Baby bump round 2 has me digging deep, deep down into my memory bank (which at times feels depleted) trying to remember all of the little things we just couldn’t imagine living without – especially having twins the first go! I am sure we registered for things we thought we “needed” that just ended up collecting dust or waiting in line for the boys to grow in to…
Needless to say, this time around I want to register for the items I know we will need, and use. This goes without saying the obvious things like onesies, diapers, wipes, and furniture/big ticket registry items. I’m talking cloth diapers used as burp cloths for 3 years straight (seriously, the same ones) to re-purposing pacifier holders…
And, every mom will have their opinions on what to feed baby, how to feed baby, when to feed baby, to swaddle or not to swaddle, sleep patterns, etc…. It’s annoying as hell and can make you snap at someone. Do what you think is best and what suites your family’s needs/schedule. But, if you’re looking for a little insight, here is a little tid bit as to how I went about things as a stay at home mom of twin boys –
Feeding
Breast feeding/pumping – I tried to breast feed and neither of the twins would latch on. Long story short, a week after delivery I ended up back in the hospital for over a week with an infection from my cesarean (that’s a story for another post!). So I pumped, solely, for 8.5 straight months. The first month or so I had to pump and dump because of a pic line/antibiotics (I KNOW! All of that liquid gold just, gone!). But, I kept going because that is what I wanted for my boys. We rented a hospital pump. Looking back I wish I had something a little more compact and travel friendly. I will definitely go the Medela route this time around. But extra parts so you’re not washing bottles and valves constantly.
And you WANT, not just need, a pump bra. I did not have one for the first few weeks. Hell, I didn’t even know they existed. Once I found them, I couldn’t live another second without those beautiful, nipple baring, pump holding contraptions. Seriously, you’re doing yourself a huge favor. Who cares who sees this on your registry! Register for that nipple cream while you’re at it!
As for a nursing pillow, the Brest Friend nursing pillow is a little big. I purchased this because in my head I was going to BF twins. At the same time. Yeah… It’s a nice option though because the back is flat and supports you. It also has a little pillow for things like water, a remote, your phone, etc.
Bottles – All of this talk about breast feeding/pumping, you’ll need bottles. We went for the Tommy Tippee and some sort of other slow flow bottles in the beginning. This way your baby isn’t getting too much at one time. Especially if you plan to BF, you don’t want baby thinking that all nipples are alike and flow freely…
Boppy pillows – When baby is old enough to hold their own bottles, a boppy pillow is a nice alternative to you having to hold baby for every single feeding. The “newborn” boppy was not around 5+ years ago. This would have been nice since wee ones slide down the boppy center and wind up on the floor. Side note: for twins, having two boppies was a necessity since we fed them on the same schedule. You’re only born with two arms/hands afterall. So imagine two boppies in front of you holding each child, while you hold bottles for each little bottomless pit. It can get tiresome holding both arms up at the same time, but it’s soooo worth it when mom and dad don’t have to be up at the same time – you can alternate feedings then…
Food blenders – Once baby is old enough to start eating solids, you may want to make your own baby food. I chose this route for several reasons. 1 – I knew exactly what was going into their bellies. 2 – It can be so much cheaper than buying jarred food. Yes, even the organic route. 3 – It’s super easy! The Beaba baby food maker is straight up legit. It steams, purees and thaws all in the same little container. I have pots and a steamer and a Vitamix, but I don’t want to use all of those big food contraptions when this can do it all in something so much smaller. Not to mention the freezer containers are really easy to use. They are made of silicone so the little cups of food pop right out. I kept them and have used them for other things such as mini homemade popsicles!
Cloth diapers – OK, these were no joke in our house. Obviously in the feeding department they were used as burp cloths. And the Gerber brand lasted forever! From spit ups to cleaning faces from spaghetti to wiping off paint… We had them everywhere in the house and at least 10 in each spot. Seriously. Buy a shit ton and be ever so happy you did.
Bumbo seat + tray – This little item was great for us! Before the high chair we used this to help the boys sit up with assistance and then they were eating their snacks from here. It was an easy clean up and quick storage.
IKEA high chair – I promise, you cannot go wrong with this high chair. No, it’s not cute. It doesn’t fold up into an origami shape for storage. It doesn’t have any bells or whistles. But, it’s easy as hell to clean up! Now, doesn’t that sound nice?
Nursery
Diaper pail – Your best friend anywhere you change baby. You don’t put your dirty toilet paper in the bathroom trash can do you? Hell no because it will smell. We ended up getting a second pail for downstairs next to the changing table because they’re that nice to the air in your house, and nose, and guests…
Swaddle blankets – Just learn to swaddle baby into a burrito. You will be happy you did! We used muslin blankets. They have a little bit of give, but not too much that baby can wriggle its way out of a swaddle. The swaddle sacks are ok, but they don’t wrap baby tight like he/she was in the womb. They can really help with sleep.
Sound machine – Not 100% necessary for every baby and we didn’t have a sound machine. We actually used an IPod radio and used an old IPod with this sound on repeat all night. It helps for when you travel as well. Baby will have some familiarity with the sound and it could help them sleep better.
Diaper warmer – Again, not necessary. And we didn’t have one for a while. But, someone bought it for us and we used it. It was amazing – the boys actually fell back to sleep at night when we would have to change their diapers. No more screaming at us because the wipes were so damn cold at 2am!
Video monitor – Buy a good one. No. A great one that you would probably use as security surveillance on your home! We had a “cheapish” one. Probably something that had no business even being in the electronic business. It died exactly one year after use, was blurry half the time and crackled a good bit 3/4 of the way in… My husband bought the Nest video monitoring system for this new office building and we’ve heard/read great reviews. So this may be our next route. You can see clearly, hear perfectly and talk back to baby… I’m sold.
Out & About
Diaper bag – I like things that can be re-purposed (like the baby food freezer trays for example). So, when on the hunt for a diaper bag I was completely unimpressed. They’re so damn ugly. Why? Why can’t a mom have a nice bag that doesn’t scream “I have diapers, wipes and probably 30 toys in here!”. And on the cheap. I chose to buy a big purse that would one day become, well, a purse again. I do regret that it did not have a zipper or strong sides. I would recommend buying something with a flat bottom, maybe some pockets and strong/stiff sides (this means the bag won’t fall in on itself and make it easier to find that damn toy in what seems to be a never ending bottom). The photo above shows two pretty good options found here and here. I would also have some extra little bags inside to make organizing a little bit easier. Something for toys, wipes, those handy burp cloths, etc. And since this bag was kept mostly in the stroller, I used a small crossbody bag to keep my wallet and phone in (so no one could swipe all of our belongings if I wasn’t paying attention).
Changing pad – Don’t leave home without it.
Baby carrier/sling – After some research, it seems carriers where the baby’s legs are spread pretty far apart are bad for their joins/hips. Well, so far my two aren’t having any troubles from the Baby Bjorn. But, I wouldn’t mind something a little easier on baby’s body and mine! A wrap/sling seems like the best option and there are some pretty affordable lines out there.
Darling Sophie – She’s great. Buy one.
Pacifier holder – Another great multi-purpose item. My two never took to a pacifier (great!). So what do I do with all of these holders then? Well, luckily for me I chose the holders with a loop on the end. This was a simple way to hold on to Sofie (sort of like a noose) or any other toy that it can wrap around. Clip to baby’s clothes or seat. Voila – never lost or dropped. I also used them on handles of sippy and snack cups. Greatest mommy idea, ever.