Newborn clothes for twins: how many to buy

Nearly double, not quite

Two babies need two sets of clothes, but you don’t have to double everything. Most families with twins wash every day, simply because there is so much laundry, and a daily wash means fewer spares per baby. Blankets, muslins and cardigans are also easier to share than sleepsuits, because they don’t need to be the right size for one particular baby.

As a starting point for the first size:

• 10–12 sleepsuits in total, five or six each.
• 8–10 bodysuits in total.
• 3–4 cardigans or light knit layers.
• 2 hats for going out, and 3–4 pairs of scratch mittens.
• 6 or more muslin cloths, and 3–4 light blankets.
• 2 going-home outfits.

Twins are often smaller

Twins are often born earlier and smaller than single babies, and one twin may be noticeably smaller than the other. Our smallest size is 0–3M, which will be roomy on small twins for the first weeks. That is usually fine for sleepsuits, with the cuffs rolled; our post on babies between two sizes explains when a loose fit is okay and when it isn’t. If your twins need special care, the unit will tell you what they can wear.

Don’t buy all the 0–3M pieces in advance. Get enough for the first two weeks, then add more once you know their sizes. Our size guide lists the length and weight each size is made for.

Telling them apart

With identical or very similar twins, sleep-deprived parents and visiting relatives genuinely mix them up, which matters when you are keeping track of feeds and medicines. Colour-coding helps: one twin always wears sky blue, the other ivory or grey. Our Sky Blue Teddy & Stars and Ivory Pinstripe Baseball footed sleepsuits are easy to tell apart at a glance.

Another option is embroidering each baby’s initial on their clothes. We add custom embroidery such as names and initials from Rs 500, with the exact price and making time confirmed when you ask.

Matching for visits and photos

Relatives love twins in matching outfits, and it makes lovely photos. For everyday wear, though, matching clothes make colour-coding impossible. A good compromise is the same design in two colours, or the same outfit with a different initial on each. The Sky Blue Striped Elephant Footed Sleepsuit works well as a photo outfit next to a plainer sleepsuit on the other twin.

When relatives ask what to bring

Twins tend to attract gifts, and often in identical pairs of the smallest size. If relatives ask, suggest a bigger size, 3–6M or 6–12M, since twins will get through the first size quickly and you will already have plenty. Suggest the colours you are using for each baby, too, so gifts fit the colour-coding. Keep the bills with any new clothes until you know they will be used: pieces bought from us can be exchanged within 7 days, unused and in their original condition, with the original bill.

Laundry and changing with two

Keep each baby’s next outfit rolled together and ready at the changing area, so whoever is helping picks up the right one. A daily wash, dried in the sun where possible, keeps the drawer from running empty. Two laundry baskets, one per baby, make it easier to see when one of them is running low and to sort clean clothes back into the right drawer.

Accept every offer of help with the laundry in the first weeks. Folding and rolling outfits is a job any visiting relative can do while you feed.

Quick answers