It’s easy to get swept into a buying frenzy when you find out you’re pregnant with multiples.  The confirmation of pregnancy brings a unique and overwhelming sense of excitement mixed with panic for any woman. Add another baby to the mix and the emotions just intensify!

While your first instinct might be to just swipe everything off the shelves, don’t give in.  You can scour the internet and find contraptions you never knew existed as you picture yourself with a baby at each boob or as a pack mule wearing one baby one your front and another on your back — but remember, a lot of these contraptions are unnecessary.

Since I know there are other multiple mama’s out there ready to swipe, swipe, swipe, here’s what I’ve found most (and least!) helpful when it came to my twin babies:

Most Useful Purchase:

Baby Jogger City Select stroller.

Many people recommend using a simple Double Snap n Go for the first few months, since these can be used with the infant car seats, and then upgrading to a more long-lasting stroller choice.  The BJCS, however, takes infant seats, as well as its own bassinets and later on you can use seats for older babies.  It also allows for many configurations once you’re using the seats:  facing towards each other, facing you, facing out, etc.  And, it features “stadium style” seats, so one is higher than the other. Only downside is that you you can’t see baby in the backseat when you’re using the car seats.

Least Used Purchase:

Twin Feeding Pillow. 

There are a couple of different models of this available, but I don’t think it really matters which one.  When I was pregnant with twins, I was convinced that I would feed both babies simultaneously to save precious time, and I bought one of these monstrous pillows to help with that goal. Turns out that for me, it’s easier to feed one baby at a time. Those times that I do tandem feed, I have just as much success using regular pillows as I did using the Twin Feeding Pillow.

Also, finding a winning combination of location (couch, bed, armchair) and position (sitting with legs out, sitting with legs down, sitting completely straight or more relaxed) was difficult for me and I’m sure other moms have similiar issues. If the point of tandem feeding with the Twin Feeding Pillow is to be more efficient, then I haven’t found the right pillow to achieve that goal.  So the search continues!

What baby items can you not live without? Any you wish you didn’t buy?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Top 10 Strollers!

Cutest Baby Products

Best Products to Make Moms’ Lives Easier

Pacifiers can get a bad rap, right? Some warn against using them while you’re trying to establish a breastfeeding relationship. But new research suggests they could actually help with breastfeeding.

In the study, researchers looked at the feeding habits of 2,249 infants born between June 2010 and August 2011. Before a certain date, pacifiers were given to all or most of the babies. After that, they were only given to those going through painful procedures and other special circumstances. After the new policy, they found that the rate of exclusive breastfeeding had dropped. Before pacifiers were restricted, 79 percent of babies were breastfeed exclusively. The percentage declined to 68 percent from January to August 2011. Also, before the restriction, 18 percent of babies were given supplemental formula, but that number increased to 28 percent later on. Researchers believe that this data will create a discussion on whether pacifiers should be restricted during the first few weeks of life.

Does your baby use a pacifier? Do you think it has helped or harms breastfeeding?

Plus, more from The Bump:

What are the pros and cons of using pacifiers?

How do I wean baby off of a pacifier?

Pacifier Safety