I was extremely shocked when I heard that I was expecting my second set of twins. My identical boys were 2 and a half years old and while I knew they would be the best big brothers, I couldn’t believe I was going through this again! As Gugu Guru’s Director of Concierge, my mind immediately went to the products and gear that I would need for our second set (this time, boy/girl twins) who were going to be born in a completely different season than their older bros. Below is my latest list of must-have products for parents of multiples.
Newborn/4th Trimester Must-Haves
Frida Mom Products: When I had my first set of twins, I had heard so much about this Nose Frida and how wonderful it was. Quickly, I converted to their whole lineup of items and was so excited when they launched their ‘Mom’ line. I am a HUGE fan of their Upside Down Peri bottle and their Disposable Underwear were extremely comfortable, especially after my C-Section.
Belli Skincare: When you have multiples, you don’t always have time for a long skincare routine. Generally, I need to slap on some lotion, rub on sunscreen and I’m out the door! I love Belli’s tinted sunscreen as well as their Stretchmark Minimizing Cream, which helped greatly as I grew.
Simple Clothing: This sounds so silly, but it’s also so practical. Find clothing that holds up to lots of washing, is a style you like, and is easy to put on. With double the diaper changes, zippers or magnetic closures are a must! Some of my favorite brands are Magnetic Me, Little Sleepies, and Monica + Andy.
Love to Dream Swaddles: These have continued to be a favorite for our family. They are so easy to put on and great for midnight diaper changes. They wash easily (important when you’re wearing them twice as fast) and allow your little one to have his or her hands up. Now that my little ones are 3 months old, we’re slowly transitioning to their Swaddle Up Transition Bags.
Twiniversity: Twiniversity strikes again! They continue to be my favorite resource to share with twin parents. The site is full of great blog posts written by twin parents on that multiple mentality! Also, their founder, Nat has written the best book for expectant twin parents – What to Do When You’re Having Two.
Feeding Must-Haves
Easy to Use Bottles: When you have double the mouths to feed, it is important that you have bottles that you can assemble and clean as quickly as possible. I actually use a couple different types of bottles with my little ones, depending on our situation. When my babies are battling reflux, there is no better bottle than Dr. Brown’s Options Plus. They have an excellent venting system, are easy to clean, and are easy to assemble. I have also loved using the food-grade silicone bottles by Olábaby. These have minimal parts, are lightweight, and are also extremely easy to clean. Plus, they have accessories to work with your pump or turn into a sippy cup down the road.
Baby Brezza: From day 1, my twins were receiving a mix of formula and breastmilk. Feeding two babies is not easy, regardless of what you choose to feed. Both the Formula Pro-Advanced and the Formula Mixer Pitcher allowed me to quickly prepare bottles. Nothing better than efficiency when you have to listen to two screaming babes! Side note – they just launched a new diaper bag, as well, which was great for our road trip this summer!
Feeding Accessories: With two babies to take care of, the number of bottles we go through per day is truly fascinating. I have found that surrounding myself with proper accessories makes the cleaning process significantly easier. The Dr. Brown’s Dishwashing Basket, Boon Lawn Drying Rack (with fun extras), and an easy to use pump (like the Motif Luna or Elvie) have dramatically improved our daily feeding experience.
On The Go and Playtime Must-Haves
An Excellent Stroller: My #1 must-have for any parents of multiples is a good stroller! I would even argue that 2 strollers can potentially be a game changer for twins. I love keeping our Joovy Twin Roo + in the car for easy in/out access with our car seats. This is great for running errands, attending doctor’s appointments, and dropping off my older set of twins (when COVID doesn’t keep us at home) at activities.
The Bugaboo Donkey3 has also become our beloved all-terrain stroller. My babies – who are nearly 4 months old – still fit comfortably in the bassinets and my older boys love riding on the glider board to “help push” the babies. I can easily get 3 of my 4 kiddos on this stroller with no worries about lack of storage. It has a huge basket, great wheels, and an easy to fold up frame. I love that I can convert it to a single stroller when I need one (which is rare in our house!) and the side luggage basket is amazing. Plus, the bassinet frame becomes the seat frame, which gives us one less item to store. I always love multifunctional items for twins!
Infant Car Seats: When I am helping expectant parents figure out what car seat makes the most sense for their needs, I often focus on 3 things – weight, safety features/install, and price. Nuna has done an excellent job with their Pipa line creating car seats that are lightweight, have added safety features and are extremely easy to install. Their new relx car seat base is a game changer, allowing you to recline the seat within the base and having an even easier install than the intial base. One great thing to note – all Pipa seats will fit in the relx base (and the new rx seat comes with it)!
A Great Diaper Bag with Lots of Storage: I have tried out loads of diaper bags with my kiddos. I do think certain diaper bags are best for certain situations. Unfortunately, many of the ‘twin’ diaper bags fell short in my opinion, as they are just too big. I strongly believe that I will fill any diaper bag I use, no matter how big or small. To me, a diaper bag must have enough pockets (but not so many that they take up valuable inner space), great open storage, and easy to access bottle spots. If it’s a backpack, that’s just a plus! Baby K’tan recently launched their diaper bags and I am a huge fan! They are easy to wipe down, easy to fill, and have inner storage that makes sense.
A great playmat for 2 babies: As a mom of two sets of twins, I try to keep some sort of control on the amount of stuff in our house. I am not a minimalist, but I try to maintain a level of simplicity. One way I do this is by focusing on items that can function for both babies instead of one at a time. The Lovevery play mat is a large playmat that will hold both babies for play, tummy time, and when I need to get tasks done around the house. It is extremely high-quality, easy to wash, and comes with excellent accessories that grow with your little one. I also love their Play Kits as well as Toys that provide all of my kiddos with age-appropriate developmentally based manipulatives.
Easy to Store Gear: Gear that is easy to store is essential with multiple babes. I love bouncers that fold flat, swings with small footprints and loungers that help with playtime. Check out some of my top choices by Baby Björn, 4moms, and Boppy.
An easy-to-use Carrier: I love wearing my babies. With 4 kiddos to take care of, it’s nice to have a hands-free way to hold one baby while tending to one of the others. Plus, it counts as tummy time anytime that little one is off of his/her back. I have tested out a number of carriers over the years and with my very short torso, I have a hard time finding a good fit. The Baby K’tan is great for the early days. I love the kangaroo carry and this helps keep my little ones snuggled close. The Boppy ComfyFit and ComfyChic carriers are super comfy and great from 8lbs on. They are easy to put on and are extremely adjustable and are great for wearing around the house or short walks around the neighborhood. I also love the Lascal m1 Carrier. Providing excellent ergonomic support for both parent and baby, this carrier is made of high-quality, breathable fabric and is great for all activities.
Nursery Must-Haves
Great Diaper Changing Products: I am a huge fan of all fragrance-free diapers. My littles all suffer from eczema so keeping parabens, fragrance, and dyes away is incredibly important to me. Some of my favorites are Eco Pea, Coterie, and Pampers Pure. Fragrance-free wipes are also so wonderful in those early days. Look for wipes that are 99% water initially. I love Water Wipes, Noleo, and Huggies Natural Care.
Crane Humidifier: My little ones always end up with a case of the sniffles right around 3 months. With a dry bedroom, I’m always looking for ways to moisten up the air. This will instantly help my little ones breathe and sleep, which means I get more shut-eye each night! Crane has the best line of cool mist humidifiers for your nursery and beyond! I keep one in each of my twins’ bedrooms every night!
Simple Swaddles: The Ollie Swaddle was great for us in the early days! This gave my little ones that tight swaddled feeling, ensuring longer stretches of safe sleep each night. I also love the swaddle blankets by Copper Pearl. They are buttery soft, stretchy, and a great size for long-term swaddling and beyond.
Great Crib Sheets: I am a HUGE fan of having loads of crib sheets for twinnies. There will inevitably be loads of messes in those cribs and the last thing you want to do is run out of clean sheets. I always have 4-5 sets for each baby on hand and my favorite sheets are by Carousel Designs. They have loads of organic options in fun patterns and you can even personalize your own bedding!
Bath/Teething Musts: My favorite hooded bath towels must be soft, cozy, and the right size for longterm use. I love the towels by Loulou Lollipop, which come as a set with a matching washcloth. They are adorable and so soft for that precious skin!
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