Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins

Newborn twins sleep best when close to each other, but it's important to adhere to safe sleeping guidelines. The right crib arrangement will aid your twins in developing an established routine for sleep.

A double bassinet that has the option of dividing can be the ideal choice for twins. These portable beds let parents keep their infants close for diaper changes and feedings at night. These beds are also great for babies who are likely to outgrow their baby bassinets when they reach the age of toddlerhood.

Space-Saving

As long as you adhere to 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 pointing towards each other and their feet at opposite ends. When they're big enough, they can also sleep together in a Moses Basket or a regular crib.

This Delta double bassinet features a mesh divider that allows babies to be separated, but still close. It also comes with a storage compartment for snacks and wipes. It's also foldable which makes it easy to move around the house and take on excursions.

Another alternative is this EZ Fold Twin Bassinet from Walmart It can swivel to bring fussy twins closer to you for feedings and soothing. The sides can be raised or lowered to make it easier to access them and they are secured for security. It's a bit bigger and heavier than other models but is great for the second-floor or grandparents' homes. It also comes with a travel bag. It's also a lot 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 given their own secure sleeping space (crib or bassinet or portable crib) in the room of the parent or caregiver until they turn 12 months old in order to reduce 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 type of sleeping environment typically have a more synchronized sleep pattern than twins who sleep on their own.

One of the most efficient ways to achieve this is by using a twin bedside cot, like the Teknum FELLOW 2, that comes with two distinct bedding sets to ensure that each baby has a personal and comfortable space. This bedside cot mattress cot is able to easily be moved from room to another as necessary, and also makes it easy to check on the babies without having to wake them up by re-entering their sleep zone or disrupting their rhythms.

Double bassinets are an alternative. They allow infants to be side-by-side, and are perfect for feedings or 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 lower and raise for easy access. Walmart's Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet which is a less expensive alternative, comes with two sleep zones that are separated by a mesh, which allows babies to see each other. The sleeper can also rotate around 360 degrees, allowing easy access to the infants.

Many parents have found that bedding twins in moses baskets, or a smaller bassinette, could be a good option in situations of a short duration, such as a hospital stay or a family visit. This should only be done with the supervision of a healthcare provider. They will ensure that the babies are appropriately placed, with their feet at the foot of the crib and all bedding is tucked in.

Safety

The most important security feature when it comes to twins is that both babies have their own sleeping space. This ensures that each baby isn't smothered or trapped by the other. This also helps avoid deaths in the cot, which are 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. The best way to accomplish this is with an additional bassinet or twin bedside cot 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 decrease the risk of SIDS by encouraging room sharing and discouraging cobedding, many families with multiples and twins find it difficult to adhere to these guidelines (1). A previous study found that a majority of families of twins who were cobedded during the first 3 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 the lack of space in their home to accommodate multiple cribs. Additionally, the socioeconomic status of a family could affect their the arrangement of their sleep.

If twins are placed side-by-side in a tiny crib or Moses basket, they can easily become entangled by their bedding and potentially choke on each other. If you decide to place your twins in the same cot together ensure that they are placed in the position where their feet are next to their heads and their bedding is tucked into each cot securely. This will reduce the possibility of them colliding on each other.

A bassinet that is positioned at the bedside crib travel, like the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the safer and most convenient options for twins that want to sleep in a separate bed. This double bassinet comes with an insulated mesh wall that separates twins so that they each have their own safe, flat sleep surface. It swivels a full 360 degrees so you can bring one of your babies closer to you for feedings or to soothe without having to leave the comfort of your bed. Its sides lower and auto-return when you move. It is also easy to clean and fits into a standard twin-sized bed frame. Check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It has the same features to the Halo Bassinest.

Comfort

Welcoming twins or multiples to the world is a major life-changing. Not least, they require a lot of planning and consideration when it comes to their sleeping arrangements and how they can get a good night's sleep. While decisions regarding their bedroom space can be taken when they are older parents often ask what they can do to help them get comfortable in the early stages.

It is possible for twins to share a cot when they are very small. Co-bedding is a method of soothing newborns by bringing them back to their mother's 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. It is also important to keep in mind that the baby who waks first needs to be fed. It is helpful to coordinate night feeds so that you can get one baby up before the other.

However, it is important to keep in mind that twins can be very different and they might have their own sleep routines. It could be that one of them wakes more frequently than the other or they prefer to be close to you. In this instance it is possible to provide each twin with their own crib or bassinet.

When you are looking for a twin bedside cot ensure that it has air-tight mesh dividers that create separate sleeping zones. This is important for babies who are susceptible to heat stroke or for families where moms have had a c-section. A reversible base and wheels that are easy to move are also useful features. The Arm's Reach cot, which is specifically designed for mothers with c-sections is a great option due to its large sleeping area and is easy to move. Other options include the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swivel however, they have a smaller sleeping area than the Arm's Reach cot.

Even if they're extremely close, it's not recommended for twins to share a bed with an adult. This can increase the risk of SIDS and lead to suffocation or strangulation. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins be in their own bassinets or cribs in the parents' room for the first six months.