Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
It is best to keep your newborn twins close together, but you should also follow safety sleeping guidelines. The right crib arrangement can aid your twins in establishing a consistent sleeping routine.
A double bassinet that has a divider is a great option for twins. These portable beds allow parents to keep their babies close for diaper changes as well as mid-night meals. They are also great for babies who may outgrow their bassinets before 2.
Space-Saving
If you follow safe guidelines for sleeping, twins can sleep in a crib that is bedside side-by-side. They should be positioned on their backs with their heads in a straight line and their feet at the opposite ends. When they're old enough, they may also share a bed in a Moses Basket or a regular crib.
This Delta double bassinet comes with a mesh divider that allows babies to be separated but still close. It has a handy storage pocket to keep wipes and snacks nearby as well. It's also foldable which makes it easy to move around the home and take on trips.
Another alternative is the EZ Fold Twin Bassinet from Walmart that swivels to bring the twins who are fussy closer to you for feedings and calming. The sides are lowered and raised to make it easier for you to get in, and they lock into place for security. It's a bit longer and heavier than the other options, but great for second floor or homes for grandparents. It also comes with a carry-on bag. It's also a lot less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
It is not recommended that parents of twins place their babies in the same bassinet or crib. Rednose recommends that twins have their own safe sleeping area (crib, portable crib, or bassinet) in the room of the parents or caregivers until they reach 12 months old to lower the chance of SIDS. This arrangement is known as co-bedding. It has been shown that twins who have grown up in this environment develop a more synchronized sleeping patterns.
A twin bedside cot, such as the Teknum FELLOW 2 is a fantastic option to achieve this. It includes two sets of bedding so that each baby gets their own personal space. This bedside cot is also easily moved from one room to another when needed. It is a convenient and easy way to check on your babies without disrupting their sleep or awakening them.
Double bassinets are a different option. They permit infants to be side-by-side, and are 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 child can be seen and reached at all times, and the sides of the sleeper are raised and lower to make it easy to access. Walmart's Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet, which is a cheaper option, has two sleep zones that are separated by a mesh panel permitting babies to view each the other. best bedside cots swivels around 360 degrees to allow easy access to the infants.
For situations that are temporary like an emergency family visit or hospital stay, many parents have found success with co-bedding twins in the large moses basket or small bassinette with divider. However it is recommended to do this only under the supervision of a medical professional to ensure that babies are placed properly, with their feet to the bottom of the cot and all bedding is securely tucked in to prevent them from being suffocated.
Safety
When twins sleep together, the most important safety feature is that each baby has his or her own space to sleep in. This will prevent the baby from being smothered, choked or otherwise being choked 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 multiplications have their own sleeping space. This can be achieved with an individual bassinet or twin bedside crib that you can bring up to your bed to feed or soothe one of your babies during the night.
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently issued recommendations to decrease the risk of SIDS by encouraging room sharing and disabling cobedding, a lot of families with twins and multiples find it difficult to adhere to these guidelines (1). In a prior study, it was found that the majority of twin families that co-bedded their children in the first three months of life at home were engaged in dangerous sleeping habits.
Parents of twins might not follow current SIDS recommendations due to the desire to rest longer and the lack of space in their home to accommodate multiple cribs. Additionally the socioeconomic status of a family could influence their decisions about the arrangement of their sleep.
When twins are placed side-by-side in a tiny crib or Moses basket, they could easily be entangled by their bedding and potentially choke on one another. If you choose to put your twins in the same cot together ensure that they are in the position where their feet are next to their heads and that their bedding is tucked into the cots securely. This will lessen the possibility of them colliding on each other.
A bassinet that is positioned at the bedside, like the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the safest and more convenient alternatives for twins who wish to be able to sleep independently. This double bassinet has a mesh wall to separate twins and give them their own flat, safe mattress to sleep on. It can rotate 360 degrees so you can bring one of your babies closer to you for feedings or to soothe while still in the comfortable bed. The sides lower and auto-return with each movement. It is easy to clean, and can be tucked away into a standard twin-sized bed frame. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, look into the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet, which is available at Walmart and comes with similar features to the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
It's a significant life change to welcome twins or multiples into the world. They require a lot of planning and thought, not least when it comes to the place they will be sleeping and how they will get a restful night's sleep. Parents often wonder what they can do to make their children feel at ease in the early years of their lives.
When twins are very young, it is possible to share one cot. This is called co-bedding and it can be a excellent comfort for babies as it reminds them of the mother's womb. It is important to make sure that the beds are large enough to allow the babies to feel comfortable without touching each the other or move around. It is also important to remember that the baby who wakes first needs to be fed. It can be helpful to coordinate feeding times at night so that you can wake one up before the other.
It is important to remember that twins can have very different sleep routines. You may find that one baby sleeps more than the other or prefers to be near you. In this situation, it might be best for the twins to have their own crib or bassinet in their room.
Look for twin bedside cots that have breathable mesh dividers for separate sleeping areas. This is particularly important for babies that are susceptible to overheating, or families with c-section moms. Other helpful features include an adjustable base, built-in storage space for blankets and toys, as well as easy-to-use wheels. The Arm's Reach cot is an excellent choice for these purposes since it provides a spacious sleeping area and is designed with c-section moms in mind. The Graco Pack 'n Play or Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel are also options, but offer a smaller sleeping space than the Arm's Reach cot.
It is not recommended that twins sleep in the same bed as an adult even if they're close. This can increase the risk of SIDS and cause strangulation or suffocation. Instead the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins remain in their safe sleeping areas, such as bassinets or cribs in their parent's room for the first six months.