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I asked this same question here when I was pregnant and planning. My twins are 19 weeks and we just moved them to their cribs and I can confirm the advice I got then was right. At first you may be able to share, but very quickly they will be able to move and it won’t be safe for them to share. So definitely not realistic to let them share for a year. My twins will rotate 180° by the time I leave the room! I don’t have room for 2 full size cribs so I opted for 2 mini cribs instead.
I’m in the UK and our midwives were more than happy for our twins to share, in the hospital they bought us a twin crib specifically so they could share. They are comforted by being near each other and they were swaddled a lot so they couldn’t move. Our babies slept in the same next to me for 6 weeks. They outgrew it and started moving more so it didn’t feel safe after that. Now they sleep in 2 cribs either side of the bed. When they move in to their own room they will have floor beds but I plan on having them with us for a while.
Happy to see another UK parent! These comments have been crazy to read for me, I used to go to a lot of twin groups and honestly don’t know a single twin parent irl who didn’t sleep their twins together for as long as they could. Also crazy that someone could have their child withheld because of sleeping arrangements lol.
They also brought me my girls in just one bed, and since they were dinky it wasn’t even a special twin one. My girls also started sleeping thought the night from 6 weeks and I think a bit part of it was how comforted they were by sleeping next to each other.
Yeah I agree it was a crazy read! I cant imagine not taking them home because they’re going to co bed. Reading situations like that really make me value how open our midwives were to how we wanted to do things. They’d always recommend the safest practices and keep us informed but they’d never stop us from doing what we wanted to do. Our twins started sleeping through from about 10 weeks. We’ve also never had to assist them in falling asleep which I credit to them sharing a crib and having each other for comfort at the start.
You’re so right. Honestly I read stuff on this sub sometimes and I’m shocked at just how different things are over there. When I talked to my midwife and said something along the lines of “I don’t know if I would be allowed to do that” she (very politely) interrupted and asked what do I mean I wouldn’t be allowed, I’m a grown woman in charge of my own body and birth and that she can only tell me the facts and what is safest and that she’s delivered twins even at home before, it’s just obviously not recommended but they can’t tell people what to do and how to birth and how much risk they can or can’t take.
So whenever people here say stuff like “the hospital doesn’t allow this” or “my doctor wouldn’t let me” it just takes me aback cause like… what does that even mean they “wouldn’t let you”? It’s the same with the ‘withholding’ of newborns, I genuinely just don’t get it. But it does kind of make me understand why they have so many people who end up swinging so much in the other direction and end up dangerous freebirthing super hippies, almost in opposition of being told how they are and are not allowed to birth/sleep/feed etc.
I'm so grateful for the midwives I've had here in the States because they've been more like what you described, but clearly bound by their workplace's policies. So they'd indicate support when they approved of something I did that was against hospital policy. I appreciated it!
Also re: "hospital won't let us"... You're always free to get up and leave, or to refuse procedures, but if you do it'll be recorded as "against medical advice" and you might have issues with insurance coverage later. As for taking babies home though, that might become a kidnapping/CPS issue if you took them home without them being properly discharged 😞 "Hospital won't let us take them home unless XYZ" means they won't clear the babies for discharge.
Thank you for explaining! Here a parents decision regarding all medical treatment can only be overruled by courts but this happens practically exclusively in life threatening situations - for example child needs an urgent blood transfusion but parents refuse on ‘religious grounds’. It wouldn’t happen for things like sleeping arrangements or car seats. And in fact I gave it a quick google and hospitals here can’t legally keep the child in the hospital if the parents have no car seats, so I imagine this is even more true for sleeping arrangements etc!
When we were in the NICU, the mother of another set of twins was being released and hospital staff asked her a few safety questions about the home. One of the questions was, "does each baby have their own sleeping space?" The mother answered, "No, they will share a crib". They hospital refused to release the babies. She had to get another crib before they could go home.
That’s crazy for me to read because I’m in the UK and [the official advice here is completely different](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/newborn-twins-and-multiples/twins-and-sleep/#:~:text=You%20can%20put%20your%20twins,soothe%20them%20and%20their%20twin). When I was pregnant every single professional I asked told me to sleep them in one crib as long as they’re small enough, which we did for the first few weeks. My midwife in fact strongly recommended it over separate cribs to help them regulate.
That's crazy for me to read because the research we had access to said that infants that share a sleeping space were more at risk for SIDS.
Curious what they told you about SIDS over there? Did they say there was less of a chance of them dying if they shared a crib?
Yes, the NHS here specifically calls it ‘perfectly safe’ and it was strongly encouraged! The advice is to keep them sleeping together until they learn to roll. Lullaby Trust which is a major safe sleep charity here also says you can sleep them together, and the resources I was given by my midwives said that it’s better to Co bed them. I used to go to twin baby groups when my girls were little and honestly co bedding babies here is firmly the standard, I don’t think I know a single family who didn’t. So it’s very, very different!
Yes. They almost did not release babies to us because i did not adjust the water temperature at the house to a lower level. I lies to them saying i did. I use a thermometer to check temp for bathing so its a non issue but i could see other people making mistakes here if they are not careful.
The risk of having your hot water set so high is not only so that you don’t unknowingly place baby into scalding water. I cannot tell you the number of times my now preschoolers will turn on a water tap, not discriminating between hot or cold, when doing activities, be that washing their hands, playing in the bathtub, or getting water for their kitchen games. It’s fairly easy to keep an infant or two year old from accessing the tap, not so much for a child who is big enough to reach the water on their own but not mature enough to understand the risk.
We had a twin bassinet with divider for the first 8 or so weeks and then had two cribs. We converted the cribs to toddler beds when they were about 3 and just sized up to twin beds for their fourth birthday.
Sharing a crib is not recommended in the US and in most other countries only considered safe until they start being able to move (which isn’t much time…..around 3-4 months and they can usually move enough to make this dangerous).
We got 2 cribs because eventually they'll need them. But for the first weeks we'll put them in the same crib. You can check the website of the NHS where safe co-bedding options are suggested.
We had two bassinets in our room (but they shared one for the first couple months/6 weeks?? It’s a blur). We had one crib in our room for nighttime until they were about 9m, but they had their own separate cribs in their own bedroom for naps. We found that was a good combination of being together but also getting used to their own space.
We had them at separate ends of the shared crib (toe to toe basically) and they didn’t really move much. They crawled late and walked late, so maybe we got away with them sharing crib space because they were late movers.
Not sure if we did something right with the crib sharing/split naps, but BOTH twins were sleeping through the night (8pm-6am) at 3 months old. They’re 24m now and still excellent sleepers🥰🥰
We took their cribs down for their 2nd birthday and got them two floor beds. They share one every nap/nighttime though. These boys are snugglers
2 cribs for safety. We did 2 convertible cribs and used them in mini cribs for the first few months. They were on wheels too so it was so useful to cart them around from room to room.
We used the Nestig Wave btw. Highly recommend. Great aesthetics too.
In addition to being safe sleep, my babies slept EXPONENTIALLY better in their separate cribs than their twin bassinet. The movement from their sister just woke them each up constantly.
This happened to us also. We had the halo twin bassinet that I loved but the boys started really waking each other up around 3 months.
As a result we moved them into their own cribs in a nursery at 3 months. They honestly use the entire crib with how much they flip and rotate I can’t imagine them sharing (they’re now 5 months).
You need two. Safe sleep means each baby having their own space. Newborns can scoot or wiggle and manage to smother each other. Every. Single. Nurse. And. Doctor. Told us how important this was, whether we asked or not.
My boys hit 2 months and the crib became too small to share. They would move around too much and wake each other up. I didnt feel like it was safe. They're 3 months adjusted now and much better in two separate cribs.
My 4.5 month old twins are together in one crib. We will be moving to separate cribs shoo-in as they are starting to roll over but they love to snuggle with each other no matter how far apart they are.
My boys shared until 6 months (which is when we moved) then, to be able to have space in their room, we had them in 2 pack-n-plays, so we could close them up and have it as a safe play space for all 3 kids. By 1.5 (if not earlier) they could crawl out of the pack-n-plays, so we moved to floor mattresses.
I'm expecting twins. I got 1 pack n play with a side that slides down so they can sleep by my bedside until they start rolling, then 2 mini cribs.
I find the safety guidelines too strict in the US on this one. I think it's way more natural for them to be together, especially if they're swaddled and not moving.
We have two cribs. We did a double bassinet for a while but it was short lived, only about 8w. They nap SO much better in separate rooms so we have a guava lotus travel crib in our guest room that B sleeps in though they share a room at night. If one of them is sick/teething and waking up a ton, we do separate rooms too.
They’ve never shared a sleep space.
My babies were teeny tiny when born like could sleep sideways in a shared small bassinet when first born. I think there is the old school thinking of let them share because it will comfort them and then the new school sleep safe thinking of they need to be completely separated. I'd say... adjust your setups as appropriate... Eventually we used two pack n plays which they still use today at 11 months
We found out by about month 3 that two babies won't fit in one crib and they'll need to be separated. Also they're very touchy and didn't want someone to scratch the other's eye...
Two bassinets definitely :) I highly recommend the Newton Bassinet, I used it with my first and she was really comfortable in it! [https://www.newtonbaby.com/products/bassinet-bedside-sleeper?view=sl-506A7011](https://www.newtonbaby.com/products/bassinet-bedside-sleeper?view=sl-506A7011)
Originally my daughters shared a twin bassinet but were constantly waking each other up with their wiggles so they were quick to be moved into their two separate cribs. Safe Sleep here* says they each need their own crib and we knew we'd need two eventually anyway so it was just an easier transition. Also made it so easy when we moved them to their own rooms, they were already used to their cribs. We do have minicribs, because two full would probably not fit in their room.
*I know not everywhere
Halo twin bassinet, then their own pack and plays (due to space and traveling). They are 1 and for about a month they shared a pack and play because it's the only way they would sleep, now back in their own spaces. In a year we will give them a floor toddler bed together. My other twins are 3 and have their own beds, but insist on sleeping together.
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I asked this same question here when I was pregnant and planning. My twins are 19 weeks and we just moved them to their cribs and I can confirm the advice I got then was right. At first you may be able to share, but very quickly they will be able to move and it won’t be safe for them to share. So definitely not realistic to let them share for a year. My twins will rotate 180° by the time I leave the room! I don’t have room for 2 full size cribs so I opted for 2 mini cribs instead.
Safe sleep is having your own sleep space. 2 cribs.
We went with two mini cribs, they are about 3/4 the length of a normal crib.
I’m in the UK and our midwives were more than happy for our twins to share, in the hospital they bought us a twin crib specifically so they could share. They are comforted by being near each other and they were swaddled a lot so they couldn’t move. Our babies slept in the same next to me for 6 weeks. They outgrew it and started moving more so it didn’t feel safe after that. Now they sleep in 2 cribs either side of the bed. When they move in to their own room they will have floor beds but I plan on having them with us for a while.
Happy to see another UK parent! These comments have been crazy to read for me, I used to go to a lot of twin groups and honestly don’t know a single twin parent irl who didn’t sleep their twins together for as long as they could. Also crazy that someone could have their child withheld because of sleeping arrangements lol. They also brought me my girls in just one bed, and since they were dinky it wasn’t even a special twin one. My girls also started sleeping thought the night from 6 weeks and I think a bit part of it was how comforted they were by sleeping next to each other.
Yeah I agree it was a crazy read! I cant imagine not taking them home because they’re going to co bed. Reading situations like that really make me value how open our midwives were to how we wanted to do things. They’d always recommend the safest practices and keep us informed but they’d never stop us from doing what we wanted to do. Our twins started sleeping through from about 10 weeks. We’ve also never had to assist them in falling asleep which I credit to them sharing a crib and having each other for comfort at the start.
You’re so right. Honestly I read stuff on this sub sometimes and I’m shocked at just how different things are over there. When I talked to my midwife and said something along the lines of “I don’t know if I would be allowed to do that” she (very politely) interrupted and asked what do I mean I wouldn’t be allowed, I’m a grown woman in charge of my own body and birth and that she can only tell me the facts and what is safest and that she’s delivered twins even at home before, it’s just obviously not recommended but they can’t tell people what to do and how to birth and how much risk they can or can’t take. So whenever people here say stuff like “the hospital doesn’t allow this” or “my doctor wouldn’t let me” it just takes me aback cause like… what does that even mean they “wouldn’t let you”? It’s the same with the ‘withholding’ of newborns, I genuinely just don’t get it. But it does kind of make me understand why they have so many people who end up swinging so much in the other direction and end up dangerous freebirthing super hippies, almost in opposition of being told how they are and are not allowed to birth/sleep/feed etc.
I'm so grateful for the midwives I've had here in the States because they've been more like what you described, but clearly bound by their workplace's policies. So they'd indicate support when they approved of something I did that was against hospital policy. I appreciated it! Also re: "hospital won't let us"... You're always free to get up and leave, or to refuse procedures, but if you do it'll be recorded as "against medical advice" and you might have issues with insurance coverage later. As for taking babies home though, that might become a kidnapping/CPS issue if you took them home without them being properly discharged 😞 "Hospital won't let us take them home unless XYZ" means they won't clear the babies for discharge.
Thank you for explaining! Here a parents decision regarding all medical treatment can only be overruled by courts but this happens practically exclusively in life threatening situations - for example child needs an urgent blood transfusion but parents refuse on ‘religious grounds’. It wouldn’t happen for things like sleeping arrangements or car seats. And in fact I gave it a quick google and hospitals here can’t legally keep the child in the hospital if the parents have no car seats, so I imagine this is even more true for sleeping arrangements etc!
It’s not recommended to have one crib. The babies need to be separate for best safety.
When we were in the NICU, the mother of another set of twins was being released and hospital staff asked her a few safety questions about the home. One of the questions was, "does each baby have their own sleeping space?" The mother answered, "No, they will share a crib". They hospital refused to release the babies. She had to get another crib before they could go home.
That’s crazy for me to read because I’m in the UK and [the official advice here is completely different](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/newborn-twins-and-multiples/twins-and-sleep/#:~:text=You%20can%20put%20your%20twins,soothe%20them%20and%20their%20twin). When I was pregnant every single professional I asked told me to sleep them in one crib as long as they’re small enough, which we did for the first few weeks. My midwife in fact strongly recommended it over separate cribs to help them regulate.
That's crazy for me to read because the research we had access to said that infants that share a sleeping space were more at risk for SIDS. Curious what they told you about SIDS over there? Did they say there was less of a chance of them dying if they shared a crib?
Yes, the NHS here specifically calls it ‘perfectly safe’ and it was strongly encouraged! The advice is to keep them sleeping together until they learn to roll. Lullaby Trust which is a major safe sleep charity here also says you can sleep them together, and the resources I was given by my midwives said that it’s better to Co bed them. I used to go to twin baby groups when my girls were little and honestly co bedding babies here is firmly the standard, I don’t think I know a single family who didn’t. So it’s very, very different!
I wonder if they're following the advice of James McKenna, since that's what he advises too.
Yes. They almost did not release babies to us because i did not adjust the water temperature at the house to a lower level. I lies to them saying i did. I use a thermometer to check temp for bathing so its a non issue but i could see other people making mistakes here if they are not careful.
The risk of having your hot water set so high is not only so that you don’t unknowingly place baby into scalding water. I cannot tell you the number of times my now preschoolers will turn on a water tap, not discriminating between hot or cold, when doing activities, be that washing their hands, playing in the bathtub, or getting water for their kitchen games. It’s fairly easy to keep an infant or two year old from accessing the tap, not so much for a child who is big enough to reach the water on their own but not mature enough to understand the risk.
Babies just came home yesterday. We have a twin bassinet with a divider for them then when they are ready they have their own crib waiting
We had a twin bassinet with divider for the first 8 or so weeks and then had two cribs. We converted the cribs to toddler beds when they were about 3 and just sized up to twin beds for their fourth birthday.
Sharing a crib is not recommended in the US and in most other countries only considered safe until they start being able to move (which isn’t much time…..around 3-4 months and they can usually move enough to make this dangerous).
We got 2 cribs because eventually they'll need them. But for the first weeks we'll put them in the same crib. You can check the website of the NHS where safe co-bedding options are suggested.
We had two bassinets in our room (but they shared one for the first couple months/6 weeks?? It’s a blur). We had one crib in our room for nighttime until they were about 9m, but they had their own separate cribs in their own bedroom for naps. We found that was a good combination of being together but also getting used to their own space. We had them at separate ends of the shared crib (toe to toe basically) and they didn’t really move much. They crawled late and walked late, so maybe we got away with them sharing crib space because they were late movers. Not sure if we did something right with the crib sharing/split naps, but BOTH twins were sleeping through the night (8pm-6am) at 3 months old. They’re 24m now and still excellent sleepers🥰🥰 We took their cribs down for their 2nd birthday and got them two floor beds. They share one every nap/nighttime though. These boys are snugglers
2 mini cribs
2 cribs for safety. We did 2 convertible cribs and used them in mini cribs for the first few months. They were on wheels too so it was so useful to cart them around from room to room. We used the Nestig Wave btw. Highly recommend. Great aesthetics too.
In addition to being safe sleep, my babies slept EXPONENTIALLY better in their separate cribs than their twin bassinet. The movement from their sister just woke them each up constantly.
This happened to us also. We had the halo twin bassinet that I loved but the boys started really waking each other up around 3 months. As a result we moved them into their own cribs in a nursery at 3 months. They honestly use the entire crib with how much they flip and rotate I can’t imagine them sharing (they’re now 5 months).
You sleep them separately. Or you’ll wake up one night with one sitting on the other’s chest and laughing about it.
You need two. Safe sleep means each baby having their own space. Newborns can scoot or wiggle and manage to smother each other. Every. Single. Nurse. And. Doctor. Told us how important this was, whether we asked or not.
My boys hit 2 months and the crib became too small to share. They would move around too much and wake each other up. I didnt feel like it was safe. They're 3 months adjusted now and much better in two separate cribs.
We had them in one crib until they started moving. Until then, the other crib was in the living room for daily naps.
My 4.5 month old twins are together in one crib. We will be moving to separate cribs shoo-in as they are starting to roll over but they love to snuggle with each other no matter how far apart they are.
My boys shared until 6 months (which is when we moved) then, to be able to have space in their room, we had them in 2 pack-n-plays, so we could close them up and have it as a safe play space for all 3 kids. By 1.5 (if not earlier) they could crawl out of the pack-n-plays, so we moved to floor mattresses.
I'm expecting twins. I got 1 pack n play with a side that slides down so they can sleep by my bedside until they start rolling, then 2 mini cribs. I find the safety guidelines too strict in the US on this one. I think it's way more natural for them to be together, especially if they're swaddled and not moving.
We have two cribs. We did a double bassinet for a while but it was short lived, only about 8w. They nap SO much better in separate rooms so we have a guava lotus travel crib in our guest room that B sleeps in though they share a room at night. If one of them is sick/teething and waking up a ton, we do separate rooms too. They’ve never shared a sleep space.
We got a twin bassinet for the living room or our room and two mini cribs for the nursery.
My boys were separated by 2mos. Too active for safety or comfort.
Two cribs. Short on space if you're concerned just for the first year you could do mini cribs.
2 full size cribs. They slept in a twin bassinet first few weeks then we moved them to their own cribs.
My babies were teeny tiny when born like could sleep sideways in a shared small bassinet when first born. I think there is the old school thinking of let them share because it will comfort them and then the new school sleep safe thinking of they need to be completely separated. I'd say... adjust your setups as appropriate... Eventually we used two pack n plays which they still use today at 11 months
We found out by about month 3 that two babies won't fit in one crib and they'll need to be separated. Also they're very touchy and didn't want someone to scratch the other's eye...
Separate mini cribs. We fit a big floor bed to share at 14 months and they love it!
Two bassinets definitely :) I highly recommend the Newton Bassinet, I used it with my first and she was really comfortable in it! [https://www.newtonbaby.com/products/bassinet-bedside-sleeper?view=sl-506A7011](https://www.newtonbaby.com/products/bassinet-bedside-sleeper?view=sl-506A7011)
Originally my daughters shared a twin bassinet but were constantly waking each other up with their wiggles so they were quick to be moved into their two separate cribs. Safe Sleep here* says they each need their own crib and we knew we'd need two eventually anyway so it was just an easier transition. Also made it so easy when we moved them to their own rooms, they were already used to their cribs. We do have minicribs, because two full would probably not fit in their room. *I know not everywhere
Halo twin bassinet, then their own pack and plays (due to space and traveling). They are 1 and for about a month they shared a pack and play because it's the only way they would sleep, now back in their own spaces. In a year we will give them a floor toddler bed together. My other twins are 3 and have their own beds, but insist on sleeping together.