Preparing for Twins Checklist: The Ultimate Guide of Things To Do

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How to prepare for twins coming home checklist

Congratulations! You’re having two.

Now what? Do you begin preparing for twins in your first trimester? What timeline do you have before you need to be prepared in order to bring twins home?

Is there such a thing as a checklist to help you focus on the twin must-haves, nice to have, and the items you can totally skip?

Well, that’s why I’m here. I have compiled a list that will make preparing for twins much easier.

Look I was once in your shoes. After spending a whole month in complete twin shock.

I knew I needed some sort of checklist to keep me organize and on track.

Growing two babies is stressful enough. HINT why I created this sort of preparing for twins checklist.

In this checklist, you’re going to find the things that you must do before your twins arrive and preferably by week 30.

The list is long so bear with me. I wanted to provide you as much information as possible to help you stay on track.

In the end, I will also provide you with a free printable checklist pdf so that you can always refer back to the things you need to accomplish beforehand.

So let’s get right into it.

This getting ready for twins checklist post is broken down into the below sections:

When to start buying for twins?
Must do preparing for twins checklist
Nice to do
Won’t be necessary

When should you start buying for twins?

Before we start talking about the checklist. We need to start thinking about this preparing for the twins’ timeline.

Because a lot of twins are born prematurely I would start preparing ASAP.

As soon as you find out holly shoot is twins which can be anytime between 6-8 weeks start planning.

And to be safe you should be prepared by the latest at 30 weeks.

I know it seems crazy soon. But a lot of twins don’t make it past 35 weeks and some are born even before that timeline.

So the sooner you start checking things out of this checklist the better.

Once those babies arrive is go time and your life will be so consumed by taking care of them that everything else will take a back seat.

Must do before week 30 of twin pregnancy

Below I’m going to list the things that you should absolutely do before week 30 of twin pregnancy.

And that you definitely need to get done before you welcome your twins.

Flexible mindset

Part of getting through a twin pregnancy and raising twins is the right mindset.

I don’t want to do that whole 80/20 rule. But I do think that your mindset plays a huge role.

Yes, a twin pregnancy is freaking hard. Yes taking care of newborn twins, raising twins, and especially if you’re doing without help is hard.

But if you don’t get into the right headspace all of that won’t matter.

But what the heck is a flexible mindset?

Is telling yourself that you can totally do this but also be able to roll with the punches is key to surviving and thriving with twins.

Flexibility and letting things go are crucial.

Because one thing about twins is that you can’t control everything. Some many things are out of your control.

The fact that you’re pregnant with twins you’re already considered high risk. It doesn’t mean that complications will happen but is a possibility.

So that’s already one thing you need to be flexible with.

Some other things you need to be flexible with:

You went in for an ultrasound expecting to hear one heartbeat and now you’re having to figure out how the heck do you take care of twins? afford them? and everything else that comes with twins.

The fact that you will have two babies with two different personalities and at times you won’t be able to keep anyone happy

You may have the perfect delivery or you might end up with a c section. OR both vaginal delivery and a c section.

Breastfeeding twins is freaking hard and you will face many unique challenges that a singleton mom won’t… OR

Breastfeeding might not even be a thing because your twins had to go to the NICU, or they have latching issues, lost weight, etc.

And the list goes on and on…

I can list many more things that might not go as a plan because hello we have twins. But you need to know that everything will still be ok.

It is ok to cry, scream, be in shock, or don’t feel anything. Just make sure that you’re also telling yourself that you can totally do this. Because you can.

The quicker you get your mind right and learn to just let go of control and let things be the easier raising twins will be.

Trust me I’ve been there and to this day a sense of humor has helped me get through the tough days.

So the moral of this story is that YOU GOT THIS… But you need to get into the right mindset that things might not go as plan.

But in the end, everything will work itself out.

Start saving

As soon as the ultrasound tech hits you with the news… Surprise is twins besides being in shock and wanting to cry you need to start saving ASAP.

One baby can be expensive and now you’re adding an extra one. So that whole two-for-one crap is a bunch of BS.

So part of preparing for twins and I would say the number one thing besides getting your mindset right is to start budgeting for twins.

Everything else that I’m going to mention below won’t matter if you don’t start looking at your finances.

No need to be complicated.

Just start looking at your expenses vs the amount of money you make and see where you need to start cutting things to save money for the twins.

Below is a simple budget tracker if you would like something to help you get started. I’m no financial expert.

But is just to help you out when you don’t even know where to start.

CLICK ON THE PHOTO OR ON THIS LINK TO GET A FREE BUDGET PRINTABLE

Maternity leave

Besides starting to save and creating a budget you need to start looking into your job’s HR policies and regulations when it comes to maternity leave.

Each state has different policies and procedures and the earlier you learn and familiarize yourself with them the better.

Reach out to the HR person in your company they are your go-to contact.

I’m not going to tell you much about it because each place and state is so unique. So I don’t want to stare you in the wrong direction.

Remember just because you’re pregnant with twins you’re considering a high-risk pregnancy so you could end up on bed rest and/or go into labor earlier.

So you need to know what options you have and it will be good for your employer to know ahead of time so that you can start all the paperwork you need to fill out sooner rather than later.

Health insurance

Look health insurance is expensive as it is. You’re now adding two extra babies. You need to look at what the cost will be once you add the twins.

What’s your deductible going to be for delivering twins and all of your extra doctor appointments expenses?

If your twins are born early and need a NICU stay what would that look like?

The earlier you prepare for this cost the better. This is part of the saving plan and creating that budget.

Here is a wonderful fun fact- Or not so wonderful:

Did you know that every time you go for an ultrasound which you will have lots of them and depending on the type of twin pregnancy you have you might have even more!

Well, every time you get one of those ultrasounds they charge per baby. I know crazy. Is just one of you but they charge for two ultrasounds?

I know insane… So keep that in mind.

Start buying maternity clothes

Look with twins especially if they aren’t your first pregnancy your belly might begin to show much quicker.

You can begin to show as quickly as the first trimester and by the second trimester forget it because you’re in full-blown pregnancy mode.

With twins, you can expect to measure up to 5-6 weeks ahead.

So you will need to get comfy rather quickly.

Nothing worse than tight and uncomfortable clothes. A twin pregnancy is hard enough.

Make it easier by buying comfortable and loose twin maternity clothing.

Hospital bag

Because twins can be born a lot earlier than singletons is good to have your hospital bag for your twin delivery ready to go.

Nothing worse than your water breaking or starting to have contractions and find yourself scrambling to pack a bag.

The one good thing is that the hospital has 99% of the things you will need for yourself and your twins.

So not a lot of pressure on things to pack.

Focus on the basics and things that will make you feel the most comfortable.

Pick out a pediatrician

If you have other children before the twins then you’re already set.

But if the twins are your first then you need to start looking into a pediatrician.

Whether you find one that’s close to you or through a family and/or friend just make sure you read their BIOs and arrange a meeting if all possible.

Keep in mind that some hospitals require you to pick out a pediatrician before getting discharged from the hospital.

So try to not procrastinate because then you will need to pick someone totally random and this can either turn out to be the best decision ever or not.

Baby registry

Twins can quickly add up. You don’t need two of everything but start looking at your must-have twin items and create a registry from that list.

If possible try to create a baby registry in two different stores. This will give your family and/or friends options when it comes to buying you items.

Plus you also get freebies from two different places, coupons, and so much more.

PRO TIP: If you want to make sure you get the items you truly want then only register for the items you truly need. Keep everything else out of your registry.

Once people have bought you the items you truly need then you can add other stuff to the registry and use the completion coupon to buy whatever else you might want.

If you’re ever unsure of what you might need or what should be a priority.

Stick to the basic baby needs:

So you really don’t need much to start. keep it simple.

Arrange Help

If you have people who are offering to help then let them. Start gathering your crew so that when the twins arrive you have plenty of hands to help you.

Also if you have other children this is a crucial step. You need to have a plan for who is going to keep the other kids when you go into labor.

PRO TIP: Consider arranging help for after the newborn stage. At times the first weeks you’re living on adrenaline so is much easier to take care of two babies.

However, by month 2 that adrenaline dies down and is when you will want all of the extra hands to come and help.

For some reason, you might not have a village and you’re finding yourself taking care of twins alone then consider hiring help if you can afford it.

Enjoy ME time right now

Do lots and lots of self-care right now. Go get that massage and that Mani/Pedi. Go and enjoy brunch with your girlfriends…

Do any and everything that brings you joy. Not saying that you won’t be able to do anything for yourself once the babies arrive.

Is just going to be much harder and you will need to get creative.

So enjoy the freedom that you have right now. Especially if you don’t have any kids already.

Spend some time with your hubby, go on a babymoon if you can afford it, and just enjoy the peace and quiet while you can.

Really enjoy being able to hear yourself think and the quietness.

Relax, relax, and relax so more! Remember you’re also growing two humans.

Will be nice to have by week 30 of twin pregnancy

Below is a list of the things that you could also check off your twin preparation checklist but if for some reason you can’t get to them you will be fine.

CPR, breastfeeding, and/or birthing classes

So you definitely don’t need to do all of them but I do recommend doing some form of classes especially if the twins are your first babies.

As a nurse, I find that knowing basic CPR is important.

I know we don’t want to think worst-case scenario but trust me that if you were to ever need to use this you will want to do know what to do.

I’m not telling you all of this to scare you but to just give you some perspective that with babies every minute counts.

And even if you were to get on the phone with 911 they are going to walk you through it.

So is a good skill to have just in case. Hopefully, you will never need it.

As far as a birth class and breastfeeding class goes. Knowledge is power.

Having some form of idea on what to expect will help ease your mind and also set some realistic expectations.

This is also a great way to get your support team involved so that everyone is on the same page.

Hospital tour

Getting familiar with the hospital you’re going to be delivering your twins is key.

Doing a hospital tour is the perfect time to ask questions about the facility, resources, etc.

Being familiar with the place will help ease your mind when is time for delivery.

Plus checking the place out will truly give you an idea if is a place you see yourself delivering your twins or not.

Names

I don’t know about you but coming up with baby names is hard and I felt a lot of pressure doing it.

Especially when naming two babies and in our case, we were trying to give them names that were completely opposite.

Start thinking about names. You don’t need to have two names ready to go but have a list with a handful of names.

When you’re in the midst of the chaos in the delivery room having that list will help your scatterbrain narrow down your choices.

Birth plan

I have some strong opinions about birth plans but that is a story for another day.

If you are planning on having one. It might be good to start creating an outline.

A birth plan doesn’t have to be complicated.

It can be as simple as who you want in the labor room and feeding preferences.

You don’t even have to have something on pen and paper you can just verbalize your needs to your labor team.

During your admission to the hospital, they will ask you a lot of the questions that people tend to put in their birth plans.

My only two cents is if you decide to have a written one. Just be flexible.

You’re carrying twins so be open to the fact that things might not work out exactly as you plan.

Baby shower

Even though you might create a registry you might not have a shower.

Some people just create them so they can get the coupons that come with them OR

Just for their friends and families that are far away be able to participate in the journey.

But if you do plan on having a shower then:

Start compiling a list of the people you’re going to invite that way you can start giving them a heads up so that they can plan accordingly.

Start brainstorming twin shower ideas so that you can begin to create the perfect shower invitations to send to your guest.

Below are some shower invitation ideas to help you brainstorm some ideas!

CLICK ON THE PHOTO OR THIS LINK TO GET A FREE INVITATION PRINTABLES

PRO TIP: If for some reason you get to have more than one shower. Let’s say one from work and one from family then consider having a diaper shower for one.

Look diapers are freaking expensive and they are not optional items.

Whether you choose cloth diapering or disposable you will need to spend some money on them.

So why not let others help you out with that. You can always exchange them if you end up getting two many of the same size.

If you already know you want to embark on cloth diapering then there is nothing wrong with having a cloth diaper shower.

I don’t think I have heard of that but hey is the 21st century anything is possible these days.

Assemble and test out gear

Look you’re not going to have much free time once those babies arrive. this is the time to put all of those big items together and figure out how they work.

Is time to put cribs, strollers, etc, and test them out to see how they fit.

We had originally purchased the Joovy Big Caboose and once we received it and started putting it together we realize how heavy and long it was.

It’s a great stroller don’t get me wrong but it just wasn’t suited for our needs and it was going to take up all of the trunk space in our car.

So this is why is crucial to test out major items to see if you even like them.

This way you can still return them and replace them with something more suitable for your needs before the twins arrive.

Prepare other siblings

If you have other kids then take this time to spend extra time with them and teach them about their soon-to-be role as big brother or sister.

Whether you read them books or involved them throughout your pregnancy and then throughout the newborn stage with twins find a way to make them feel part of it all.

Get organize, declutter, stock up

This is the time to get projects and any organization you have been putting off.

The first weeks with newborn twins are crazy busy and chaotic.

Your time is going to be limited so if you can get organized now it will be much easier than once they arrive.

Take this time to get rid of stuff you don’t need to make room for the extra items that twins come with.

Organize their space in a sense that makes sense to you and when you need items is easy for you to find them.

If you have a Sams or Costco membership then stock up on toiletries, freezer meals, and snacks.

Like I said the newborn stage with twins is super busy and you might not have the time to run out to the grocery store.

So do it now while you have time, is much easier and faster to do.

Freezer meals

Look up your favorite recipes and start to freeze up some meals. When you’re in the middle of twin territory the last thing you will be thinking about is feeding yourself.

So having meals that are handy is key. Being able to just go to your freezer and put something in the oven is going to save you a lot of time and heartaches.

When friends and or family ask you if you need food, groceries, gift cards, etc. Don’t turn them away. Take them.

The first month with twins is all about survival mode so take all of the extra help you can take.

Especially when the help comes with a nice warm meal.

Things you don’t need to before week 30 of twin pregnancy

Below is a list of the things you can leave out of your checklist. You don’t need to do any of these things and still be fine.

Maternity photos and announcements

Announcements can be fun especially when it comes to announcing a twin pregnancy. Talk about a shock of a lifetime.

Think about if you’re wanting to create an elaborate way to announce your twin pregnancy or if you rather keep it simple.

Also, do you want to take some maternity photos to have as memories? Where would you take them? Who is going to take them, etc?

Would you be sending out twin birth announcements once the little ones arrive?

This is the perfect time to start brainstorming and getting all of your creative juices going.

OR you can totally skip this part and just have a friend or family member take some photos of you, your bump, and your twins once they arrive.

Childcare

This is a great time to start looking into childcare options.

Whether you hire a nanny, recruit help from family, or are planning to enroll the twins in daycare start investigating all about it.

Especially start looking at the cost of a nanny vs daycare for twins.

Call local daycares and nannies and enquire about the cost of twins or if they have a waiting list because some of them do you might want to add them right now.

Keeping this price in mind will allow you to start saving yet again for another expense or consider the fact that living in a one-income household might be cheaper than paying for help.

Plan out the nursery

Whether you decide to go small or full-blown mode. Start looking at inspiration and ideas to help you put your plan right into motion.

Start looking at your room space that way you know how much space you’re working with.

Creating a twin nursery with a small room is possible…

However, it can impact the type of furniture you buy as well as the decor and design you will implement.

With many things to consider when planning out your twin nursery, this is a good time to start brainstorming.

Preparing for twins FREE printable checklist

This is a FREE PDF printable checklist to help you stay organized and on track when you’re not sure what you need to be doing next in order to prepare for your twins.

Last words for how to prepare for twins

So there you have it.

There is a lot of things to prepare for and to keep in mind before your twins arrive.

Take it one step and a day at a time. Know that you don’t need to have all these things all at once.

This checklist is to help you prioritize and think about all of the things you could possibly need before bringing your twins home from the hospital.

This checklist is also to help you start thinking about how to financially prepare for twins and start either creating a budget or saving ASAP.

Because let’s be real. Some things with twins will cost you more and are better to be prepared than not to.

So I hope that this list simplifies your life and allows you to start thinking and preparing for your soon-to-be new life with twins.

it is challenging, they can be expensive but they’re so loving and your life will forever change for the best.

If you have any other items that you have placed in your checklist that I didn’t mention I would love to hear about them. Drop a comment below.

Preparing for twins checklist things to do

Briggette Glymph

I’m B the creator of Twins Made Easy. I’m an RN BSN MNN, wife, and mother to three kids (including boy/girl twins). Sharing and helping you survive twin life and more one coffee at a time. Read more

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