Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
Newborn twins sleep best when close to each other It's vital to adhere to the safe sleep guidelines. The right crib arrangement can help your twins establish a consistent sleeping routine.
A double bassinet that has a divider is a great choice for twins. These portable beds allow parents to keep their children close during diaper changes and feedings at night. They also work well for infants that may outgrow their bassinets before baby 2 years old.
Space-Saving
If you follow safe guidelines for sleeping, twins can be in a bedside crib side-by-side. They should be placed 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 regular crib once they're large enough.
We really love this Delta double bassinet, which features a mesh partition to allow babies to remain separated but still close to one other. It also has a convenient storage pocket to keep wipes and snacks nearby, too. It can also fold which makes it easy to move around the home and take on excursions.
This EZ Fold Twin Bassinet, available at Walmart can swivel to allow you to bring your twins closer to you to feed them and soothe them. The sides can be raised and lowered for access, and they secure themselves to ensure your child's security. It's a bit longer and heavier than other options however it is ideal for the second floor or homes for grandparents. It also comes with a bag for travel. It's also less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
Many parents of twins may be tempted to place their babies in one crib or bassinet but this is not generally recommended. Instead the group Rednose recommends that twins be provided with their own private sleeping space (crib or bassinet or portable crib) in the parents' or caregiver's room until they are 12 months old to help reduce the risk of SIDS. This arrangement is also known as co-bedding. It has been found that twins who have been accustomed to this sleep environment will generally have a more coordinated 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 gets their own personal space. bedside co sleeper is able to easily be moved from room to room when required, and makes it easy to check on the babies without having to wake them by re-entering their sleeping space or disrupting their sleep patterns.
Other options include double bassinets, specially designed to allow infants to stay side-by-side and are perfect for mid-night feedings or diaper changes. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for instance, comes with a breathable mesh divider and adjustable height so that every baby can be observed and reached at all times, while the sides of the sleeper are raised and lower to allow easy access. If you prefer a more affordable option, the Walmart-exclusive Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet is similar, having two sleeping zones separated by a mesh panel that allows babies to see one another, and the entire sleeper is able to rotate 360 degrees, giving easy access to each infant.
Many parents have found that bedding twins together with moses baskets or a small bassinette is a great option for temporary situations such as a hospital stay or a family visit. However, this should be done only under the supervision of a healthcare professional to ensure that the babies are properly placed, with their feet to the bottom of the cot and all bedding securely tucked in, to avoid them from becoming suffocating.
Safety
The most important security feature for twins is that both babies have their own bed. This ensures that each infant isn't smothered or choked by the other. This also helps to avoid the death of a cot, which is more common with single babies than multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that triplets, twins and higher-order multiples get their own sleep space. The best way to do this is to have an additional bassinet or twin bedside cot that can be positioned close to your bed when you're feeding or soothing one of the babies throughout the night.
While recent SIDS risk reduction recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage room sharing with parents and disallow cobedding however, the reality is that many families of twins and higher-order multiples have difficulty complying with these guidelines (1). A previous study found that a majority of families of twins who were cobedded in the first 3 months at home, used unsafe sleep practices (room sharing without cobedding).
Parents of twins may not follow current SIDS risk reduction recommendations because of a desire to extend their own sleep time and the inability to accommodate multiple cribs in the home. Additionally the socioeconomic standing of a family could influence their decisions about sleeping arrangements.
If twins are placed side-by-side in a tiny crib or Moses basket, they may easily be entangled by their bedding, and possibly choke on one another. If you're planning to sleep your twins in the same cot it's important to place them in the position of feet-to-head and their bedding tucked securely into each cot to limit their chances of smothering each other.
One of the safest and more comfortable alternatives for twins to sleep independently is a bedside bassinet like the Halo Bassinest Twin. This double bassinet features a mesh wall that separates twins to give them each their own safe flat bed. It can be turned 360 degrees, meaning you can bring your baby closer to you without having to leave your bed. The walls on the sides automatically lower and then return with each movement. It's also easy to clean and fits into a standard twin bed frame. Take a look at the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It has similar features to the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
It is a major life change to welcome twins or multiples into the world. They also require a great deal of planning and thinking in regards to their sleeping arrangements and how they will have a restful night. Parents often wonder what they can do to make their children feel at ease at an early age.
When twins are still young, they are able to share one cot. Co-bedding is a method for soothing newborns by bringing them back to their mother's womb. The most important thing is to make sure the beds are large enough for babies to feel comfortable without touching each other or rolling around. It is also important to keep in mind that the baby who wakes first needs to be fed. bedside crib or cot is beneficial to coordinate night feeds so that you can wake up one baby before the other.
It is crucial to keep in mind that twins can be very different and they might develop their own sleep patterns. You might find that one baby is waking more than the other or prefers to be close to you. In this situation, it might be best for the twins to share their own crib or bassinet in their room.
Choose a cot with twin beds with mesh dividers that are breathable for separate sleeping areas. This is essential for babies who are at risk of heat stroke or families whose mothers have had a C-section. Reversible bases and wheels that are easy to maneuver are also useful features. The Arm's Reach cot is an excellent option for this purpose since it provides a large sleeping area and is designed with moms who have c-sections in mind. Other options are the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel but they offer smaller sleeping areas than the Arm's Reach cot.
It is not recommended that twins sleep in the same bed as an adult, even if they are close. This could increase the risk of SIDS and result in strangulation or suffocation. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins be in their own bassinets or cribs in their parents' bedrooms for the first 6 months.