Infant car seats

You will need double.

Sorry, no sharing of the car seats. However, double strollers work wonderfully. They have a variety of double strollers. Some of them are really wide and do not fit in most doorways. I would encourage you to look at them. Take them for a walk around the store if possible. You really want to get a good feel for its functionality.

Diaper bags

I have two babies. Does that mean I need two diaper bags?

If you are like me and pack everything but the kitchen sink, yes. As I learned the art of minimization, you really can get by with one diaper bag depending on how long your outing is going to be. I pack extra snacks, diapers, wipes, clothes, etc. My mind likes to think I will get lost in the store with no way home.

Toys

Surely you would recommend double toys?

This one can be tricky. You can get away with one of each kind of toy you plan to have. I recently realized during my girl’s 4th birthday they are fully aware of what toy they opened and who it belonged to. I would not recommend joint toys as gifts, it definitely backfired on me. If you bring home a single toy and explain it is something to share, that might work.

I think you are forgetting something! Am I? Yes! What? Clothes! Oh my, yes please wear them.

Clothes

I am the twin mom that doesn’t really dress their twins alike. I used to say if I ever had twins, I would not dress them alike all the time. Then I met my twins, and it confirmed my feelings. I only dress them in matching clothes for pictures, although that may change here in the future. My twins are nothing alike. They won’t even let me do their hair the same anymore. The few matching outfits they have, they wear them on separate days.

I know twin moms who love to match their twins. I know twins who love to match. This one I will leave up to you. Whatever you decide, make sure you have enough clothes for two. Although being in Arizona, my babies were in diapers most days. I think they would have been in diapers most days anywhere, because really, why do we put clothes on them?

High Chairs

Where did you feed your babies? Don’t feed the wildlife!

We had two high chairs. I mentioned earlier that I would rather not spend a lot of money on stuff. I saved everything after I had my son because I was hoping for another child. This decision was awesome because we only needed to buy one more crib and a high chair. We found our second crib on a resale sight free for pickup. We found our other high chair the same way. I am a huge fan of second-hand items. Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle.

What else could you be possibly forgetting?

Oh yeah, I had a baby monitor that had two cameras to face each baby. I would recommend enough linens to keep you from washing more often than necessary. Can you really predict the spit ups, blow outs, urine leaks? Where is all this stored inside those tiny bodies, anyway? You will need at least two pacifiers. I would not recommend sharing one, if you plan to use them. We used the blooming lotus bath mat for the sink when they were little and switched to an infant tub. Toiletries can be shared for now; I can’t make any guarantees as they grow. If I am missing anything, please share in the comments to help a fellow momma out. Be sure and read our other articles about twins! Thank you for reading!

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