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.
There's no specific age when you should separate your children into their bedrooms. Many people don't have the house space to do that, especially if the children are of the same sex. Plenty of same-sex siblings share the same room until they leave home, and for twins, it's no different.
WHEN DO YOU MOVE TWINS TO SEPARATE BEDS? 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.
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.
Many physicians advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side. Previous studies have linked back and right-side sleeping with a higher risk of stillbirth, reduced fetal growth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia, a life-threatening high blood pressure disorder that affects the mother.
Drink Alcohol, Use Drugs, or Smoke
It's never advisable to drink alcohol excessively, smoke, or take drugs, whether you are pregnant or not. When you are pregnant, doing so exposes your unborn babies to toxic substances, raising their risk of birth defects and chronic illnesses.
One crib is fine in the beginning.
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. While one crib is fine, two car seats and a double-stroller are absolute musts for newborn twins.
You shouldn't share the same bed with your twins because it increases the risk of SIDS. But the AAP does recommend that you room-share — having your twins sleep in your room, each in their own bassinet or crib — ideally for the first six months.
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.
The longest interval between the birth of twins is 90 days, in the case of Molly and Benjamin West, dizygotic (fraternal) twins born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA to parents Lesa and David West (all USA) on 1 January and 30 March 1996.
1 It's not that they can't ever be apart—but when they're in their younger years, they may simply be better off together. While limited research has shown there's no real benefit to keeping twins together in a classroom versus separating them, ultimately it should be up to the parents to make that call.
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.
This isn't a weird twin thing, it's a practicality thing. Babies and toddlers have the same schedule, the same needs, and realistically the same interests. Keeping them together and on the same routine helps life run smoothly. This makes alone time all the more important for twins.
Twins experience social interaction with each other from a very early age. However, it's important for them to learn to socialize with other children, sometimes in separate classrooms. If they are exclusive in their relationship, with no interest in playing with other children, they may benefit from being separated.
You want to get about 10 pairs of pajamas: five for each twin. Look for things like sleep sacks that have zippers. You don't want to mess with buttons.
Soft cotton blankets are a good choice; look for blankets that are lightweight and thin, not thick or fuzzy. Finally, swaddle your twins individually. Don't wrap them up together!
Premature Birth
One of the reasons multiple pregnancies are considered higher risk is because 50 percent of them deliver prematurely. A premature delivery occurs prior to 37 weeks of gestation, while a normal full-term pregnancy lasts 38 to 42 weeks.
The chance of a twin miscarriage that affects both babies is around 5 to 10 percent, says Robin Kalish, MD, FACOG, a specialist in high-risk pregnancies.
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.
Major Mood Swings
If you're feeling incredibly moody, you could be expecting twins or multiples. Blame it on all those extra hormones (again!). Intense feelings can be overwhelming for you, but keep in mind that they can go as quickly as they come due to hormonal fluctuations.
Twins, on average, come out sooner — and smaller — than singletons. Your womb may be a cozy place, but it can get crowded in a hurry as they grow. That's why full-term for twins is considered 38 weeks, not the typical 40 weeks.
You don't need to buy two of everything. You will learn, if you haven't already, there are some areas where you should definitely double up. But most items you see at the baby stores are really just a matter of preference, for both you and baby. And you won't know what works until after your babies are born.