Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins
Newborn twins sleep best when close to each other It's vital to adhere to the safe sleep guidelines. Selecting the best crib arrangement can help your twins develop a consistent sleep routine.
A double bassinet with the option of dividing it is a great choice for twins. These portable beds allow parents to keep their infants close for mid-night feedings and diaper changes. They also work well for babies who may outgrow their bassinets prior to 2 years old.
Space-Saving
If you follow safe sleeping guidelines, twins are able to sleep in a bedside crib side-by-side. They should be placed on their backs, with their heads touching and their feet on the opposite ends. When they're old enough, they can also sleep together in a Moses Basket or a regular crib.
This Delta double bassinet has a mesh partition that allows babies to be separated, but still close. It also has a convenient storage pocket to keep snacks and wipes close by as well. It's also foldable making it easy to move around the house and take 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 comfort them. The sides can be raised and lowered to make it easier to access them and they are locked in place for safety. It's a bit heavier and longer than some other options, but it's great for grandparents' or second-floor homes and comes with a travel bag. It's also less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
It is not recommended that parents of twins put their babies in the same crib or bassinet. Rednose suggests that twins have their own safe sleeping area (crib or portable crib or bassinet) in the room of the parents or caregivers until they reach 12 months to reduce the risk for SIDS. This is referred to as co-bedding. It has been proven that twins who have grown up in this environment develop a more coordinated sleeping pattern.
A twin bedside cot like the Teknum FELLOW 2 is a fantastic method to achieve this. It comes with two sets of bedding so that each baby gets their own space. This bedside cot is also easily moved from one room to the next depending on the need. It provides a convenient and easy way to check on your babies without disturbing their sleep patterns or wake them up.
Double bassinets are a different option. They allow babies to sleep side-byside, and they're perfect for diaper changes or feedings in the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin has a mesh panel that is breathable and adjustable in height that allows each baby to be seen and reachable at all times. The sides of the sleeper lower and raise for easy access. If you're looking for a more affordable option, the Walmart-exclusive Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet is similar, featuring two separate sleeping zones, separated by mesh panels that allow babies to see each other and the entire bed can rotate 360 degrees to give ease of access for each infant.
Many parents have discovered that co-bedding twins with a moses basket, or a small bassinette can be a good solution for situations that are temporary, like hospital stays or a visit to the family. However, this should be done only under the supervision of a medical professional to ensure that the babies are properly positioned in a cot, with their feet at the foot of the cot, and all bedding properly tucked in to prevent them from suffocating.
Safety
When twins are sleeping together, the most crucial security feature is that each baby has his or her individual space to sleep. This helps prevent the baby from being smothered, choked, or otherwise choking by the other. It also helps to prevent deaths in the cot, which are more common in single babies than in multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that tritons, twins and higher-ordered multiples have their own space to sleep in. The best method to achieve this is with a separate bassinet or twin bedside cots that can be placed close to your bed when you're feeding or soothing one of your babies throughout the night.
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently issued guidelines to lower the risk of SIDS by encouraging room sharing and avoiding 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 who co-bedded their children in the first three months of their lives at home engaged in unsafe sleeping habits.
Parents of twins may not follow current SIDS recommendations due to the desire to sleep longer and the absence of space in the home to accommodate multiple cribs. Furthermore, socioeconomic status may affect the family's decisions regarding the arrangement of their sleep.
If twins are positioned side-by-side in a tiny crib or Moses basket, they may easily get caught in their bedding, and possibly choke on one another. If you decide to place your twins in the same cot together ensure they are placed in an area that their feet are right next to their heads and that their bedding is tucked into the cots securely. This will lessen the chances of them choking on each one.
A bassinet that is positioned at the bedside, like the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the most secure and most convenient options for twins who want to sleep separately. This double bassinet has a mesh wall to separate twins and give them their own flat, safe sleeping surface. It can rotate 360 degrees to bring your baby closer to you for feedings or calming while still in the comfortable bed, and its sides lower and auto-return with each movement. It is also easy to clean and can be tucked away into a standard twin-sized bed frame. Take a look at the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It has the same features as the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
Welcoming twins or multiples to the world is a major life change. They also require a lot of preparation and thought when it comes to their sleeping arrangements and how they can get a good sleep. Parents often wonder what they can do to help their children feel comfortable at an early age.
It is possible for twins to share a single cot when they are very small. This is known as co-bedding and it can be a excellent comfort for babies as it helps them remember the womb. It is important to make sure the beds are large enough for babies to feel comfortable without touching each other or rolling around. It is important to remember that the baby that awakes first should be fed. It is helpful to coordinate night feeds in order to wake up one baby before the other.
It is important to keep in mind that twins can have very different sleep patterns. It could be that one child wakes more frequently than the other or prefers to be closer to you. In this case it could be beneficial for twins to have their own crib or bassinet in their room.
When shopping for a twin bedside cot, look for models that feature ventilated mesh dividers that can create separate sleeping areas. bedside crib with wheels is crucial for infants who are susceptible to heat stroke or families whose mothers have had a C-section. A reversible base and wheels that are easy to maneuver are also beneficial features. The Arm's Reach cot is an excellent choice for these purposes because it has a large sleeping area and is designed with mothers who have c-sections in mind. Other options are the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel, but they have smaller sleeping areas than the Arm's Reach cot.
Even if they're extremely close, it's not recommended to let twins share the bed with an adult. This increases the risk of SIDS, and may result in suffocation strangulation or entrapment. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins be in their own bassinets or cribs in the parents' room for the first 6 months.