Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
It is recommended to keep the newborn twins close together, but you should also adhere to safety sleep guidelines. Choosing the right crib arrangement will aid your twins in developing a consistent sleep routine.
A double bassinet with the option of dividing can be an ideal option for twins. These portable beds let parents keep their babies close for diaper changes and feedings at night. These beds are also great for babies who may outgrow their bassinets when they reach the age of toddlerhood.
Space-Saving
If you follow safe guidelines for sleeping, twins can sleep in a crib that is bedside side-by-side. They should sleep on their backs with their heads pointing towards each other and their feet on the opposite ends. They can also share a bed in a Moses basket or a regular crib once they're big enough.
This Delta double bassinet features a mesh divider that allows babies to be separated, but still close. It also comes with a storage compartment for wipes and snacks. It folds flat making it easy to move around the house or go on trips.
Another alternative is the EZ Fold Twin Bassinet from Walmart that swivels to bring your twins' fluttery little ones closer to you for feedings and soothing. The sides can be raised and lowered to make it easier for you to get in and lock into place for security. It is a little longer and heavier than other models but is great for the second-floor or grandparents' homes. It also comes with a travel bag. It's also less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
It is not recommended that parents of twins place their babies in the same crib or bassinet. Rednose recommends that twins have their own secure sleeping area (crib or portable crib or bassinet) in the room of the parents or caregivers until they reach 12 months old to lower the risk of SIDS. This arrangement is also known as co-bedding, and it has been found that twins who are used to this type of sleeping environment typically have a more synchronized sleep pattern than twins who sleep separately.
A twin bedside cot such as the Teknum FELLOW 2 is a fantastic way to accomplish this. It includes two sets of bedding, so that each baby has their own space. The bedside cot can easily be moved from room to another as necessary, and also makes it easy to check on the babies without having to wake them by re-entering their sleep zone or disrupting their sleep patterns.
Double bassinets are another option. They allow babies to sleep side-byside, and they're perfect for diaper changes or feedings in the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for example, has an air-tight mesh divider and an adjustable height to ensure that each baby can be observed and reached at all times, while the sides of the sleeper are raised and lower to give easy access. Walmart's Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet, which is a cheaper alternative, has two sleeping zones that are separated by a mesh panel allowing babies to see each other. The sleeper also rotates around 360 degrees to give easy access to the infants.
For short-term situations, such as an emergency family visit or hospitalization, many parents have found success in co-bedding twins in a large moses basket or small bassinette with divider. However, this should be done only under the supervision of a healthcare professional to ensure that babies are properly placed, with their feet to the bottom of the cot and their bedding is securely tucked in to avoid them from becoming suffocating.
Safety
The most important safety feature for twins is that each baby has their own space to sleep. This helps prevent every baby from being smothered, choked, or otherwise choking by the other. This also helps avoid the death of a cot, which is more prevalent in infants with one parent than in multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins, triplets and higher-order multiples have their own sleeping space. The best method to achieve this is to have a separate bassinet or twin bedside cot that can be placed close to your bed when you're feeding or soothing one of your babies throughout the night.
Although bedside crib from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage room sharing with a parent and avoid cobedding, the reality is that many families of twins and other higher-order multiples have difficulty complying with these guidelines (1). In a prior study, it was found that the majority of twin families that co-bedded their children during the beginning of their life at home engaged in unsafe sleep practices.
Parents of twins may not follow current SIDS recommendations due to the desire to rest longer and lack of space in their home to accommodate multiple cribs. Additionally the socioeconomic status of a family can affect their sleep arrangements.
If twins are put in a small Moses basket or crib, their bedding could easily entangle them and they could choke eachother. If you decide to place your twins in the same cot together ensure that they are in the position that their feet are right next to their heads and that their bedding is put into each cot with a secure. This will reduce the chance of them choking on each other.
A bassinet for bed, such as the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the safer and easier options for twins that want to sleep in a separate bed. The double bassinet has an insulated mesh wall that separates twins so that they each have their own secure and comfortable, flat sleeping surface. It can be rotated 360 degrees, which means you can bring your child closer to you without having to leave your bed. The walls on the sides automatically lower and then return with each movement. It is also easy to clean and fits in a standard twin-sized bed frame. Check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It has similar features to the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
Being welcomed by twins or multiples to the world is an enormous life change. Not only that, they require a great deal of planning and thinking in regards to their sleeping arrangements and how they'll get a good sleep. While decisions regarding their bedroom space can be taken later in life, parents often wonder how they can help them get comfortable in the early stages.
When twins are very young, they can be able to share one cot. This is known as co-bedding and it can be a great comfort to newborns as it helps them remember the birthing process. It is important to ensure that the beds are big enough for newborns to feel at ease without touching each other or roll around. It is also important to remember that the baby who waks first needs to be fed. It is helpful to coordinate nighttime feeds in order to get one baby up before the other.
It is important to be aware that twins have different sleep patterns. You might find that one of them wakes more than the other, or they prefer to be close to you. In this situation it might be best to give each twin their own crib or bassinet.
When shopping for a twin bedside cot, ensure that it has ventilated mesh dividers that can create distinct sleeping areas. This is essential for babies who are susceptible to heat stroke or for families where mothers have had a C-section. Other helpful features include a reversible base, built-in storage space for blankets and toys, and easy-to-maneuver wheels. The Arm's Reach cot, specifically designed for mothers with c-sections, is a great choice because it has a large sleeping space and is easy to move. The Graco Pack 'n Play or Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel are also options, but have a smaller sleeping space than the Arm's Reach cot.
Even if they're extremely close, it is not recommended to let twins share the bed with an adult. It is an increased risk of SIDS and can cause suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins should sleep in their own bassinets or cribs in their parents' rooms for the first six months.