Did your doctor just tell you that you’re pregnant with twins? If so, you might be freaking out a little bit right now.
The news shouldn’t come as a total shock seeing as how the twin birth rate has hit a record high in recent years with more than 130,000 twin births taking place every year. But still, it can be a little bit unnerving when you learn you have twins on the way.
One of the things parents worry about when they find out they’re having twins is all of the twin essentials they’ll need to buy. They aren’t sure how they’re going to be able to afford to buy everything they’ll need to take care of twins.
But you can do it–if you commit to buying in bulk! Here are 8 items you need to buy in bulk to save money when you have twins.
1. Baby Formula and Bottles
Are you planning on breastfeeding both of your babies? If so, there are a lot of different benefits that come along with it.
But it can be tough for a mother to breastfeed one baby, let alone two. So rather than going that route, you might be thinking about using baby formula instead.
If that’s the case, you should start stockpiling baby formula towards the end of your pregnancy and continue stockpiling it once your babies are born. You’re going to have two new mouths to feed, and they’re going to want to eat early and often when they’re first born.
The good news is that there are many baby formula manufacturers that will provide coupons for parents with more than one baby. But you should still prepare to spend a pretty penny on formula and save up accordingly so that you don’t ever run out.
You’ll also want to invest in extra bottles when you have twins so that you don’t ever find yourself in a situation where you don’t have one.
2. Diapers (Lots and LOTS of Diapers!)
When a baby is first born, he or she will usually go through about 10 to 12 diapers each and every day. That number will go down gradually as the baby gets older, but it means that he or she will use more than 300 diapers during its first month.
For twins, that number gets doubled and it equals up to, well, a lot of diapers!
Parents who are expecting twins should ask friends and family members to shower them with as many diapers as possible in the months leading up to the birth of their children. They are definitely going to need them!
And once the babies arrive and they start having to buy them on their own, parents should buy diapers in bulk. You’re going to use them anyway, so why only buy a few at a time?
3. Bassinets
As you prepare yourself for the idea of taking care of twins, one of the things that might really worry you is the thought of purchasing two separate bassinets for your babies. That sounds very inconvenient to parents who are going to be tasked with trying to get two babies to calm down and rest.
Fortunately, you can make the job slightly easier by opting for a twin bassinet that will fit both your babies at once. It’ll allow you to put your babies down together so that they can sleep throughout the day and (hopefully!) the night.
4. Car Seats
Yes, you’re even going to have to think about buying car seats in bulk!
Your best bet is to keep your eyes peeled throughout your pregnancy for baby stores that are selling two or more car seats at a discounted rate. It could help you save a significant amount of money on the cost of car seats, especially if you’re going to buy two sets of them for multiple vehicles.
5. Clothes
Forget about splurging on name-brand baby clothes when you’re having twins.
While you want your babies to look cute when they’re in their outfits, you also need to come to terms with the fact that you’re going to be buying twice as many clothes as you normally would for twins. That means buying clothes up in bulk when you can find a great deal, even if you’re not necessarily buying the brand you might like the best.
You can spend a little extra on clothes for holidays and other special events. But generally speaking, you shouldn’t break the bank trying to fill your twins’ dressers up with designer duds.
6. Burp Cloths
Burping your baby after they eat is important. It prevents your baby from getting too gassy as a result of the air that he or she takes in while eating.
The challenge with burping a baby, though, is that you can run through quite a few burp cloths every day. And with twins, it’s going to start to seem like you just can’t keep burp cloths clean for more than a few hours.
It’s best to buy them up in bulk and then keep them moving through the laundry cycle so you’re never without them.
7. Pacifiers
It might not seem like you’ll need many pacifiers for your babies, even though you have twins.
But once your babies are old enough to start using them, you’re going to find out how tough it can be to keep them clean and usable. They’re going to be constantly falling on the floor and getting all dirty.
By purchasing pacifiers in bulk, you can make sure you always have a handful of them on hand at any given moment.
8. Books
Technically, you could get away with buying the same amount of books for two babies as you would for one. But as your twins grow, they’re going to start to want to have their own things, and it’s going to be up to you to facilitate this.
Books are a great place to start with this process. You can buy up a bunch of books for both your babies and then split them up once they get a little older.
Start Stocking Up on Twin Essentials Now
There are so many twin essentials that you’ll need for your babies. But try not to get too overwhelmed by it!
It might take you some time to get used to caring for two babies, but you’ll get the hang of it soon enough. It’ll become second nature, and you’ll come to appreciate all the hard work that goes into raising two babies at once.
Do you want to learn more ways to save money while taking care of twins? Check out our blog to see how to save on shoes, pick out a budget-friendly stroller, and more.