This is called co-bedding and is perfectly safe. In fact, putting twins in the same cot can help them regulate their body temperatures and sleep cycles, and can soothe them and their twin.
Unless you have many extra bedrooms in your house with no one using them, it makes more sense to keep twins or multiples in the same room. If you are worried that their noises will wake each other up, keeping them together will help them get used to each other's sounds, rarely disturbing their sleep.
In fact, once twins get the hang of sleep, they might even outshine non-twins in the zzz's department. As obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Manju Monga tells WebMD, “Young twins are easier to raise, have each other to play with, and sleep better than singletons once they turn 2.”
There are definitely some difference and a lot of extra factors that come into play but I've actually come to find that my twin babies are my best sleepers. They are so adaptable and resilient - they've had to be! They have to be able to sleep through their siblings' noises and that can be a lot of noise!
Should twins sleep together? The AAP safe sleep guidelines recommend that twins each have their own separate and safe sleep space. Toddler twins tend to move around in their sleep a lot and for sure need their own crib or toddler bed.
Play it safe
Be sure to always: Place your twins in separate sleep spaces. It bears repeating: Twin babies should be put down in separate, safe sleep surfaces such as cribs, bassinets or pack 'n plays. Put your twins to sleep on their backs.
Safe sleep guidelines would suggest that twins be moved into separate beds once they are more mobile; moving into each other's space, causing a risk to one another. The other reason you might consider moving twins into separate beds would be if one consistently wakes the other one up.
Consistent bedtime routines are important for all babies, but especially so for twins. Start off with bathtime and then dim the lights, play some lullabies, read books and offer a cozy before-bed feeding. Repeat the same routine every night so your babies will know bedtime is coming soon.
The reality is that although a good night's sleep is coming, it is safe to assume that your twins will be waking each other up during the night. And it's not just twins. Often two children of different ages who share a room will wake each other as they get used to sharing a room.
You Can Only Control the Things Within Your Control. “Having twins is not twice as hard—it's exponentially more difficult,” says Natalie Diaz, author of What To Do When You're Having Two and CEO of Twiniversity, a global support network for parents of twins.
The hardest thing about having twins is...
“Managing the movement of two babies. Carrying them both up and down the stairs, getting them into the car, etc.” —Simeon R. “Often having to make one baby wait!” —Catharine D. “Being outnumbered—the logistics of two on one is definitely the hardest.
Some say that twins are always hard (yet amazing), while others say they truly didn't find them to be difficult. A few said that the first two months with twins are easy (being in the rose-colored glasses phase), then reality hits from months 3-6 (when the sleep deprivation catches up), then it can get easier again.
At three months:
The three-month stage marks the end of the “fourth trimester” and your twins can better adapt to life outside the womb. For one thing, they'll sleep in longer stretches of about three- to four-hour chunks.
Swaddle the Babies
Newborns are accustomed to the close confines of the womb and sharing that space with their co-twin. Many multiples are comforted by the act of swaddling. Being wrapped up "burrito style" may give your babies a sense of safety and security that helps them fall asleep and sleep more soundly.
Both co-bedded and separate sleeping twins should be put down to sleep on their backs, as this reduces the risk of SIDS compared to side or tummy sleeping.
Some twins will start sleeping through the night as early as 8-10 weeks. Typically you can start seeing longer sleep stretches around 12 weeks. Many twins wait until 4-6 months. The bottom line is that every twin is different.
This is called co-bedding and is perfectly safe. In fact, putting twins in the same cot can help them regulate their body temperatures and sleep cycles, and can soothe them and their twin. If you put your twins in the same cot, follow the same safe sleeping advice as for a single baby.
Many experiments over the years have failed to prove that twins feel each other's pain.
Twins can occur either when two separate eggs become fertilized in the womb or when a single fertilized egg splits into two embryos. Having twins is more common now than it was in the past. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , twin births have nearly doubled over the last 40 years.
If your child isn't a snuggler or feels safer in a smaller bed, there's definitely nothing wrong with going from crib to toddler bed to twin-sized bed—or any other variation. The most important thing is doing what's right for you and your child.
Bottom Line: When it comes down to it, you know your twins best. If you feel that separating them would have a negative effect on them, then advocate for them to remain together. And if you (and/or they) believe they'd do better apart, choose that route. Remember, no decision has to be permanent.
Twins begin interacting as early as the 14th week of gestation.
Do multiples cry at the same time? Sure, there will be instances when one baby is in tears and the other follows suit. But they won't always wail at the same time just because they're multiples.
One crib is fine in the beginning.
"If they sleep better when they know the other is close by, crib-sharing can last up until they move into their childhood beds." Many parents may make the switch to two cribs when the twins begin to roll, bump into one another, and wake each other up, she says.
Cobedding is the placement of two or more multiple-birth infants in the same crib, bed, or incubator. The dose proximity of a multiple sibling is thought to replicate the intrauterine environment and ease extrauterine transition.