Products I couldn't live without & Products I hardly use

I am by no means calling myself an expert on products each family will need when baby/babies arrive.  However, I do have a lot of things I have found necessary, helpful, and things that I could have lived without. My list is based on having twins and being an (almost) exclusive pumper (they will nurse randomly, but 99.9% of their feedings are from me pumping and supplementing with some formula).
Here is my list!

Things I have DOUBLE/MULTIPLES of:

2 Boppys & extra boppy covers
2 Bouncy/Vibrating Chairs (we have the Fisher Price Crusin' Motion Soother and it is AWESOME!)

This chair simulates a car. It vibrates like a car ride, and even has the motion of going over small bumps. The sounds are great, too. One sound option imitates windshield wipers and rain.

4 sets of pumping accessories
During the NB phase we had about 6 bottles
After the NB phase we use the same bottles each time and wash in between feedings
2 boxes of diapers at all times+ an extra box of the next size up
2 Jumparoos

These are great when I need to get something done around the house or pump. They can be entertained and exercise at the same time without requiring me to do it!

Bibs (about 10)
Clothes dividers for the closet to separate clothing by size

Sheets for the crib (2 sets for each crib)
2 cribs
Receiving Blankets (at LEAST 10) & my favorite are the really thin large ones
2 sunshades for the car
2 mirrors that attach to headrest of backseat for car
24 pkg baby wash cloths (not only are these great for washing baby, but I use them for washing bottles and pump accessories. My dog gets up on the counter and actually takes them and eats them, so I always have extras hiding!)
2 Fisher Price Space Saver High Chairs (with multiple babies, its nice to have things that don't take up a lot of space!)

Baby hangers
Toys that attach to the handle of each car seat
Rattles (they LOVE rattles)
Motorola baby monitor with TWO cameras

 

 

Two large diaper bags. I keep one in the house, and one in the car.

Things that I have SINGLES of:

Arms Reach Co-Sleeper (do NOT get the mini! Even with a singleton! More than likely your baby will outgrow it within 2-3 months. With twins, it would pointless. The co-sleeper also converts to a Playard so unless you want a TEENIE TINY playard, don't waste your money on the single.) My co-sleeper still fits both of twins and they are 8 months!

Bottle warmer (we use Dr. Browns and LOVE it. It was $19, and heats the bottles of fast! It can also be used to sterilize pacifiers)

Bottle drying rack
Dishwasher basket for small bottle and pump accessory parts
Babyganics Dishwasher Detergent
Palmolive Baby Dish Soap
Dreft (I LOVE the smell of Dreft. Sometimes I just smoosh my face in their clean laundry and inhale)
Sound and Projector machine
Bottle Brushes
Graco electric nose aspirator (only about $15-$20 and well worth it!

Saline nose spray (gets those stubborn boogers to come right out!)
Desitin Maximum Strength diaper rash cream. This is the BEST cream we have found.
Those fabric books that are crinkly. The twins LOVE those books
Wipe warmer (no more cold-shock on their bum and seems to decrease the amount they pee when cold air hits them)
Foam puzzle pad for the floor. Great for tummy time, rolling over, and starting to crawl on.

 

Probiotics (we use the Gerber Soothe brand)
Humidifier
Bathtub with built in thermometer to regular water temperature. My lil dudes ALWAYS have perfectly heated water)

Baby Q-Tips
Glider (I have the Newco Rosie. It is SO COMFORTABLE! It also came in handy when I was huge preggo and on bed rest. When the twins were newborns I would put them on my chest and nap so hard in that chair.

Maya Ring Sling for baby wearing

Baby Bjorn (I actually won one of these from a giveaway by Baby Bjorn!) This might be in the DOUBLES section if our SO wants to wear a baby, too.

 

Infant Swing

 

Toybox

 

Over the door shoe organizer for nursery closet. I put all their extra bath products, diaper rash creams, travel wipe containers, lotions, q-tips, etc in this.

 

Lavender baby lotion

 

Thick quilt to lay on the floor for tummy time

 

Double stroller ( I have the Contours Option LT and I'm in love with it!!) I could probably do an entire post about a review for this stroller because it's amazing.

 



Car Seats. I went with the Peg Perego SIP 30/30 after much research (what else was I going to do on bed rest?) The NICU nurses gawked at these for about 20 minutes when they saw them with my stroller. One of the charge nurses was telling me about how she went on scene to a car wreck where the car seat was found down the road from the car. It had been thrown out of the car with the baby in it. Guess what? Baby was fine! That definitely made me feel better. The CON to these are they are not convertible and the max weight is 30 lbs.



Laundry basket designated to babies. With multiples, you will be going to be washing laundry all. the. time.

Changing pad that can be taken from room to room. While in the NB phase, I was changing diapers everywhere. In my bedroom, on the couch, on the coffee table, in the nursery, on the floor...anywhere!

Cuisenart baby food maker

This steams the food before pureeing it! It also has a bottle warmer built in.



Infantino Fresh Squeezed Squeeze Station

Things I could have done without:

Swaddle sacs. I learned to do a mean swaddle with just a receiving blanket, and the Lil Dudes seemed to prefer my swaddle over these.

Tummy Time activity Mat. A quilt on the floor will do the trick nicely. I hardly used their tummy time mat because as newborns, they didn't care about it. When they were old enough to want to interact with things, they were too big for the mat! So a quilt or the foam pads with toys all around them did the trick.

Baby Oil and Baby Powder. I've never had to use it.

Newborn Hats. Research suggests these can case baby to overheat during the night anyway.

Newborn shoes

So, there's my list! Hope it helps an expecting mother of multiples in preparing for new arrivals!