Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins

It is best to keep your twins in the infant stage close together, but you should also adhere to the safety guidelines for sleeping. Selecting the best crib arrangement will aid in the development of an established routine for sleep.

A double bassinet that has an divider is a great option for twins. These portable beds let parents keep their babies near for middle-of-the-night feeds and diaper changes. They are also great for babies who may outgrow their bassinets before 2 years old.

Space-Saving

As long as you adhere to safe sleeping guidelines, twins are able to sleep in a bedside crib that turns into cot crib side-by-side. They should be positioned on their backs, with their heads touching and their feet on 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 has mesh dividers that allow children to be separated but still close. It also comes with a storage compartment for snacks and wipes. It is also foldable bedside crib which makes it easy to move around the house or travel with on trips.

Another alternative is this EZ Fold Twin Bassinet from Walmart It can swivel to bring fussy twins closer to you for feeding and calming. The sides can be raised and lowered to make it easier to access them and they are locked in place for security. It's a bit heavier and longer than other options, but it's great for second floors or grandparent homes and comes with its own travel bag. It's also less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.

Convenience

While many parents of twins might be enticed to put the twins together in a single bassinet or crib, this is generally not recommended. Rednose suggests that twins have their own safe sleeping space (crib or portable crib or bassinet) in the room of the parents/caregivers until they reach the age of 12 months to lower the chance of SIDS. This arrangement is also referred to as co-bedding. It has been observed that twins who have been accustomed to this sleep environment will typically have a more synchronized sleep pattern than those who sleep on their own.

One of the most efficient ways to make this work is by using a twin bedside cot, like the Teknum FELLOW 2 that comes with two distinct bedding sets, so that each baby can have a personal and twin bedside cot comfortable space. The bedside rocking crib cot can easily be moved from room to room as required, and provides a convenient way to check on the babies without having to wake them by re-entering their sleeping space or disrupting their rhythms.

Double bassinets are a different option. 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 has a breathable mesh panel and adjustable height to allow each baby to be seen and reachable at all times. The sides of the sleeper also adjust to lower and raise for quick access. If you're looking for a more affordable option, 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 mattress is able to rotate 360 degrees, giving an easy access to every infant.

For short-term situations, such as an unexpected family visit or hospital stay Parents have reported success with co-bedding twins in large moses baskets or a small bassinette that has dividers. This should only be done with the supervision of by a healthcare professional. They will make sure that the babies are appropriately placed, with their feet at the foot of the crib and all bedding put into.

Safety

The most important safety feature when it comes to twins is that each baby have their own bed. This will prevent the baby from being smothered, choked, or otherwise being choking by the other. This also helps to avoid cot deaths, which are more frequent with single infants than multiples.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins, triplets and higher-order multiples get their own sleep space. This can be accomplished by using an additional bassinet, or twin bedside crib and cot crib that you can bring up to your bed to feed or comfort one of your babies during 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 find it difficult to follow these guidelines (1). A previous study documented that a large 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 follow the current SIDS guidelines due to a desire to sleep longer and lack of space at home to accommodate multiple cribs. In addition, socioeconomic status could affect the family's decisions regarding the arrangement of their sleep.

If twins are positioned together in a crib or Moses basket, they may easily be entangled by their bedding, and possibly choke on each other. If you choose to sleep your twins together in the same cot it is essential to place them in the feet-to-head position and have their bedding secured in the cots to reduce the chance of them smothering each other.

A bedside bassinet, such as the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the safer and more convenient options for twins that want to sleep in a separate bed. The double bassinet comes with a mesh wall to divide twins and give them their own safe, flat sleep surface. It rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to bring one of your babies closer to you for feedings or soothing without leaving the comfort of your bed. The side walls lower and automatically return with each movement. It's also easy to clean and can be tucked away in a standard twin bed frame. Check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It comes with the same features as the Halo Bassinest.

Comfort

It is a major life change to welcome twins or multiples into the world. They require plenty of planning and consideration especially when it comes to the place they will sleep and how they'll get a good night's 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 single cot if they are small. Co-bedding is a method for helping newborns feel at ease by reminding them of their womb. It is crucial to make sure that the beds are big enough to allow 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 waks first must be fed. It is helpful to coordinate night feeds so that you can awake one baby prior to the other.

It is important to be aware that twins have different sleeping patterns. You may find that one baby sleeps more than the other or prefers to be close to you. In this instance it could be beneficial for the twins to have their own bassinet or crib in their room.

When shopping for a twin bedside cot, look for models with ventilated mesh dividers that can create separate sleeping zones. This is especially important for babies who are prone to overheating, or for families with c-section moms. 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 due to its large bedside cot sleeping space and is easy to maneuver. Other options are the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel but they have less sleeping space than the Arm's Reach cot.

Even if they're very close, it is not recommended that twins share a bed with an adult. There is a higher risk of SIDS and may result in suffocation strangulation or entrapment. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins should be kept in their bassinets or cribs in their parents' bedrooms for the first six months.