Last updated on May 28th, 2024 at 12:21 pm
The twin birth rate in the United States rose 76% from 1980 through 2009, and it’s definitely even higher today. Chances are that you will be invited to a twin baby shower someday, if you haven’t already. You might be wondering what is expected of you as the guest since there are two babies being celebrated, not just one.
We polled our twin parents from all over the globe to share their opinions on the matter. They also provided helpful tips for baby shower gifts under $50.
What Is Proper Twin Baby Shower Etiquette for Gifts?
If you’re bringing clothes, bring something for each baby or a pack of something. If you’re buying something larger, one is just fine. I would never have expected a friend to buy me two car seats just because I was having two babies. But I’m of the “spend whatever you are comfortable spending, even if it’s just $5” ilk.
As a general rule of thumb, I always buy something off their registry before I buy clothes. If I buy clothes, that’s in addition to their registry gift.
We had a mixture at ours. But most people bought 2 things, one for each twin if it was clothes or something I had registered for two of and would need for each baby. If it was something I just wanted one of, then they wouldn’t bring a second gift (i.e. diaper bag). The point of a baby shower is to help the new parents out and obviously, twin parents need more stuff. But what people spend varies based on budget and relationship with the parents so there is no set etiquette in my opinion. I just think it would be odd to buy something directed for one twin and not the other, so if your budget can’t afford two gifts (totally fine!) then steer towards something that is meant for mom or for both twins together.
You don’t need to buy two gifts, nor a more expensive gift. Whatever you chose from the registry is fine, or whatever you want to give to the family. No one receiving a gift should “expect” anything!
I would suggest looking at their registry before deciding what to spend. I had so many people gift me diapers which was appreciated but we invested (and put in our registry) on cloth diapers.
Most people brought two gifts at mine. I had boy/girl twins though – not sure if that had anything to do with it. The people that brought one gift ended up bringing a big ticket item they could both use like the swing. I didn’t want people to bring diapers because I wanted sensitive or organic. But I welcomed books!!
One gift is fine if it’s something shareable like diapers or a large item. If, for example, an outfit or toy, it’s best to go with two.
It’s appropriate when a group goes in together for a big item – a bunch of my in-laws went in on the car seats and a stroller. But honestly, everything I received, from pacifiers to stroller, I have used and appreciated.
Twin Baby Shower Gift Ideas for Under $50
Donate a night of babysitting… free for you but probably worth more than $50 to the parents.
Consider a gift card for a nearby restaurant that delivers/has carry-out. I only got a couple of those – but I remember who got each one for us!
Plates, plastic cups, utensils, and paper coffee cups for those times when dishes are not going to get done and people are stopping by for visits and help.
Not really a necessity, but I loved one of my shower gift a friend got for me. She got a Build-A-Bear teddy bear with “create your own sound” box. She didn’t have it stuffed yet. I recorded each boy’s heartbeat and then had the sounds put in the bears and the bears stuffed (free for the recipient). The boys still sleep with their bears to this day.
Aden & Anais receiving blankets are great for summer babies! Big enough to swaddle but still thin and breathable for the heat. I LOVED them so much for my summer twins that I had 8 of them!
Diapers & wipes….by the boatload. If she’s cloth diapering, find out what type she plans to use or get her a gift certificate for the store she’ll buy them at.
Is she going to be breastfeeding? Make a nursing survival kit for the mom to be! Magazines, water bottle, nipple cream, nursing pads, little snacks, blanket for baby, notebook and pen…
Everyone gets stuff for the babies, it’s so nice when you get something for the momma.
A box of sculpy clay. Then come over, roll it out, help mom press wee hands and feet into it, put a hole in each, then take 40 minutes to bake it for her. She won’t have time to do it, and she’ll always have it.
It isn’t a practical gift but we got onesies that said “womb mates”. It was my favorite non-registry gift! Though with two any and all practical items from her registry is SO much appreciated!
I think the best gifts I got under $50 were Target gift cards and Buy Buy Baby gift cards. It was an excuse to get dressed and get out of the house…. something I really, really needed to do but wouldn’t have done otherwise.
I received a gift certificate from some friends who pitched in together for a place called Mamaluv (I am based in Canada). You get a menu from them and you can order meals for delivery and they were all healthy options for breastfeeding mums – also had dairy free and gluten free. It was my most favourite gift as I did not need to cook the nights I used them. We had 7 nights worth bought for us because a few friends joined up, but any number of nights would have meant the world to me.
My favorite shower gifts were the ones I tucked away to use later. Teething rings, soft terrycloth teethers for fridge/freezer, sippy cups, plates/bowls/plastic kids silverware, no spill snack cups… it would bring another smile to my face every time I pulled something out as they got older, especially because I didn’t have to run out and buy it.
I saw someone mention meals, YES! Some meals that are able to be frozen and then just heated up! I would have loved that!
Diapers and wipes!!!! Larger sizes too because most people give newborn or size 1. Think about taping a gift receipt on in case of returns too.
I got sooooo much stuff I really appreciated — gift cards to Babies R Us for much needed items later. I also got a ton of diapers and wipes….that I couldn’t use because the brand gave my boys diaper rash. 🙁
Batteries batteries batteries!! C and D are most common for larger items like a swing, but AA and AAA are commonly used for vibration in a bouncy chair or swing.
Loved our Halo sleep sacks with swaddle! Fleece for the winter, cotton for the summer. It held a nice, tight swaddle.
I would assume she has a registry, so anything on her registry! It bothered the crap out of me when people bought whatever they wanted or thought I needed.
Boppys are a must have when you have twins! So two boppys and a homemade gift certificate for an overnight of babysitting, specifically for use after the first birthday. By that time the novelty will have worn off and they will be ready for an evening away.
NoseFrida – the snot sucker!
Skip Hop makes a diaper bag that’s great for twins that is around $50. I could not go on an outing without that. It held everything and I cloth diapered the first year.
I loved my monogrammed blankets.
I LOVE my stroller canopies! Works well at keeping strangers hands off if you use a Snap ‘N Go.
Sound machine!! 6.5 years old and still use it!!
A gift I would have loved to receive: babysitter!
My favorite twin newborn items: Wubbanubs pacifiers (priceless!), muslin swaddle blankets, baby first aid kit (comes with gripe water, saline drops, etc.)
Diaper Genie and refill bags. We went through almost 30 diapers a day at the beginning so that’s a must. I’d skip the clothes because you get so many and parents usually have their own style. And Amazon gift cards would have been great because we spend $75/mo just on diapers getting delivered (We have 3 kids in diapers!)
A friend got me a baby scale that cost around $40. Best. Thing. Ever. Twins are usually a bit early and smaller and if she is breastfeeding at all a scale is sooooooo nice. I weighed my guys before their baths and tracked their weight. So reassuring to see that they were steadily growing.
Coupon book for doing laundry, cleaning house, watching baby so parents can take a nap.
Baby proofing stuff would be good. As a mom who just had to spend a ton of money doing it I would have loved it as a gift.
A Buggy Bench! At some point Mom or Dad will have to go shopping and sometimes a double cart is not available. No worries because the Buggy Bench will save the day! I use mine all of the time. I think I paid $39.99 plus shipping and thus far it’s one of my most used items.
The best thing I got at my shower for my twin girls were matching umbrella strollers with their names on them.
No clothes! Diapers, Aden and Anais swaddle blankets, wipes. Bringing over meals after they have the babies and just visiting them and checking in on them are the biggest gifts you could give them!!!
Personalized clip board with a bunch of twin daily logs already printed and attached. Download here: Twins Daily Log
This may not be the most glamorous gift, but another mom got us a $50 gift card to Target with a card explaining that it was to be used for all of the things that we needed someone to run out and get once the babies came, and things we realize we need once we bring them home. It is packed in my hospital bag!
Thanks to all our Twiniversity fans for contributing their opinions and ideas!
We just had to add a few of our favorite baby shower gifts to the list…
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Are You a New Twin Parent?
Check out Natalie Diaz’s book:
“What To Do When You’re Having Two
The Twin Survival Guide From Pregnancy Through the First Year”
In What to Do When You’re Having Two: The Twins Survival Guide from Pregnancy Through the First Year, national twins guru and founder of Twiniversity (and twin mom herself!) Natalie Diaz provides a no-holds-barred resource about life with twins, from pregnancy and birth all the way through your duo’s first year of life.
Accessible and informative, What to Do When You’re Having Two
is the must-have manual for all parents of twins.
