So, while writing this piece I actually laugh a little at the title, “Preparing for Twins.” Why? Because, as new parents, I’m not sure you can fully prepare for what you are about to experience when you have multiples.
Yes, you can plan and prep, cook and organize, but in the end, those little ones will throw you curve balls and there is no way to really be prepared. However, I hope these simple ideas will make life slightly easier as you as you navigate your days with newborn twins.
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Prepare Early
Perhaps I was naïve in thinking I would make it full term with twins. I know many twin mamas who had, so I just assumed I would be one of them. Wrong. We weren’t prepared. We had nearly nothing ready when I went into labor at almost 36 weeks, so coming home we were already steps behind where we needed to be.
Start early and prepare for the unexpected.
Create a Registry
Do this first! When we were pregnant with twins we had THREE baby showers! One hosted by our family and friends, one hosted by my co-workers, and one hosted by my husband’s co-workers!
We were so blessed with so many things from our registry! I signed up for Amazon’s Baby Registry and would highly recommend it. Also, if you aren’t an Amazon prime member, you may want to be. Subscribe and Save really did save us a TON of money on formula and diapers! Click HERE to sign up!
Have Your Nursery Ready
Because our twins made their debut about four weeks earlier than expected we didn’t have the nursery ready, we didn’t even have cribs (#ad). We struggled when we brought our babies home because of this. Everything was scattered throughout the house. Clothing, diapers, rock n play (prior to the recall). We did have crib mattresses, so, that’s where they slept, in the floor of our bedroom. Looking back, it is embarrassing how unprepared we were.
Invest in an Owlet or Angel Care (#ad) Monitor
I just can’t stress this enough and I’ll probably share this one over and over: get either one of these!
Our oldest son was born with a condition called apnea of prematurity, basically this means he would stop breathing for no other reason except he was born early. He never needed oxygen, his heart worked perfectly, all other tests were normal. He would just randomly stop breathing, usually in his sleep.
Both these items SAVED his life.
We started with the Angel Care then upgraded both of our twins to an Owlet later on, and both alerted us to several of his “episodes.” If we had not had these, I would not have been able to sleep a wink; even while using them I would stay up occasionally to watch him breathe.
Oh, the gray hairs this boy has given me!
Two Words: Freezer Meals
This will make your life so much easier!
I still remember having to choose between eating and sleeping those first several weeks of parenthood. I’m not sure how many meals we missed. Honestly, if it weren’t for our sweet family and friends, I’m not sure if we would have eaten much more than cereal every meal.
Even if you don’t want to meal prep yourself, have some Eggos and frozen dinners in the freezer ready to go. These adjustable freezer bag holders (#ad) are perfect to speed up the process of prepping and freezing meals! Everything I have purchased from this brand has been top notch, and these are no different!
Breast or Bottle Feeding: Set Yourself Up for Success
IF you plan to breast feed, I highly advise you have your pump, bottles, and accessories in one central area, washed, sterilized, (#ad) and organized. Breast feeding isn’t for everyone and there will be no judgment here if you choose not to go that route.
If you are planning on formula feeding, have your bottles sterilized and a small stash of formula. Depending on your babies’ health needs at birth, the pediatrician or neonatologist may recommend a certain formula, so I don’t recommend buy large amounts prior to birth.
After you get your babies home and you know their needs, buy in bulk (it’s usually cheaper this way). Again, I recommend comparing prices with Amazon Subscribe & Save, as that has saved us quite a bit of money over the years.
Twin Z Pillow (#ad)
We LOVED this thing! I didn’t use it for breast feeding, but to be honest, I wasn’t successful at breastfeeding twins. They slept on it for their naps during the day and it was so easy to move from room to room, as needed. I loved it so much I bought one for a friend of mine who is a fellow twin mom. I used it with each of our singletons, as well. I’ll admit, this is one item that is sentimental to me and I had difficulty parting with it.
Cord Blood Banking
This is something we have done for each of our four children. We have been fortunate, thus far, not to have to utilize this investment (yes, it is an investment), but I have peace of mind knowing we have this option.
I always say, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” So, that’s what we did. We hope and pray we never need the stem cells we have banked.
Cord blood and/or tissue is collected at the time of birth by your OBGYN/midwife and placed in the collection kit for transportation. Upon arrival at the cord blood bank, there will be a number of tests ran on this blood to be sure it is sterile and viable, then frozen until needed.
I would recommend you do your own research on the specifics of cord blood banking and tissue banking prior to purchasing this kit. If you choose to go this route, please use my link: https://learn.cordblood.com/referral.html?contactid=0013l000020n9viAAA and you will receive special pricing with my referral.
As I stated before, we use Cord Blood Registry and they have been so wonderful to work with. With four children on our account, they have been very helpful and are always willing to answer our questions and listen to our concerns.
Get ready, Mama.
You are going to have some busy days that turn into sleepless nights. You will be physically and emotionally exhausted. You’re going to cry a little…more than you expected. But you are about to start the most wonderful journey as a mother of twins.