How Tegan Natoli Would Redo Her Registry For Twins

Don't be fooled, the double babies does not mean double the stuff.

On January 7, 2019, Tegan Natoli found herself in the fairly unique parenting position of having three kids under 13 months. She had just given birth to a baby boy, and her twin girls had turned one just four days prior. Becoming a mum of three in a very short time was the stuff of many blessings and surprises, says Tegan. “The twins were conceived through IVF. We put one embryo in, which split! Giving us identical twins. There’s only a 2% chance of that happening so we consider ourselves very very blessed. Two for the price of one…literally! Banjo was our natural surprise 3.5 months after the girls were born.” While Tegan admits she was in shock for about five days after having her girls, she says having twins is the best, and she wishes more people knew it. “Without sounding too cheesy, it is such an amazing bond to observe. A lot of women contact me freaking out as they’ve just found out they’re having twins, and I did the exact same thing, but it really is so special. Watching my twins bond is beyond anything I could ever imagine having with anyone other than my own children. Don’t get me wrong, there are challenging times, as there is for any parent, but the good far outweighs the bad.”

“I’m a pretty cruisy person, and my approach to motherhood was similar. A twin mum friend told me not to read too much as it can get pretty overwhelming and for me that was the right approach,” says Tegan. “You don’t have to have an exact plan of attack or know exactly how you’ll do things before you do them because you’ll figure it out on the way. I think if more parents were told going into parenthood that it’s OK to not have it all figured out or to have everything from the get go, it would alleviate some of the stress and pressure of uncertainty.”

Tegan says if she’d been told that herself, it might have saved her some money, and space. “I definitely over compensated for the twins. I thought I needed two of absolutely everything before they even arrived.” It meant a few shopping fails, and not inexpensive ones. “I had two bassinets, which were never used because they slept together in one cot before I moved them into their own separate cots. I also had baby carriers which barely got used because it was always so much easier to use the double pram.”

Her other top twin tip: hire the car capsules. “It can be quite expensive, especially when they are only in them for up to six months. So for twins especially (since you’ll be needing two!) I really recommend hiring. There are lots of companies around Australia that have the latest car capsules available for hire. They are in perfect condition and most companies will even install them for you (and remove them when you’re done). You will save hundreds of dollars! Make sure you get a car capsule that is compatible with your double pram. As annoying as it is, the amount of times you will hear “you’ve got your hands full”... it’s true, you do. So instead of having to wake two sleeping babies by moving them from car to pram, just pop your car capsule on your pram for quick trips.

Then there was the stuff that did work. Here, Tegan Natoli shares the products she would absolutely put on her registry if she had her time again.

Medela Freestyle Flex 2 Phase Double Electric Breast Pump

"If you’re hoping to breastfeed, newborn twin life can be tricky and if you’re lucky to be a milkmaid then use the pump to store as much of that liquid gold as possible. If you’re like me and struggle with milk supply, the pump could possibly be on your boobs as much as your little ones! The breast pumps and accessories on the market now are so much more advanced than 5 years ago! If this wireless Medela Double Breast Pump existed back while I was pumping I could have got a lot more done instead of sitting looking like a telegraph pole!"

Bjorn Bouncer Bliss

"Something that was good to have two of! My twins loved rockers as newborns and all three babies loved the bouncers. I found the bouncers so handy."

Aluxo Active X Unisex Baby Backpack

"There are so many gorgeous baby bags on the market, but when you’re looking for the one you want, make sure it can be worn as a backpack. When you’re juggling two babies the last thing you want to try and figure out is where on earth to put your bag! So find one you can just pop on your back. This Aluxo one is great, has all the handy compartments. Great for dads too!"

Oricom HFS1000 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer

"I still have the thermometer I received for my baby shower and it gets used very often! Get a good quality one that will last through the years."

LeapFrog 2-Camera Wi-Fi HD Pan & Tilt Video Monitor with Remote Access

"It’s handy to have a baby monitor that can work with two cameras so if and when your babies sleep separately, you can keep an eye on which little bugger is causing a ruckus! Phone monitor compatibility was only just becoming a thing when my little ones were bubs so this LeapFrog double cam was amazing. It also has white noise and so many other cool features that us parenting fossils didn't have back in the olden days."

Love To Dream Stage 1 Swaddle Up 1.0 TOG

"Swaddles and sleep suits are essential. When you’re constantly wrapping up babies in swaddles you become a professional burrito maker because if your babies are anything like mine, they loved being as snug as a bug in a rug. But you can save yourself the brain power by grabbing some sleep suits. Love to Dream sleep suits were my go to! They have different ages and stages (arms in and out) and different fabrics for different temperatures (FYI, this is what that word TOG in baby sleep suit world refers to)."

The Memo Gift Card

"Now I tell new mums is to get the necessities before bub arrives, but the rest, buy as you need it. Trust me, going to the shops and having a reason to leave the house can feel like a fun task when you are a new mum. And if you can’t be bothered then It’s always nice to having something you need order online while you’re doing those night time feeds. I remember deliveries arriving at my door with baby stuff and I couldn’t even remember ordering it!"