updated December 28, 2025 – So you’re having twins, congratulations! It can be overwhelming but preparation with a well-planned registry makes a real difference. The biggest shift from one baby to two isn’t just buying double. It’s choosing items that reduce stress, support safe sleep and make days and nights more manageable during the earliest weeks home.
This guide is informed by years of our night nannies hands-on experience supporting families of twins, and focuses on what parents actually use, what improves safety and what families wish they had added sooner.
Baby Registry Must-Haves for Twins
Yes, you will need a double stroller, two car seats and plenty of clothing. What’s often overlooked are the items that save time, prevent middle-of-the-night emergencies, and reduce decision fatigue. Here are newborn twin registry highlights:
Diapers
A single baby uses roughly 2,200 diapers in the first year. Twins typically go through about 4,400.
Most twins are smaller at birth than the average singleton, so it’s smart to have preemie and newborn diapers available. Keep the next sizes on hand as well. Babies often outgrow a size overnight, and too-small diapers lead to leaks, blowouts, and unnecessary wake-ups. Having sizes 1, 2, and 3 already in your home makes transitions much easier.
Safe Sleep Setup for Twins
Infant safe sleep guidance recommends that babies sleep in the same room as their parents for at least the first six months, on a flat surface, on their backs, with no loose items. For twins, this means separate sleep spaces. A twin sleeper or bassinet setup designed to keep babies physically separated while allowing them to remain close supports safe sleep and makes nighttime care more efficient.
Night nurse’s tip: Consider two pack-and-plays so caregivers can each focus on one baby, and separate twins if one baby becomes sick.
Enclosed Play Space
As twins grow, a large enclosed play area becomes one of the most-used items in the home. It provides a safe place for supervised play, keeps toys contained, and is useful both indoors and outdoors. Many families continue using this well into toddlerhood.
Health and Safety Items Parents Often Forget
These items are frequently missing from registries and then purchased urgently later. Having them ready in advance matters, especially with two newborns.
- Extra-wide safety gates for doorways or stairs
- Furniture anti-tip kit – Night nurse’s tip: install anti-tip devices before baby arrives. We can’t predict when babies will start to pull up on furniture so having it firmly secured before they become mobile is safest.
- Childproofing supplies such as cabinet and drawer locks, foam bumpers and covers for sharp edges and corners
- Outlet covers or electrical safety plugs
- Digital thermometer
- Baby first aid kit
- Nasal aspirator
- Audio or video baby monitor
Registry Items for Parents
Supporting yourself is part of caring for your babies and postpartum recovery from twins can be more intense than Recovery, nutrition and rest are essential during the first weeks home with twins.
- One-handed eating- Eating full meals isn’t always realistic when caring for two newborns. Stock foods that can be eaten quickly and with one hand, such as smoothies, yogurt, fruit, granola bars and sandwiches. If friends organize a meal train, request portable foods rather than sit-down dinners.
Adequate calories, hydration, and protein are especially important for parents who are breastfeeding and recovering from birth. Be sure to fill up a large water bottle that has a straw a few times a day. If you have visitors, give them the job of making sure you have snacks and drinks within arms reach.
- In Home Support – Many parents of twins end up being their own little village. Planning for help ahead of time is practical, not indulgent. Your local parents of multiples group can be a social support while night nannies and postpartum doulas can play a role in providing sleep and education to parents.
Mental health should also be monitored; the exhaustion of caring for 2 babies can compound postpartum hormonal changes. If you experience ongoing sadness, anxiety, intrusive thoughts or feelings that concern you, contact a qualified postpartum mental health provider promptly. Early support improves outcomes for parents and babies. PPD vs. Baby Blues: Know the Difference can help you learn when it’s appropriate to contact a doctor or mental health professional.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing for Twins
How many diapers will I need if I’m having twins?
Plan for approximately 4,400 diapers in the first year, with extra on hand during growth spurts and size transitions. Your twins will use at least 12 diapers per day so be sure to keep extra boxes of each size on hand.
Do twins need separate sleep spaces?
Yes. For safe sleep, twins should sleep on separate surfaces unless a product is specifically designed to keep them physically separated. Let Mommy Sleep night nurses recommend using 2 pack and plays when possible; the twins won’t outgrow them and separate areas are helpful if 1 baby is ill.
Should I buy two pack and plays for twins?
Having two pack-and-plays allows caregivers to care for one baby at a time and provides a separate safe sleep space if one twin becomes ill. Twins also won’t grow out of them the way they will with a bassinet, and pack and plays can also be used for sleep once the babies start standing.
Is a double playpen necessary for twins?
It’s not required, but many families find it becomes one of their most-used items once twins become mobile, especially for safe containment. A play yard can also be moved, making it useful outdoors or in other parts of the home.
What do parents of twins most often regret not adding to their registry?
Common answers include additional diapers in multiple sizes, postpartum food prep and services like cleaning, grocery delivery or overnight support.
Preparing for twins isn’t about having everything times 2, it’s about having the right items ready to minimize stress. A thoughtful registry helps reduce stress, protect sleep and helps families to focus on bonding rather than scrambling.
You can see the Twins Registry on Amazon. We make a commission from these sales and they are donated to our non profit, Mission Sleep.
