Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
It is recommended to keep the twins in the infant stage close together However, you must adhere to safety sleep guidelines. Choosing the right crib arrangement will help your twins develop an established routine for sleep.
A double bassinet that has an divider is a great choice for twins. These portable beds let parents keep their babies close for diaper changes and mid-night feedings. They are also great for infants who might outgrow their bassinets prior to 2 years old.
Space-Saving
If you adhere to safe sleeping guidelines, twins can be in a bedside crib side-by-side. They should be positioned on their backs with their heads pointing towards each other and their feet at the opposite ends. They can also co-sleep in a Moses basket or regular crib once they're large enough.
This Delta double bassinet has a mesh partition that allows children to be separated but still close. It has a handy storage pocket to keep wipes and snacks nearby, too. It's also foldable, making it easier to move around the house or take on excursions.
Another option is the EZ Fold Twin Bassinet from Walmart that swivels to bring fussy twins closer to you for feeding and calming. The sides can be raised and lowered for access, and they secure themselves to ensure your child's security. It's a bit heavier and longer than other options, but it's great for grandparents' or second-floor houses and comes with a travel bag. It's also a lot cheaper than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
Many parents of twins may be tempted to place their babies in one crib or bassinet, this is generally not recommended. Instead the Rednose group Rednose suggests that twins be provided with their own private sleeping space (crib or bassinet or portable crib) in the parent/caregiver's room until they reach 12 months old to help reduce the risk of SIDS. This arrangement is known as co-bedding. It has been demonstrated that twins who grew in this type of environment develop a more synchronized sleeping pattern.
One of the most convenient ways to make this work is with a twin bedside cot, like the Teknum FELLOW 2 which comes with two separate bedding sets so each baby has a personal and comfortable space. The bedside cot can be easily moved from one room to the next depending on the need. best bedside cots is an easy and convenient method to check on your babies without disturbing their sleep patterns or awakening them.
Double bassinets are an alternative. They allow infants to sleep side-by-side and they're perfect for feedings and diaper changes in the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for example, has an air-tight mesh divider and adjustable height so that each child can be observed and reached throughout the night, and the sides of the sleeper lower and raise to make it easy to access. Walmart's Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet which is a less expensive alternative, comes with two sleep zones that are separated by a mesh, allowing babies to see each the other. The sleeper can also rotate around 360 degrees to allow an easy access for infants.
Many parents have found that co-bedding twins with moses baskets or a small bassinette, can be a good solution for situations that are temporary, such as a hospital stay or a visit to the family. However, this should be done only under the supervision of a healthcare professional to ensure that babies are placed properly and with their feet towards the floor of the cot, and all bedding properly tucked in to prevent them from suffocating.
Safety
When twins are sleeping together, the most crucial security feature is that each infant has his or her individual space to sleep. This ensures that each baby is not smothered or otherwise choked by the other. It also helps prevent cot death, which is more frequent in infants who are single than in multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that tritons, twins and higher-ordered triplets have their own space to sleep in. The best way to accomplish this is to have an additional bassinet or twin bedside cots that can be positioned close to your bed when you're feeding or soothing one of the babies throughout the night.
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently issued guidelines to lower the risk of SIDS by encouraging room sharing and discouraging cobedding, many families with twins and multiples have found it difficult to follow these guidelines (1). In a previous study it was found that the majority of twin families that co-bedded their children during the first three months of their lives at home were engaged in dangerous sleeping habits.
Parents of twins may not follow current SIDS recommendations due to the desire to sleep longer and a absence of space in the home to accommodate multiple cribs. Furthermore, socioeconomic status may affect family decisions about the arrangement of their sleep.
If twins are put in a small Moses basket or crib, their bedding can easily entangle them and they could choke on eachother. If you decide to put your twins in the same cot, make sure they are placed in a position where their feet are next to their heads and their bedding is put into the cots securely. This will lessen the possibility of them colliding on each one.
One of the safest and more practical options for twins to be able to sleep separately is a bedside bassinet like the Halo Bassinest Twin. The double bassinet features mesh walls to separate twins and give them their own safe, flat sleeping surface. It can be rotated 360 degrees, so 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 is also easy to clean and fits into a standard twin-sized bed frame. If you're looking for a less expensive alternative, check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet, which is available at Walmart and comes with similar features to the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
It is a major life change to welcome twins or multiples into the world. Not only that, they require a great deal of preparation and thought regarding their sleeping arrangements and how they'll get a good sleep. While the decisions regarding their future room can be made later in life parents often ask how they can help them to feel comfortable in the beginning stages.
It is possible for twins to share a crib when they are small. Co-bedding is a method for comforting newborns by bringing them back to their womb. It is important to make sure that the beds are large enough to allow the infants to be comfortable without having to touch one the other or move around. It is also important to keep in mind that the baby who wakes first must be fed. It is beneficial to coordinate feeding times at night in order to wake up one baby before the other.
It is crucial to keep in mind that twins are distinct and may develop their own sleeping routines. It is possible that one child sleeps better than the other or prefers to be close to you. In this case, it may be best to give each twin their own bassinet or crib.
When you are looking for a twin bedside cot ensure that it has ventilated mesh dividers that can create separate sleeping areas. This is important for babies who are susceptible to heat stroke or for families in which mothers have had a C-section. Other helpful features include a reversible base, built-in storage space for blankets and toys, as well as easy-to-use wheels. The Arm's Reach cot is an excellent option for these needs since it provides a large sleeping area and is designed with mothers who have c-sections in mind. Other options include the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel but they have a smaller sleeping area than the Arm's Reach cot.
It is not recommended to sleep with twins in the same bed with an adult even if they're close. This can increase the risk of SIDS and result in suffocation or strangulation. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins sleep in their own cribs or bassinets in their parents' bedrooms for the first six months.