Preparing for the Twinvasion



Many first time Mums and Dads who are greeted with the fantastically terrifying news that they’ve got a two-for-one on their pregnancy are thrilled, but feel that they now need to prepare by buying a multitude of extras for their new arrivals. Extra nappies are a given, but what about all of the latest gadgets suggested to you by well-meaning friends and relatives? Believe us, the toys will file through your door, two-by-two with each visitor. And you’ll have enough clothes to stock a small Mothercare outlet! So what will truly make your life that bit easier? We’ve taken a look at useful space-saving ideas and gadgets that help you to regain some house space and save your poor arms when moving from place to place!

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For the lounge

Fold-away play mat: This extra-large colourful play mat is wide enough to let both babies play comfortably, is machine washable and can be easily folded away to maximise floor space if needed.

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For the kitchen:

Freezer storage: If you’re planning on feeding your babies yourself, it is worth in investing in some breastmilk freezer pouches. Not only does this prevent too many bottles from clogging up your fridge space, it allows you to sanitarily store the milk, elongating its shelf-life. Don’t forget to mark the bags with a date! The bags can be stored flat, maximising your freezer space. Which leads us to our next life-saver…tupperware. You may have been the Nigella of the kitchen before bump, but once your bundles of joy arrive, you’ll be eyeing up the cold can of baked beans in your cupboard like a ravenous uni student! Try and pop some meals in the freezer which can be used after the twins are born. You can defrosted them the night before, so you can have a tasty and nutritious meal.

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Image courtesy of http://www.mothercare.com/

Seat Chairs: These easy-to-collapse and compact chairs are ideal for travel. They are especially useful when visiting places that have limited high chairs. Fully adjustable, the chairs are suitable from approximately 6 months (when the baby can happily support themselves sitting) to approximately 2 years of age

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Image courtesy of http://www.mothercare.com/

For the bedroom

When you babies are first born, it may be worth purchasing Moses baskets, as these are smaller and can be taken downstairs for when your babies nap during the day. However, if you are short on cash, twins, when first born, can happily share the same cot. Fast forward a few months, and they will require their own sleeping space. For those who are short on bedroom space, there are collapsible and extendible cots. These are designed to grow with the child and can also be used as their first bed.

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Alternatively, corner cots may for some bedrooms, offer extra space.

For the bathroom

Toy tidies! Okay, so you might not have a lot of spare time for candle-lit, scented-oil baths, but keeping your bath toy-free and tidy is still important. It is easy when you are bleary-eyed and sleep deprived to slip on toys left in the bath, which could cause a serious injury. Toy tidies are also great for other areas of your house such as the living room and nursery. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some toy boxes are collapsible and others can be sat on.

Image courtesy of http://www.kiddicare.com/

For general usage

Air-tight clothes bags: If you’re considering keeping any of your twin’s clothes; maybe you want a big family, or know of someone who is expecting twins and you want to pass them on, it is worth investing in some air-tight storage bags. Babies grow so quickly and you’ll soon be drowning in a heap of sleepsuits and vests! Although you won’t have time to regularly vacuum-pack such items, every few of months this process could save you some vital storage space.

Image courtesy of http://www.johnlewis.com/

Twin changing bag: With the extra nappies, clothes and bottles, it is worth considering a twin changing bag, rather than buying two separate bags, or trying to cram everything into one non-twin bag.

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Final tips and advice

Unfortunately, sometimes all the space saving ideas in the world won’t give your home the elastic walls that you need. Couples expecting twins often have to update their trusty little hatch-back to a larger saloon or estate car. Robbie Du Toit, a property expert from Fastsaletoday commented that ‘It’s not uncommon to see expectant couples having to move at short notice. The big events in life all seem to come at once!’ Whilst moving can be stressful, especially when you’re struggling with morning sickness and feel like you’re the size of a whale, couples often find that family and friends rally to give that much needed support.

Finally, now that you’ve considered your space-saving items and have packed your hospital bags 100+ times; our last advice is to accept help from those who offer it. A healthy parent is a balanced parent. If Nana offers to take the twins out for a walk, use the time to sleep rather than tidying the soft toys left about the carpet – they’re only going to be out again in the next half hour anyway! Here at Twinsclub, we can help you to find local clubs so that you may share and receive useful hints and tips with other parents of twins. We also have a range of articles offering advice regarding life with twins

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