Twinfo
One of the main concerns many parents have when they take their twins or triplets home is what they should do in regards to the sleeping arrangements of their little ones. Should they go into separate cots? Bassinets? Let them sleep together?
There are many ways that you can prepare yourself for the sleeping of your little ones and chances are a method that worked for someone else may not work for you. It is a bit of trial and error working out what works and there are probably going to be a few (or more) sleepless nights whilst you are working out what works and what doesn’t.
Regardless of what you choose, please ensure you read the SIDS guidelines for twins:
https://rednose.org.au/article/co-bedding-twins
Bassinets – Bassinets are only small and if you are choosing to use a bassinet then you will need several – one for each baby. The good thing about bassinets is that they can be easily in the same room with you and saves less mucking around in the middle of the night for feeding.
Shared cot – many people skip the bassinet stage all together with twins or triplets and put the babies in the same cot together. Either side to side or at opposite ends of the cot. The babies were so close together during utero and this comfort of being close to their sibling is what they know best. Even in the hospital at times they will be put in the same humidity crib to help with their growth and development. As they get older and start rolling around in the cot you will need to separate them to avoid them waking each other up with flailing arms and legs.
Separate Cots – Once the babies are too big for their bassinets or if you skipped the bassinets all together you can then put them into separate cots. This gives them their own room and freedom to move around if they are an active bub. Some babies will sleep soundly from day one in a cot where as others may be unsettled due to the amount of room around them.
After deciding on the type of bedding they will have the next question is whether you are going to have them in the same room as you or not. Many parents will have their newborn in the same room as them for the first few months for various reasons including eliminating too much stimulation during the night when doing feeding and for the comfort and security of being close to the parents. Others will choose to put their newborns straight into their own room to get them use to it and not have to deal with having to transition them across at a later stage.
With all of the methods of sleeping arrangements ensure that you are not using loose blankets or bumpers around the cot or bassinet that may be seen as a SIDS risk. Using sleeping bags or wraps help to keep the babies secure and warm through the night to aid a good night sleep.
Whichever method you choose, remember there is no wrong or right. If you choose to put the babies in their own room from the start there is nothing wrong with that. If you want to have them close to you during the night this is also fine. You need to find what works for you, what helps you and the babies to get the best sleep possible and what makes you happy.
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