Guest Author - Kris Bigalk

Editor-tested Twin Equipment You Can Skip

Bottle Props

I tried out the Milk Maid bottle props, which also come with a pacifier insert. Like many twins, mine had a slight reflux problem until they were three months old. This made using the bottle props problematic, in that usually one or the other would gag on their milk halfway through the bottle, which meant I had to make a mad dash for the bottle prop, grab the baby, and make sure he didn't choke. By the time I could use the props, the babies were moving their hands all over the place, knocking over the props. Remember, if you do use props, you MUST stay around your babies at all times to prevent choking. Bottom line: if you're going to prop your bottles, just roll up a towel or some blankets. It's cheaper and works as well or better than bottle props.

Twin Nursing Pillow

I tried out the E-Z-2-Nurse Pillow, which came with a back support strap and small back pillow. Tandem nursing never worked for me--again, because my twins had reflux issues, and one of them never really learned to latch on properly. Instead, I used my pillow to prop up both twins as I bottle fed them. For the $50 plus pricetag, I would have been better off using bed pillows or a boppy. If you want a twins nursing pillow, wait until after the twins are born and see if you will be able to breastfeed both.

Breast Pump

I bought an Ameda Purely Yours breast pump. It's a good breast pump--I used the same pump for 18 months when I had my singleton. However, when you have twins, you need to pump twice as much milk--and the hospital grade pumps are the way to go. Usually, your insurance will cover part of the rental cost. Unless you plan on having a few more kids and/or manage to breastfeed your twins past six months of age, don't buy the pump. They are next to impossible to resell, and the hospital-grade pumps just work better.