Safer sleep for twins

Many parents find that sleeping their babies in the same cot – or ‘co-bedding’ – can work really well, at least for the first few weeks or months. Research shows that twin babies who sleep in the same cot don’t wake up as often – in fact, their sleeping patterns become more closely matched. So if you decide to co-bed your twins, you should find they won’t disturb each other.

For guidance on safer sleep for twins, triplets or more visit the Twins Trust website.

Sadly, all parents need to be aware that some babies die suddenly and unexpectedly during their sleep for no explainable reason. This is called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Parents of twins and multiple birth babies need to be particularly vigilant, as they are more likely to be born premature or have a low birth weight, and are therefore at a higher risk of SIDS.

While there is still a lot to learn about why SIDS occurs, it is known that placing a baby to sleep on their back reduces the risks, while exposing a baby to cigarette smoke or overheating increases the risk. Keep in mind that it is rare, so don’t let your concerns stop you enjoying the first months with your little ones. And there are lots of simple steps you can take to reduce the risks as much as possible. Our page on safer sleep has lots more advice.

To support you, and help you co-bed your twins safely, Twins Trust and the Lullaby Trust provide lots of useful information, advice and guidance. You can find out more about SIDS at the NHSInform website.