While it's tempting to wonder whether your twins might sleep better together, the only safe snoozing setup is to place each baby in his own crib or bassinet. Sticking with safe sleep guidelines is always crucial, but it's especially important for twins.
Some experts argue that twins need separate cribs to avoid the risk of SIDS. There isn't enough evidence to suggest that co-bedding is danger-free. In the same crib, twins can potentially roll on their sides to face each other, which isn't safe — infants need to sleep on their backs.
You can put your twins to sleep in a single cot while they're small enough. 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.
Risks and Benefits of Twins Sleeping Together
1 Multiples who are co-bedded seem to sleep better, gain weight better, have fewer episodes of apnea and bradycardia, and (as long as they're about the same size), keep each other warm.
Identical twins may say that they are not attracted to the same people. However, researcher Nancy Segal surmises that twins actually feel the same attractions, but as soon as one twin makes her interest known, the second twin will not pursue the other's object of interest.
Tancredy & Fraley conducted a study in 2006, where they measured how twins generally perceive their relationships. This study concluded that twins are more likely than non-twin siblings to view their sibling as an attachment figure. They are also less likely than non-twins to use their parents as attachment figures.
Safer sleep for twins: FAQs
The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket. Sharing a bed with an adult is a significant risk for babies born prematurely or at a low birth-weight, which is common in multiples.
The safest place for your babies to sleep is on their own sleep surface. If you prefer to have your newborns in your master bedroom with you, you'll likely need two bassinets. Then the twins can graduate to full-size cribs in their own nursery after several months (or when you feel it is time for them to move on).
Separating twins may also become necessary if they are too emotionally and socially dependent on each other. It can be easy for twins to fall into the “we're two” mentality, as opposed to seeing themselves for the unique individuals they are.
Double the essential nursery gear
It's best to get each baby their own crib with a crib mattress, covers and sheets. Thankfully you don't need to get two of everything for the nursery—opt for a dual baby monitor that lets you keep an eye on both babies simultaneously, as well as a larger dresser for all their stuff.
The AAP clearly states that each baby should sleep on his or her own sleep surface, and not in the bed with an adult. Before you're ready to put the babies in their own cribs in the nursery, use two portable cribs or a double bassinet for twins, such as the HALO® Bassinest® twin sleeper.
We believe that you never need to feel obligated to invite both of our children anywhere just because they are twins! Learning to function independently from their twin is important. It is just as important for Timmy and Tommy to cultivate friendships that exist outside of their sibling relationship!
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.
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.
Twins and other multiple-birth individuals can suffer from much deeper and troubling loneliness than single-born individuals. Separation anxiety, which often begins at birth, is the underlying cause of loneliness for twins.
Cuddles work wonders for multiples or twins crying at the same time. To safely cuddle all your babies on your chest at the same time it is easiest to sit on the floor. Lay the babies on their backs, side by side and put one arm under their necks and one arm under their bottoms.
It is likely that twins' awareness of one another starts sooner than seven or eight months of age. An article by the late doctor, T. Berry Brazelton, observed that at age three to four months, an infant identical female twin seemed disoriented when her sister was removed from the room.
The results suggest that twin fetuses are aware of their counterparts in the womb, that they prefer to interact with them, and that they respond to them in special ways.
There's no doubt that having twins is more expensive than having one baby. However, there are also some ways that having twins would be more expensive than having two children of different ages.
Cards to twins: A card for each twin
Just like gifts, cards should be sent to each twin. Realistically, if you are giving a gift, cards won't be missed that much and so no card is better than one card to share.
Recognize that each twin or triplet deserves one-on-one time with parents. Encourage each child to develop their own outside friendships. Don't expect constant harmony when they are together; rather, build space into the multiples' relationship by providing opportunities for individual playdates and activities.