TOP 10 MUST-HAVES FOR NEWBORN TWINS, just in time for Cyber Monday!
The time has come for some great recommendations and what better time than during the holiday shopping special of CYBER MONDAY! We now have a few months of experience with our twin boys, so it's only fair to share our most used must-have items with everyone!
We created a list on Amazon with the below must-haves for easy shopping. You can also click each photo to be re-directed to each items product page.
Use this link: https://tinyurl.com/yy2aygj7
OUR TOP 10 BABY MUST-HAVES
10. TWIN Z PILLOW - Our babies love and LIVE in this pillow! It's multifaceted and extremely versatile as well. We use this pillow for feeding both tandemly, where dad sits in the middle (lifts center flap) and each baby goes on one side (photo below). We also use this pillow to lay them down for a short nap or for some tummy time. Flipping the baby on its tummy on this pillow allows them to push up safely and if their necks grow tired and their heads fall, they hit a soft plush pillow instead of a hard floor. It‘s a much safer alternative! The outer cover is washable as well, which comes in handy for those spit up and slobber-fests! It comes in a multitude of colors for all those wanting to match certain decor as well.
9. VELCRO SWADDLES - Having lived in the NICU for 15 days, we grew accustomed to swaddling our newborns using the old fashioned techniques and folds, and we never really grew to love it. As soon as we arrived home, we pulled out the velcro swaddles and the game changed forever, for the BETTER! These can also be referred to as "cheat swaddles" because you simply attach one side to the other via the included velcro attachment, and you're done! It saves so much time, and it looks perfect each time, for those photo aficionados. There are tons and tons of designs, colors, and sizes available.
8. COMO TOMO BABY BOTTLES - If you want practical and functional, these are the bottles for you! With only 3 pieces to wash, it definitely saved us so much time, which we need for other more important tasks. Cleaning bottles should be one of the easiest tasks you undertake, not a labor-some intolerable slow-dying death, as some other brands make you feel. Our babies also loved these bottles and took to them very quickly. While in the NICU, they struggled with hospital bottles, but luckily we had some como tomo bottles in our car given from our registry, which came to the rescue. As soon as they started with them, their drinking improved and they wanted more and more formula. It was a salvation during a very difficult time in the NICU, with two babies struggling to breath and eat. However, not all babies are the same so not all bottles will work. Test different brands out and find the best one for your unique child.
7. BUMCO BABY BUM PADDLE - When we first received this item, we were hesitant as to why we would need a paddle, after all, it was just a little diaper cream. Ha! Turns out this diaper cream, of any brand or variety, is some of the stickiest stuff to exist ON THIS PLANET! Our babies struggled with diaper rash in the NICU (preemie bums are extremely delicate) and we were using cream, more often than not. Once we made it home, after our 15 days in the NICU, we immediately pulled out this paddle and our sticky hands were banished into the abyss. It was such a life-changer. We would otherwise use our fingers and then rub the excess in the diaper and then there was the excess from the excess we would wipe anywhere it would stick, usually a nearby wipe, table, and sometimes our face (lol, I kid!). Get one, or an entire pack of them. It will keep your hands much more pliable for quick diaper changes!
6. BUMBO CHANGING PAD - We love this one for a few specific reasons! It's super soft (made of high quality foam) and ergonomically designed for babies bodies. Its outer silicone surface is also very easy to clean, using a cloth with water or mild detergent. Babies are quite messy and pee and poop everywhere so an easy-to-clean surface is a must. We used more inexpensive changing pads that weren't very practical or easy to clean and absorbent (yuck!), so as soon as we could, we changed those out to Bumbo pads! We may also add in there that these, although pricey, are not as expensive as others on the market (like the Keekaroo Peanut), and offer pretty much the same functionality.
5. NASAL ASPIRATOR (WALTOLT & NOSEFRIDA) - A must-have to keep the SNOT in check! Babies produce tons of snot and boogers and mucus (sorry I'm having fun with this) so its a necessity to have something to suck those out, as babies cannot yet blow their noses. We started with the old fashioned standard round sucker the hospital provided, then jumped to the NoseFrida Snot sucker, which was a fun experience. You put one end in your mouth and the other in your babies nose and SUCK! It's fascinating to see the snot come out and nearly land in your mouth (lmao). There's a catch for all the outgoing snot, so there's no real chance of it landing in your mouth, but its still an experience nonetheless. From the NoseFrida we jumped to our current acquisition, the Waltolt Nasal Aspirator which is great, because it required no sucking on the parents part, and is battery-powered and automatic. Simply spray some saline in the babies nose, and turn on the aspirator to one of its three settings and suction out all the goo. It's as easy as that. You can pull the aspirator apart and wash with water and soap and put back together in no time.
4. GOGO WIPE WARMER - One of us was very hesitant to purchase a wipe warmer. After researching how cold wipes cause babies to pee we decided to add one to our registry. It has definitely been a great purchase for thay exact reason. With a middle-of-the-night sleeping baby, a warm wipe helps keep them asleep and clean. Babies tend to pee when they feel a cold summer nights breeze pass through their nether regions, so if you throw a warm wipe on them while changing, it stops that completely. We recommend this wholeheartedly for that reason, and because its only right to use a warm wipe for your babies privates while they’re still asleep. Who wants a frigid cold wipe on their goodies in the early AM?
3. iBaby CARE M7 BABY MONITOR - After extensive research and many returns later, we settled on the iBaby M7 monitor for a few good reasons. First, it works via WiFi so we can view it from away. One of us was back at work after just 1 month of paternity and wanted to maintain visibility of babies while in nursery. Second, the app that this monitor uses allows for split-screen viewing of more than one camera at once. With twins, we wanted the flexility to see one or both babies at the same time, and this worked perfectly in that case. For these two main reasons, we went with this monitor. We tested a few others and this worked the best for us. It also has an optional mount that you can attach to the side of the crib, and the light-show it creates is pretty cool as well. This monitor has two-way audio and can play music from a library of preset music to help keep a fussy newborn down.
2. BABY BREZZA PRO ADVANCED FORMULA DISPENSER MACHINE - Productivity is important with newborns and even more so with twins. Who has time to serve powder and then sit it in a bottle warmer, or even heat a bowl of water to soak your babies bottles - WE SURE DON'T! Simply set your formula preferences and settings (manufacturer provided), pick your formula temperature (room temperature, body temperature, warmer than body temperature), ounce increment required for feeding (2-10 ounces) and hit the start button and you're all set. Formula is automatically mixed during pour and is ready to go once it hits the bottle. There are times when you have to give it a quick shake, as some formulas may clump, but that's minimal compared to the positive aspects of this gadget. This machine works with all major formula brands and even some hypo-allergenic products as well. We have two of these bad boys, originally using one upstairs for night feedings, but once they starting sleeping through the night we brought the upstairs one downstairs and now use it to dispense a different formula. Our first born developed a milk allergy and has since required Similac Alimentum instead of NeoSure. Works like a charm with both formulas. We keep them side by side in the kitchen.
1. OWLET HEART RATE & OXYGEN MONITOR - Peace of mind is the name of the game! Our babies were born premature and suffered from respiratory and oxygen related issues, so this was a definite for us. Helped us get some restful sleep at night, whenever it was available. Brings a base you place on your night stand that stays green when everything is GOOD! If that light turns red and the alarm sounds, RUN! Also connects to your phone so you can monitor them from away via wifi and internet and keeps a detail of your babies sleep cycle, from deep to light sleep and awake periods. I think the acronym SIDS keeps us parents on our toes and using the Owlet helps reduce the worry that comes along with this as well. The version 3 had some major improvements from the previous model, including wireless charging and decreased sensitivity to babies movement. The previous version would read wiggling when baby moves, this model is much more receptive to movement and works consistently. We could not be without this product and it is our NUMBER 1 must-have, HANDS DOWN!
YouTube Video
Check out the video below where we discuss in detail all the must-haves detailed above. If you found this video useful, don't forget to like, comment and if you haven't already done so, subscribe to our channel. We have some great content in the works coming your way soon!
