12 Must-Have Products for New Twin Parents

Expecting twins? It's time to prepare for the marathon ahead - get your gears and supplies ready. Invest in learning new skills (read tandem feeding), setting up the nursery, and building a robust support system. As twin parents, you will need all the support you can get! Twin parenting is an exhilarating journey, but it comes with its unique set of challenges.

And that’s where these products come in handy! Having the right products can significantly ease your journey by providing extra support, organization, and flexibility. Let me take you through my recommended list of must-have products for twin parents for the initial months of this rollercoaster parenting journey.

FEEDING

1. A Double-Sided Electric Breast Pump

This one is a savior for mothers of two! Feeding two babies can be extremely physically demanding – and it takes time to learn this skill – both for the moms and the babies. A breast pump can significantly ease the process by delinking the mom and kids schedule to an extent. It ensures the babies can get the goodness of mother’s milk as far as possible, and allows the mother to take some well-deserved breaks, while the other caregivers can chip in.

Now there are several factors to consider while selecting your breast pump – manual vs electric, and single vs double-sided, etc. My recommendation would be to go for a Double-Sided Electric Breast Pump which can help you express simultaneously on both sides without manual involvement.

Suggested brand: Medela offers many options with great features! Check out Medela Pump-in-Style Advanced Breast Pump OR check their blog for other options.

While it is a significant investment, trust me, it's totally worth it! It helped me stay sane during the breastfeeding phase. For  tips and tricks on unlocking efficiencies your breast pump, check out our exclusive blog on this topic.

2. A Twin Nursing Pillow

Another great tool that provides you the much-required support (quite literally) during the breastfeeding process is a nursing pillow. It helps give cushion and elevation to babies and also provides comfort to mom with its backrest. Plus, if you are trying tandem feeding, then having a pillow might prove to be extremely helpful. As the babies grow, it can even be used for providing support during bottle feeds, during tummy time, and even when kids are learning to sit upright.

Suggested brand: Currently there are hardly any twin pillow options in India. In lieu of a twin pillow, any good broad-base nursing pillow can still help solve at least the breastfeeding support part.

3. An Activity Log for Twins

It’s a unique challenge for twin parents! Two to feed every 2-3 hours, so many diaper changes every day, medications, etc. To remember who did what, what to do next – it can get overwhelming. 90% of twin parents use some form of log keeping – a board, a diary, notes on the mobile phone – to keep track of feeds, diaper changes, etc. for both babies. I personally also used to analyze at the end of the day the share of breast milk vs formula milk for each baby, to ensure both of them were getting a fair share. Plus, whenever I would take a break (nap / stepping out) the log helped me and the rest of the caregivers exchange updates seamlessly and have clarity on the next steps.

Suggested brand: TwinsTribe Activity Log has been designed using the collective experiences of twin parents and provides a systematic and efficient approach to tracking essential activities (feeding, diaper changes, sleep, etc.) for newborn twins. It comes in the form of a board with multiple options for easy installation and also in the form of a diary making it a convenient option during travel.

4. A Bottle Steriliser

In addition to breastfeeding, most twins get introduced to expressed milk and formula milk quite early on. That also brings milk bottles into the picture early on for twin parents. It is essential that the milk bottles are sterilized after every use to maintain proper hygiene. And hence having a good capacity bottle sterilizer is indispensable for twin parents.

Suggested brand: You may go with any electric sterilizer with a capacity of at least 6 bottles (yes! Twin parents are going to need lots of milk bottles). We had chosen Philips Avent to go along with our Avent bottles, and it worked quite well. You may also consider add-on features like a bottle warmer or dryers which come along with some sterilizers. However, some of these might frankly be overkill – e.g., the milk bottles don’t really need drying if they are going to be used immediately. That’s because the leftover water after sterilization is sterile and hence, safe! So even a sterilizer with basic function is good enough in my view. 

5. Two Feeding Chairs

Moving to the next phase of feeding – solids! This is going to bring in a different set of challenges, as again you have two to feed together. So, a very important part to make the process easier is to have a conducive eating space where the kids can sit comfortably with minimal distractions. And that’s why it's helpful to have two feeding chairs – whether you decide to go for high chairs or booster chairs is up to you! However, this purchase can wait till closer to 6 months old when you will be introducing solids to them.

Suggested brand: I like this multi-functional chair from Star and Daisy which can be used as a high chair, booster chair, or a trolley chair. Apart from its convenient features, I also love its trendy design!

NURSERY

6. A Twin Bassinet

A good sleeping arrangement for twins is tricky! You want them close, but co-sleeping isn’t really a sustainable option with two of them together. Accommodating two bassinets or cots in the room takes up a lot of space and restricts movement. Also, you want the baby beds at the right height so that you can pick them up easily, and ideally the bassinet should be able to attach to your bedside. Phew!

Suggested brand: TwinsTribe Flexi Nest smartly addresses all of the above requirements. It’s a twin bassinet that can easily transform into a single bed with the help of its detachable partition. It comes with ample storage and offers an adjustable height feature which enables you to connect it to your bedside for easy access. But my favourite feature is its anti-colic incline option, which is a savior on those difficult nights.

7. A Baby Monitor / IP Camera

This is probably a surprise addition to the list! But it's again one of those things that’s essential for peace of mind for the parents. Especially in the Indian scenario where typically twin parents tend to hire nannies (or japa) for baby care. It takes time to build trust and during that period having a monitoring cam proves to be such a relief! Also, it allows parents the opportunity to take breaks, while they can monitor the kids at a distance.

Suggested brand: You may consider CP Plus or Philips for an IP Cam. Most important features to consider while choosing the cam – wide angle (to avoid blind spots), cam resolution, WIFI and app connectivity for LIVE viewing, playback storage capacity, and night vision.

8. A Large Playpen

This is a must-have especially for twin parents with a lean support system. Once your toddlers are crawling and exploring, leaving them unsupervised even for a moment feels risky. And hence, it is important to provide them with an engaging and secure play space where they can be left while you attend to your chores.

Suggested brand: TwinsTribe Nap n Play offers a perfect solution to the changing needs of twins’ nursery. In the initial months, Nap n Play can be used as a twin bassinet, which also comes with a detachable partition for easy transformation into a single bed. As your twins grow, you can transform it into a secure playpen, providing a safe and stimulating play space for your little ones. That’s not all – it comes with many super convenient features like a flip-aside diaper changing table and ample storage. You can even pack it into its compact bag and take it with you on those trips, ensuring your babies always have a familiar and comforting space.

BATH

9. A Bathing Chair

We found a bathing chair to be a super convenient option easing bath time especially when kids are young and cannot sit independently.

Suggested brand: Mee Mee offers a range of bright and convenient designs for bathing chair. You can adjust the incline as per baby’s age and it comes with head support.

STEPPING OUT / TRAVEL

10. An Extra-Large Diaper Bag

A diaper bag is a must for any new parent, but twin parents need not a compact but an XXL sized one. You practically need to carry double the stuff every time you step out, hence do your research, and find the most spacious one. Also, my suggestion would be to go for a unisex design, 'cause trust me the dads will need to carry it as much, if not more, as the mom.

Suggested brand: R for Rabbit Carmello offers good capacity as well as several pockets to help you organize all the baby stuff. Also, it comes in several stylish unisex designs which can make carrying a baby bag look fashionable.

11. A Detachable Twin Stroller

While buying a stroller, twin parents are always faced with the question – whether to buy a twin stroller or two single strollers. A detachable twin stroller can help you get the best of both together.

Suggested brand: TwinsTribe Dynamic Duo Detachable Twin Stroller offers the ultimate solution for twin parents looking for extra flexibility and convenience while stepping out with twins. It can be used as a twin stroller in wide spaces or converted to two single strollers when maneuvering through narrow spots or stepping out with just one baby. The best part is that its flexi-connectors ensure this transformation can be done within seconds.

Not to forget, that at just 5.7 kgs per stroller it is the lightest and probably the most compact stroller in town. It also features one-hand fold and suitcase-style handle for easy pack up and go. For extra comfort, it offers individually adjustable seats, extra liner, and mosquito nets. Also, you can personalize it in your choice of colors to complement your style.

12. Two Baby Carriers

Babywearing can be a game-changer for twin parents! Whether you are traveling, or just stepping down for a walk, or attending to chores – a baby carrier can offer you hands-free time while keeping the baby close and snuggled to you. It is also a savior on those difficult days when you are at a loss of ways for calming your baby or putting him/her to sleep. For twin parents, it can offer you the ability to move around freely with your babies, and even venture to places which might not be feasible for strollers to make it to (say markets or gardens).

Suggested brand: There are multiple Indian brands that offer flexi ergonomic baby carriers in woven fabrics which are more suited for Indian weather. Read our blog by Prachi Pendurkar - a pediatric sleep coach, a lactation professional, and a babywearing educator. She has explained in detail the options and what factors to consider for choosing the right babycarrier.

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Expecting/new twin parents: We hope this comprehensive list equips you with the necessities to navigate the exciting journey of twin parenthood with confidence and ease.

Experienced twin parents: We'd love to hear from you! Which products were your favorites and how did they ease your parenting journey? Drop your suggestions in the comments below to help other twin parents on their adventure.