Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
It's best to keep newborn twins close together, but you should also follow safety sleeping guidelines. The proper crib arrangement will help your twins establish an established routine for sleeping.
A double bassinet that has the option of dividing can be a great choice for twins. These portable beds allow parents to keep their babies close for diaper changes and feedings at night. They also work well for babies who may outgrow their bassinets before baby 2.
Space-Saving
Twins can sleep together in a bedside cot as long as you follow the safe sleeping guidelines (that's to say they should lie on their backs with the tops of their heads touching each other and feet at opposite ends of the cot). They can also co-sleep in a Moses basket or a crib once they're big enough.
This Delta double bassinet has a mesh partition that allows babies to be separated, but still close. It also comes with a storage compartment for wipes and snacks. Additionally, it folds flat making it easy to manoeuvre around the house or on trips.
This EZ Fold Twin Bassinet, available at Walmart is swivelling to allow you to bring fussy twins nearer to you to feed them and calm them. The sides can be raised or lowered to make it easier to access them and they are locked to ensure safety. It's a bit larger and heavier than other alternatives, but it's a great choice for grandparents' or second-floor houses, and it comes with its own 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. Instead, the group Rednose suggests that twins be provided with their own private sleeping space (crib or bassinet, or a portable crib) in the parents' or caregiver's room until they turn 12 months old in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. This is known as co-bedding. It has been shown that twins who grew in this environment develop a more coordinated sleeping pattern.
One of the easiest ways to make this work is by using a twin bedside cot like the Teknum FELLOW 2, which comes with two separate bedding sets, so that every baby can have an area that is comfortable and private. This bedside cot can also easily be moved from room to room when necessary, and also makes it easy to check on the babies without having to wake them up by re-entering their sleeping zone or disrupting their sleep patterns.
Double bassinets are another option. They allow infants to be side-by-side, and are ideal for feedings or diaper changes during the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for example, has a breathable mesh divider and adjustable height so that each baby is visible and reachable at all times, and the sides of the sleeper can be raised and lowered to allow easy access. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, the Walmart exclusive Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet is similar, having two separate 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 an easy access to every infant.
Many parents have realized that bedding twins in moses baskets or a smaller bassinette, can be a good solution for temporary situations such as hospitalization or a family visit. However this should be done only under the supervision of a healthcare provider to ensure that babies are properly positioned in a cot, with their feet at the foot of the cot and their bedding properly tucked in to prevent them from being suffocated.
Safety
The most important safety feature when it comes to twins is that they has their own space to sleep. This prevents each baby from being smothered, choked or otherwise choking by the other. It also helps prevent deaths in the cot, which are more prevalent in infants with one parent than in multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins, tritons and higher-ordered triplets have their own space to sleep in. The best method to achieve this is by having a separate bassinet or twin bedside cots that can be positioned close to your bed while 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 a parent and disallow cobedding, the reality is that many families of twins and higher-order multiples have trouble adhering to these guidelines (1). A previous study revealed that a majority of families with twins who were cobedded in the first 3 months at home used unsafe sleeping practices (room sharing without cobedding).
bedside crib to cot of twins may not adhere to the current SIDS risk reduction guidelines because of a desire to increase their own sleep duration and a lack of space to accommodate multiple cribs at home. Additionally the socioeconomic status of a family may influence their decisions about the arrangement of their sleep.
If twins are put in a small Moses basket or crib, their bedding may easily entangle them and they could choke on each other. If you decide to put your twins in the same cot it is important to put them in the position of feet-to-head and their bedding secured in the cots to reduce their chances of smothering each other.
bedside cot newborn that is positioned at the bedside, like the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the most secure and easier options for twins who want to sleep separately. The double bassinet comes with a mesh wall to separate twins and give them their own safe, flat sleeping surface. It can be turned 360 degrees, so you can bring your child closer to you without having to leave your bed. The side walls automatically lower and then return with each movement. It's also easy to clean and can be tucked away in a standard twin bed frame. If you're looking for a less expensive alternative, consider the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet that is available at Walmart and offers similar features as the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
The arrival of twins or multiples into the world is a major life change. Not only that, they require a great deal of preparation and thought in regards to their sleeping arrangements and how they'll get a good sleep. Parents often wonder what they can do to make their children feel at ease in the early years of their lives.
It is possible for twins to share a crib when they are small. Co-bedding is a method of helping newborns feel at ease by bringing them back to their womb. The key is to make sure the beds are big enough for the babies to feel comfortable without touching each other or rolling around. You should also be aware that the baby who is the first to wake up should be fed. It is beneficial to coordinate feeding times at night in order to get one baby up before the other.
It is crucial to keep in mind that twins are very different and they might have their own sleep routines. It could be that one child wakes more than the other, or they prefer to be nearer to you. In this situation it is possible to provide each twin with their own bassinet or crib.
Look for twin bedside cots that have breathable mesh dividers to create separate sleeping areas. This is important for babies who are at risk of heat stroke or for families in which mothers have had a c-section. Other beneficial features include an adjustable base, built-in storage space for blankets and toys, and easy-to-use wheels. The Arm's Reach cot is a good 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 smaller sleeping spaces than the Arm's Reach cot.
It is not recommended to sleep with twins in the same bed with an adult, even if they are very close. This increases the risk of SIDS, and can cause suffocation, strangulation or entrapment. Instead it is recommended that 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.