I have had a few pregnant friends ask for my input & advice on things to get, what to register for, etc so I figured I'd make a blog entry out of it :) This is mainly directed at my friend Jaime who is pregnant with precious twin girls, but I'm sure a lot of it will pertain to singleton pregnancies as well! Hope it helps you Jaime (& others)!!! ;) The best advice I was given was from a MOM in one of my groups who told me to listen to every piece of advice then pick through it & decide what's best for my family. Everyone seems to have an opinion about what works BEST, but every baby is different & you'll soon find that what works with one baby won't necessarily work for the other so you'll end up doing a lot of trial & error :) Good luck!
The main things you need to consider when registering for items (or preparing for babies in general) are :
- whether or not you want more children (you might get more gender neutral items to pass down, or might splurge on certain items if you think you'll be using them longer, etc)
- what you plan to do with the items when your babies are finished with them (store/sell?)
- is it easily portable? (to bring to family/friends' houses .. most ppl don't have enough equipment for multiples so you end up bringing your WHOLE house for a play date, dinner, holiday, etc)
- cost (babies are expensive & when you have more than one at a time, the little things like diapers/wipes/formula/etc begin to add up)
With those in mind, here are some of the tips I was given (& some I discovered) that made the transition to being a MOM (mother of multiples) much smoother:
Registry tips:
- register at Babies R Us [their return policy is better than Target; with the BRU registry, you get tons of e-mail coupons/deals you wouldn't get otherwise; they have a "multiples discount" on large items - 10% off the 2nd, 3rd, etc items (although if you save up enough of their 20% off coupons you can save more by doing a few different transactions); if ppl buy something online from your registry, you get a 20% off coupon in the package]
- register/buy a variety of bottles [so many people swear by certain bottles & are adamant about which "works best", but your babies will decide which works best for them & they may switch bottle brands a few times or like different ones at the same time like mine did ..... same goes for pacifiers]
- bottle drying rack [so helpful when you're going through multiple bottles a day]
- bottle props [a NECESSITY! we used the leachco brand which is basically a donut-shaped bean bag that helps keep the bottle up & also helped if I was breastfeeding one or trying to feed multiple babies at once]
- sleep sacks/swaddles [so many different brands, but basically all you want is something will give a tight swaddle to comfort the babies until they can wiggle out of it]
- white noise machine/music [whether it's a heartbeat sound or ocean waves crashing .. the babies are comforted by the noise/music .. plus it's such a bonus if your baby can sleep through outside noise b/c you obviously will NOT be able to keep your house 100% silent]
- spit rags [you can NEVER have enough of these - for feeding, drooling, vomiting, teething, etc]
- boppy for each baby [some friends also recommend the double if you plan on breastfeeding both babies at once, but you will definitely use the boppy to prop/feed/etc baby]
- blankets [to swaddle, place over the babies in their car seats, put over the boppys, etc]
- vibrating chairs [we have the "lamb line" but anything that straps the baby in & vibrates/plays music is a LIFESAVER!] ;)
- breast pump if you plan on breastfeeding/pumping [invest in a GOOD one! i personally recommend the Philips Avent double electric pump - it worked much better than the hospital grade one they gave me & was much quicker at getting the milk - gotta save as much time as possible when you can!]
- baby bath tub [self-explanatory] :)
- play mat [i'd start with one big one instead of getting 2+ of the same one ... we have 4 mats (1 big & 3 small identical) & have only used 2 of them, often only 1 at a time. a lot of times you'll end up doing "tummy time" on you or will be putting the babies together on the same mat]
- mirrors [these are a MUST for babies in general but especially for multiples since they'll be used to looking at another baby & need to know what THEY look like!] :)
- baby carrier/sling [i've tried a few slings but didn't like the support they gave the infants as the Baby Bjorn carriers did .. i'll try them again once they can sit comfortably on my hip]
- baby monitor [since we have 3 separate cribs to monitor, we ended up getting the Summer baby monitor that is movable (with a joystick on the parent monitor) & can zoom in/out. it's got great reception & even if we're across the street we could still see/hear the babies very clearly & it had great nighttime vision]
- bumbo & tray [great for working on sitting .. my babies HATED them at first but now enjoy sitting in them with the tray & playing with toys on top]
MOM-to-MOM advice
- go with your gut & listen to your instinct when it comes to dressing your babies (same or different - everyone has an opinion & will often offer it without you asking), setting up your house, registering for items, etc [you'll be surprised at how naturally it comes to you]
- don't worry about stocking up on diapers .. you can buy them cheap online [I suggest using amazon.com/mom which ends up being cheaper than walmart/sams/etc with coupons! - DO the "subscribe & save" option to get 30% off (you can cancel the subscription without penalty, & they notify you before the next shipment ships in case you want more/less or to skip the shipment entirely) also look for $10/20% off coupons in parenting magazines for even MORE money off] & you never know if a baby will have an allergy or if you'll end up preferring a specific line [some fit babies differently]
- set up "diaper changing stations" around the house b/c sometimes it won't be possible to run back to the nursery to change a diaper :) [i have 4 different baskets/pack-n-plays around the house stocked & ready if i need it]
- consider buying "space saver" items for obvious reasons
- USE your MOMs group for advice, support, clothes, etc!!!! [wait on buying the bigger items like exersaucers/high chairs/etc b/c you can often find them through your groups for a STEAL or go to one of the bi-annual garage sales]
- consider buying at lease 1 single & 1 double stroller [often you might just run an errand with 1 baby or only 1 might have a dr appt so it helps to have other options .. esp when the car seats get heavy! we have a single, double & triple stroller]
- consider color coding the babies [alyssa is pink, brandon is blue & cassandra is purple ... i've color coded their car seats (matching germ-ex containers), blankets, pacifiers & sometimes outfits according to those colors - it makes it easier when you're sleep deprived in the beginning or if you're trying to prevent the spread of germs, plus i've heard that doing so also helps teach colors & sorting sooner - when they're older i've been told to paint the color on the bottom of a toy with fingernail polish to help them find their own toys, clean up more easily, etc. don't get obsessive about it, but i know that it helps esp with the car seats b/c i don't have to constantly adjust the straps each time i put the babies in & the blankets get sucked on so we're not spreading any more germs that we have to!] :) just a suggestion i was given!
- if you're looking to buy a nap nanny, i'd suggest looking to borrow one first - some babies love them & some don't [i've also seen them for sale MUCH MUCH cheaper in my groups]
- pediatrician - get recommendations from your MOM group or other friends & try to interview them before the babies come .. also ask if the've ever dealt with multiples & if so, what their procedure is [my pedi blocks out a whole hour when we come so we're not rushed & she came HIGHLY recommended from girls in my groups .. we're also the 3rd set of triplets she sees]
- FYI if you do decide to use formula, it's really just trial & error with what works best for your babies, but i was told by my pedi that Similac actually makes the HEB brand so once you go through all the free samples & are looking to save a little extra money, that's something to consider
- Enfamil & Similac both have "multiple births programs" where they will offer a few CASES of free formula to families with twins, triplets, etc - there is a special form you need to fill out & often you'll need copies of their birth certificates as proof, but i'd wait until you've figured out which formula (or type - sensitive, soy, regular, etc) you need
- get breathable bumpers [i know you already got some adorable patterned bumpers so don't freak ;) but i do know that a lot of pediatricians recommend getting the breathable kind or getting rid of them altogether once the babies are rolling around in the cribs - in the beginning when the babies were swaddled & in sleep positioners, it didn't matter b/c they obviously weren't moving, but once they started rolling around they would somehow end up in the crack with their mouths pressed against the edge EVERY time - even if i moved them, they'd roll back to the same position. i'd ask your pedi about this]
- don't buy many clothes (this is a hard one!) b/c you never know how fast/slow they're going to grow plus that's the favorite thing people like to buy/give you so save your money for the bigger items :)
- save some clothes/bottles that your babies used for them to use with their dolls when they're older [MOMs in my groups told me this & esp since my angels were so tiny, most of their preemie/newborn clothes will fit their dolls & it'll be fun for them to see how small they were .. the bottles are also just fun since they're "real"] :)
If anyone else has any more advice, suggestions, or input, please pass it on - I'm definitely not an expert & always welcome others' viewpoints! I'm sure I've forgotten a few things, but this is at least a great "starting point" :) I hope this helps you out a little Jaime (& everyone else) & that you can at least take away 1 helpful tip! ;) Best of luck & blessings to you, james & Miss E & A!!! XOXOXO nat
