co sleeping with twins

January 11, 2022

Between frequent feedings, diaper changes, and nurturing baby through every fuss — getting a full night of sound rest can be a challenge for any family with a newborn. But for families with twins or multiple newborns (which is what we assume you are, if you’re on this page wanting to figure out the secrets behind how to co-sleep with twins!), getting enough shuteye during the night to care for your babies and tackle all the to-dos of the day can sometimes feel less like a challenge…and more like an impossible-to-achieve dream. 

But luckily, twins don’t have to mean the end of your co-sleeping dreams. Because there are ways to co-sleep with twins soundly, safely, and comfortably, while taking away all the stress and second-guessing about how to make your night routine go smoothly.

In fact, co-sleeping makes it easier (not harder) for families with twins to get restful nights of sleep. You just need the right safe sleep tools and how-to help in your back pocket.

Why Co-Sleeping with Twins Makes Your Nighttime Routine Easier 

Two twins co-sleeping in a bedside co-sleeper | babybay Bedside Bassinets

When your baby is first born, they need a lot of milk to grow big and strong.

But they also have a very tiny tummy, which means the adult-loved method of getting three meals a day just won’t cut it.

Though every baby is a little different, you can expect your little ones to feed every 1-3 hours during their first days and 2-4 hours during their first months.

When it comes to twins, you can expect to multiply that feeding schedule times two.

And while other newborn twins sleeping arrangements will require you to get out of bed every time a nighttime feeding call comes and reach over crib bars to give your babies what they need (a walk and reach-down that isn’t too bad the first time around, but can feel much longer and more comfortable the more times it has to be done), co-sleeping lets you care for your little ones without even getting out of bed.

With the right bedside sleeper for twins securely attached to your bedside, you’ll be able to nurse and nurture both of your babies without needing to get up, make frequent trips across the room, or uncomfortably reach down into a more traditional crib or bassinet. 

And you can do it all without worrying about whether your set-up is safe, because you’ll know they have a made-just-for-them sleep space that is expertly-engineered to provide for their comfort while delivering all the benefits — for both you and them — that co-sleeping brings.

Good news, right? Here’s the even better news: according to the University of Notre Dame’s Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory, sleeping close to your babies offers necessary physiological regulation and support

That means sleeping close doesn’t just make things easier for you, but offers your babies the sensorial stimuli they need for healthy emotional development and better resilience in body and mind (among many other co-sleeping benefits!). 

What is Co-Bedding and Why Is It Often Considered the Best Sleeping Position for Twins?

Though co-bedding and bed sharing are sometimes used interchangeably, when it comes to twins or multiples, they mean something very different. 

Two co-sleeping twins looking into the camera | babybay Bedside BassinetsIn the context of twins, co-bedding refers to the practice of letting multiple babies of very similar ages share a sleeping space such as a bedside co sleeper, a twin crib, or a twin baby bassinet. 

Experts are increasingly celebrating co-bedding as a way to mimic the nurturing feeling that twins experience when they’re together in the womb, which provides them with comfort and settles their emotional and physical systems. 

In a clinical study carried out by Dr. Helen Ball (Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Center), babies who slept together through the night were able to enjoy greater sleep pattern synchronicity. 

That means that twins who sleep together are more likely to sleep at the same time — and wake up at the same time too!

So instead of waking up to care for one baby, going back to sleep, and then being called awake again to care for your other baby who needs attention, you’ll be able to meet both of your babies’ needs at once (and spend all that saved time getting some much-needed shut-eye!).

Co-Sleeping with Twins: What are the Best Newborn Twins Sleeping Arrangements? 

A brother looking over a bassinet at newborn twins sleeping arrangements | babybay Bedside Bassinets

Though some parents wonder whether encouraging their babies to sleep in the same space will lead to restless sleeping patterns between the two or awkward positioning that can get in the way of their sound sleep, all the research suggests that twins sleep better (not more restlessly!) when they’re together. 

And when it comes to helping twins or multiples co sleep soundly, there’s no best practice when it comes to positioning.

Though most twins sleep side-by-side for the first month, you should feel free to let your twins shift to head-to-head, feet-to-feet, or side-by-side diagonal without concern. 

No matter what twin co sleeping position you choose, research has proven that all twin co-sleeping positions are equally safe, comfortable for your babies, and supportive of long and restful sleep. 

How to Co-Sleep with Twins (The Easy Way!)

With a bedside co-sleeper, co-sleeping with twins becomes even easier. 

Like all babybay bedside co-sleepers, the babybay Maxi Tall is designed to give your babies a made-just-for-them sleeping space to feel supported and nurtured all through the night. 

With one “such good news!” catch  it’s specifically built to support twins. A bedside co-sleeper in a bedroom | babybay Bedside Bassinets

And unlike most bedside co-sleepers and cribs out on the market, your babybay is made with 100% eco-friendly, durable, and sustainably-sourced beechwood (and free of all the toxic chemicals, glues, and polishes that you’ll find in most cribs and bedside sleepers). 

With the babybay Maxi Tall securely attached to your bed, your baby will stay snug while you gently watch over them from just an arm’s reach away. This bedside co-sleeper is also specially designed to provide your babies the extra wiggle room they need to sleep soundly together — without fighting for space or feeling cramped. 

And any time you decide that a twin crib or bassinet for twins will fit your family’s needs better, you can easily convert your babybay Maxi Tall into a standalone baby bassinet. (So that you have plenty of ways to support your babies’ growth and sound sleep as you co-sleep with twins!)