Jackie G.* wanted to have a second child. Imagine her surprise when she learned she was pregnant with twins! Then, imagine her anxiety over where these two new babies – on top of her 3 1/2-year-old son – would go in her modest, three-bedroom house.

Jackie G., from Framingham, Mass., planned ahead for the creative use of her home's space and for what extra items the growing family would need – and those it wouldn't – to accommodate her identical twins, whose gender she didn't know ahead of time.

Jackie G. did all the right things, according to Christine K. Walker of Winnetka, Ill., author of The Smart Mom's Guide to Staying at Home: 65 Simple Ways to Thrive, Not Deprive, on One Income (Trafford Publishing, 2004). "Hearing news of twins usually comes as a surprise," says Walker. "Take time to let it sink in and evaluate carefully your game plan. The first impulse might be to run out right away and buy two of everything – don't do it."

Jackie G. had a head start on that advice. For example, she didn't buy a second changing table; she used her son's old one upstairs. Luckily, the family had a "spare" changing table, and this she kept downstairs to avoid "schlepping both babies upstairs every time someone needs a diaper change during the day," Jackie G. says.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.