Ok, so I'm 17 weeks 2 days today. I read at another site for twins that I should have everything done, including childbirth classes (I want to take hypnobirthing), the nursery, etc, etc, etc, done by 24 weeks? I don't have ONE thing for these babies! Is that really bad, or am I just freaking out? Do I really need to have all that stuff done by then? What about the baby shower, what if it doesn't happen until later? Please don't tell me I'm so far behind I'll never get done in time.

I would at least get started. While 80% of twin pg will be normal, 20% won't be, and that's twice as many as singleton pgs.

Being put on bedrest towards the end is a definate possibilty, so you don't want to be trying to decorate the nursery or be out buying baby clothes with two newborns at home.

I was put in the hospital at 24 weeks, so I was very glad that the nursery was pretty much done before then. And I didn't get to take my hypnobirthing class because I was in the hospital.

So, I guess I would say that I would have a few essential things now so you aren't in a bind later on. As for the baby shower, that can always be after they are born. That's what we had to do. And I would take your childbirth class, too. You won't forget it between now and the end of your pg.

Get what you need now. Carseats; stock up on diapers, check clearance racks for seasonally appropriate clothing in little sizes.

My girls were 5#9 oz and 6#5oz and they wore newborn diapers for a few months and newborn clothing for about the first 6 months. Go simple~jammies/sleepers/gowns.

Get the clothes and diapers, maybe some bottles and a variety of nipples just in case. I nursed mine for 2 years, but the first 2 months they got formula too and we had to experiment and run to the store for that sort of thing.

Soft swaddling blankets and burp rags are handy too. A cousin got a swaddling video and kept her baby swaddled in the beginning and she was so calm. If I ever have more, I am going to be more serious about the swaddling. I kind of let my kids flail around and get air, but they liked being snuggled in their carseats when I wasn't holding them. I sort of missed my swaddling window.

DH went to the store to buy infant carseats while the twins and I were at the hospital. Their room wasn't ready for 2 babies, and that didn't matter, because they ended up never sleeping in their room anyway.

We were scrambling at 17 weeks, but nothing was near done until around 30 weeks. Then I got serious about it.

I wouldn't worry much about clothes, or even cribs. Carseats, yes. A ton of cloth diapers, which we used as general clean up cloths. Diaper genies (and, I think, you can get them to send you another one with twins. Do it.)

Freeze food. I froze about six months of meals. Best thing ever. Again, best thing ever.

Locate your local National Mothers of Twins, and hook up with them. Great support, plus the sales are the greatest thing.

When buying at Toy's'rus, or anywhere, many places will give you a twin discount. Most useful after the twins arrive, but keep it in mind.

The freeze food suggestion reminded me of how crucial my crock pot was to me in those first few months. I was starving all of the time and kept a slow cooker and crockpot in rotation for roast beef or potatoes or oatmeal...whatever. A nice water filter pitcher or a plan lots of convenient drinking water is another thing to think about if you haven't yet. I was thirsty and hungry all of the time.

Also, check the other threads about twin nursing pillows.

Hell, I had nothing and I mean NOTHING ready for either of my kiddos before they got here. DD was 6.5 weeks early and we had literally just bought and moved into our new house in GA from Denver. I still had boxes everywhere, no "nursery". Didn't matter anyway when I did get the nursery done when she was 4 weeks, ended up that I was more comfortable with her sleeping with us and co-bedding so that beautiful magazine looking nursery went completely unused.

fast forward to this last pg, put on bed rest at 27 weeks, put in hospital on bed rest at 28 weeks, delivered at 35.5 weeks, and 1 week in NICU and still I had the bare necessities done, crib in our bed room, there really isn't even a room that we can use for the girls right now, it is currently a guest room of my mom's. Clothes laundered and carseats were bought when I was in the hospital by my mom and alot of online shopping, my baby shower wasn't even done until the girls were 3 weeks old. That is it. What I am saying is get done what you can, don't stress about the "perfect everything", just get the BASICS done. Don't over work yourself or drive yourself crazy with every little detail, trust me you don't need the stress. That can and will affect your pg because you might slack on taking care of yourself and getting your rest. If people ask if you need help, designate them some responsibility and have them do it for you. Definatley enlist family and friends to help.

Phew!! Glad to know that I don't really need everything done. I did go to babiesrus yesterday and put items on our registry. I guess whatever basics I do get, I'll just remove from the registry. I didn't think I needed the nursery done when they came home seeing I am using a co sleeper. I'm only getting one crib too, just in case they never use it. There are so many items at that store that I just don't think I will ever need. Where the heck do people put all this stuff?

Just speaking from my experience, I would do what you can now, while you still feel good. I felt pretty good up until about 28 weeks, that's when I developed pre-eclampsia. I kept on going, trying to get everything "just right" and was hospitilized, on the verge of eclampsia. I was then sent home with strict orders not to move, except to pee! Man that sucked.

Anyway, I don't think that you are in bad shape now, you just might want to stock up on some of the things mentioned in this thread (bare essentials). I would definately just stick to the basics in clothing (sleepers, onsies) I had all these cutsie outfits and my dds never wore them because I didn't take them anywhere for two months!

I had a lot of stuff bought, but not everything, and didn't get the clothes all washed, bedding washed, etc. We had painted their room, and had the dresser in and that, but the cribs weren't set up.

I ended up having my girls at 30 weeks, and we did have time to do things while they were in the NICU, but it would've been better to do before having them, as I was feeling pretty rough for a little while after their birth.

Things do seem to be going well for you, but trust me, it will be easier to get things done now.

I don't know about others, but I had tons of energy after the girls finally came home, I don't know if that is a result of being on bedrest for 8 weeks or what, but there was no stopping for those first weeks after they came home. That is probably why I was back into my size 2 pre preg. jeans 2 weeks post partum.

I had lots of energy the first few months too. They slept often and for long stretches. I'd go out shopping and running errands while they'd hang out with their dad.

I wasn't even close to done at 24 weeks. We didn't have a nursery though.

with getting the basics so you aren't running around those first few weeks. Carseats, yes. Food in freezer, yet. Diapers, yes. Clothes, yes. Extra laundry detergent for babies, yes!

Food in the freezer! DEfinately. I had intended to do that later on, and like I said, ended up in the hospital at 24 weeks. I should have asked my mom to make a bunch of meals for me.

I was one of the ones that was exhausted after they were born. I was weak from bedrest and surgery, and swollen from the gallons of fluids I had by IV.
I spent the time they were in the NICU sleeping and pumping when I was at home. And when they came home, it was often a choice of eating, sleeping or pumping while they slept, and sleep was the one that lost out most often, so I was always tired. We ate take out and frozen dinners for months until I was about to gag at the site of them.