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You just got slammed with the shocker that you're pregnant with twins. Now what? It's a headspinning, terrifying, and thrilling time to be sure (check out my blog post from when we first found out to see how we reacted). There are a few things you can do to help you come to terms with your new (probably very unexpected) situation, start actually being able to sleep again, and keep you and your little ones healthy and comfortable. Here's what helped me: 1. Read BOOKS and beware of Google
As far as educating yourself, the Internet can be both a blessing and a burden. Think twice before googling certain questions and phrases - what you find can be absolutely terrifying and cause much unnecessary anxiety. That said, I did a LOT of googling in the first few weeks and do not regret it. But I know my mentality - I'm definitely the "prepare for the worst and hope for the best" kinda gal, and I find reassurance in understanding the worst that can happen, knowing the signs and symptoms, and then brushing it off and not worrying about it unless it actually happens. If this doesn't sound like you, then stay away from Google! 2. Take a twin specific class If this will be your first birth, you should take a birthing class. A class through your hospital or birthing center can be great because they will go over the policies and procedures and you'll know better what you can expect. However, if there's a specific method you want to learn that is not offered through your hospital, you should definitely look elsewhere. Hypnobabies and Birthing From Within are a couple of great ones you might want to consider if you're trying to go for a natural birth. Keep in mind, however, that these birthing classes are usually focused on first time parents having ONE baby. Birthing twins, either vaginally or via Cesarian, is a whole other ball game, and for that you need to take a twin specific class. I took two recently and can't recommend either of them highly enough!! Twiniversity runs two different 3-hour classes on the first and second Monday nights of each month in New York City, led by Twiniversity's HILARIOUS founder, Natalie Diaz. Their 101 class covers everything from what items to include on your baby registry, to what you can expect during a vaginal or Ceserian delivery, how to find a nanny and pediatrician, and how to deal with NICU time. Their 201 class covers things for the babies' first six months, like how to breast or bottle feed, sleep train, diaper, travel, etc etc. Each class is $160 per family, includes a fabulously yummy Italian dinner, and you'll be sent home with a big bag of swag, including pacifiers, bottles, and Natalie's best-selling book, What to Do When You're Having Two. Twin Love Concierge (TLC) offers "Expecting Twins" workshops in the Tri-State / New York City area (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Lower Westchester, Northern Westchester, Connecticut), Los Angeles (Hollywood & Pasadena), Boston, Miami (South Miami & Biscayne), and Houston. The 2-hour class costs $105 per couple and covers everything from what gear you do and don't need, preparing for the birth and NICU, what to expect in the first few weeks, and techniques for breast and bottle feeding. You'll be added to a private Facebook group of TLC grads and be sent home with a Parent Pack of useful information and helpful charts. In New York City, TLC also offers a 3-hour long "Bringing Home Babies" class which is a combo of the above twins prep and a RN-led birthing class specialized for twins, a great option for those in the NYC-metro area!! It costs $250 per couple. 3. Join local and virtual twins clubs Virtual twins clubs on Facebook can be extremely helpful and supportive, but as with Google, can overwhelm you with heartbreaking stories and negative comments as well. So, join at your own risk! Personally, I love love LOVE the Private Page of National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs Inc, a 10K+ member Facebook group. Have a question about whether or not something is normal, want feedback on baby names you're considering, or just want to compare bump photos? Post away!! This group has been so amazingly helpful to me! You should definitely search out your local twins group, and depending on where you live there might be several. You can do a search on the Multiples of America site, or ask in the above mentioned Facebook group for a recommendation in your area. My local group is run through Yahoo and charges a $20 membership fee, but the amount of for sale and for free items being offered via e-mail every day more than makes up for the joining cost! You can seriously find just about anything you need - you shouldn't have to pay a cent for your double snap 'n go stroller, those are a dime a dozen in these twins groups! I snagged a My Brest Friend Twins Nursing Pillow for $20, picked up bags of maternity clothes and a baby swing for FREE, and am lined up to get a matching set of 2 Pottery Barn cribs and changing table next month. SCORE!!! Not to mention you can arrange meet-ups and make lifelong friends with some of these families. If you're in Brooklyn, definitely join FB's Brooklyn Parents of Twins as well as the Yahoo group BBPOTC - great for buying / selling twin gear for cheap (and lots for free, too)! Other great virtual Buy/Sell/Trade for twins groups are:
4. Keep an open mind and positive attitude You may have certain expectations for your pregnancy, birth, and new family life. But you should probably go ahead and throw those out the window. You are "high risk" and will be treated as such, no matter how healthy you and your babes are. You will give birth in the OR (yes, even if vaginally) with upwards of 14 medical staff in the room with you. You and your little ones will be the center of attention, for better or for worse, for a long time to come and you'll have to deal with daily comments ranging from "Are they NATURAL??" and "Are they identical??" (even when they're obviously boy/girl), to "You sure have your hands full!" (like, DUH!) So, the quicker you can come to terms with it and not only accept but be happy with the new normal, the better! Cuz... TWINS!!! That is freaking AMAZEBALLS!!!! Welcome to the club ^_^ 5. Read my other twin-related posts If you want to read them all, click and scroll through the categories of "Twin Pregnancy" and "Twins". If you only have time for a few, here are my faves: 6. Document your pregnancy! Whether this is your first or sixth pregnancy, twins are something incredibly special. If you go full term, your belly will grow to a size you never knew possible!! So, embrace it and document it!! Be sure to take weekly photos - share online or keep them for yourselves, with or without a shirt, just be sure to document it because you will look back on those fondly with your children and just not believe you were actually that big!!! I decided to make a stop motion video of my belly growth, it was pretty easy and an amazing keepsake, check it out here:
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I'm big on capturing the regular growth of my children, starting when they're in the womb! For my first pregnancy, we did weekly belly shots and turned them into a video montage:
For my twin pregnancy, I'm working on a fun stop motion video with my toddler (check back in a few months for that one!!). And to document my son's growth since birth, I put together a small collage of photos once a month for the first year and a half, and then moved to every 6 months.
There are those belly or onesie stickers with the weeks or months on them, but I dunno, I just never got into those. I did, however, come across something recently that really got my attention as being unique, great looking, and quite practical... BB Blocks!! They come in wooden sets of three blocks, with two smaller number cubes (with possible number combinations of 1 through 32) and one larger time cube that includes weeks, months, years, and grades. You just set them up to the right combo, place them next to your munchkin, and take your photos!
They have three different choices for color schemes: cotton candy (a bit more feminine with turquoise, purple, and pink), woodlands (a more neutral color scheme with brown, blue, and green), and bold (with green, red, and blue). I decided to go with bold since it seemed the most gender neutral and I would be able to use it for our son, our girls, and even my pregnancy! 
They're great quality and I found them quite fun props to work with! My son had an especially grand time playing with them - stacking them, throwing them... haha!
You can purchase a set of BB Blocks, or any of their other products which include onesie stickers and nursery pillows with an age charm you swap out each month, on their website. Don't forget to enter code "USJAPANFAM" for 10% off of your order! And... if you're feeling lucky, in honor of my son's half birthday today, you can enter to win one set of your choice of color scheme of BB Blocks right here on my blog!! US residents ages 18 and over only please. The giveaway will end July 9 at 11:59PM EST. Just enter in the Gleam box below!!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
We love our babies, and we certainly love protecting them from the harsh chemicals and ingredients so often found in food, drinks, and personal care products, am I right?? So I'm happy to introduce you to the brand Baby Mantra, providing an earth-friendly range of extremely gentle personal care products for children (newborn to 8 years old). Made in the USA with all-natural skincare ingredients, Baby Mantra products have been certified by the Natural Products Association (NPA), are gluten-free, allergy-tested, dye-free, and cruelty-free. Hooray!
Here's the set of 6 Baby Mantra natural baby skincare products that I received, and so too shall the winner of our giveaway!!!
1. 3-in-1 Bubble Bath, Shampoo & Wash (with lavender oil & aloe) 2. Detangling Conditioner (natural baby conditioner with coconut & lavender oil) 3. Newborn Shampoo & Wash (natural baby shampoo with coconut & olive oil) 4. Calming Lotion (with shea butter & lavender oil) 5. Diaper Rash Ointment (with jojoba & sunflower seed oil; 10% zinc oxide) 6. Calming Massage Oil (natural baby oil with apricot & avocado oil)
The first one I tried out was the calming lotion. It was nice and thin, not pasty or oily, and smelled lovely - very natural, not overly sweet or fake. The scent is actually so neutral, I think even my husband would use it. The bottle says that the formula not only moisturizes but also helps heal and protect baby's skin, and is also good for children and adults with sensitive skin.
Next up I tried the calming massage oil. I never did baby massage though it intrigued me and I always wanted to take a class on it. For now, I rubbed it onto my big belly which can always use some extra help! Let me just say, this stuff smells AMAZING!!! I guess it's the apricot, it's really really nice. The bottle mentions you can also use it on hair and scalp, and while rubbing oil on your scalp seems like a terrible idea I have two words for you: cradle cap. I bet this stuff would be great for that!
My toddler is out of diapers and we still have a few months before the twins are due, so while I couldn't give it a proper trial I can attest to the Diaper Rash Ointment being nice and thick and seeming like it would do a good job at creating a barrier and protecting your little one's bum. It features 10% zinc oxide (a key ingredient for both good diaper creams and sunblocks), as well as almond oil, rosemary leaf, and jojoba. I'm not gonna lie, it doesn't smell nice (though it doesn't smell bad either). It smells like just about any diaper cream. But we don't use diaper creams for the lovely smell, do we?
OK, so Baby Mantra is kicking it in my book. Natural products that work and you can feel comfortable using on your baby (or yourself)! You can purchase their products in a number of retail shops (check their store locator to find a retailer near you), as well as on Amazon, babiesrus.com, drugstore.com, diapers.com, and walgreens.com. And you can get a coupon for $2.50 here!
But if you're feeling lucky... you can enter to win all 6 of these Baby Mantra products ($70 value) right here on my blog! Just enter to win in the Gleam box below (giveaway ends July 8 at 11:59PM EST). Good luck!! 
Disclaimer: I received these products for the purpose of this review, however, these are my own opinions and they have not been influenced in any way by Baby Mantra.
I love a good statement necklace and bracelet as much as the next girl, but what I don't like is when your baby yanks off and breaks your favorite piece. I'm not even going to go into earrings, cuz unless you're willing to use clip-ons, you better not be wearing those dangly bad boys near your little one! But I digress. The totally fun, funky, and stylish jewelry for new moms these days is just as much for her baby. And no, you don't have to throw fashion out the window, because there are so many options out there for amazing "teething jewelry." A new fave of mine is Glitter & Spice - check out a few examples of their lineup and you'll see why:  Photo credit: Glitter & Spice I love the geometric aspect to their beads - you've got round, flat oval, and my favorite which is kind of like a hexagonal diamond type design. Very trendy and fun for your little one to explore, as well!! Glitter & Spice jewelry is handcrafted in Canada and free from nasty chemicals, BPA, Phthalates, Lead, and PVCs. They're dishwasher and freezer safe (how nice would a frozen necklace or bracelet feel on your baby's sore and swollen teething gums!??) You can also wash them with soap and water. The beads are strung on satin cords with a breakaway clasp, so there's no worry of the necklace breaking when your little one yanks at it. Actually it's built to break... and then snap right back together, no damage done! Here's the set I ordered: the Geometric Collection Freya Teething Necklace and matching diamond textured teething bangle in pink. Pink pink pink in honor of the two little ladies growing in my tummy! You can see how nice and flexible the bracelet is, very easy to get on and off.  And here my little guy and I are modeling the goods. Their standard necklace comes in a length of 32" but you can request a different length, anywhere from 16-60"! What's great about this necklace's design is there are little knots on the side of the outside beads, which keeps them nicely in place!  If you want to order some teething jewelry from Glitter and Spice, head to their website and don't forget to enter code "HEATHER" for 20% off your order!!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
There are a ton of straw and sippy cups out on the market... A TON!! So when I come across one that has a really cool and exciting feature, I'm always super psyched to try it out. The latest fitting that bill is the Sip & Spin Straw Cup from nuSpin Kids. What makes this one so different is the pinwheel on the top of the cup that spins when the child sips from the cup! How fun is that!??
Photo credit: nuSpin Kids
Some other features that make the Sip & Spin a great cup are that it's free of BPA, Phthalates, PVC, and Nitrosamines, it's spill-proof, and it's top rack dishwasher safe.
One thing I personally love is the straw - it's a flexible silicone so it's not the kind of straw you worry about your little one totally stabbing themselves with (but do note, it's recommended for 12 months and up). It's also valve-free, which is safer for dental health, speech development, and hygiene. I was a bit intimidated by all the parts, but a quick review of the instructions helped me put it together lickity split (which is the only way when you have a toddler hanging onto you begging to have his new toy, errr, cup! 
Toddler tested and toddler approved - he downed the cup (of water!) in all of 2 minutes flat, a feat that typically would have taken him several hours!
And here's the Sip & Spin in action - you can see ours leaks a little bit but nothing major. And my son (and I) both got a big kick out of the spinning pinwheel!!
I do have some bad news... the Sip & Spin won't be hitting the market until July or August 2015! But... you have the chance to WIN ONE right here on my blog!! That's right, you could have your very own Sip & Spin, for free, before they're even available for purchase! WOOHOO!!! Just enter in the Gleam box below (US residents ages 18 and over only please; giveaway ends July 6 at 11:59 PM EST)! GOOD LUCK!!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
Please note: I received the Arlo system for free as part of NETGEAR's Ambassador Program, but all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely honest and unbiased! We live in a 1,000 square foot coop in Brooklyn, so you could argue that a baby monitor is pretty unnecessary because you will hear the baby pretty much from any room in the house! Indeed, we never got one for our first baby and though I was envious of my friends who could spy on their little ones through their video monitors, I never thought it worth the expense. But now with a toddler and twins on the way, I'm starting to think differently. Monitoring your home properly (and easily) is quite essential, isn't it!? Wouldn't it be nice to roll over in bed and check the live stream video on your phone to confirm everything is good in the nursery? What about when you're stuck on the couch breastfeeding - you can monitor your toddler playing in the other room from your phone to make sure he's not getting into trouble! If you or your spouse work out of the house, you can check in while on the road or in the office. And let's not forget about sleep training, if that's something you choose to do, it's nice to be able to watch them to make sure they're safe without them seeing you! Sure, you could get a traditional baby monitor that will allow you to hear and speak to your babies through the camera, but that device's purpose is pretty short lived. Which is why I was so intrigued by NETGEAR's new Arlo security camera system. It doesn't have all of the features of a camera designed for use solely as a baby monitor, but this system will take you past the baby days and can evolve into many different usages for your family over the years!   One of the best features is how quick and easy setup was. Literally, less than 10 minutes. You plug the base into the wall and your router, you put the batteries (included!) into the cameras and sync them with the base. You download the app on your phone, and BAM, you're off and running!! The cameras themselves are wireless, so you can sit them on a shelf (my choice) or install them (mounting screws and what not are included, and the cameras attach via magnets to the mount). They're really tiny with a modern look, so you don't really have to worry about hiding them. So, installation was a breeze, however figuring out the app and monitoring the cameras has a bit more of a learning curve. There are various really cool options to choose from that allow you to take photos and videos (store on your phone or on the cloud), zoom in, pan (the website says this is an option but I haven't figured it out yet), allow push notifications to your phone when motion is detected (great for sleeping babies or monitoring your home when you're away). The cameras switch between color and night vision automatically, here are photos I took with the camera showing the two visions:  The app allows you to monitor all cameras at once, you can pause any/all or push play to see them in real time, and then click to make any individual camera full screen.  Here's a video I captured with one of the Arlo cameras. Unfortunately it lost a lot of quality between the transfer from my phone to YouTube, in actuality the image on my phone is crystal clear, and you can see how smooth it is! Overall it's pretty user friendly and a great system, but there are a few things I find not perfect. They're not deal breakers in my opinion, but something to keep in mind before you buy:
You can buy the Arlo System in a package with 1, 2, 3, or 4 cameras, and you can buy add-on cameras as well. So, if you want to have every room in the house on video, it's definitely possible! They're even weather-proof, so you could install outside as well. The price is pretty comparable to other video baby monitors, which generally run around $150-200. On Amazon, you can find the Arlo 1-camera system for $190 and 2-cameras for $330. What do you think? Would you try the Arlo as a home security camera or baby monitor? Do you have a baby monitor you love or hate? Share in the comments below! There's nothing like entering the world of pregnancy and new mommyhood for the first time. Totally clueless, overwhelmed, and exhilarated all at the same time! It's a time for doing TONS of research and simply faking it til you make it. But, there are some short cuts you can take, and an assortment of fabulous products and services out there to help you out! One such service I recently blogged about is Gugu Guru, a new baby registry that takes your budget, living situation, and personal style into account before recommending products for your baby registry. Another one I recently discovered is Mama Boxes, delivering boxes chock full of samples and full-size products right to your door step. They're curated to contain items for your specific trimester, and can help you discover some really awesome products that you might not have otherwise known about! I recently had Mama Boxes' second trimester package delivered to me and let me tell you, it kinda felt a bit like Christmas morning opening it up to discover all the goodies inside!  Contents will vary depending on your trimester, and Mama Boxess will likely change up the samples and products regularly, but here's what was inside my package:
As a blogger and curious mama, I'm always wanting to try different products and discover new brands, so this box choc full of samples is right up my alley and frankly, I'm giddy as a school girl! HA! Can't wait to try them all!!!  You can purchase the 3-trimester bundle for $59.99 or an individual trimester box for $29.99 on Mama Boxes' website. (They make great baby shower gifts!!)
Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. |
 
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! 
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