Sleeping Issues

The first question that springs to mind is the sleeping arrangements for twins.  Should we sleep them together or separately?  Do we need one or two cribs/cots/baskets?  Should they share a bedroom?

There are practical factors to consider when deciding the sleeping arrangements.  Do you have enough space for two cots or even one cot in your room or space in a bedroom of their own? Do you have enough space for a bedroom each?  Maybe you don’t have space enough for cots but could squeeze in two cribs or even Moses baskets?

The other consideration is how can you split yourself in two if both babies are in different locations?  It’s manageable if the twins occupy separate cots and are in the same room but if you have them in different rooms you could have a logistical nightmare.

As well as taking comfort from one another they are likely to be disturbed if the other twin wakes crying.

Maybe you have other children already.  The arrival of a newborn baby or two in any house is going to cause a certain amount of disruption and your existing children need their sleep too.

There is no wrong or right solution your choice has to be whatever works for your family and ensures that you get the most sleep you can.  If you are getting adequate sleep then you can cope with the day ahead.

For the first few months you are going to be exhausted.  You will read or hear stories of how important it is to get your multiples into a routine.  Admittedly, a routine is wonderful and it is achievable but not always achievable in the first few months.

It is advisable, where possible, to sleep during the day when your babies are sleeping and put off any household chores that are not urgent.  Priority is feeding your babies and sleep!  If you can share the night shift with your husband/partner then perhaps a tag team method would work.  Perhaps you can divide the shift into two halves so you both can get some sleep.

There are many methods and tips for achieving the most sleep you can.  Once your babies are bigger and their feeding demands are not so frantic you will be able to try and schedule your babies so that they both feed and sleep at the same time.  If your twins do decide to keep very different schedules you could try and wake them both at the same time in order to establish a routine for nappy changing and feeding.  You may find that for identical twins or twins that are of similar weights it may be quite a successful method as their feeding requirements may be on par with one another.

Swaddling twins in separate blankets and placed side by side in one cot seems to be a popular idea and many of the Neonatal Units are using a co-bedding method particularly with premature twins.  Researchers have found that multiples that are co-bedded after birth appear to handle the stress of the Neonatal Unit better than those who are separated.

As your babies become older and particularly during toddler stage it is possible to try controlled crying.  Many parents say this process works and has changed their lives for the better.

Despite what the so called baby or sleep experts may say, most of which have never actually had twins, there is no right or wrong answer as to the sleeping arrangements for your twins.  I think it’s a case of do whatever works for you and what suits your particular family’s requirements and circumstances and remember its only a short period of time and it will improve.