Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
Twins in the newborn stage sleep best close to each other It’s vital to adhere to the safe sleep guidelines. The right crib arrangement can help your twins develop a consistent routine of sleep.
A double bassinet with the option of dividing it is a great option for twins. These portable beds allow parents to keep their children close during feedings in the middle of the night and diaper changes. They also work well for babies who may outgrow their bassinets before 2.
Space-Saving
As long as you follow safe sleeping guidelines, twins are able to be in a bedside co sleeper cot 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. Once they are big enough, they can also sleep together in a Moses Basket or a regular crib.
This Delta double bassinet comes with mesh dividers that allow babies to be separated but still close. It also has a storage pocket for wipes and snacks. It folds flat, making it easy to manoeuvre around the house or go on trips.
This EZ Fold Twin Bassinet, available at Walmart, swivels to allow you to bring fussy twins nearer to you to feed them and soothe them. The sides are lowered and raised to make it easier for you to get in and are secured to ensure safety. It’s a bit heavier and longer than other alternatives, but it’s a great choice for second floors or grandparent homes, and it comes with its own travel bag. It’s also a lot 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. Instead the Rednose group Rednose recommends 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 are 12 months old to help reduce the chance of SIDS. This is referred to as co-bedding. It has been proven that twins who grew in this environment develop a more synchronized sleeping patterns.
A twin bedside baby bed cot like the Teknum FELLOW 2 is an excellent method to achieve this. It includes two sets of bedding, so that each baby has their own space. The bedside travel cot cot can easily be moved from room to room as required, and allows you to check on babies without needing 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 ideal for middle-of-the-night feeds or diaper changes. The Halo Bassinest Twin has a breathable mesh panel and adjustable height to allow each baby to be easily accessible and visible at all times. The sides of the sleeper also adjust to lower and raise for quick access. Walmart’s Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet which is a less expensive alternative, comes with two sleep zones separated by a mesh panel permitting babies to view each other. The sleeper can also rotate around 360 degrees to allow easy access to the infants.
Many parents have found that bedding twins in a moses basket, or a small bassinette, can be a good solution in situations of a short duration, 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 placed, with their feet to the bottom of the cot, and all bedding properly tucked in to prevent them from suffocating.
Safety
When it comes to twins sleeping together, the most crucial security feature is that each infant has their individual space to sleep. This ensures that every infant isn’t smothered or choked by the other. It also helps prevent the death of a cot, which is more common in single infants than multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that triplets, twins and higher-order multiples have their own space to sleep in. This can be achieved by using a separate bassinet, or twin bedside crib co sleeper crib that you can place on your bed to feed or comfort one of the babies during the night.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently issued recommendations to reduce the risk of SIDS by encouraging room sharing and avoiding cobedding, many families with twins and multiples find 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 life at home were engaged in dangerous sleep practices.
Parents of twins may not follow current SIDS recommendations due to the desire to sleep longer and lack of space at home to accommodate multiple cribs. Additionally the socioeconomic standing of a family can influence their choices regarding sleeping arrangements.
When twins are placed together in a crib or Moses basket, they can easily be entangled by their bedding and could choke on one another. If you decide to place your twins in the same cot together, make sure they are placed in an area where their feet are next to their heads and their bedding is placed in each cot securely. This will lessen the possibility of them colliding on each other.
A bassinet that is positioned at the bedside, like the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the most secure and easier options for twins that want to sleep separately. This double bassinet comes with a mesh wall that separates twins to give them each their own safe, flat sleep surface. It can rotate 360 degrees to bring one of your babies closer to you for feedings or calming without leaving the comfort of your bed. The side walls lower and automatically return when you move. It’s also easy to clean and can be tucked away in the standard twin bed frame. Take a look at the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It comes with the same features as the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
The arrival of twins or multiples into the world is a major life altering. They also require a lot of planning and thinking in regards to their sleeping arrangements and how they will get a good sleep. While the decisions regarding their future room can be made as they age parents often ask how they can help them to feel comfortable in the beginning stages.
When twins are still young, it is possible to share a cot. Co-bedding is a method of soothing newborns by bringing them back to their womb. It is important to make sure that the beds are big enough to allow infants to be comfortable without having to touch each other or roll around. It is important to remember that the baby that awakes first should be fed. It is helpful to coordinate feeding times at night so that you can get one of them up earlier than the other.
However, it is important to keep in mind that twins can be very different and they might develop their own sleep patterns. You might find that one child wakes more than the other or they prefer to be nearer to you. In this instance it may be beneficial for the twins to share their own bassinet or crib in their room.
When shopping for a twin bedside baby sleeper cot look for models with breathable mesh dividers to create distinct sleeping spaces. This is important for babies who are susceptible to heat stroke or for families where 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 option because it offers a huge sleeping space and is easy to maneuver. The Graco Pack ‘n Play or Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel are also alternatives, but they have a smaller sleeping space 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 close. 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 bassinets or cribs, in their parents’ room for the first six months.