Twins sharing cots?

[PerksOfBeingMe]

I'm aware this question has probably been asked about a million times but I need some advise. I'm currently 19+6 weeks pregnant with boy/girl twins and I was wondering about cot sharing. I'm a young mum and moneys tight, so I was thinking about just buying one crib. I hear about twins who share cots and have amazing bonds. But how long can twins cot share? And if anyone has done this?

[kazkiss]

Quick message as decorating twins bedrooms! I have nearly 5 year old boy/girl twins and they shared for ages, they were side by side for a bit then foot to foot . When they got a bit bigger I used a cot divider (please google this). So basically yes sharing a cot was fine for a while.

[NigellasDealer]

my b/g twins shared for a good while, then we bought another cot when we had the cash! so do not worry.

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/file/-----internal-documents/Fact-Sheet-Mattresses-bedding-and-cots.pdf - has info on cot sharing

[Linguaphile]

Ours shared until 4 months as space was tight in our room, and it worked great! We had to separate them after that, though, because they kept running into each other by scooting backwards (they were both feet to foot with their heads pointing toward the middle). My understanding is that it's safe as long as you follow the usual safe sleep guidelines and as long as you make sure they're in a position that won't end badly if they wiggle around (I.e., not super close side by side, as one could rotate and get their sleep sack over the other one's face).

[MultipleMama]

They shared a twin co-sleeper til around 8mo, I think. And have been sharing a cot every since. They are 17mo old. They sleep side by side ever since they were newborns they had to be touching or huddled together to sleep. If seperated, they screamed and became unsettled. I plan to keep them sharing until they no longer want to. It also helped that they pretty much synchronized their sleeping/eating patterns. No idea if it's to do with them bring MCMA twin boys. I'll test the theory on my b/g twins who will be sharing too:)

You may have to be aware that they may have different patterns and wake each other up - some don't like sharing.

Good luck with your PG, congrats! :)

[neversleepagain]

Mine never really shared, they were put into separate incubators in NICU and slept in their own cots at home from 6 weeks (I found they disturbed each other). They will happily share a travel cot for naps if we visit friends.

[barelyaware]

Mine shared a Moses basket for 3 months and then a cotbed for 5 months so I didn't need a 2nd cot til they were 8 months old! I actually intended to put them in separate Moses baskets and cots, but had them early and we had only gotten round to getting the one basket.

They also put them in same cot in the hospital, and they seemed to settle, so we continued once we got home. They were sleeping 7-7 from 4 months onwards so it definitely worked well for us! Although we actually went through a few rough nights once we separated them as I think they missed each other! They're used to it now though.

Good luck!

[Aliwithtwins]

My twins have always been happier sharing. They were in the same Moses basket, and then we tried the same cot but didn't get much sleep so brought them into bed with us, both together in between us (not recommending this it was just we were desperate for sleep and would have done anything for more sleep). None of this was planned and we ended up with an unused moses basket. We also bought a fancy double travel system but only used the car seats. They were much happier in a borrowed pram, and I preferred being able to see them (all snuggled up together).

[SweetieTime]

I have 9 week old b/g twins. They currently share a travel cot with a bassinet and sleep side by side with their feet to the long side of the cot. They settle very well and don't wake each other up even when they thrash around hitting each other or one of them is screaming. They are getting a bit tall to continue this for much longer so we are going to have to start putting them one at each end with their feet against the short end. I just hope they don't knock their heads together in the night.

[MultipleMama]

SweetieTime My boys sleep side by side under one blanket (17mo) have slept the same way since birth and haven't banged heads yet! They do smudge their faces together though! :)

[YomAsalYomBasal]

Mine don't like sharing and would disturb each other all night long every time I tried. So glad I had a 2nd cot handy!

[Sapeke]

We thought we'd save money by not using moses baskets and putting them straight in a cot, but they didn't seem to like the big open space and wouldn't settle. They liked the "cocoons" we got withour Phil&Teds so we ended up putting them down in those, side by side in a cot. When they outgrew those we switched to grobags and lying either end of the cot. We bought cot number 2 at 6 months when they went into their own room (cot number 1 was borrowed). My advice would be, if money is short don't buy anything unless you're sure you want it. My twins are B/G too and have a close bond. They went into separate bedrooms aged 3 because the rooms in my house are too small for 2 beds but at age 7 they still think it's hilarious to get into bed with each other.

[SugarPlumpFairy3]

Mine were too big at birth to share a Moses basket so they were in their own as soon as we came home. When they went into their own room, they shared a cot bed, top and tailing. They had to go into their own cot bed at around 5 months as they were rolling and waking each other.

If space allows, go for a cot bed rather than a cot as they are much bigger and will hopefully be able to share for longer.

[trashcanjunkie]

Mine slept in bed with me at night and in one cot for naps (or in the pram in the yard) they are nine now and sleep in bunks in their bedroom. Congratulations on your babies

[Kitty2711]

My twin sons were in an incubator together for 3 weeks in SCBU, then when we got them home and put them in separate cots they screamed and screamed until they were together again! Even putting the cots side by side didn't work!
They cuddled up together every night from birth until just over 5 years old!
They just wouldn't sleep in separate cots/beds despite the fact we had 2 of everything.
Before we got their single beds they would cram up in their cotbed and it really didn't look comfy!
Even when they did start sleeping in their own beds, they had to be pushed together like a double bed so they could still be close!

They are 8 now, and sleep in their own beds, in an L shape, but will sleep so their heads are right by eachother. :D

[Xariyahx]

Might be to late by now, but in every store when I've asked about babies sharing and a cotbed, is been told it's unsafe because of wriggling and rolling , and if they top and tale, it can effect the temperature of the cot, but after reading all this advice, I might try letting them sleep together if nothing else works.