Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
It is best to keep your twins in the infant stage close together However, you must adhere to safety sleep guidelines. The right crib arrangement can help your twins develop a consistent sleeping routine.
A double bassinet that has the option of dividing it is a great choice for twins. These beds can be used to keep their infants close for diaper changes as well as mid-night meals. They are also great for babies who may outgrow their bassinets before baby 2 years old.
Space-Saving
As long as you follow the safe sleeping guidelines, twins can sleep in a crib that is bedside side-by-side. They should be placed on their backs with their heads in a straight line and their feet on the opposite ends. They can also sleep together in a Moses basket or regular crib once they're big enough.
This Delta double bassinet has a mesh partition that allows babies to be separated, but still close. It comes with a handy storage pocket to keep wipes and snacks nearby as well. It folds flat making it easy to manoeuvre around the house or on trips.
Another alternative is the EZ Fold Twin Bassinet from Walmart, which swivels to bring your twins' fluttery little ones closer to you for feedings and comfort. The sides can be lowered and raised for easy access and are locked to ensure safety. It's a bit bigger and heavier than other options however it is ideal for the second floor or grandparents' homes. It also comes with a bag for travel. It's also much less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
It is not recommended that parents of twins put their babies in the same bassinet or crib. Rednose recommends that twins have their own secure sleeping space (crib, portable crib, or bassinet) in the room of the parents or caregivers until they reach the age of 12 months to reduce the risk for SIDS. This arrangement is known as co-bedding. It has been proven that twins who grew in this type of environment develop a more coordinated sleeping patterns.
A twin bedside cot like the Teknum FELLOW 2 is an excellent option to achieve this. It includes two sets of bedding so that each baby gets their own personal space. The bedside cot can also be easily moved from one room to another depending on the need. It provides a convenient and easy way to check on your children without disrupting their sleep or awakening them.
Other options include double bassinets, that have been specifically designed to allow infants to be side-by-side, and are perfect for mid-night feeds or diaper changes. The Halo Bassinest Twin has a mesh panel that breathes and is adjustable in height that allows each baby to be seen and reachable at all times. The sides of the sleeper adjust to lower and raise for quick access. Walmart's Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet which is a less expensive alternative, has two sleeping zones that are separated by a mesh, permitting babies to view each one another. The sleeper also swivels around 360 degrees to give easy access to the infants.
For short-term situations, such as an emergency family visit or hospitalization Parents have reported success in co-bedding twins in large moses baskets or a small bassinette that has dividers. This should only be done with the supervision of a healthcare provider. They will make sure that the babies are appropriately placed on their feet placed at the foot of the crib, and all bedding put into.
Safety
When twins sleep together, the most important safety feature is that each baby has their own space to sleep in. This ensures that every infant is not smothered or otherwise trapped by the other. This also helps to avoid cot deaths, which are more common with single babies than multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins, triplets and higher-order multiples have their own sleep space. The best way to accomplish this is with an additional bassinet or twin bedside cots that can be brought up close to your bed while you feed or soothe one of your babies throughout the night.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently issued recommendations to reduce the SIDS risk by encouraging room sharing and discouraging cobedding, many families of twins and multiples have found it difficult to follow these guidelines (1). In a prior study, it was found that the majority of twin families that co-bedded their children during the first three months of life at home were engaged in dangerous sleeping habits.
bedside cot mattress of twins may not follow current SIDS risk reduction recommendations because of a desire to increase their own sleep duration and the inability to accommodate multiple cribs in the home. Furthermore, socioeconomic status may affect family decisions about sleeping arrangements.
If twins are placed side-by-side in a tiny crib or Moses basket, they may easily become entangled by their bedding and could choke on one another. If you choose to put your twins in the same cot together ensure they are in the position that their feet are right next to their heads and that their bedding is placed in each cot securely. This will decrease the chances of them choking on each other.
A bassinet that is positioned at the bedside, like the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the safer and more convenient options for twins who want to be able to sleep independently. The double bassinet features an enclosed mesh wall that can separate twins and provide them with their own flat, secure mattress to sleep on. It can be turned 360 degrees, which means you can bring your baby closer to you without leaving your bed. The side walls automatically lower and return with each movement. It's also easy to clean and fits in the standard twin 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 offers similar features to the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
It's a huge change to welcome twins or multiples into the world. They also require a great deal of planning and thinking regarding their sleeping arrangements and how they will get a good night's sleep. While decisions regarding their bedroom space are made as they age, parents often wonder how they can help them to settle in the early stages.
It is possible for twins to share a single cot if they are small. Co-bedding is a method for comforting newborns by bringing them back to their womb. It is essential to ensure that the beds are big enough to allow the babies to feel comfortable without touching each others or roll around. It is important to remember that the baby that wakes up first should 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 quite different and could have their own sleep patterns. You may find that one child sleeps better than the other or prefers to be near you. In this instance it could be beneficial for the twins to share their own bassinet or crib in their room.
When you are looking for a twin bedside cot look for models with air-tight mesh dividers that create distinct sleeping areas. This is especially important for babies susceptible to overheating, or for families with mothers who have had c-sections. Reversible bases and wheels that are easy to maneuver are also beneficial features. The Arm's Reach cot, specifically designed for mothers who have a c-section is a fantastic choice because it has a large sleeping area and is easy to maneuver. The Graco Pack 'n Play or Fisher-Price's Easy Swaivel are both options, but have a smaller sleeping space than the Arm's Reach cot.
Even if they're very close, it's not recommended that twins share the bed with an adult. This can increase the risk of SIDS and cause suffocation or strangulation. Instead, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins remain in their safe sleeping areas, like cribs or bassinets, in their parents' rooms for the first six months.