Twin Bedside Cot: The Good The Bad And The Ugly
Choosing a bedside cot for twins (similar site)
Twins in the newborn stage sleep best close to one another However, it's crucial to follow safe sleeping recommendations. The right crib arrangement can help your twins develop the same routine of sleeping.
A double bassinet that has the option of dividing can be an ideal option for twins. These portable beds let parents keep their children close during diaper changes as well as mid-night meals. They also work well for babies who may outgrow their bassinets prior to 2 years old.
Space-Saving
Twins can sleep together in a bedside travel cot cot provided you adhere to the safe guidelines for sleeping (that's to say that they should be lying on their backs with the tops of their heads overlapping each other and feet at opposite ends of the cot). They can also co-sleep in a Moses basket or a regular crib once they're big enough.
We are in love with this Delta double bassinet, which includes a mesh divider, so that babies can stay separate, yet close to each and each other. It also comes with a storage compartment for wipes and snacks. It's also foldable making it easy to move around the house and take on trips.
This EZ Fold Twin Bassinet, available at Walmart, swivels so that you can bring your twins closer to you to feed them and calm them. The sides can be lowered and raised for easy access, and are secured for safety. It's a little larger and heavier than other options, but it's perfect for second floors or grandparent' houses and comes with its own travel bag. It's also much cheaper than the Halo Bassinest Twin.
Convenience
Parents of twins might be enticed to place their babies in one crib or bassinet however, this is not recommended. Rednose recommends that twins have their own safe sleeping space (crib or portable crib or bassinet) in the room of the parents or caregivers until they reach the age of 12 months old to lower the risk of SIDS. This is known as co-bedding. It has been proven that twins who have grown in this environment develop a more synchronized sleeping pattern.
One of the easiest ways to achieve this is by using a twin bedside cot, like the Teknum FELLOW 2, which comes with two separate bedding sets, so that each baby can have an area that is comfortable and private. The bedside rocking crib cot can easily be moved from room to room when necessary, and also makes it easy to check on babies without having to wake them by re-entering their sleeping zone or disrupting their sleep patterns.
Double bassinets are a different option. They allow babies to sleep side-byside, and they're perfect for feedings or diaper changes during the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for instance, comes with an air-tight mesh partition and an adjustable height to ensure that each baby can be seen and reached throughout the night, and the sides of the sleeper can be raised and lowered to allow easy access. Walmart's Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet, which is a cheaper alternative, comes with two sleep zones separated by a mesh panel, which allows babies to see each other. The sleeper also rotates around 360 degrees to give an easy access for infants.
Many parents have discovered that co-bedding twins with a moses basket, or a small bassinette, is a great 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 by a medical professional. They will make sure that the infants are correctly placed in a crib with their feet at the bottom of the crib and all bedding is tucked into.
Safety
When twins are sleeping together, the most important security feature is that each baby has his or her individual space to sleep. This will prevent every baby from being smothered, choked, or otherwise being choking by the other. It also helps prevent cot death, which is more prevalent in infants with one parent than in multiples.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that tritons, twins and higher-ordered triplets have their own sleeping space. The best method to achieve this is by having an additional bassinet or twin bedside cots that could be placed close to your bed when you feed or soothe one of your babies throughout the night.
While recent SIDS risk reduction guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage room sharing with a parent and disallow cobedding, the reality is that a lot of families with twins and higher-order multiples have difficulty complying with these guidelines (1). A previous study found that the majority of families with 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 risk reduction guidelines due to a desire to extend their own sleep time and a lack of space to accommodate multiple cribs in the home. Additionally the socioeconomic standing of a family could influence their choices regarding sleep arrangements.
If twins are placed in a small Moses basket or crib, their bedding can easily get caught in their midst and they could choke eachother. If you choose to put your twins in the same cot, it is essential to place them in the position of feet-to-head and have their bedding securely tucked into each cot to limit the possibility of them colliding with each other.
A bedside bassinet, such as the Halo Bassinest Twin, is one of the most secure and more convenient options for twins that want to be able to sleep independently. This double bassinet features mesh walls that separate twins to give them each their own secure and comfortable, flat sleeping surface. It can be swiveled 360 degrees, meaning you can bring your child closer to you without leaving your bed. The side walls automatically lower and return with each movement. It is also easy to clean and can be tucked away into the standard twin-sized bed frame. Check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It comes with the same features to the Halo Bassinest.
Comfort
Welcoming twins or multiples to the world is an enormous life altering. They require plenty of thought and preparation 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 from an early age.
It is possible for twins to share a single cot if they are small. This is called co-bedding and can provide excellent comfort for babies as it brings them back to the womb. It is crucial to make sure that the beds are large enough to allow infants to be comfortable without touching each other or roll around. It is also important to remember that the baby who awakes first must be fed. It is helpful to coordinate nighttime feeds to ensure that you awake one baby prior to the other.
It is crucial to keep in mind that twins are distinct and may develop their own sleep patterns. You may find that one baby sleeps more than the other or is more comfortable being close to you. In this instance it might be best to give each twin a separate crib or bassinet.
When looking for a twin bedside rocking crib cot ensure that it has breathable mesh dividers to create separate sleeping zones. This is essential for babies who are at risk of heat stroke or for families in which mothers have had a c-section. Reversible bases and wheels that are easy to maneuver are also helpful features. The Arm's Reach cot is a great choice for these purposes because it has a large sleeping area and is designed with c-section moms in mind. Other options include the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel however, they have less sleeping space than the Arm's Reach cot.
Even if they're extremely close, it is not recommended that twins share a bed with an adult. There is a higher risk of SIDS, and can cause suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment. Instead, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that twins remain in their safe sleeping spaces, such as cribs or bassinets, in their parents' rooms for the first six months.