Multiples

Space-Saving Products for Parents of Twins: Gugu Guru Answers

A Gugu Guru registrant asks for help, and one of our registry consultants answers! When a mom of twins mentions on sign up, “I share a small room with my two babies and am interested in space-saving products for parents of twins” – our registry consultant, Abby, who is also a mom of twins, comes to the rescue. Here’s what she has to say:

I am so excited to send you this list of space-saving products for parents of twins that I think will *hopefully* help with some of your dilemmas. I even use some of these with my twins, so I can personally say they are ‘Twin-Mom Approved!’ I am sure you have solutions for sleeping and clothing storage so I tried to stay away from the basics.

Space-Saving Products for Parents of Twins: Diapering

Diaper Changing

The best solution for a small space diaper station is the Skip Hop Pronto Changing Station. With compartments for extra diapers, wipes, and diaper cream, this is a great go-to for floor changes.
My other recommendation is the Keekaroo Changing Pad, which makes diaper changes on top of counters/dressers/even on the floor completely possible! Bonus: the changer is slip resistant, meaning your little ones won’t be able to move it.

Shelving and Displays

Wall Shelves can be a great way to display items in a fun (and out of the way) way.

The Babyletto Spruce Tree Bookcase can be used for books/toys/pictures/etc.
These Floating Shelves can work for both your items and things for the kids.
Lastly, these acrylic book shelves take up hardly any space and can be used in many areas of your house.

For the Kitchen

The first item that popped immediately into my head is a compact highchair. Here are a few options you may like (at different price points).

Many twin moms prefer the Ikea Antilop high chair. At just $19.99 it is a steal. It is also easy to take apart for quick storage.
The Joovy Nook highchair is the one I currently use for my boys. I love that it folds completely flat for easy storage when it’s not meal time.
The Stokke Tripp Trapp is a favorite high chair of moms everywhere. It slides easily up to the table, or you can use purchase a separate tray. Also, I love this chair because it grows with your kiddos.

Kids’ Activities

The hardest part of living in a small space is the amount of stuff the twins’ need for activity and stimulation. Finding small activity tables and toys that can be easily put away is a challenge, but possible! Also, utilize underneath bed/crib storage for items that aren’t being used.

Finn + Emma has a ton of play gyms that aren’t connected to a mat, which makes them easy to set down anywhere! They are adorable and easy to store when not in use.
My last suggestion is a little bit on the larger side, but it plays multiple roles! The Ruggish Play Rugs are great and stylish on one side, but turn into a play mat for the kiddos on the back. These are actually currently on my ‘To Buy’ list as my boys get a little bit bigger.

Interested in some other helpful posts for parents of multiples? Check these out:

Abby Ludwig, Gugu Guru Registry Consultant

Abby Ludwig is a Gugu Guru Registry Consultant and a mom of two adorable twin boys.

Top 5 Must Have Essentials: Sleepless Nights

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

-Sponsored Post-

It’s no secret that with a new baby comes many sleepless nights; however, we rounded up our top items which parents need to survive those long sleepless nights. We know that it can seem overwhelming to register for everything you may need for a baby; so, we’ve broken all the necessities down into your Top 5 Must Have Essentials for every category you may need. Today we’re covering the Top 5 Must Have Essentials for Sleepless Nights; don’t forget to add them to your registry!

Micuna Flor rocking chair and the Nacelle bassinet: Get some help rocking baby all night with this innovation from Micuna! Use the Flor rocking chair and the Nacelle bassinet together to rock your baby with the magnets docking system. Put the bassinet in your left or in your right side at your convenience. You can also rock your twin babies easily with two Nacelle bassinets at the same time with the Flor rocking chair and its magnet docking systems. This is ideal for parents of twins, as you can rock both babies at the same time.

Bravado Dream Nursing Tank: If you’re going to be up all night nursing, why not feel good about yourself, too? We’re huge fans of Bravao, and the Dream Nursing Tank is no exception. The Dream Nursing Tank is the ultimate nursing bra and tank in one that provides full length style and full time support. Perfect to wear anytime, whether at home or on-the-go, when you’re pregnant or nursing. You can opt to wear it alone with your favorite jeans, or under a sweater with a cozy pair of leggings. It also comes in gray and black.

Check out more on Bravado: Product Discovery: Bravado Designs’ Petal Soft Bras; Product Discovery: Bravado’s Clip and Pump Hands-Free Nursing Bra Accessory; 7 Must-Haves for Breastfeeding Moms

ergoPouch: Even if baby isn’t quite sleeping, you’ll need a safe way to keep baby warm (but not too warm) at night. ergoPouch is ideal for this exact mission. The award-winning ergoPouch collection includes premium quality baby swaddles, sleeping bags and sleep suits available from birth to 6 years. All ergoPouch products are made with natural fibers including Organic Cotton, Bamboo and Merino. ergoPouch products offer great functionality and versatility with swaddles that can easily transition to a sleeping bag, and sleep suits that convert from bags to suits with legs for easy use from bassinet to stroller. You can buy any of the ergoPouch sleep items at Babies R Us.

Check out more on ergoPouch: Sleepytime Find: ergoPouch; Back to Sleep, ergoPouch; Minimalist Baby Registry

Angelcare AC517 Movement Monitor: Although you want to be by your baby’s side all night long during those sleepless nights, sometimes you have to put baby down! Angelcare Movement monitors will watch your baby all night long even when Mom and Dad can’t. They monitor that your baby is sleeping soundly and will send an alert to you if your baby needs you. Angelcare Monitors make you less worried, so you can sleep too (eventually!). Don’t fret, you can still keep track of everything baby is doing with Angelcare’s Movement Monitor. Angelcare’s AC517 touchscreen movement, video and audio monitor offers the only wireless movement sensor pad in the market and features activity tracking which reports on baby’s movement levels. The new wireless sensor pad goes under the crib mattress and can track subtle movements (like breathing, rolling and kicking) that audio and video monitors can’t detect. This means parents can truly monitor all of baby’s slightest movements. This touchscreen monitor from Angelcare offers the only wireless movement sensor pad in the market and features new data analytics that sense and track baby’s activity level.

Check out more on AngelCare: Nursery Gear Essential: Angelcare AC517 Movement Monitor; Product Discovery: Angelcare Movement Monitor; Top 5 Must Have Essentials: First Night Home With Baby

Baby Shusher: Despite popular belief, babies don’t actually need quiet to fall asleep! They are accustomed to the loud whooshing noises in the womb, and often sleep better with a white noise around them. However, it’s exhausting for an already tired parent to shushhhhh their baby all night long; enter, the Baby Shusher! This revolutionary product quickly soothes fussy baby with rhythmic “shush” sound. Inspired by Dr. Harvey Karp’s book ‘The Happiest Baby on the Block‘, the Baby Shusher will (hopefully) help lull your little one to sleep.

Check out more on Dr. Harvey Karp: How To: Maintain a Peaceful Home During The Holidays; Books Before Baby: Suggestions From Our Favorite Writers and Bloggers; Atomic Moms Hot Mama Summer Must Haves with Ellie Knaus!

PS. Don’t forget the number 6 essential for those long sleepless nights: a Netflix account!

Thank you to Micuna, AngelCare, ergoPouch and Bravado for making this sponsored post possible.

Celebration of Feeding: Feeding Twins with Twiniversity and BabyBjorn

by Gugu Guru 2 Comments

For today’s Celebration of Feeding post, Natalie Diaz, the founder of Twiniversity, is here to share her tips for feeding twins!

There are MANY options when it comes to feeding your twins. This week we are celebrating formula feeding and in my expert opinion, bottle feeding in bouncers is the best way to go. The BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft is incredible. Not only will your baby be comfortable, but it can hold him/her until their 2^nd birthday! My only problem with this bouncer is that they don’t make one I can buy in my size. So let’s get down to business. How are we going to bouncer feed twins?

Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Set up your situation! Get your “home base” ready to feed those hungry babies. You should have: Full bottles with the correct amount (maybe a little extra for that morning feed!), burp cloths, wipes (for cleaning up small spills) and the remote to turn on some tunes. Hey, why not? Ever go to a restaurant that was silent? Yeah, it was uncomfortable, right? Well, set the mood for fine dining even if it’s just in your living room. Suggestions: Harry Belafonte, REM, Trace Atkins (those were my twins’ favorites!)

Step 2: CHANGE your babies. You should never begin a feed — breast or bottle — without first changing the babies. That way if they are fussy you at least know it’s not because they are wet. Once they are changed, bring them to their bouncers and strap them in safely. SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS! If they are little and having a hard time with neck support, buy a head positioner, or just use a rolled up receiving blanket behind the neck to help prop them up into place.

Step 3: Go to the bathroom yourself! Same as the babies, no one should be uncomfortable during a feed if you can avoid it.

Step 4: Sit on the floor with your back against a chair or couch, stretch your legs out in front of you, get your supplies within arms’ reach and settle in — you’re going to be here a minute. Once you are all adjusted, place a bouncer on each side of you so that your arms can comfortably reach the babies.

Step 5: Feed those babies! Hold each bottle in one hand and let your hungry babies go to town. Remember to make sure that the nipple is filled 100% of the time with the milk! Our suggestion would be to use the Dr. Brown’s Options bottles. Start off with a level 1 nipple but move to a level 2 nipple once your doctor gives you the green light. If you are doing a combo of breast and bottle feeding, STICK WITH LEVEL 1! That is closest to the actual flow of your nipple and the baby will be most comfortable with that.

Step 6: Halfway through the bottle, stop for a quick burp. I’m sending successful burping vibes your way! Start with the easier burper first and move over to the one that’s a bit more challenging. Make sure you take advantage of that burp cloth. If you end up getting some formula on your clothing, or theirs, try the Dapple Stain Remover which we find works like a charm to get those stains right out. Then go back to feeding as usual but still make sure that the nipple is full 100%!

When the feed is done, feel free to give ‘em one final burp. Then, PUT YOUR BOTTLES IN THE SINK! Make sure that after each feed you get some fresh water into those bottles. By the days end, even if it’s a ¼ oz, it might be tough to get out. Keep a large basin in the sink prefilled with sudsy water for those bottles to go right into.

Make sure that every night you do a final tally of your bottles. If you used 16 bottles, make sure they are all accounted for in the dishwasher! You don’t want to have a rogue bottle floating around your house. In a few days’ time, if you don’t find it….you will. You can just track the scent! Yuck!

Follow BabyBjorn on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

DIY Baby Headbands With See Kate Sew

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

See Kate Sew partners with Gugu Guru once again to share a fantastic DIY tutorial. This time? Adorable and easy to make headbands for the little ones in your life.

I’m excited to be back at Gugu Guru this week sharing a knit headband tutorial! If there is one thing about bringing another baby into the house, it’s older child backlash! Whew, we’ve been dealing with some serious jealousy and behavioral issues with my older daughter but have found a few strategies to keep the attention equally divided!

The UppaBaby Vista Stroller is one of them! We love this stroller and it is pretty special that my 3-year-old gets the front seat. She loves peeking on her little sister and I think it makes her feel good that this stroller is really for both of them! I take this stroller everywhere, including the grocery store and walks. It’s super easy to set up, everything clicks into place! And the basket underneath is big enough for a whole load of groceries (I never get carts anymore!) It’s such a great single stroller and an amazing double! I recommend it to everyone!

The attachment options for this stroller are amazing! We love the cup holder, sometimes I use it and sometimes it’s a little snack shelf. And the Piggy Back Stroller board transforms this into a stroller for THREE. An older child can hop on and ride when she gets tired. The brake is super easy to engage and all of the features are just so functional. Each seat has a window flap that closes with magnets (no velcro!) and a bar in front. It’s so well thought-out!

I have lots more to say about using the Vista as a double, read my full review over at See Kate Sew!

Let’s make some knit headbands! Matching accessories is another way we are fighting the new baby jealousy. This project is super easy and only requires a scrap of knit fabric. I made this pattern in two sizes for little babies and larger toddlers/children. Since you tie the knot, it’s adjustable for lots of head sizes!

Materials:

-1/4 yard stretchy knit fabric

-Matching thread

–pattern pieces download

Instructions:

1. Print the pattern pieces and cut them out. Tape together where indicated on pattern pieces.

2. Cut out the pattern and pin it to a piece of fabric. The arrows on the pattern will butt up against a fold. Cut 2 pieces.

3. Sew together with right sides together 1/4″ from the edges. Leave a 1.5″ opening on one of the straight sides.

4. Press the headband and stitch the opening closed.

And you’re done!

Back To Sleep Day 5: QuickZip Sheets

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We’re finishing off Back to Sleep with one of our founder, Monica’s, must-haves: QuickZip Sheets. A new, improved, easy-to-change crib sheet that zippers on and off, QuickZip Sheets allow for fast changes. They’re included in our safe infant sleep feature because QuickZip wraps all the way around the mattress. This means it’s a safer alternative to traditional crib sheets that can pop off your baby’s mattress, which can pose an entanglement risk.

QuickZip earns Gugu Guru’s “No Fuss” label because its patented, two-piece crib sheet system allows parents to simply drop the mattress in the base just one time and the Zip-On Sheet zips off and on in seconds. This means there’s no more wrestling with mattresses or bumpers.

Plain and simple: when you’re a mom of multiples, you’re going to be looking for the most efficient way to do things around the house (especially since 80% of multiple births are c-section births.) This is especially true when it comes to those middle of the night mishaps. QuickZip sheets delivers that efficiency for parents of multiples – no more lifting up the mattress or removing bumpers.

While parents hail the QuickZip Sheets as lifesavers because they spare so many from the back pain associated with the struggle around changing standard crib sheets, C-Section mamas have something else to cheer about with the product’s ease of use. If you have a c-section, your doctor will tell you that you have to be EXTREMELY careful with household chores due to your stitches and incision for the first 6 weeks of recovery. QuickZip Sheets help you worry less about one thing that you’ll be doing a lot of: changing sheets!

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Note: all sleep tips are independent to all the products featured in Back to Sleep and Kim West is not endorsing these products unless otherwise indicated.

Back To Sleep Day 4: Nanit

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

Today we’re highlighting a brand new, truly “smart” baby monitor on the market that provides deep insights into your baby’s sleeping habits – Nanit.

What makes Nanit different is that it actually measures and understands sleep using computer vision and machine learning. It tells you how long your baby slept, analyzes sleep patterns, keeps track of nighttime visits, plus delivers summaries of day and night sleep — helping both you and baby get more zzz’s. Not only that, but Nanit provides a crystal-clear live stream of the crib from a patented bird’s eye perspective and has superior night vision (no more fuzzy images!) So you’ll always have the best view of baby in the crib.

If you’re a working mom, rest assured that as long as Nanit’s connected to the Internet, you’ll be able to monitor your baby via Nanit’s app from anywhere in the world; whether it’s your office or on a business trip. In addition, multiple users (e.g., dad, caregivers – even grandparents!) can access Nanit’s camera at the same time via Nanit’s app. You can set up multiple users for your account through the app’s settings.

More than one baby on the way? The Nanit may be a good fit for you! While parents of multiples need to buy separate Nanit cameras to keep an eye on both children, the app is designed to allow parents to seamlessly switch between the two camera views.

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Note: all sleep tips are independent to all the products featured in Back to Sleep and Kim West is not endorsing these products unless otherwise indicated.

Mompreneur Spotlight: Heather Stoeckel Karpinsky of Baby A & Baby B

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This week’s fab mom is twin mom Heather Stoeckel Karpinsky of Baby A & Baby B.

GG: Tell us about your product and how you came up with the feeding set?

HSK: We were so excited when we found out we were expecting twins. The news came as a big surprise and so did their arrival. Grant and Gavin were born at just 31 weeks after I developed preeclampsia. When they were born, I did not get to hold them. They were rushed immediately into the NICU and I remained in the operating room praying. That day started my journey as a mother of twins and the experiences below gave me the idea for the Twin Feeding Set.

Stopping the Spread of Germs: When we were able to go home after 6 weeks in the NICU, we were very happy and nervous. My babies had entered into this world as warriors and I wanted to do everything in my power to protect them. Leaving the strict rules of the NICU and heading home made me very worried about exposing Grant and Gavin to sickness. Parents of premature babies know that colds can be harsh and in some cases cause permanent damage to a premature baby’s developing lungs. When my son Gavin got a cold at just 6 months old, I did everything in my power to ensure he got better quickly and that Grant did not get the same cold.

Keeping foods separate due to allergy: Being a parent makes you want to do the best for your children. I wanted the best and most healthy foods. I started making purees at home. It was a great way to save money and ensure only the best ingredients were used. We soon discovered that Grant loved anything with apples and Gavin did not. Gavin would get an upset stomach when he ate anything with apple. So ensuring their foods were not confused became important.

Making things a little easier: Feeding twins is so different than feeding a singleton. I always felt so silly juggling separate bowls and spoons while frantically trying to feed my boys. I also felt weird using the same spoon and bowl when both boys were healthy. It was a stressful experience and I hated making them wait so long in between bites. I searched online to try to find something that would make the process easier, but was unable to locate anything, so I started looking into doing it myself. These circumstances gave me the idea for the twin feeding set.

The Twin Feeding Set provides two mouthpieces to keep germs from spreading and two matching bowls that make it easy for parents to measure how much food each child has consumed. The Twin Feeding Set is also easy to hold and allows the parents of multiples to feed both children without juggling separate bowls and spoons. We started using the first model of the twin feeding set for my boys when they were 7 months old and they have yet to spread a cold or germs. We tested out the product for 6 months before we started to sell them online. The twin feeding set has enabled them to eat their favorite foods at every meal. It was a dream come true for us because it turned a stressful time into an enjoyable time for everyone.

GG: What is the best part of being a mompreneur?
HSK: The best part of being a mompreneur is connecting to other parents of twins. It makes me a better mother and I love hearing their stories. Becoming a mother to twins is my life’s greatest blessing and being able to use what I have learned from my past experiences has been truly wonderful.

When I graduated from Albright College in 2002 I started working at MBNA, a bank based in Wilmington, DE. I took a position in customer service that taught me to “think of yourself as a customer” and “success is finding a better method.” When MBNA was sold, I took a new role in development at the University of Delaware. I helped to raise money for scholarships, programs, and research. The birth of my twins altered my plans and going back to work was not possible. My salary did not cover the cost of daycare and coupled with my husband’s hectic career as a helicopter pilot we agreed it was best for me to stay at home with my boys. My focus was on nurturing and caring for my twins, however part of me missed working. When I discovered how simple changes to the products I already used everyday would make parenting twins a little easier my journey as a mompreneur began. Being a mompreneur has given me the best of both worlds. It enables me to be at home with my boys while letting me use my experience in customer service to help others. My new role has helped me grow personally and professionally while connecting me with parents of twins from around the world.

GG: How do you balance it all?
HSK: I take it one day at a time and always do my best. Balancing is almost impossible with twins! You can plan and prioritize and then something can happen that changes all of those plans. I am so lucky that I have a great support system (my husband, mother, father, friends, and my entire family) that I can always count on. The day of my first large order my son Grant had an allergic reaction that caused a severe asthma attack and I rushed him to the hospital. Without the help of my mom and my husband I would have failed in getting my orders completed that day. I would never want to let anyone down, so doing things all by myself would be impossible. It takes a village.

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