Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
It is recommended to keep the newborn twins close together however, you must follow safety sleeping guidelines. A proper crib arrangement can help your twins establish a consistent sleeping routine.
A double bassinet that has a divider is a great option for twins. These beds can be used to keep their infants close for diaper changes and feedings at night. They are also great for infants who might outgrow their bassinets before baby 2 years old.
Space-Saving
Twins can sleep side-by-side in a bedside cot so long as you follow safe guidelines for sleeping (that's to say that they should be laid on their backs with the tops of their heads overlapping each other, and their feet on opposite ends of the cot). Once they are big enough, they can also sleep together in a Moses Basket or regular crib.
We are in love with this Delta double bassinet, which features a mesh partition to allow babies to remain separated but still close to one the other. It has a handy storage compartment to keep snacks and wipes close by as well. It folds flat, making it easy to move around the house or take on trips.
This EZ Fold Twin Bassinet, available at Walmart can swivel so that you can bring your twins who are fussy closer to you to feed them and soothe them. The sides can be raised and lowered for easy access and are locked to ensure safety. It's a little larger and heavier than other options, but it's great for second floors or grandparents' houses and comes with a travel bag. It's also much less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
It is not recommended that parents of twins sleep their babies in the same bassinet or crib. Instead the Rednose group Rednose suggests that twins be given their own safe sleeping space (crib or bassinet or portable crib) in the parent/caregiver's room until they reach 12 months old in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. This arrangement is also referred to as co-bedding and it has been proven that twins who have been accustomed to this type of sleeping environment typically have a more synchronized sleep pattern than those who sleep separately.
A twin bedside cot like the Teknum FELLOW 2 is an excellent method to accomplish this. It includes two sets of bedding to ensure that each baby has their own space. The bedside cot can be easily moved from one room to the next depending on the need. It provides a convenient and easy way to check on your babies without disrupting their sleep or waking them up.
Double bassinets are an alternative. They allow infants to sleep side-by-side and are perfect for feedings and diaper changes in the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for example, has an air-tight mesh partition and an adjustable height to ensure that each baby is visible and reachable at all times, while the sides of the sleeper can be raised and lowered to make it easy to access. If you prefer a more affordable alternative, the Walmart-exclusive Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet is similar, featuring two sleeping zones separated by mesh panels that allow babies to see each other, and the entire sleeper swivels 360 degrees for easy access to each infant.
For temporary situations, such as an emergency family visit or hospital stay Many parents have had the benefits of co-bedding twins using large moses baskets or a small bassinette with a divider. However it is recommended to do this only under the supervision of a medical professional to ensure that babies are properly positioned and with their feet towards the foot of the cot and their bedding properly tucked in to prevent them from being suffocated.
Safety
The most important safety aspect for twins is that they have their own bed. This prevents each baby from being smothered, choked or otherwise choking by the other. It also helps to prevent cot death, which is more frequent in infants who are single than in multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that triplets, twins and higher-order multiples have their own sleep space. This can be achieved by using a separate bassinet, or twin bedside crib that you can put on your bed to feed or soothe one of the babies throughout the night.
Although recent SIDS risk reduction guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage room sharing with a parent and discourage cobedding, the reality is that a lot of families of twins and higher-order multiples have trouble adhering to these guidelines (1). A previous study revealed that the majority of families of twins who were cobedded during the first three months at home, used unsafe sleep practices (room sharing without cobedding).
Parents of twins may not adhere to current SIDS risk reduction recommendations because of a desire to prolong their own sleep and the inability to accommodate multiple cribs in the home. Additionally, the socioeconomic status of a family can influence their decisions about sleeping arrangements.
If twins are placed together in a crib or Moses basket, they may easily get caught in their bedding and potentially choke on one another. If you decide to sleep your twins in the same cot, it is important to put them in a head-to-foot position and have their bedding securely tucked into each cot to limit the chance of them smothering each other.
A bassinet for bed, such as the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the safer and more convenient options for twins who want to sleep in a separate bed. The double bassinet comes with mesh walls to divide twins and give them their own flat, secure sleep surface. It rotates 360 degrees to bring one of your children closer to you for feedings or calming while still in the peace of your bed, and its side walls lower and automatically return every time you move. It is also easy to clean and fits into a standard twin-sized bed frame. For a less expensive alternative, check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet, which is available at Walmart and has similar features as the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
Being welcomed by twins or multiples to the world is an enormous life altering. Not least, they require a great deal of preparation and thought regarding their sleeping arrangements and how they can get a good sleep. While the decisions regarding their future bedroom space can be taken when they are older parents are often unsure of how they can help their children to settle in the early stages.
When twins are still young, it is possible to share a cot. This is referred to as co-bedding, and can provide wonderful comfort for newborns since it reminds them of the birthing process. It is important to ensure that the beds are large enough to allow infants to be comfortable without having to touch each other or roll around. travel cot bedside crib is also important to keep in mind that the baby who wakes first must be fed. It is beneficial to coordinate nighttime feeds to ensure that you get one baby up before the other.
It is crucial to keep in mind that twins can be very different and they might have their own sleep routines. You may find that one baby is waking more frequently than the other or prefers to be nearer to you. In this instance it might be best to provide each twin with their own crib or bassinet.
When looking for a twin bedside cot, ensure that it has ventilated mesh dividers that can create distinct sleeping zones. This is crucial for infants that are prone to heat stroke or families whose mothers have had a C-section. Other useful features include an adjustable base, built-in storage for toys and blankets, and easy-to-use wheels. The Arm's Reach cot, which is designed for c-section mothers, is a great choice due to its large sleeping space and is easy to move. The Graco Pack 'n Play or Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel are other options, but offer a smaller sleeping space than the Arm's Reach cot.
It is not recommended to sleep with twins in the same bed as an adult, even if they are close. This can increase the risk of SIDS and result in suffocation or strangulation. Instead it is recommended that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins remain in their safe sleeping areas, like bassinets or cribs in their parent's room for the first six months.