Equipment to buy for Newborn Twins Double Buggies and Twin Pushchairs/ Prams, Cots, Cribs, Moses Baskets Feeding Equipment, Changing Equipment, Bath time, Car seats Double Buggies Tips for choosing Double Buggies, Twin Prams, Twin Pushchairs etc There are a lot of different terms for a two seater buggy – twin buggy, double buggy, twin stroller, twin pram, twin pushchair – I am going to stick with buggy just for ease of use. If you are going to do a search on the internet each seems to return slightly different results so experiment until you find what you’re after. One big tip:- Before you head out to the shops to look at buggies, make a note of how wide your front door is and write it down. If you have a narrow gate, measure that  too! There are lots of places to buy twin buggies from, not least the internet. However even if you are going to buy a buggy online it is still worth going and having a look at some properly in a shop. This way you can take it for a test drive and see how it performs and how it feels. When you take the buggy for a test drive round the shop, think about:- How easy it is to get round narrow aisles, How easy it is to put up and put down again, How small it is when its folded. How heavy it is ( if you’re pregnant, get someone else to lift it as if they were putting it in your car boot) if they stagger under its weight then don’t buy it! Where you’re going to keep it when its not in use, If it will fit into your car boot. Is it suitable from birth? How many positions the back rest has? Ideally it should lie flat, as well have a few other positions such as semi-reclined and upright at the very least. If it has storage like a basket under the buggy for shopping Will it fit through your front door? Check the height of the handle, especially if you or your partner are tall. Some parents of twins find that they end up buying one buggy when their children are newborn then as their twins get bigger they get a lighter, stroller style buggy. Ideally from the start your babies should be able to lie flat on their backs in the buggy. As they get slightly older  it is useful to have a semi-lying down position for those days when they want to see where they’re going, but when they’re tired and need a nap. The idea is that they can look around them when they’re still awake but yet doze off comfortably without needing to change position. Obviously having an upright position is a must so that they can see where they’re going. There are buggies where you can turn the seats either to face inwards or outwards depending on your children’s age and stage (and mood!) It is helpful to be able to see your children, some buggies have a little window in the hood so you can see what they’re doing. It is nice at first to have them so you can see them and they can see you but as they get older they will be interested in what is going on around them and gain more out of facing forwards. Check what your buggy can do. Some have facility for one child to face one way and the other the other way which can work well. Some buggies have the option of car seats that attach onto the buggy frame meaning you can drive somewhere, park up, remove the car seat from the car and put it on the buggy frame and start shopping without waking the twins up. This is ideal when they are very little but they do soon grow out of the car seats. Ask other parents their view and read  reviews online Ask other parents of twins what they think about the buggy they have bought. Your local twins club mums will have lots of tips  to help you choose a good buggy for you, and often have second hand buggies in great condition for sale or might even have a Nearly new sale. Look on the internet for reviews- most items now have online reviews to help you. You can often pick up second hand double buggies from car boot sales, adds in your local newspaper, eBay, and newsagents windows. If you buy a buggy over the internet it would still be a good idea to go test drive the same model in a store so you can assess its ease of use and weight. Types of Twin Buggy There are several types of twin buggy available, Twin Side by side Tandem (one in front of the other) Twin Pram Twin Stroller Some parents buy a couple of single buggies as well, so that they can either take just one twin out or they  can go ‘undercover’ when with another adult and avoid all the ‘oo it is twins?!’ style comments. I have also heard of people buying one single buggy and a baby sling which works for some people. The side by side ones tend to be slightly wider so if you live in a place with narrow pavements or shops with small doors,  a tandem might be better. Tandems have two seats, one in front of the other and tend to be good if you have narrow door ways or narrow pavements. Check that they are suitable from birth because not all are. Twin Pram It is possible to buy a double pram, but it is vital you check if your twins are going to be able to sit up when they are old enough and how small it is if you fold it up. Some twin prams can be adapted with a pushchair seat for later on when they want to sit up and this is a good idea. BUT, if the buggy is very heavy you might find that you end up downsizing to a stroller type buggy as they get older. If possible ask the assistant to show you the pram with its pushchair seats on, if it has them, so you can make a useful assessment on whether it will be too heavy. Strollers are lightweight buggies which tend to fold up like an umbrella and take up less space to store. Some strollers are suitable from birth, but not all are. They may come with a cosy toes (which is a bit like a sleeping bag over the twins feet) these may have an additional cost, as may a rain cover. At the end of the day it’s a personal choice choosing a buggy – it does depend a little on what type of lifestyle you have as to what buggy is best for you, obviously if you do lots of walking and don’t have a car, you will need something very different from the buggy another parent would need who drives everywhere. Also if you have lots of storage space you will be able to choose a buggy that doesn’t fold up so small, where as if space is tight a more compact model would be appropriate. If you have lots of shopping to do, time is short and you have another adult with you, taking two single buggies can really save time. People don’t tend to stop you every 30 seconds exclaiming ‘oo is it twins?’ if you have two single buggies and don’t dress them alike. It also means that each twin can have one adult pointing out areas of interest and some one to one time too. Alternative ideas- Another way round the double buggy idea would be to buy a single buggy and a baby sling. You can take it in turns  which child is in the sling and which is in the bug If you have triplets (or twins and another child who needs a buggy) what do you do? Either buy a triplet buggy or a buggy board to go on your double buggy or put a small baby in a baby sling and get a double buggy. If you have more than two children and find supermarket shopping a struggle ask your local store to get you a family trolley. My twins got their own 4 seater trolley when my son was born – it had three toddler seats and a baby seat. If you don’t ask you don’t get! Sleeping Arrangements (Cots/Cribs/Moses Baskets?) Where are the babies going to sleep in the daytime? Babies spend much of their first few weeks asleep so you need to think about where you are going to put them to sleep during the daytime. There are several answers to this problem Put them in their cots, and monitor them with a baby monitor and keep popping upstairs to double check they are ok. Buy a good solid buggy or pram which lays flat and allow them to sleep in that. Buy two Moses baskets and keep them downstairs Buy a Travel Cot or an additional cot and keep this downstairs for them to sleep in. Put them into Bouncy Chairs. Where are they going to sleep at Night? Are they going to be given a cot/ Moses basket in your room? A cot in their own room? A room each? Do you want them to share a cot at first or would you prefer them to have their own cots right from day one? I suggest if you have space and can afford to buy two cots or moses baskets that you start them off separately. Choose a solid sturdy cot with a range of positions for the mattress, you will need to have the cot mattress fairly high at first and then lower it when your children can stand up. Some people buy cot beds which allow you to use it first as a cot then as a bed. Mattresses These for some reason are often sold separately to cots, make sure you chose the correct size for the cot because they are not one uniform size, and if you can buy one with a zip off cover that would be an advantage too because when a child is sick you can then unzip the cover, pop it in the washing machine and let it dry on the line and it is fresh again. Moses Baskets Some people love Moses baskets and find they are wonderful for the early days after birth as you can allow baby to sleep in them and you can carry baby in his/her Moses  basket around the house. However other people find that they are expensive for what they are and that baby quickly grows out of them, so use your judgment as to whether you need them or not! Baby Alarm Choose one that has different channels on it and preferably battery back up and flashing lights. Bath Time Baby Bath A plastic baby bath is a good idea, especially if you can get one that will slot over the bath. You can buy these at car boot sales and charity shops often in pristine condition as again, they are something that get used for a relatively short time before your children get big enough to go in the big bath. Please note that baby baths are not essential, I know of several people who managed fine without a baby bath. Changing time Changing Mat Choose a changing mat that is wipe clean. If you live in a house buy two, one for upstairs and one for downstairs Baby Box Some people buy a box to put nappy kit in. This is quite useful to have. It can be a specially designed one or just a plastic or wicker box that you keep wipes, nappies, nappy cream, nappy sacks, and so on in Nappies (diapers) There are three main types of nappies (diapers) Disposable : Choose ones for babies 6-11lbs for newborn babies, and choose the best quality nappy you can afford. If your babies are very small or come early you can always get some smaller ones. Certainly don’t stock up on very small nappies till you have seen the size of your twins, its not unheard of for twins to be 7lbs+ at birth. Bio-degradable See the internet for details of stockists. These are kinder to the environment than ordinary nappies as they will slowly over time bio-degrade, causing less environmental damage. Terry Towelling Traditional style nappies, or reusable cloth nappies, don’t forget to buy plastic pants and liners and nappy pins and a bucket to put dirty ones into. Some areas offer a nappy-laundering service look on the internet for details of availability in your area. Nappy Sacks These are great for putting smelly nappies into, you can usually buy really cheap ones about 300 nappy sacks for about a pound or less. Alternatively you can simply pop them in a carrier bag. Feeding What about feeding the Babies? Breastfeeding Twins. If you are going to breast feed you will need to buy: nursing bra’s and possibly a breast pump a selection of bottles a sterilizer so that you can allow someone to feed your babies whilst you are out. Do not get measured for your nursing bra until the very last minute as your breasts are likely to increase in size towards the end of your pregnancy/ in the first few days after birth. You could get measured for a bra whilst you are in hospital if you have anyone who you could trust to buy you one. If not you will have to buy one just before you have your babies. If you are planning on breast feeding exclusively you may want to have a look at some sterilizers and bottles and breast pumps so that you can express your milk and leave your babies some milk ready for someone else to feed your babies whilst you are out. If you are not sure if breast feeding is going to be for you then wait until you feel you need a breast pump before buying one. Bottles If you are going to bottle feed your twins you will need at least 6 bottles, a sterilizer, a bottle brush and a tin of formula milk. Choosing teats: Choose teats that are medium flow or for newborn. If your babies are getting very tired bottle feeding try them on a slightly faster flow teat and see if this helps at all. Sterilizers Sterilizers come in several formats: Steam ones plug into the mains and operate in a similar way to your kettle, reaching the required temperature and then switching off Cold water ones use chemicals to sterilize and take longer and are messier to use, but some people find them ideal as they are relatively cheap. Microwave sterilizers These simply slot into your microwave and sterilize fairly quickly Bouncy Chairs These are great to have. Get them one each and check their covers are removable and washable. Car Seats There are several types of car seats on offer. Bucket Type These are great for the first 6-9 months of your children’s life. You will have to replace them with a different kind after they reach 9 months of age though, so bear this in mind when thinking about what sort to buy. They are good though when your children are babies as they can be taken out of the car and carried ( still fast asleep if necessary !) into where ever you are going! Reversible ones These car seats can be used from birth right up till school age, you put the car seat facing the rear when your babies are tiny and then once they get to around 9 months old you can turn them around and use them facing forwards. However ensure that they will fit into your car before you buy them. Booster seat with removable back these are fine if you are choosing a car seat for a slightly older toddler. Whatever type of car seat you chose to get, make sure that you get them fitted professionally and that they have removable and washable covers. Buy Later as you need to: High Chairs Potties Ride on Toys Playpen Feeding bowls and spoons