I had the hardest time figuring out how to create a baby registry for twins. I researched like a maniac, trying to find different moms' opinions of various baby gear. Everyone has their own views and expectations of things, so it's hard to go by just one person. So here I am, adding my views on the things I registered for. I'm also going to create a list of things I personally, think are important/ unimportant. This will be another list I update as I go along, since we're really just in the beginning months of having our babies home. So this is just the start of it.
My main goals were finding things that were 1) time-saving since I have 2 and 2) easy to use to make things time-saving! I have seen other people I know with babies struggle with high chairs, car seats, and walkers. If it took too long or took the assistance of another person to make it work, I crossed it off my list!
Obvious Things You NEED Tons Of
- diapers/ wipes
- onesies
- burp cloths/ bibs
- bottles
- 2 car seats: I have the Chicco Keyfit 30, it's perfect for preemies because of the weight starts at 4 lbs. Our NICU actually took ours around to other parents because some of the other parents didn't have very good car seats. We also got extra bases for my husband's car so we don't have to worry about detaching the bases.
Must Haves for Twins
- 2 boppy pillows and boppy pillow covers: feeding both babies at once by yourself would be impossible otherwise, and you need extra covers for when the others are being washed
- Co-sleeper: Everyone is going to tell you that you are not supposed to let the twins sleep together, but everyone does it. The co-sleeper is great, it sits right up against the bed, both babies fit in it, and you don't have to get out of bed in the middle of the night. A lot of people complained about the sheets being too tight, just use a pack -n- play sheet and just make sure it's tucked under really well. The positivies definitely outweigh the one negative on this one.
- Rock-n-Play Sleepers: I have 2, both of my babies had reflux, it's normal in preemies, and because of the 'back to sleep' rule, it's becoming more frequent in all babies, this sleeper has been a huge help for their reflux, but I do have complaints about how hard the back of it is. I shoved a bunch of really fluffy blankets behind the cover of it to make it softer. With Nolan being born with a flatter head on one side, I have to be really careful about making it worse.
-2 swings: I saw so many people who said to only register for 1 swing because one baby may not like it. I'm sorry, but just register for 2. I have never known a baby to not like a swing (unless it was a baby who just didn't like being put down in general). My swings were a lifesaver when I first got home, and the boys continue to love them. We have the Fisher Price My Little Snug a Bunny Cradle N Swing.
- Pack-n-play with changing table option or a small changing table/ changing station: We have a changing table in the nursery, but we also have the S1 by Safety 1st Satellite Premier Playard for our living room. It has shelving on the side to hold diapers, wipes, etc.; it has a hamper attached; and it has proven a time saver when I have to change diapers during the day. I wouldn't like having to leave one baby alone (or having to spend the time to put him a swing, bouncy seat, etc.) to change the other one's diaper in the nursery. This could definitely be seen unnecessary to some people, but it's all about saving time to me, plus it will be handy when they are crawling around and I need to plop one in there really quick! ;) The complaints for this one were that there was not enough padding for sleeping (I'm not using it for them to sleep in, and are any of them really soft? I wouldn't want to sleep in any of them!); that the mobile was not attractive (oh well); that the changing table part was lopsided (it's VERY sturdy, which I was more concerned about than it being crooked, my baby does roll to the one side slightly, but he's in there less than a minute and I put him further to the other side so it doesn't happen!); and that the changing pad part isn't removable (but it's wipeable! put a blanket or something underneath of it if you want to wash something!). If you don't have space, I recommend at least keeping a travel changing pad or something nearby to use on the floor so you don't always have to leave the room.
- Strollers- Everyone needs more than one stroller in my opinion. You wouldn't want to take jogging stroller to the mall or the store and you wouldn't take a small stroller around the block for a bumpy ride. With twins, you are not going to find a stroller that fits car seats other than the Babytrend Snap-n-Go double stroller. I've heard great things about this stroller, and I have it, but it does not fit the Chicco Keyfit 30 car seats like it says it does. I'm in the process of talking to the company about this, but from what I've heard from other people, they (the company) insist that they do fit. So far, I'm getting the same response. Here is the link the company says to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khgDcaOHXOI.
* OK, after some back-and-forth with the Babytrend people, who insisted that it did fit. She emailed me the video from 2009, showing that the car seat did fit, then I sent her the one from 2012 proving that it didn't. She told me the guy sent her the video and then he realized he could get it to work- I don't know if this is true or not, this is coming from Babytrend. So anyway, I compared the videos over and over and the one point that I missed out on in the 1st video is that I ASSUMED the groove in the car seat is supposed to sit on the little ledge, of the stroller, but it does not. If you watch the video carefully, the groove is above the ledge an inch or 2.
I also have the BOB Revolution SE Duallie as my jogging stroller. I LOVE it. It's easy to maneuver, folds easily, it's easy to strap the babies into, and they seem happy in it. People have complained about the weight (it's a double stroller, use your muscles, AND if you have twins- get used to it!). Baby Gizmo offers a great tutorial on how to use the stroller - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tET_Ncksjw.
And then I have the Maclaren Twin Triumph stroller to use when I don't take them out in the car seats to go shopping. I've played around with it and am disappointed in how the straps work. I've had 4 members of my family try the straps and snaps that actually keep the baby in the seat, and it's very difficult. My fear is that I am in a parking lot by myself and I'm struggling trying to get my babies in and out of the stroller. We'll see. I like the size and how compact it gets when it folds, so I'm not giving up on it yet. I'll give an update on this once I actually take the babies out in it.
*Update- I've been using the Maclaren for shopping and love how it maneuvers and fits everywhere. I can push it easily with one hand and the boys have room to move around. But I experienced my expected frustration yesterday in JoAnn Fabrics. Nolan was crying and I couldn't get him out of the damn thing! The buckle would just not snap open and I literally wanted to cut him out! STILL not going to give up though. I hope mine just maybe has a flaw.
* Update 5/29/14- Still using the Maclaren and the BOB and LOOOOOOOVE them, especially the BOB. My boys are around 30 lbs a piece and both strollers are in excellent condition. The BOB is especially great, obviously for running/ walking, but I was able to push it in the sand on the beach with umbrellas and all kinds of other stuff loaded on it!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Reading to My Babies Reminds Me of My Class
I have been reading to Nolan and Brooks more and more lately. My mom saved a ton of books from when I was little and I have started a new collection as well. I've always loved to read, and I hope to pass that love on to my children.
Most of the books are just "baby" books with sounds, colors, textures, and things like that. I had a Peter Rabbit one at Easter that played music and a colleague from school sent me a book about little league, which I read to them recently. But I've found myself using my "teacher voice" now that I'm reading books with more words: I use different voices, I give dramatic pauses, and I point to the pictures.
In doing this, I am thinking more and more about my class still at school and previous classes I've had. One of the greatest parts about being a teacher was to see the joy on a child's face when reading a story to them. No matter what the situation, whether a child was screaming, crying, fighting with another child; whether it was raining, snowing, or gorgeous outside; whether it was Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or Groundhog's Day, there was always a book for the occasion. If a child was crying and didn't want to be consoled, I could quietly get out a book, sit on the floor, and that child would be sitting in my lap 5 minutes later listening to me read.
I had a class that was 90% boys one year, and at Halloween I was reading a book about a little witch. On one of the pages, there was a description of a Halloween party that talked about cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, and a black cat on the stairs...... and a raven on a shelf. Being from Baltimore, and this particular day being purple Friday, I had a little boy (complete with spray painted purple hair to go with his jersey) say, "Hey! I don't see a Raven!" I was confused at first, and then had to hold back my laughter as I had to explain how the 'Baltimore Ravens' actually had to do with the name of a bird. That example of innocence and devotion to sports, and how he related it to a book thrilled me and makes me laugh to this day.
I also had a class that could listen to me read to them all day. I read the longest books to them, and I'd let them lay down on the floor and they just loved it. Snow White, Cinderella, The Lion King, everything. I had a boy one year who acted like he didn't care for me very much. But at Christmas, when I read The Grinch, and I let them all sit around me instead of in front of me, he sat smack up against me and at one point I felt his head on my shoulder. And now I'm so excited I can do it with my boys.
I want to go back and see my class. I'll take the boys with me, but I think I'll wait for the weather to get a little nicer and then hopefully the school will be more germ-less! I can't wait to see my old students. They were so excited for me to have babies. I had such supportive parents and co-workers, too. It made all my struggles that much better.
Most of the books are just "baby" books with sounds, colors, textures, and things like that. I had a Peter Rabbit one at Easter that played music and a colleague from school sent me a book about little league, which I read to them recently. But I've found myself using my "teacher voice" now that I'm reading books with more words: I use different voices, I give dramatic pauses, and I point to the pictures.
In doing this, I am thinking more and more about my class still at school and previous classes I've had. One of the greatest parts about being a teacher was to see the joy on a child's face when reading a story to them. No matter what the situation, whether a child was screaming, crying, fighting with another child; whether it was raining, snowing, or gorgeous outside; whether it was Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or Groundhog's Day, there was always a book for the occasion. If a child was crying and didn't want to be consoled, I could quietly get out a book, sit on the floor, and that child would be sitting in my lap 5 minutes later listening to me read.
I had a class that was 90% boys one year, and at Halloween I was reading a book about a little witch. On one of the pages, there was a description of a Halloween party that talked about cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, and a black cat on the stairs...... and a raven on a shelf. Being from Baltimore, and this particular day being purple Friday, I had a little boy (complete with spray painted purple hair to go with his jersey) say, "Hey! I don't see a Raven!" I was confused at first, and then had to hold back my laughter as I had to explain how the 'Baltimore Ravens' actually had to do with the name of a bird. That example of innocence and devotion to sports, and how he related it to a book thrilled me and makes me laugh to this day.
I also had a class that could listen to me read to them all day. I read the longest books to them, and I'd let them lay down on the floor and they just loved it. Snow White, Cinderella, The Lion King, everything. I had a boy one year who acted like he didn't care for me very much. But at Christmas, when I read The Grinch, and I let them all sit around me instead of in front of me, he sat smack up against me and at one point I felt his head on my shoulder. And now I'm so excited I can do it with my boys.
I want to go back and see my class. I'll take the boys with me, but I think I'll wait for the weather to get a little nicer and then hopefully the school will be more germ-less! I can't wait to see my old students. They were so excited for me to have babies. I had such supportive parents and co-workers, too. It made all my struggles that much better.
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